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Pioneer S-710

Copa1934

Copa1934

My ears are bleeding
So we're walking up to the GW and the couple has just unloaded some stuff, and there sat a pair of these speakers. I offered to take them, but they were now on their property and the worker bee told me I'd have to wait a couple hours for them to be priced and put on the floor. Oh well. So we're wandering around, as usual, checking out this and that. The wife shopping for cloths for the grandkids, me checking out whatever. Then the worker bee comes from the back room just as I'm walking past the door and asks if I'm still interested in the speakers. Sure I say.

So I get them for $24. Cosmetically they are very nice, at least an 8 out of 10, closer to a 9. Problems? Well one. One woofer replaced, or so I thought. Got them home, pulled the good woofer (needs surround), checked the part number and correct for the speaker system. Pulled the "foreign" driver and WTF! It was the original frame/motor assembly, but a horribly botched recone! What kind of moron does this to a speaker in this class? This is not a Electrophonic or SoundDesign, etc.

OK, I'll delve into that mess later. In the mean time I connected a spare JBL 122a woofer in it's place to test the "system" and the remaining drivers were fully functional AND sounded good. The 122a, of course, is not a proper match for the network or the cabinet, but it was a test. However, the fit was good, so the cutout was at least a nice match.

Dimensionally these fall between HPM-100 and HPM-60, closer to the 100. They are wider and taller than the 60 and almost the same depth, just slightly deeper. The fit and finish of the cabinets are definitely nice quality. For vinyl, really nice. I don't normally like vinyl. The prior owner obviously took care of these, and obviously gave up on further repairs. Just wish they hadn't reconed, but if the original had cracked, that may have been why the extreme repairs.

If anyone has any useful links it would be appreciated. Have a WTB listing in Barter Town for a replacement woofer. Likely going to be a challenge. I'll give this adequate time. If nothing turns up, I'll see about a proper (better) replacement cone or worse case woofer swap (both drivers). If that doesn't pan out I will do the unthinkable and just part them out. Last resort of course.
 

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Just an update. After some research I've found that the woofers are very much unobtanium. I also found out that these came in standard issue and "mirrored". I got lucky, if you will, and have a mirrored set. I didn't pay attention to this, but after reading about it decided to check and sure enough mine are.

I've located a replacement woofer, but it seems the seller has one made of gold or some unobtanium materials of some sort. Hoping to find one more reasonable. Sure would like to put these head to head with my HPM-100 speakers. I don't believe head to head with the 60's would be fair as these are definitely larger and have a larger woofer (12"), though not quite as large as the 100's woofer.
 
Replacement woofer purchased and in my possession. Whoohoo! Cleaned one up and will work on the next tomorrow. Will order surrounds shortly. Can't wait to get these going and A/B with my HPM-100 speakers. Will post more images later.
 
Copa1934 said:
So we're walking up to the GW and the couple has just unloaded some stuff, and there sat a pair of these speakers. I offered to take them, but they were now on their property and the worker bee told me I'd have to wait a couple hours for them to be priced and put on the floor. Oh well. So we're wandering around, as usual, checking out this and that. The wife shopping for cloths for the grandkids, me checking out whatever. Then the worker bee comes from the back room just as I'm walking past the door and asks if I'm still interested in the speakers. Sure I say.

So I get them for $24. Cosmetically they are very nice, at least an 8 out of 10, closer to a 9. Problems? Well one. One woofer replaced, or so I thought. Got them home, pulled the good woofer (needs surround), checked the part number and correct for the speaker system. Pulled the "foreign" driver and WTF! It was the original frame/motor assembly, but a horribly botched recone! What kind of moron does this to a speaker in this class? This is not a Electrophonic or SoundDesign, etc.

OK, I'll delve into that mess later. In the mean time I connected a spare JBL 122a woofer in it's place to test the "system" and the remaining drivers were fully functional AND sounded good. The 122a, of course, is not a proper match for the network or the cabinet, but it was a test. However, the fit was good, so the cutout was at least a nice match.

Dimensionally these fall between HPM-100 and HPM-60, closer to the 100. They are wider and taller than the 60 and almost the same depth, just slightly deeper. The fit and finish of the cabinets are definitely nice quality. For vinyl, really nice. I don't normally like vinyl. The prior owner obviously took care of these, and obviously gave up on further repairs. Just wish they hadn't reconed, but if the original had cracked, that may have been why the extreme repairs.

If anyone has any useful links it would be appreciated. Have a WTB listing in Barter Town for a replacement woofer. Likely going to be a challenge. I'll give this adequate time. If nothing turns up, I'll see about a proper (better) replacement cone or worse case woofer swap (both drivers). If that doesn't pan out I will do the unthinkable and just part them out. Last resort of course.
Click to expand...
Finally! Just installed the foams this weekend and auditioned the speakers yesterday. Will post more, along with images, possibly tomorrow.
 
I have a pair S-910's which had shattered woofer cones when I got them. Have never heard them playing full range since no woofers and they are an odd size. I've thought about trying to have them reconed but you can't get the original graphite cones. I'm using the cabinets as subwoofers now since the volume was about right form some old Adire drivers. I left the mids and ribbons installed just to keep the boxes sealed and put a pipe plug in the port. I'll be interested in your listening impressions since mine could easily be restored to pre-subwoofer configuration.

John
 
Umm, wow...

Copa1934 said:
Finally! Just installed the foams this weekend and auditioned the speakers yesterday. Will post more, along with images, possibly tomorrow.
Click to expand...

So, looking at the images you'll see part of the herd, including a pair of HPM-100. These speakers are very close in size, really close. Again, the vinyl finish is quite nice and I don't normally like vinyl.

I plopped these buggers in the man cave, not really thinking about placement since I just wanted to listen to them. In spite of this I would find that these buggers are pretty impressive. I wasn't sure at first, partly because they had been idle for so long and the caps needed to "wake up". Once they did the difference was notable. These buggers opened up and gave me a very respectable sound stage with very nice imaging. Many of the speakers I've owned and currently own have been more finicky about placement. I still need to spend more time with them and also set them up to go head to head with the HPM, since they are kind of like replacements for that line.

Without question these are very nice speakers. I can't help but think that the mirror image may actually contribute to the good imaging of these speakers, but that would be easier to determine if I had just a plain pair. Gonna take some time to figure out where these really stand. I do know that the bass is something I need to evaluate more. I'm still up in the air about the performance in this area.
 

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Copa1934 said:
So, looking at the images you'll see part of the herd, including a pair of HPM-100. These speakers are very close in size, really close. Again, the vinyl finish is quite nice and I don't normally like vinyl.

I plopped these buggers in the man cave, not really thinking about placement since I just wanted to listen to them. In spite of this I would find that these buggers are pretty impressive. I wasn't sure at first, partly because they had been idle for so long and the caps needed to "wake up". Once they did the difference was notable. These buggers opened up and gave me a very respectable sound stage with very nice imaging. Many of the speakers I've owned and currently own have been more finicky about placement. I still need to spend more time with them and also set them up to go head to head with the HPM, since they are kind of like replacements for that line.

Without question these are very nice speakers. I can't help but think that the mirror image may actually contribute to the good imaging of these speakers, but that would be easier to determine if I had just a plain pair. Gonna take some time to figure out where these really stand. I do know that the bass is something I need to evaluate more. I'm still up in the air about the performance in this area.
Click to expand...
Oh, forgot to mention, I have rubber surrounds installed. Also have T/S specs for anyone interested...

R(e): 5.4569
F(s): 31.63
Q(ts): 0.624
Q(es): 0.68
Q(ms): 7.603
L(e): 0.539
M(ms): 54.88
V(as): 6.486 cuft
 
I have 2x pairs of these. 1x in 9/10 condition and the other pair needing refoaming with a slightly cracked woofer cone. The s-910 is slightly larger with the same driver compliment bar BE tweeters. The s-710s sound great and that ribbon tweeter is so smooth. They arent in the same league as the DSS series eg DSS-9 but still sound great none the less. Great find at a great price. Definitely worth the trouble.
 
ARIKIP said:
I have 2x pairs of these. 1x in 9/10 condition and the other pair needing refoaming with a slightly cracked woofer cone. The s-910 is slightly larger with the same driver compliment bar BE tweeters. The s-710s sound great and that ribbon tweeter is so smooth. They arent in the same league as the DSS series eg DSS-9 but still sound great none the less. Great find at a great price. Definitely worth the trouble.
Click to expand...
Sure would be nice to "stumble" on some DSS.

Where these really impressed me was choral. I have a couple CD's that have the same performance, one the full version of "Ode to Joy" (one of my favorite pieces) and a piece of that in the opening of Micheal Jackson's "Will you be there". I only have a couple pairs of speakers that do any kind of justice to that, and these are one of those.

This coming weekend I'll hopefully have more time to spend listening. Been a busy month for me rebuilding drivers and respective speakers.
 
ARIKIP said:
I have 2x pairs of these. 1x in 9/10 condition and the other pair needing refoaming with a slightly cracked woofer cone. The s-910 is slightly larger with the same driver compliment bar BE tweeters. The s-710s sound great and that ribbon tweeter is so smooth. They arent in the same league as the DSS series eg DSS-9 but still sound great none the less. Great find at a great price. Definitely worth the trouble.
Click to expand...
OH, forgot to mention. The 910 only shares the mid. The woofer magnet is bloody huge, like the HPM. And the tweeter is closer in performance to the DSS speakers. I've read of people swapping the 910 woofer in the DSS-9. Can't wait to install the rubber surrounds and get some readings with DATS.
 
Nice to see you got these working. I have a pair of S-910's and they're very nice. Sold my HPM-100's after getting them. I've since finally scored DSS-9's, so right now they S-910's are being used as subwoofers - I attached a passive 80- Hz speaker level crossover to them, and they work well in that capacity too.
 
I scored a pair of S-710's with RS woofers for $20. Was wondering if the T/S specs you listed were for the original woofers.
 
Copa1934 said:
OH, forgot to mention. The 910 only shares the mid. The woofer magnet is bloody huge, like the HPM. And the tweeter is closer in performance to the DSS speakers. I've read of people swapping the 910 woofer in the DSS-9. Can't wait to install the rubber surrounds and get some readings with DATS.
Click to expand...
So the 910 has a larger Magnet but still has the stamped basket? The DSS Woofers had massive cast baskets and were a definite step up from the S series. I would love to own a DSS series speaker..alas its pretty much impossible to find them down in this part of the world.
 
The DSS-9 is a much nicer speaker than the S-910 in every way. Every driver is significantly better, as is the crossover and cabinet. That's not to take away from the S-910 - it's a nice speaker! But the DSS-9 is on another level.
 
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