Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) Review: 2.8/5

Last updated: October 21, 2026

The Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) is rated 2.8/5 for sound quality, #122 of 179 Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers. See all Passive Home rankings for every top pick.

Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) · Editor's rating 2.8/5, ranked #122 of 179 Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers

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Brand: Pioneer

#122 Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod): $168 per pair Discontinued eBay

Pros: A DIY tweeter and crossover upgrade that turns a budget bookshelf speaker into a much flatter, more accurate small monitor. A DIY tweeter and crossover mod of a budget bookshelf that lifts its preference score to 5.07, or 7.82 with an ideal subwoofer. This is Dennis Murphy’s “Affordable Accuracy Monitor” (AAM) mod of the discontinued Pioneer SP-BS22-LR: the stock tweeter is swapped for a Peerless BC25TG15 dome and a redesigned 3rd-order crossover is built to match it to the stock 4” woofer. CEA2034 spinorama shows only small variations from a flat on-axis response with some directivity error near the crossover, a marked improvement over the unmodified Pioneer, which the reviewer notes shows much more variation from flat. Distortion at 86dB SPL/1m is reasonably controlled above 200Hz, and tweeter distortion barely rises even at 96dB SPL/1m. Measured bass extension of 78Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 83dB.

Cons: Some directivity error appears near the crossover frequency. Distortion climbs in the woofer’s range (below 200Hz) at both 86dB and 96dB SPL/1m. Minimum impedance dips to about 5 ohms with a couple of resonance peaks. This is a DIY project, not a finished retail product: Murphy sold ~$168 pre-built pairs for a while but no longer does, so it now requires sourcing a used/discontinued Pioneer SP-BS22-LR pair plus building the crossover and swapping the tweeter yourself. The mod itself is public domain, but there is no current turnkey way to buy this speaker.

Is the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) right for you?

Buy it if

  • you want measurably neutral sound (preference score 7.8 with a subwoofer).

Skip it if

  • you have a low-power amplifier: 83 dB sensitivity needs more power to play loud.
  • you want to buy it new: it is discontinued.
ReleasedMay 2020 (6 years ago)
Bass Extension (-10dB)60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review)
Bass Extension (-3dB)78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review)
Crossover Frequency3000Hz
DIY KitYes
Dimensions12.6”H x 7.1”W x 8.5”D (320.0 x 180.0 x 215.0 mm)
Drivers1x 4” curvilinear-cone woofer (stock Pioneer), 1x Peerless BC25TG15 1” silk dome tweeter (replacement)
Impedance8 ohms nominal (approx. 5 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review)
Sensitivity83dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review)
Spinorama Preference Score5.07
Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub7.82
Weight9 lbs (4.1 kg)
Woofer Cabinetported, rear
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