About the Definitive Technology BP-9080X
Raise the roof with Definitive Technology and Dolby Atmos
Raise the roof with Definitive Technology and Dolby Atmos
Deep, heart-pounding bass. Immersive, atmospheric sound. Soaring overhead special effects. It's hard to imagine you could experience all that with just a single pair of speakers — unless, of course, it's a pair of Definitive Technology's BP-9080X towers. Definitive packs a lot into this sleek, modern-looking speaker. First, you get a built-in powered subwoofer for stunning low-end impact. Plus, bipolar front- and rear-firing speaker arrays deliver spacious, room-filling sound and precise imaging. Finally, an upward-firing driver array built into the top of the enclosure creates a thrilling "height" layer above your listening area when you feed it Dolby Atmos surround sound.
Bipolar speaker technology immerses you in detailed sound
A built-in powered sub delivers deep bass. (The woofer fires to the left only; no mirror-image version.)
Here's how Definitive's bipolar system works: direct sound from the front two midrange drivers and tweeter arrives at your ears first, to provide clear, focused imaging. That's followed by sound from the rear mid driver and tweeter to enhance spaciousness. The combination creates a lush, seamless soundstage that's more like the way we hear sounds in real life. And thanks to Definitive's Balanced Double Surround System (BDSS) drivers, your music and surround effects will sound clear and accurate, allowing you to pinpoint the soloist in a band or the direction of a jaguar's call in the jungle.
Powerful bass built right in
At the base of the speaker is a 12" side-firing subwoofer coupled to two 12" passive radiators. This trio creates the total radiating surface of a much larger woofer, but with better bass control, speed, and detail than a single huge driver. (Note: when you're using a pair, the subwoofer will fire to the left on both speakers, and the bass sounds well-balanced.) A built-in 455-watt amplifier powers the subwoofer, delivering deep bass that eliminates the need for an external sub. And because a subwoofer is built into the cabinet, bass output is already perfectly blended with the mids and the highs. All you have to do is set the bass volume to match your room and taste, then sit back and enjoy your music and movie soundtracks.
Dolby Atmos speakers on board
If you're looking for an easy way to seamlessly integrate Dolby Atmos surround sound into your home theatre, the BP-9080X makes a great choice. This tower's built-in, top-firing midrange and tweeter speaker array is made for delivering Atmos height channels.
The Atmos speaker array has its own exclusive pair of binding post terminals at the base of the tower for connection to your Dolby Atmos compatible receiver's "Height" or "Top" outputs.
Don't have a Dolby Atmos capable receiver? Check out our selection.
Build a complete Definitive Bipolar home theatre system using perfectly matched centers (see the CS-9040, CS-9060, and CS-9080) and bipolar surrounds (see the SR-9040 and SR-9080).
Did you know?
Your new speakers will probably sound better after several weeks of use than they do right out of the box. That's because the material surrounding the woofers will loosen up, allowing the drivers to move more fully. Definitive Technology estimates a break-in period of 24 to 48 hours of playback before the speakers will deliver optimum sound quality. For more information and helpful tips, check out this article from Definitive's website about conditioning your speakers.
Product highlights:
- Forward Focused Bipolar Array technology for lifelike imaging and greater speaker placement flexibility
- Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X enabled with built-in, vertical-firing drivers for precise overhead sound effects
- built-in powered subwoofer with volume control
- Intelligent Bass Control provides precise bass level adjustments while maintaining accurate midrange tonal balance
- Balanced Dual Surround System (BDSS) driver technology places rubber surrounds on both the outer and inner edges of each speaker cone for improved control and clarity
- front speaker array: dual 5-1/4" BDSS midrange drivers and 1" annealed aluminum dome tweeter with silk surround for smooth, extended highs
- rear speaker array: one 5-1/4" BDSS midrange and 1" annealed aluminum dome tweeter with silk surround
- vertical-firing speaker array: one 5-1/4" BDSS midrange and 1" annealed aluminum dome tweeter with silk surround
- 12" subwoofer with built-in 455-watt Class D amplifier
- two 12" passive radiators for enhanced bass output
- bass reflex (passive radiator) cabinet design
- frequency response: 16-40,000 Hz
- recommended amplifier power: 50-300 watts
- sensitivity: 92 dB
- impedance: compatible with 8-ohm outputs
- cloth grille-wrapped enclosure
- cast aluminum base plate with adjustable knurled carpet spikes and floor glides (for placement on hardwood and other hard-surface floors)
- two sets of 5-way binding posts (one set dedicated for upward-firing Dolby Atmos speaker array)
- LFE line-level input (optional) for subwoofer
- speaker-level-only connections recommended for optimum performance
- LED illuminated front "D" logo (with rear-panel defeat switch)
- 12"W x 51-1/2"H x 16"D (with included base)
- warranty: 5 years speakers, 3 years electronics
- MFR # IEAA-A
What's in the box:
Definitive Technology BP-9080X owner's manual
- Tower loudspeaker
- 6.5' AC power cord
- Top-grille (installed)
- Stabilizer base
- 4 Floor guides
- 4 Carpet spikes
- 4 Screws
- 4 Nuts
- Owner's Manual
- "What Obsession Sounds Like" card
Featured video:
Customer reviews for Definitive Technology BP-9080X
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Average review:
4.5 out of 5 starsCustomer photos
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More details on the Definitive Technology BP-9080X
Features & specs
General | ||
---|---|---|
Enclosure | Passive Radiator | |
Finish | MDF/Aluminum/Cloth | |
Color | Black | |
Tweeter | Hard-Dome | |
Tweeter Size (inches) | 1 | |
Midrange Size (inches) | 5.25 | |
Woofer Size (inches) | 12 | |
Woofer Composition | Polypropelene | |
Woofer Surround | Rubber | |
Built-in Powered Sub | Yes | |
Dolby Atmos Drivers | Built-in | |
Connector Type | 5-Way post, RCA | |
Bi-amp Inputs | No | |
Parts Warranty | 5 Years | |
Labor Warranty | 5 Years | |
Specifications | ||
Power Range | 50-300 | |
Frequency Response | 16-40k Hz | |
Sensitivity | 92 dB | |
Impedance (Ohms) | 8 | |
Subwoofer Amp Power | 455 | |
Height (inches) | 51-1/2 | |
Width (inches) | 12-1/2 | |
Depth (inches) | 16-1/8 | |
Weight | 62 lbs |
Product Research
Features
Dolby Atmos/DTS:X-Enabled Tower Loudspeaker: The Definitive Technology 9080X tower speaker is the answer for remarkable, immersive, room-filling sound so you can experience every detail of your home theater Dolby Atmos/DTS:X soundtrack. Its patented Forward Focused Bipolar Array (FFBP) will expand your room's entire soundstage for an enveloping sound. An aluminum dome tweeter, high-performance midrange/midbass drivers, and an integrated powered subwoofer with Intelligent Bass Control let you hear and feel every note as the artist intended. The 9080X tower speaker also incorporates an elevation module driver complement for Dolby Atmos & DTS: movie soundtracks.
Top-Firing Height Speaker Module: Definitive Technology integrated a seamless two-way height speaker module within the top of the BP9080X so you can hear and feel multi-dimensional sound from a Dolby Atmos or DTS:X movie soundtrack (requires a Dolby Atmos/DTS:X-enabled receiver and Dolby Atmos/DTS:X-encoded source material). The integrated two-way height speaker module consists of a top-firing 1" aluminum dome tweeter and 5.25" BDSS midrange driver.
- Dolby Atmos: With Dolby Atmos, sound comes alive from all directions, including overhead, to fill the home theater with astonishing clarity, power, detail, and depth. Dolby Atmos is the first home theater system that is based not on channels, but on audio objects. Filmmakers using Dolby Atmos can decide exactly where those sounds should originate and precisely where they move as the scene develops. To deliver the full object-based soundtrack to home theaters, Dolby developed new home authoring tools and new encoding methods that allow all the audio objects created for the cinema to be used in home theater.
- DTS:X: DTS:X is the next generation object-based, multi-dimensional audio technology from DTS. Unbound from channels, DTS:X conveys the fluid movement of sound to create an incredibly rich, realistic and immersive soundscape - in front of, behind, beside and above the audience - more accurately than ever before. DTS:X offers the ability to automatically adapt the audio to the speaker layout that best fits your space.
Forward-Focused Bipolar Array (FFBP): The Definitive Technology 9080X tower speaker utilizes powerful, Forward-Focused Bipolar (FFBP) speaker array for wide and immersive sound dispersion. Forward Focused Bipolar (FFBP) Array offers the ultimate balance between room-filling sound and a precise center image, while giving you total placement flexibility. The FFBP array consists of a 1" aluminum dome tweeter and two 5.25" midrange/midbass cone woofers on the front and a single 1" aluminum dome tweeter and one 5.25" midrange driver on the back. By radiating sound both forward and rearward, the speaker produces sound as it is in real life, with improved pinpoint localization of soloists, greater placement flexibility, and superior intelligibility.
Aluminum Dome Tweeters: The 9080X tower loudspeaker features two 1" aluminum dome tweeters (one on front/one of back) for crystal clear highs that bring the most demanding audio soundtracks to life. The Definitive Technology tweeters are designed to play higher in frequency than what is heard by the human ear, creating an authentic reproduction of sound as the artist intends in the studio or concert hall.
BDSS (2nd Gen) Drivers: The Definitive Technology 9080X employs three 5.25" midrange/midbass cone woofers (two on front/one on back) with patented Balanced Double Surround System (BDSS) technology (2nd generation). BDSS technology improves driver excursion which results in the selected driver producing bass output usually associated with a larger driver, while retaining the improved dispersion and midrange definition of a smaller driver.
Integrated Powered Subwoofer: The 9080X contains a integrated powered subwoofer that consists of a side-firing 12" woofer and 455 watt amplifier designed to extend the frequency response and dynamic range of the tower speaker. The best loudspeaker is one that reproduces balance between the highest highs down to deepest lows as accurately as possible. The integrated powered subwoofer offers deeper, more impactful bass from the tower speaker without the need to add a separate powered sub. The benefits of a built-in subwoofer include -
- Eliminates the need for a separate subwoofer that takes up additional floor space.
- More bass output from two subwoofers, compared to one.
- Two subwoofers reduce standing wave room resonances and dead zones.
- The subwoofers are perfectly integrated and blended with the mids and highs, eliminating the crossover and phase controls of a separate subwoofer.
Intelligent Bass Control: Intelligent Bass Control is Definitive Technology's latest advancement that offers enhanced bass while maintaining overall mid-range tonal balance. Intelligent Bass Control gives you the ability to modulate deep bass up or down in level while simultaneously maintaining optimal mid-range clarity regardless of where the bass control is set. Simply rotate the dial on the back of the loudspeaker to your preferred bass setting and the speaker will do the rest. Definitive Technology recommends starting at the mid-point and then adjust to your preference from there.
Dual Passive Radiators: Definitive Technology has paired its integrated powered subwoofer system with two opposite side-firing 12" passive radiators for even bigger, deeper, louder bass that you can hear and feel.
Acoustically Transparent, Resonance-Free Cabinet: The Definitive Technology 9080X uses a resonance-free, one-piece cabinet for high performance, distortion-free sound. The speaker cabinet's maximum rigidity with strategically placed bracing improves imaging while reducing resonance, further reinforcing the speaker's clean and powerful sound. The 9080X loudspeaker's cabinet is wrapped in an acoustically transparent cloth grille for unaltered sound. Thanks to the speaker's acoustically transparent grille, you'll enjoy the subtle elegance of the speaker design without having to remove a speaker grille to enjoy natural, uncolored sound. On the top of the cabinet is a brushed aluminum, acoustically-treated magnetic plate that finishes off the speaker cabinet nicely.
Speaker & Line Level Inputs: The Definitive Technology 9080X tower loudspeaker is fitted with both speaker-level (binding post) and line-level (LFE/mono-RCA) inputs.
- Binding Post Terminals: The 9080X tower loudspeaker features a set of speaker terminals for the main front-firing drivers and another set of speaker terminals for the top-firing height speaker module. The speaker terminals are 5-way binding posts that will accommodate spade connectors, single or dual banana plugs, pin-connectors, and bare wire up to 10 gauge. By connecting the tower speaker's front-channel binding post terminals to your AV receiver's front speaker terminal outputs, the 9080X's internal crossover network distributes all frequencies to their intended drivers, and the integrated subwoofer works harmoniously with the mid-range array. In your AV receiver's menu, set the Front speakers to "Large" and Subwoofer to "No". The height speaker module's speaker terminals will be connected to the "Height" (Dolby Atmos/DTS:X) channels of your AV receiver.
- LFE/mono-RCA Input: For those you demand greater customization, the 9080X also features an LFE/mono-RCA input. In this setup, your AV receiver's front speaker outputs still connect to the 9080X's binding post speaker terminals, but also requires that the AV receiver's LFE/mono-RCA output to be connected to the tower speaker's LFE/mono-RCA input. This type of setup gives you the ability to control the amount of low frequencies (those below the crossover point set in your receiver) sent to the integrated subwoofer. You will need to set front speakers to "Small", subwoofer to "Yes", and the crossover point in your AV receiver to 80Hz or below to avoid disturbing the delicate blending between the subwoofer and midrange. In addition, careful balance between the subwoofer output level of your receiver and the bass control on the back of your speaker should be considered (Definitive Technology recommends starting with the bass control at 12 o'clock).
Cast Aluminum Base w/ Interchangeable Feet: The 9080X tower loudspeaker is supported by a sturdy, cast aluminum base. The cast aluminum base's wide footprint increases overall stability of the tower speaker, while the addition of spikes or floor glides help keep your speakers firmly in place whether on carpet or other solid floor surfaces like hardwood or tile. The floor glides add approximately 0.4375" to the overall height of the tower speaker, while the spike feet add approximately 1" to the overall height of the speaker.
Placement: The 9080X tower speaker offers bipolar sound, meaning they will reflect sound off the back and side walls to create an incredibly broad and engaging soundstage no matter where you sit. The 9080X tower loudspeaker is very flexible in terms of positioning and placement. To optimize performance, please follow these simple placement guidelines -
- Setup a pair of tower loudspeakers and the main listening position in an equilateral triangle for the best stereo imaging.
- Position each tower speaker at least 4" away from the back wall to maximize its bipolar sound.
- Toeing the tower speakers in slightly, if possible, toward your viewing area will also provide a stronger center image.
AC Power: Because the 9080X features a built-in powered subwoofer, you will need to connect the tower speaker to an AC outlet. The tower speaker's built-in amplifier will automatically turn-on once it's receiving an active signal from your AV receiver, and will automatically turn off after 20 minutes of no active signal.
Front-Panel LED: There is a front-panel LED "D" logo which illuminates when the 9080X's built-in amplifier is on, and turns off when the built-in amp is in standby mode. The LED "D" logo can be deactivated entirely.
BP9000 Series: The BP9080X is part of Definitive Technology's BP9000 series line-up of speakers. Definitive Technology's BP9000 series loudspeakers is its 4th generation of bipolar tower speakers, matching center channels, surrounds, and a height speaker module, designed to offer true, full-range performance for listeners seeking the highest quality audio reproduction. The BP9000 series of loudspeakers consists of the BP9020, BP9040, BP9060 and BP9080X bipolar tower speakers; the CS9040, CS9060 and CS9080 center-channel speakers; the SR9040 and SR9080 surround speakers; and the A90 elevation speaker module supporting Dolby Atmos.
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I upgraded to these from a set of Definitive Technology's BP-9040 and was blown away. These speakers give every bit of performance that you would expect from a flagship speaker. The stereo imaging is very good and the built in subs help even out my room.
Michael from Ashland, VA