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At £800, this speaker system is at the upper limit of what rational people might consider spending. It isn’t listed on Pioneer’s website but various retailers are selling this 5.1 system as the S31 AV, which comprises two S-31-LR floor-standing front speakers, two S-31B-LR bookshelf-style surround speakers, an S-31C centre speaker and an S-51W subwoofer. Bought separately, this combination costs around £1,000.
Build quality is excellent. The set looks suitably expensive, too, with its elegant curves and wood veneer. The all-black colour scheme with minimal decorative flourishes help it sit unobtrusively in the room, despite its size. It’s also available in a beech veneer, although the speaker covers remain black.
The subwoofer’s controls are limited to a volume knob and phase switch, leaving crossover frequency control to the AV receiver. The controls are mounted on the rear of the subwoofer, which might make it tricky to fine-tune the volume but also means it’s unlikely to be adjusted accidentally after set-up. 
We like the smart design of these speakers and its handling of Blu-ray soundtracks is breathtaking, but for £800 we expect a superb all-rounder. The Teufel Theater 200 costs £50 less and sounds significantly better, particularly for music playback. It’s by far the better choice at this price.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Rating | ** |
| Speaker configuration | 5.1 |
| RMS power output | 750W |
| Power consumption standby | 0W |
| Power consumption on | 55W |
| Analogue inputs | satellites: binding posts, subwoofer: mono phono |
| Digital inputs | none |
| Dock connector | none |
| Headphone output | none |
| Satellite cable lengths | none |
| Cable type | replaceable |
| Controls located | subwoofer |
| Digital processing | none |
| Tone controls | subwoofer controls: volume |
| Price | £800 |
| Supplier | http://www.petertyson.co.uk |
| Details | www.pioneer.co.uk |
