Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
No need to say how nice they are, but mine have a strange behaviour: the stereo image is better when I cross the cables !
I placed the speakers in the room calculating where they would have the less resonance, but when I move transversally in front of the speakers, there is a "hole".
I checked all the cables, including inside the speakers, but no doubt, the red cable is the red cable, but it sounds better when I connect the two speakers differently.
If someone has an explanation, I woulld be for sure interested to hear it.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
very good spaker to listen rock and pop music at home even today. But it's not easy to find them as good conditions. my own hpm 100 is 35 years old and I'm very pleased from both of them.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
These speakers are superior to many modern speakers costing hundreds of dollars (sometimes more than $1000)- The mid range rise in presence is to be expected and is present in all multi-driver speakers as a function of their properties in general. The crossover will "hide or reduce this" in some speakers- there are several modifications some quite simple that can be performed to give a flatter response but most ears will not perceive this. Remember sound quality is highly subjective good specs on paper will not necessarily mean good sound and vice-versa. Most people perceive these speakers as producing a very high quality sound stage only bested by the like of Klipsch La Scalsas or such.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
This speaker, as setup by Pioneer, sounds really bad. It is harsh, really harsh. I was puzzled about all the positive reviews. Looked online and found very little information on modifications. It looks like the reviewers just like harsh sound.

I was on my own, I already bought this heavy oldies, so, I took them appart to see why it sounded so bad. To my complete surprise the problem is in the crossover. The mid-range capacitor of 4.4uF is wrong making a big void in the sound. I guess the harshness comes from a sort of spectral vacuum? The correct value is between 70 to 100uF. I did one speaker and did an A-B comparison to the other unmodified speaker. The result was dramatic the harshness is gone and the sound is a lot more detailed.

During all this, I tested the HPM super tweeter and found that it produces very little sound. It is hard to even get a measurement of its sound output using top of the line Neutric sound analyzing equipment. I guess it was a gimmick from pioneer just for marketing games. But, it does not matters because the cone tweeter works just fine and does not needs the HPM tweeter help.

I also tried changing the crossover components for newer ones and did not improved at all. Also removing the pots (level controls) do not improve on the sound.

Overall, a bad, harsh sounding speaker that can be transformed into a sweet sounding, full range speaker by just changing the 4.4uF cap to 75uF.

Price Paid:  $100.00 from friend

Summary:
I've owned these for over 20 years now. Back in the 70's I sold a pair (I was a dealer then) to a good friend who uses them still. Mine were purchased, sans woofers, for $40. I used a set of JBL woofers in them for 15 years until the internet allowed one to conveniently purchase vintage products. That said, I bid on at least 10 sets of OEM woofers before I won a pair at my price point ($67). Replacing the JBLs made a noticeable improvement in the sound. A previously great system became absolutely superb.

I often relate as to how, if I could have any speaker system for less than a thousand bucks...well, I already have them.

I'm a live sound engineer, ex hifi salesman; and I've never heard speakers I'd trade for these...unless maybe someone has a spare pair of Klipshorns or Magnepans laying around.

Anybody?

Mine are a bit beat up looking and could use some veneer repair; but they sound just like 1977.

Strengths:
Carbon fiber, cast aluminum drivers. Absolutely rigid, dense enclosures. Extended bass response. Soaring highs. Bullet-proof longevity.

The stunned expressions on the faces of those to whom I demonstrate them.

Weaknesses:
Occasional harsh midrange...could be attributable to amp clipping.

Similar Products Used:
Most of them. I own several sets of speakers.