Page 1
By Bryan Southard
July 2002
Introduction
The Definitive Technology BP3000TL loudspeaker is a
floor-standing tower with an earth-shaking frequency
response of 15 Hz to 30 kHz, thanks to support from a
built-in powered subwoofer. The BP3000
TL is the largest in
Definitive Technology’s line, measuring 55 inches tall, nine
inches wide, 19 inches deep and a stout 155 lbs. per
speaker. They are available in piano-gloss black and sell
for $4,500 per pair.
The BP3000
TL has a bipolar design with two front-firing
six-and-a-half-inch cast-basket bass/midrange drivers, and
a front-firing one-inch aluminum dome tweeter. The rear of
the speaker features an array of drivers identical to the
front, the essence of the bipolar design. The BP3000
TL has
an integrated 18-inch subwoofer powered with an internal
1000-watt MOSFET power amplifier. The cabinets are
constructed and braced with MDF. This ultra-rigid highdensity Medite material is used for the front baffle in an
effort to minimize cabinet resonance that can color music
reproduction. The BP3000
TL is covered in fabric, with
optional finish on the top plate. The review models were
black and had very respectable fit and finish.
There are a couple of design philosophies that separate
the BP3000
TLs from most other high-performance
loudspeakers. The bipolar design is not unique, but it is
rarely implemented in higher-priced performance speakers
(Mirage is another good example of a high-end bipolar
application). Many manufacturers employ a rear-firing
tweeter to improve overall spaciousness and ambience, but
there has long been a taboo associated with both bipolar and
dipole designs. Perhaps the biggest fear is the loss of
accuracy associated with cancellation from reflected
information. It is important to understand the difference in
the two designs. Dipole is a design that employs an out-ofphase response from the rear of the speakers, opposite to
that of the front. The theory is that the two signals will
intersect and cancel one another, providing a narrow
radiation pattern. The philosophy of the bipolar design is
quite different. It provides a rear response that is in phase
with the information coming from the front of the speakers,
thus delivering a greater dispersion and overall sense of
spaciousness when executed correc
tly. Many purists argue
that the only accurate information from a speaker is the
information radiating direc
tly from the loudspeaker and any
Definitive Technology BP3000TL Loudspeakers
Definitive Technology’s BP3000TL Loudspeaker
“Make no mistake, the Def Tech
BP3000TL will rock you like a hurricane,
but you may be surprised at how well this
flagship speaker performs more touchyfeely musical feats, especially when
compared to more snooty high-end
speakers costing at least twice the price.”
“a floor-standing tower with an earth-
shaking frequency response of 15 Hz
to 30 kHz thanks to support from a
built-in powered subwoofer.”
Snooty high-end speakers beware. At $4,500 per pair and packed with dual 18-inch
subwoofers, the BP3000
TL are surprisingly smooth and go devastatingly low.
Page 2
reflection will cause negative interaction. My opinion is that
all speaker designs have inherent pros and cons and it is the
implementation or execution that is of utmost importance.
The powered subwoofer is equally unique to highperformance sound reproduction. Due to speaker efficiency
and necessary amplification, most loudspeakers fall short of
providing the lowest frequencies needed in a kick-ass
theater system. An integrated subwoofer represents a
compelling philosophy that, if carried out properly, can
deliver soul-shaking low-end reinforcement in a convenient,
space-efficient package. Sandy Gross of Definitive
Technology argues that this speaker is “not a loudspeaker
with a powered subwoofer, but a full-range speaker assisted
by a low-frequency driver and internal amplifier.”
Setup
Since the BP3000TLs have side-firing bass drivers, you
can either position the drivers facing the inside or the
outside of the speaker. I played with both configurations and
found my preference for my listening environment was to
place the drivers facing inwards. This served to minimize
sidewall reflections and cancellation from reflective standing
waves. I recommend that purchasers of this speaker play
with both configurations to find what works best in a
particular room. Definitive suggests a placement that is
close to the front wall (behind the speakers). In playing with
location, I preferred a position that was approximately four
feet from the front wall. Although this may not be practical
in many environments, it provided the best and smoothest
response in my room. The BP3000
TLs provide a variety of
connection options. For speaker connections, there is triwiring capability. This means that you can have three sets of
speaker wires, one set connected to the sub, one to the
bass/midrange drivers, and one to the high-frequency
drivers. There are few people who dispute the advantages of
having separate runs of wires to your speakers. Whether it
makes more sense to have a single run of high-quality wire,
or three independent runs of considerably less expensive
wire, is a personal call that you will need to make. In my
setup, I have a single run of very expensive Transparent
Reference speaker cable and have utilized the bridging
straps provided with the BP3000
TLs to connect the three
sets of terminals.
There are two additional ways to connect to the subwoofer
on the BP3000
TLs. You have the option of connecting to a
full-range low-level input either from the subwoofer output,
from the preamplifier output of your A/V preamp processor
or receiver, or to connect via the optional LFE input on the
BP3000
TLs.
The subwoofers on the BP3000
TLs have only a volume
adjustment, as the crossover frequency has been preset to
blend with the rest of the drivers. I used an inexpensive
SPL meter from Radio Shack to set the volume to the
appropriate level, something that I would suggest as a
minimum to assure proper setup and balanced bass
response.
The Music
Once connected, I spent several days optimizing the
placement of the speakers in my room until I felt that they
were performing at their very best. After I was satisfied with
the placement, I installed spikes to assure that the bass
performance was as solid as it could be. I have slab flooring
beneath the speakers, which helps to assure a proper
grounding of the cabinet.
In the song “Ground On Down” from Ben Harper’s
Fight
for Your Mind
(Virgin Records), I was particularly
interested in the BP3000
TLs’ ability to handle the heavy
bass information and to delineate guitar lines at the same
time. The bass was very deep and abundant in this track. I
typically do not run subwoofers in my audio system
because I have never been able to properly blend subs to
my satisfaction. With a slight adjustment of the bass level
on the rear of the speakers, the lowest frequency
Definitive Technology’s Bipolar Power Tower Group
“The BP3000TL’s bipolar design was
implemented very well, providing a
stage with profound depth and width ...
thus delivering a greater dispersion and
overall sense of spaciousness ...”
“An integrated subwoofer represents a
compelling philosophy ...”
“extraordinarily revealing ... The
BP3000TLs demonstrated a keen
ability to separate this information
due to their separate bass drivers and
built-in amplifiers.”
Page 3
information was integrated very well with the other
supporting frequencies. Also, many speakers can struggle
in the upper octaves during heavy bass passages, causing
them to sound constrained and compressed. The
BP3000
TLs demonstrated a keen ability to separate this
information due to their separate bass drivers and built-in
amplifiers. Ben Harper’s slide guitar was very detailed. The
top end of the BP3000
TLs intrigued me from the beginning.
With some music, the upper octaves had the propensity to
be on the aggressive side of neutral, yet on others, they
sounded pleasantly smooth. After living with the speakers
and acclimating myself to their sound, I determined that
they were not aggressive, but rather extraordinarily
revealing, perhaps so much so that they are somewhat
unforgiving. This description is not meant as a negative, as
the overall goal in reproduction is to achieve every
recorded frequency. The BP3000
TLs consistently delivered
everything recorded, good or bad. The slide guitar in this
cut had the information necessary to turn what many
speakers provide as merely the distant squeal into a blues
instrument that gave me goose bumps up and down my
spine. I listened to this cut several times over the review
period and never failed to be amazed.
On the song “25 or 6 to 4” from Chicago’s
IX Greatest
Hits
recording (Chicago Records), the BP3000TLs
performed well. I have owned this cut in every format ever
produced (LP, eight-track, CD) and have used it to audition
hundreds of components over the years. I have great
familiarity with the song’s strengths and shortcomings and
was impressed with the way the BP3000
TLs handled both.
Horns were distant, yet focused well. They weren’t forward,
but they were immediate enough to sound engaging.
The Movies
I had the opportunity to listen to many movies, both new
and old, through the BP3000
TLs. The Others (Dimension
Films) served as a great platform for evaluation, as it
contains a variety of sonic conditions. Much of this movie
was quiet, yet provided abundant higher-frequency detail,
with spots of great sonic and emotional impact. The
BP3000
TLs had a very effortless sound. They supplied
extended dynamic range without being labored or
constrained. The bass impact in the louder sections was
massive, yet the subtle detail was still there, with a sense
of ease. This is something that every speaker manufacturer
will claim is true of a given product, yet many
loudspeakers can sound stressed and dynamically
squeezed at high volumes. These speakers had completely
involved me (of course, I was partially overcome by fear).
The BP3000
TLs are both revealing and forceful.
When compared to my current reference setup of two
Sunfire True Subwoofer Signature Subs, the bass
performance of the BP3000
TLs was similar, at times less
solid, but with comparable impact. The Def Techs blended
better than I have been able to achieve with my Sunfire
subs and my Revel Salons.
I did not have the opportunity (because of the logistics of
my upcoming move to a new house) to review any of
Definitive Technology center or rear speakers, but I can
still discuss some seemingly sensible options that they
provide.
In combination with the BP3000
TLs, Definitive
Technology recommends the C/L/R3000 center-channel
speaker, which has its own integrated powered subwoofer,
for $999. The BPVX/P bipolar rear speakers, which also
“gave me goose bumps up and down my
spine. I listened to this cut several times
over the review period and never failed
to be amazed.”
“I have great familiarity with the song’s
strengths and shortcomings and was
impressed with the way the BP3000TLs
handled both.”
“The bass impact in the louder sections
was massive, yet the subtle detail was
still there, with a sense of ease.”
Complete BP3000TL Home Theater System
“The BP3000TLs are both revealing and
forceful. These speakers had completely
involed me ...”
Page 4
have integrated subs, are priced at $1,5 00 per pair. This
may sound like a lot of sub support, but balance is the
name of the game. I am intrigued by the philosophy.
Downside
Because the BP3000TLs have integrated power amplifiers
driving their low-frequency drivers, they require A/C
power. This means that you will need to plug them into the
wall, which might or might not be a problem in your home.
In my application, I preferred the BP3000
TLs to be
positioned significantly off the front wall and therefore had
an unsightly power cable to negotiate and try to hide.
Additionally, the BP3000
TL’s power cord is hardwired into
the speaker. This means that if you don’t have an outlet
conveniently located, you will have to use an undesirable
extension cord.
The BP3000
TL is a very tall, narrow and heavy speaker.
You don’t have to be a physicist to know that this means
there’s a danger of the speaker being knocked down. When
spiked, the tower is pretty stable but it could still possibly
be pushed over by a curious toddler. To reduce this and
similar risks, Definitive has furnished some extender feet,
included in the price, to help provide additional stability.
Conclusion
The BP3000TLs are a surprisingly unique speaker
system. They are full-range speakers that will satisfy music
enthusiasts and film aficionados alike. Some may describe
them as speakers with built-in subwoofers, but after
auditioning them, I felt that they were so much more.
The fact that the BP3000
TLs have integrated sub
frequency capability is a plus. They are essentially two
loudspeakers and two subwoofers in a convenient, spaceefficient package. For music, these speakers can (much like
AC-DC) shake you all night long, but I think that their
bigger strength is their striking finesse and ability to
believably reproduce genres ranging from up-tempo
progressive jazz to female vocals to full orchestral music.
The BP3000
TL’s bipolar design was implemented very well,
providing a stage with profound depth and width. For
movies, they were mighty and forceful. In fact, adrenaline
junkies looking for a theater speaker that can do it all won’t
be able to do better in this price class. Another significant
strength of the BP3000
TLs is that they are extremely
efficient. At 92 dB, they can be driven with a simple AV
receiver if necessary. Unlike most high-end full-range
loudspeakers, which require very large amounts of
amplification, the BP3000
TL’s internal amplifier allows it to
shake the walls with very modest amplification. This means
that you can make a significant speaker purchase and can
wait on expensive electronics if you so choose. Not that
you’d want to wait long.
Make no mistake, the Def Tech BP3000
TL will rock you
like a hurricane, but you may be surprised at how well this
flagship speaker performs more touchy-feely musical feats,
especially when compared to more snooty
high-end
speakers costing at least twice the price.
Associated Equipment
“They are full-range speakers that will
satisfy music enthusiasts and film
aficionados alike.”
“these speakers can (much like AC-DC)
shake you all night long, but I think
that their bigger strength is their
striking finesse and ability to believably
reproduce genres ranging from uptempo progressive jazz to female vocals
to full orchestral music.”
Amplification
• Sonic Frontiers Power 3 (SE)
• Proceed HPA 3
• Proceed HPA 2
Preamp
• Sonic Frontiers Line 3
• Sunfire Theater Grand II
• Conrad-Johnson Premier 17LS
• Anthem AVM20
Digital
• Linn Sondek CD-12
• Camelot Roundtable DVD
Player
• Sonic Frontiers SFT-1 (I2S-E)
• Sonic Frontiers Processor 3
• Audio Research CD2
• Sony DVP S530D DVD
• Kenwood DV-5700
Power
• Richard Gray's Power
Company 400S (4 Units)
• PS Audio P600
Cables
• Transparent Reference
Speaker Cable
• Transparent Audio Reference
Balanced Interconnects
• Transparent Premium
Component Video
• Transparent Premium
RGB Video
• AudioQuest Dragons SE
• Kimber Select KS-1130
• Nirvana Digital
Video
• Sony VPH 1270Q
• Faroudja NR Series (800x600)
• Silicon Image DVDO
I-Scan Pro
• Stewart Filmscreen
Studiotek 130
• Stewart Filmscreen Greyhawk
Additional
• Black Diamond Racing Cones
11433 Cronridge Drive
Owings Mills, MD 21117
(410) 363-7148
www.definitivetech.com
Audio Revolution, www.audiorevolution.com, July 2002.
Loading...