Pioneer Cs-787 Review
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Unlike the scattergun approach of its siblings, the CS-787 uses a carefully curated trio of drivers:
1. The Woofer (FW-307) – 12-inch Acoustic Suspension This is the star. A massive 12-inch cone with a cloth roll surround (not foam, meaning it rarely rots). Because the box is sealed, the woofer fights against a cushion of air. This results in a "tight" bass. It doesn't boom; it punches. It reaches down to 35Hz, but unlike ported speakers, it doesn't get muddy.
2. The Midrange (5-inch cone) A dedicated cone midrange handles the critical vocal region. This was unusual for Pioneer; they often used horn or dome mids. The cone midrange gives the CS-787 a "British" warmth—think Spendor or KEF—rather than the harsh, in-your-face Japanese sound.
3. The Tweeter (2-inch horn type) A small horn-loaded dome tweeter. It is bright, but not fatiguing. It rolls off gently at 20,000 Hz. The horn provides dispersion, meaning the sweet spot is wider than you’d expect from a 70s box. pioneer cs-787
The Crossover: Hidden inside is a surprisingly complex 3-way crossover at 800 Hz and 5,000 Hz. This protects the midrange from bass frequencies and keeps the horn tweeter from sounding shrill.
The Pioneer CS-787 is more than a speaker; it is a historical artifact of when audio was trying to be grandiose. In an era where speakers are shrinking and becoming smart, the CS-787 remains gloriously dumb, heavy, and loud.
If you find a pair at a garage sale or estate sale for under $300, grab them. Re-foam the woofers, recap the crossovers, and connect them to a 1970s receiver. Close your eyes, put on Dark Side of the Moon, and you will understand why people still chase this vintage sound.
They don’t make them like this anymore. And frankly, that’s a shame.
Have a pair of Pioneer CS-787s? Drop a comment below with your restoration story. Looking to buy? Check local classifieds and be prepared to drive—freight shipping on these boxes will cost a fortune. Yes, if:
Let’s be honest: you either love or hate the way the Pioneer CS-787 looks. The grille is not your standard black cloth. It is a dark brownish-gray woven fabric, but the real showstopper is the solid wood lattice frame that sits over the grille.
This lattice creates a geometric, three-dimensional shadow effect. Collectors often call this the "Batman" speaker because the lattice pattern vaguely resembles the silhouette of gothic skyscrapers or cape wings. Underneath the grille, the drivers are arranged in a vertical line, giving it a clean, tower-like appearance.
The cabinet is finished in high-quality wood veneer (often genuine walnut or ash), not the cheap vinyl wrap found on lesser speakers of the era.
To understand the CS-787, you must understand the era. 1976 was the peak of the "Receiver War." Pioneer’s own SX-1250 (a 160-watt-per-channel behemoth) was sitting on showroom floors. Speakers of the day needed two things: high power handling and high efficiency.
Pioneer’s typical approach was the "Kabuki" school of design: massive woofers, multiple midranges, super tweeters, and lattice grilles. The CS-787 broke that mold. It was Pioneer’s attempt to build an acoustic suspension speaker (a sealed box, not a ported one), pioneered by Acoustic Research in the 50s. This meant tighter bass, slower roll-off, and a requirement for serious amplifier grunt. No, if: Unlike the scattergun approach of its
Modern speakers often use two drivers. The CS-787 uses five. Why?
The result is a speaker that tries to do everything. Whether it succeeds is a matter of debate.
Let’s address the elephant in the room. The CS-787 is a textbook example of what modern collectors call the "Kabuki" speaker—a Japanese design trend of the late 70s characterized by a large, lightweight woofer, multiple smaller drivers (often passive radiators or cone tweeters), and a chaotic array of knobs on the front baffle.
The CS-787 is huge. Standing over 27 inches tall and weighing nearly 50 lbs, it demands floor space. The front baffle is a busy mix of:
At first glance, it looks like Pioneer threw every driver they had in the parts bin onto a single board. But as the saying goes, "don't judge a book by its cover."
To be honest: Do not expect modern, flat-response studio monitors. The CS-787 has a distinct "vintage signature."
