Definitive Technology BP-3000 TL

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Much as we like to think we buy

products for their performance,

practicality, and price, the real dri-

ving force behind product develop-

ment in American industry usually

boils down to machismo. And the

deﬁning concept of machismo is,

of course, “bigger is better.” Guys

want big cars with 400-horsepower

V-8s, big watches with heavy metal

bands and silver-dollar-sized faces,

and big .44 Mag-

nums that

nearly tear

your hand off

when you ﬁre

them. The

this review marks the debut of a

great idea: the world’s ﬁrst center

speaker with a built-in powered

subwoofer. It’s a natural; all ﬁve

speakers in the system have their

own powered bass portion, making

for 360 degrees of full-range sound.

The BP-3000 is a bipolar d e s i g n ,

with four 6.5-inch cast-magnesium

basket bass/

m i d r a n g e

drivers com-

plemented b y

two 1-inch

a l u m i n u m -dome

T H E A T E R O N E

Definitive Techno l o gy

BP-3000 TL Sp e a ker Syste m

These speakers are deﬁnitely macho enough

for you. Are you macho enough for them?

by Jeff Cherun

Home Theater / December 199 8

A . If you don’t have

the real estate for the

behemoth BP-3000s,

the BP-2004 will work

just ﬁne in front.

B. Sorry, apartment

dwellers, but at 55

inches high, the

BP-3000 probably

won’t even ﬁt through

your door!

C. The C/L/R-3000

center’s powered

sub gave it that

extra oomph.

same goes for speakers. Nothing

can stir the Neanderthal soul like

a hunkering tower speaker,

coupled with bestial subwoofers

capable of snuffing out a candle

poised 10 feet away.

Deﬁnitive Technology has been

offering exactly this type of prod-

uct for years, although they’ve

injected a cognizance of interior

design by taking steps to make the

loudspeakers seem less mammoth

in size. The company has recently

upped the ante with their newest

ﬂagship speaker, the BP-3000 TL.

Featuring a massive 1,000-watt

internal subwoofer in each speaker,

the BP-3000 is, at least on paper, a

speaker to be reckoned with. At 55

inches in height, it’s meant to be

placed in a larger home theater

room, so apartment dwellers in all

probability need not apply. In

addition to the BP-3000, Deﬁnitive

sent us a pair of BP-2004s—a

smaller speaker with a built-in

subwoofer—for the rears. Also,

“My universe was shaken…

these speakers are amazing…”

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Summary

Introduction and System Overview

Definitive Technology BP-3000 TL Speaker System

Review of the Definitive Technology BP-3000 TL speaker system, highlighting its macho design and powerful performance.

System Components

Details on the BP-3000, BP-2004, and C/L/R-3000 speakers, noting their powered bass sections.

Testing System Configuration

TESTING SYSTEM

List of audio components used for testing the Definitive Technology speaker system.

Speaker Setup and Connections

Discussion on speaker placement, triwiring, and connection methods for the subwoofer input.

Performance and Comparisons

HIGHLIGHTS

Key features of the BP-3000 system, including powerful bass and the C/L/R-3000 center speaker.

Stereo and Surround Sound Performance

Evaluation of the system's sound quality in stereo and multichannel movie soundtrack playback.

Comparisons to Other Systems

Comparison of the BP-3000 system against Mirage OM-6 and Vienna Acoustics Beethoven speakers.

Technical Measurements

CFG Labs measures: Definitive Technology BP-3000 System

Analysis of frequency response, impedance, and sensitivity for the BP-3000, C/L/R-3000, and BP-2004 speakers.