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T H E A T E R
O N E
Definitive Technology BP-3000 TL Speaker System
H I G H L I G H T S
• BP-3000 provides an
awesome amount of bass,
negating the need for an
external subwoofer
• C/L/R-3000 center speaker
is the first with a powered
bass section, which we think
really adds something to the
system's sound
• Yeah, they're big. You got a
problem with that?
over and over again (admittedly,
part of that was me).
Certainly, these speakers are
amazing for stereo listening, but I
was also overwhelmingly curious
about their surround-sound
performance. On multichannel
movie soundtracks, such as
Tomorrow Never Dies and Strange
Days, both of which feature deep
bass and bright upper ends, the
system excelled once again. The
C/L/R-3000 center speaker repro-
duced dialogue very naturally and
cleanly. But does having a pow-
ered bass section in the center
speaker really pay off? I think so—
when I changed the Proceed
AVP's settings to "large speakers"
all around, I noticed better dynam-
ics and a fuller sound in the center.
Home Theater / December 199 8
The BP-2004s also did a fine job bring-
ing up the rear, and they obviously
would also make for fantastic front
speakers if you can't accommodate
the larger BP-3000s.
As compared to my reference
$3,000/pair Mirage OM-6 system
(also a bipolar speaker), the BP-3000
provided deeper, tighter bass, and a
fairly similar soundstage presenta-
tion, although the BP-3000's sound-
stage appeared slightly deeper. The
BP-3000 d o e s cost $1,500/pair more;
for the additional bass output, I'd con-
sider the additional outlay worthwhile.
I also had a chance to compare the
B P - 3 0 0 0 to our reference direct-radiat-
ing speaker, the Vienna Acoustics
Beethoven. I found that the BP-3000
blew the Viennas away in many
regards, including sheer size o f
soundstage and punch in the low e n d .
Of course, because the Viennas a r e
direct-radiators, they did have the
characteristic tight and focused
soundstage, with superior imaging,
but the BP-3000s did as well as any
bipolar loudspeaker I've ever heard in
that regard.
If you're in the market for an all-
out speaker system with the absolute
maximum in machismo, t h e r e ' s
really nothing that compares to
this one, short of a conventional
system with several separate pow-
ered subs thrown in. Granted, the
spouse-acceptance factor of such
huge speakers may be limited, but
that's where y o u r machismo needs
to come into play.
11433 Cronridge Drive, Suite K
Owings Mills, MD 21117
(410) 363-7148
www.definitivetech.com
Definitive Technology Speaker System
CFG Labs measures: Definitive Technology
BP-3000 System
This chart shows the frequency response of the BP-3000
tower speaker (top trace), the C/L/R-3000 center
speaker (middle trace), and the BP-2004 tower speaker
(bottom trace). We measured the speakers at a base
level of 90 dB and scaled the curves to fit this chart.
Quasi-anechoic on-axis frequency response of the
BP-3000 measures +/-3.19 dB from 20 Hz to 18.5 kHz,
–5.06 dB at 20 kHz. (The –3dB point falls below 20 Hz in
the bass; we only measure down to 20 Hz because
almost no speakers have useful output at lower frequen-
cies.) The impedance curve is fairly low—it drops to a
low of 3.58 W at 10.7 kHz, and runs below 5 W in two
broad bands of the audio spectrum. A-weighted sensitiv-
ity is 91 dB (1 watt/1 meter).
Quasi-anechoic on-axis frequency response of the
C/L/R-3000 measures +/–3.04 dB from 46 Hz to 18.3
kHz; –7.72 dB at 20 kHz. The impedance curve runs
very low, dropping to a low of 1.65 W at 114 Hz, and
running below 5 W throughout most of the audio spec-
trum. A-weighted sensitivity is 90 dB (1 watt/1 meter).
Quasi-anechoic on-axis frequency response of the
BP-2004 measures +/–2.51 dB from 42 Hz to 18.3 kHz;
–9.21 dB at 20 kHz, with a –3dB point of 41 Hz in the
bass. The impedance curve is low, bottoming out at 3.03
W at 10.8 kHz, and running below 5 W in two broad
bands of the audio spectrum. A-weighted sensitivity is 92
dB (1 watt/1 meter).
These are very flat measurements for bipolar speak-
ers; it's worth noting that the speakers' in-room response
will be flatter than that of most direct-radiating speakers.
However, the impedance curves run low, and in the case
of the C/L/R-3000, very low. The amp you drive these
speakers with doesn't necessarily need to be all that
powerful, because the speakers' sensitivities are high,
but the amp does need to be able to deliver substantial
current because of the low impedances, so we recom-
mend you use a high-quality separate amplifier, or at
least a high-end receiver.—BB/JC
Reprinted with permission of CurtCo Freedom Group.
For subscriptions, please call: (800) 677-3361.
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