Pioneer SP-SB03 Speaker Base Review

Setting a new standard for performance in the affordable sound-platform genre, Pioneer’s new SP-SB03 Speaker Base was designed by the company’s resident audio guru, Andrew Jones. Like the SB23W sound bar before it, Jones brings his palpable passion for all things audio to the SB03, and the result is something special.
Unlike many sound platforms which are constructed from molded plastic, the SB03 is designed around a wood composite cabinet that’s braced internally to help squelch unwanted resonance, while also propping up heavier flat panel TVs without buckling under the load.
As indicated by its minimalist design, the SB03 leaves out extras like an HDMI ARC connection, which means you’ll have to program the unit to read basic commands from your TV remote if you want to keep from adding yet another remote to the coffee table. There’s also no real digital interface up front, which makes settings changes, or adjustments like subwoofer level a bit of a guessing game.