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
TL
s 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
TL
s 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
TL
s 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 BP3000
TL
s
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
TL
s 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
TL
s.
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
TL
s 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
TL
s 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
TL
s 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
TL
s, 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 BP3000
TL
s
handled both
.”
“The bass impact in the louder sections
was massive, yet the subtle detail was
still there, with a sense of ease.”
Complete BP3000
TL
Home Theater System
“The BP3000
TL
s are both revealing and
forceful. These speakers had completely
involed me ...”
