Pioneer will make available in Europe next month its latest range of high-end speakers that combine aesthetics and quality.

The streamlined Series 8 line-up comprises three models:

the S-81 floor-standing speaker,
the S-81B-LR bookshelf speaker and the
S-81C centre speaker.

The S-81 and S-81C are available in two luxury finishes, high-gloss black and real whitewashed ash veneer, while the S-81B-LR adds a real walnut veneer variant to the selection.

The key element in the development of this premium line-up is Pioneer's exclusive concentric tweeter/midrange driver.

TAD technologies allow the driver to reproduce more accurate audio. By mounting the tweeter in the centre of the midrange driver, the sound directivity can be precisely controlled at any frequency. All sound ? direct and reflected ? will arrive at the listening position with identical timbre. The tweeter diaphragm is fabricated from titanium, a light but rigid material that pushes the diaphragm resonance beyond the audible range, which results in a cleaner and more accurate sound reproduction.



20 kHz is the highest frequency generally audible by humans, but by using HSDOM - an ultra-high frequency reproduction technology that stands for Harmonized Synthetic Diaphragm Optimum Method - the Series 8 models can play up to 50 kHz for the S-81B and S-81C.

The riffle type super tweeter of the S-81 floor-standing speaker will even push the limit up to 100 kHz. As a result, the Series 8 range effortlessly handles the very high frequencies of HD formats, such as SACD, DTS-HD Master Audio or Dolby TrueHD.

By implementing a configuration of a solid cone structure, a highly linear magnetic circuit and a rigid aluminium basket frame, the woofer of the Series 8 models performs powerful, bass, even at the lowest frequencies. The strong cone structure creates more stable and uniform cone movement, as well as enhanced dampening properties. Unnecessary reaction and resonance are significantly reduced by the specially designed basket frame. Pioneer's Linear Drive Magnetic Circuit is optimised to keep the force factor constant and to perfectly reproduce low frequencies without sound distortion.

In accordance with the EX Series speakers, the Series 8 models have been designed using tge company's Phase Control technology. Phase Control is the concept of managing the time and phase response of the speakers in order to minimise the effect of additional sound delays usually due to the filtering process of multichannel recordings.

The floor-standing S-81 speaker features three spikes for three-point support and two safety feet which protect against overturning and provide an extra solid foundation. In addition, the S-81 incorporates slant layout technology which enables more accurate and clear bass sound reproduction. Tilting the enclosure at a 2-degree angle brings the speaker's centre gravity closer to the centre of the base of the speaker. This improves the stability of the entire system, as well as its time-alignment.

Vertical standing waves that often occur in these large floor-standing speaker enclosures are responsible for uneven, boomy or sucked out bass response. To eliminate these waves, Pioneer has developed unique ABD ( Acoustic Balance Drive) and AFAST (Acoustical Filter Assisted System Tuning) simulation technology, which results in precise and dynamic bass with no low midrange colouration.