Definitive Technology BP7001SC Test Report
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with the company’s C/L/R3000 center speaker —another full-range designwith a built-in powered suband a couple of beefy BPVXsurrounds. Definitive Techclaims the system can han-dle the dynamic needs ofboth the movie soundtracksand multichannel music onDVD Audio and SuperAudio CD. And with eachspeaker in the system usingthe same 6 1/2-inch wooferand 1-inch tweeter, you cancount on seamless soundall around.There are plenty of topshelf speaker systems avail-able, so you’re probablywondering what makes thisone different. First off, boththe BP7001 SC tower andBPVX surround are bipolardesigns (the C/L/R 3000center speaker is a conven-tional direct-radiating, ormonopolar design). A bipo-lar speaker uses matchedsets of drivers to radiateequal sound from the front and rear, and because all of thedrivers operate in phase with one another, it can produce anearly 360° sound field.The second thing, of course, is the built-in poweredsub in each tower speaker (each BP7001 SC mustbe plugged into an AC outlet for the sub to operate and thesame goes for the C/L/R 3000). The BP7001SC sub’s10-inch driver is powered by a 1,500-watt Class D ampli-fier and it has two 10-inch passive radiators, so usinga pair of BP7001SC towers effectively gives you stereosubwoofers. In some rooms this will boost deep-bassoutput. The BP7001SC has a line-level input that lets youseparately feed the subwoofer/LFE (low-frequencyeffects, the “.1” in “5.1”) output from your surroundprocessor or receiver to the tower’s built-in subwoofer.There’s also a volume control to adjust the sub’s output.The C/L/R 3000 has a line-level input as well, but it’sdesigned to connect to the full-range center-channel pre-amp output found on some receivers and is not intendedfor subwoofer/LFE signals.The system Definitive Technology sent me came withwood end caps finished in its new golden cherry pianogloss finish. They all have the same black knit wrap-around sleeves as most of the company’s previous speakers,but to me the lighter finish on the end caps is an aestheticleap forward from the previous monolithic black look.Another pleasing touch is the beveled edge that runs thelength of the tower speaker’s front baffle and is echoedin its end caps.Weighing in at 61 pounds, the C/L/R 3000 is one heftycenter speaker — as you’d expect from a model packing apowered subwoofer. It’s also pretty large, so don’t expectto set it on top of one of those slim new TVs, most ofwhich provide only a few inches of surface depth on top.For horizontal placement, a set of adjustable feet lets youangle the speaker up or down.With a specified low-end limit of 31 Hz, DefinitiveTech’s BPVX is equipped to deliver more bass than youraverage surround speaker. Standing a tall 22 inches, it hasa semi-triangular design with matched sets of drivers onboth of its angled sides. The supplied mounting hardwarelets you attach the speaker’s back panel to a wall.There’s been a lot of debate about which type of speak-er works best for surround sound. But because they radi-ate sound from both front and rear, bipolar surrounds likethe BPVX split the difference between a dipole’s diffusepresentation — a desirable trait for movie soundtracks —and a monopole’s directionality, which tends to workbetter for music.I used the Def Tech system to christen Sound &Vision’s new A/V testing facility — a set of soundproofed,acoustically treated rooms tucked away in the heart ofmidtown Manhattan. Owing to the large size of theBP7001SC towers, I set up the system in the more volumi-nous Room 1, a 20 x 14-foot space with an 8 1/2-foot ceil-ing. The C/L/R 3000 center went on a shelf of a large TVstand, under the screen, and was angled up toward theseating position. I put the BPVX surrounds on a set of38-inch-high stands 2 feet behind the couch. I set these upH I G H P O I N T SGreat Sound.Impressive low-end extension.Seamless blend between frontand surround speakers.Full-range center speaker.L O W P O I N TSub level can be tricky to optimize.test report BY AL GRIFFINDefinitive TechnologyBP7001SC Home Theater Speaker Systemith the popularity of flat-panel TVsexploding and companies straining to cre-ate speakers that will mate with the unob-trusive sets, it seems like the era of hulkinghome theater gear — towering speakers,massive subwoofers, video projectors hov-ering above your head like an F-15 — is over. I’ll admitthat part of me likes the interior design-friendly stuff, butanother part frets about trying to coax too much from toolittle. I’m reminded of that every Saturday night when Ihear the screech of my neighbor’s “home theater in abox.” Man, I wish that guy would go out to the movies!Inexpensive subwoofer/satellite systems can give you ataste of surround sound, but compromise-free perfor-mance requires serious speakers. And in my experience,that usually means floor-standing towers at least for thefront left/right channels. Definitive Technology’sBP7001SC SuperTower speaker, a slightly smaller versionof its flagship BP7000SC, is equipped to deliver full-rangeperformance thanks to its built-in powered subwoofer. Inthe system I tested, a pair of BP7001SC towers is mated“Awesome ... frighteningly real ... Definitive’sBP7001SC based system demands your attention.”WSOUND & VISION |
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