You’ll often hear audiophiles talking about the brand Pioneer.
Now, some say they’re good, but others complain they’re overrated.
So it can be really confusing.
But don’t worry, I got you. Because by the end of this article…
You’ll know whether or not Pioneer speakers are the right fit for you.
Continue reading to find out:
- The top-3 Pioneer car speakers you should buy.
- What are the best Pioneer products for your budget.
- How Pioneer compares to other popular speaker brands.
- And this is just the beginning…
Are Pioneer speakers any good?
Pioneer speakers are good. The brand has been around for almost 90 years. And it’s known for making high-quality car and home theatre audio devices. Pioneer speakers are loud even without subwoofers or amplifiers. So they’re some of your best choices on the market.
What are the best Pioneer speakers?
The best Pioneer speakers are those that are made for cars. You might be familiar with the fact that the company also makes audio devices for indoor use. However, their car speakers are much more popular than their home theatre devices.
That said, if you want to check out some products from this brand, here are the…
Top-3 Pioneer car speakers you should try:
#1: Pioneer 4″ 150 Watt TS-F1034R speakers ($25)
If you want the best bang for your buck…
I highly recommend getting these 4” 150-watt speakers from Pioneer.
That’s because for less than $30…
This model can keep up with the sound quality of other car speakers that cost double the price.
See, this device has clean and clear-sounding mids and highs.
And you can even crank it up to more than 120 dB without noticing any distortion.
So no doubt, it’s 1 of the best entry-level car speakers you can find on the market.
Note: Keep in mind that this model isn’t the best when producing bass. That’s because the lowest frequency it can produce is only 45 Hz. And deep bass sounds start from 20 Hz.
But considering these speakers’ very low price point…
This flaw is understandable.
After all…
Other brands sell similar 2-way speakers for more than double Pioneer’s price like these ones:
- Infinity 4” 2-way car speakers ($65).
- KICKER 4” Car Audio Speaker ($84).
- JBL CLUB4020 4″ 2-way speakers ($70).
#2: 5-way TS-A6990F speakers ($90)
If you want the bass quality of subwoofers but don’t want to pay too much…
Then you should definitely try out these 5-way audio speakers from Pioneer.
See, unlike the previous model…
These speakers can project all the frequency ranges that humans can hear.
With that, you won’t miss out on the lowest bass and the highest treble sounds.
Moreover, these speakers are also very easy to install.
So even if you haven’t replaced car speakers before…
With just a little effort, you’ll be able to fit this device into your car with no problems.
#3: Pioneer TS-D65F 2-way speakers ($129)
It’s time to talk about the speakers I personally use.
And they’re these 2-way 6 ½-inch speakers from Pioneer.
Now, these devices are bigger than the previous examples.
So you can expect them to provide the loudest volume out of the 3 models mentioned.
Moreover…
These speakers also have incredibly deep bass and clear-sounding higher frequencies.
Plus, based on experience…
I can assure you that these speakers don’t have any distortion.
So if this device fits your budget, I highly recommend getting it for your car.
Now, if you’re curious about other products from the brand, you can also check out these…
3 best Pioneer home speakers
#1: 21W 4″ 2-Way Active Monitor ($149)
These speakers are best for your home stereo setup because they:
- Are easy to use.
- Have a compact design.
- Have solid low-frequencies (bass).
So if you want to have plug-and-play speakers for your desk or living room…
This device is well-suited for you.
#2: Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Home Audio Bookshelf
This model was designed by the renowned designer Andrew Jones himself.
So if you value your speakers’ aesthetics along with their audio…
Grab a Pioneer SP-BS22 and you won’t be disappointed.
#3: Pioneer SP-C22 Home Audio Center Channel
Not a fan of speakers that come in pairs?
Then I highly recommend getting this audio center channel speaker.
See, even with only 1 speaker unit…
Your entire room will be filled with high-quality music that you can blast whenever you want.
How do Pioneer speakers compare to other speaker brands?
Pioneer is better than the brand Kenwood. That’s because its speakers can project louder volumes than the other company. However, Pioneer sometimes falls short in comparison to JBL. And that’s due to the fact that the latter brand’s speakers have better bass.
And if you want to go into detail about these comparisons, let’s…
Compare Pioneer to these 3 popular speaker brands:
#1: JBL
JBL is well-known for delivering high-quality audio devices for:
- Car stereo.
- Personal use.
- Home theatres.
And since it’s been an active company since the 1950s…
It’s been consistently part of the top-rated brands in the speaker industry.
With that said, it’s time to compare this reputable company to Pioneer.
Note: I used JBL’s GTO629 speaker ($140) and Pioneer’s TS-D65F ($129) for this comparison.
At first glance…
These 2 brands’ car speakers seem pretty similar.
However, upon closer inspection and several sound tests…
It’s clear that JBL speakers can deliver more profound audio than Pioneer.
Specifically, since JBL has a larger surface area on their speaker cones…
They can produce more solid bass than Pioneer speakers can.
However, this small difference isn’t as noticeable as you may think.
And honestly, when I compared both models by ears…
I couldn’t even pinpoint their differences until I used my audio software.
#2: Kenwood
Since Kenwood was founded in 1946…
It’s also been known as a brand that produces high-end car speakers like Pioneer.
However, when comparing the products from both companies…
It’s obvious that each brand approaches audio differently.
See, Kenwood speakers tend to have warmer sounds than Pioneer products do.
In other words, its audio tilts more in the lower frequencies.
So you’ll hear more bass when using Kenwood speakers.
On the other hand…
Pioneer speakers tend to play more neutral audio.
So they generally reflect the true quality of songs better than Kenwood models do.
It’s also worth noting that Pioneer speakers are louder than the other’s brand’s products.
So if you’re the type to blast the volumes of your car stereo…
I recommend going for Pioneer products instead.
#3: Alpine
I like Pioneer and Alpine speakers equally.
But between these 2 brands…
I’d say Alpine makes more versatile speakers.
That’s because models from this brand are louder than those from Pioneer.
And they also have the least sound distortion.
Check this chart for a more detailed comparison:
Pioneer TS-A692C | Alpine S-S69C | |
Peak power output | 450 W | 295 W |
Power capacity | 100 W | 85 W |
Impedance | 4 Ohm | 4 Ohm |
Frequency response | 33 Hz to 49 kHz | 65 Hz to 22 kHz |
Sensitivity | 87 dB | 90 dB |
Based on these data…
I suggest choosing Alpine speakers if you like playing dynamic songs.
That’s because they can reach higher volumes with their higher sensitivity.
On the other hand…
You should consider Pioneer products if you prefer Soul or Jazz.
Because they can deliver softer tones better than Alpine can.
And now that we’ve compared Pioneer speakers to other brands…
You might want to see models from each company used side-by-side.
That said, here’s a comparison video that includes speakers from all the brands I mentioned:
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How much do Pioneer speakers cost?
Most Pioneer speakers cost $20 to $150. And you’ll notice that the company’s most popular products are usually within this price range. Of course, Pioneer also sells higher-end speakers that cost more than $200. But it’s noticeable that the brand doesn’t offer too many choices at this price.
And if you want to go into the specifics, here’s…
How much the most-popular Pioneer speakers cost
Model name | Price |
TS-F1034R | $27.28 |
TS-A1670F | $53.95 |
TS-A6977S | $59.89 |
TS-G1620F | $66.95 |
TSA1607C | $89.99 |
TS-A6990F | $90.15 |
TS6900PRO | $121.55 |
TS-D65F | $129.99 |
TS-Z65C | $249.99 |
As this graph shows…
Pioneer has a device for you even if you’re on a tight budget.
However, naturally, it’s not rare to worry about whether these speakers are good enough or not.
Especially since they cost much lower than Pioneer’s competing brands.
But don’t worry, I’m here to help.
So let me give you a short description of…
What you can expect from Pioneer speakers based on their price
Models $50 and lower
If you’re planning to get car speaker replacements for less than $50…
Models from Pioneer are your best bet.
That’s because even for this affordable price point…
The brand still has several options you can choose from, including these devices:
Now, of course…
These speakers won’t be as good as the models that cost $200.
But you can still expect them to have:
- Loud volume.
- Decent sound output.
- Clear-sounding mids to highs.
However, these speakers tend to have weaker bass.
So if you’re fond of bass-driven song genres like hip-hop or rock…
These models won’t be the best choice for you.
But note that these devices still sound better than most car stock speakers.
With that, I recommend getting them if you simply need a little upgrade for your car’s audio.
Models $50 to $100
Smooth bass. Clear mids and trebles.
That’s what you can expect from Pioneer speakers within this price range.
See, as long as you accompany these speakers with the right equalizer settings for car audio…
They’ll be indistinguishable from other models that cost hundreds.
Moreover, these speakers also come with plenty of wires for your installation.
So you don’t have to worry about connecting them to your car.
That said, I highly recommend getting these speakers.
Especially if you want your car audio to be much better without needing any subs or AMPs.
So if you’re interested in getting a model within this price range…
Here are some of the best $50-$100 Pioneer speakers:
- TS-A6977S (59.89).
- TS-A6990F ($89.95).
- TS-G1620F ($66.95).
Models $100 and higher
If you want speakers with the most reliable bass you can get…
Then I highly recommend getting Pioneer products at this price range.
That’s because these models have the lowest frequency response.
So they’ll be able to produce all the sounds responsible for the bass of your song.
On top of that…
These speakers can also produce an excellent punch through their mids and highs.
So you can play different song genres on your stereo. And they’ll all equally sound good.
That said, if you have a little more budget for your car speaker replacements…
Here are some of the best…
Pioneer speakers that cost more than $100:
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Are they worth it?
Pioneer speakers are worth it. The brand’s products can compete with those from other companies like JBL and Kenwood. So you’ll undoubtedly get high-quality audio from Pioneer’s reliable speakers.
Moreover, Pioneer devices are also very user-friendly.
See, even my non-techy friend was able to replace her car stock speakers on her own.
And that was only possible because she got a replacement model from Pioneer.
That said, if you want to have car stereo replacements that are:
- Affordable.
- High-quality.
- Easy to use.
Then, I highly recommend trying out the Pioneer speakers that fit your budget.