Most of us want an audio setup for our home theater that models itself on the precision sound of a top-flight cinema. Of course, it doesn't take much shopping before the audio novice is floored by insider speaker jargon and other barriers of entry that leave them glassy-eyed. Punch-drunk from tech speak, those buyers usually just give in and buy something super-simple like a one-size-fits-all soundbar.
But if you want to stay in the home theater game without succumbing to stats and measurements you don't understand, remember this: your center channel speaker is the heart of your audio system. It should focus on vocal clarity so no moment of dialogue is ever missed. That's the fundamental lesson at the heart of Pioneer's PSP-C22 Andrew Jones Designed Center Channel Speaker.
Jones is one of the premier audio engineers in the business — and the PSP-C22 brings together all he's learned over a career designing theater-quality audio equipment for home systems. Created for both professional and home entertainment enthusiasts, the C22 is crafted to deliver the clear, tight sound .a quality center speaker demands.
Sound elements are routed through a sophisticated system for breaking down low, high, and midrange frequencies for maximum impact, recombining for a smooth sound from the twin 4-inch high output woofers and a 1-inch soft-dome tweeter, even at high volumes. That means it's perfectly suited to switch up from crisper dialogue for your comedies all the way up to crunchier car crashes and truly dynamic explosions for your action blockbusters.
The speaker cabinet itself is also a work of art. Redesigned from the original C21 to fit more easily into even less space in crowded, tight furniture units, the C22's cabinet is also curved. That results in a stiffer cabinet wall, which reduces standing sound waves inside for higher performance and markedly improved sound quality, even at a smaller size than the C21.
Of course, the C22 requires an audio amplifier and should be used in tandem with surround sound speakers and a subwoofer for a full theater-quality presentation. But even as the shining center of your audio universe, this is a standout pick. It also knocked out customers on Amazon, who gave the unit a stellar 4.7 out of 5-star rating from nearly 800 reviews.
The PSP-C22 Andrew Jones Designed Center Channel Speaker from Pioneer retails for $149, but right now, you can save almost half off that price and get one for only $79.99.
Prices subject to change.
