Do you need a subwoofer with the BP-9080X's?

[everettT]

That speaker has a 12" subwoofer with built-in 455-watt Class D amplifier. How would that not qualify as a first rate sub woofer?

It's not. Look at the volume of the cabinet.

 

[ryanosaur]

That speaker has a 12" subwoofer with built-in 455-watt Class D amplifier. How would that not qualify as a first rate sub woofer?

I've not seen many 1.4 cubic foot boxes capable of infrasonic bass extension at any amount of meaningful output.
And actually my math is off because I'm not taking off for the loss of space occupied by the "atmos" module, box reinforcments or cones.

 

[everettT]

That speaker has a 12" subwoofer with built-in 455-watt Class D amplifier. How would that not qualify as a first rate sub woofer?

Especially a "first rate" subwoofer.

 

[David Machowski]

What is your goal with this upgrade? Are you "Just a rocker?" (It's OK, I am too, at heart!" After all I left music school to move to SF with my band!!!)
If you want a rig that's gonna bump, sure, go for it. If you are interested in reproducing accurate sound, there is a whole other world out there. A lot of good gear can be had for the cost of a $2000 pair of speakers!

Please understand, its not my desire to knock your choice. Its your ears and your ducats. My experience with DefTech, though, was... unispired.

I'm a chef, and the best analogy I can come up with is from the wine country: you go to the store and see a low cost brand like turning leaf, claiming gold medal awards from wine competitions... for what is quite mediocre juice... but the reason they stand out from the crowd is that after tasting 20 wines and your palette is fatigued, you get this wine with a touch of residual sugar left in after fermentation was killed off. And when the judges look back over all the wines they tasted... what stands ouT?

The one with powered woofers. (And yes, that T was intentional).

I would surmise that a large part of their cost is putting amps and passive radiators in every speaker. Not to mention the up-firing atmos module, which is not super effective if you really want to have good sound from an atmos rig.

Conversely, for the retail cost of two of those Def Techs, you could get two SVS Ultras and a PB3000 and be blown away by the sound difference. I'm not trying to sell you that either! Just putting a counterpoint out there for perspective.

Fluance Signatures get recommended as an excellent budget tower... add the matching Center, AND 2 PB2000 subwoofers from SVS for 2350.

Happy Hunting!

I like Movies and Music, so i would say both. Also like the fact that i can do Atmos for movies... I just got a Paradigm Reference Seismic 12 Subwoofer a few months ago, which is in the rear of the room so hoping the BP9080X would help fill the rest of the room.

 

[shadyJ]

That speaker has a 12" subwoofer with built-in 455-watt Class D amplifier. How would that not qualify as a first rate sub woofer?

Those are just base specs, they don't tell the whole story or even much of the story. A 12" subwoofer driver can be completely awesome or it can be pathetic. so can a 455 watt amp, depending on how that power is rated.

 

[ryanosaur]

I like Movies and Music, so i would say both. Also like the fact that i can do Atmos for movies... I just got a Paradigm Reference Seismic 12 Subwoofer a few months ago, which is in the rear of the room so hoping the BP9080X would help fill the rest of the room.

Cool... Like I said, if you like the sound, do it. If you haven't had the chance to listen to other gear, it might be worthwhile to do so. Even at Best Buy/Magnolia, you can usually compare KEF, and Martin Logan to Def Tech.

I think our main message to you is to just expose yourself a little more before you spend that money.

And if you can score a second one of your subs, do it. I'm not familiar but they seem solid by the few things I saw.

 

[David Machowski]

Cool... Like I said, if you like the sound, do it. If you haven't had the chance to listen to other gear, it might be worthwhile to do so. Even at Best Buy/Magnolia, you can usually compare KEF, and Martin Logan to Def Tech.

I think our main message to you is to just expose yourself a little more before you spend that money.

And if you can score a second one of your subs, do it. I'm not familiar but they seem solid by the few things I saw.

Thank you and will do!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

it's about 45% off retail, as he is a Def Tech dealer.

You could get 30-40% off other brands too, not just DefTech.

So don't limit yourself to DefTech.

Check other options also.

 

[David Machowski]

You could get 30-40% off other brands too, not just DefTech.

So don't limit yourself to DefTech.

Check other options also.

Where lol? I am down to look around!

 

[Bucknekked]

Lol! That’s awesome. We(in MN) just had visitors from Arizona. They were treated to some overnight lows of -25 to -15°. Painful to say the least.

Anyway yeah. I’d go splitter to the mains and the second one out to the sub.

William
Yeah, I live in Arizona and I've seen some of the temps posted on the news.
Dude, that's not weather. That's an emergency condition.
Call somebody! Get them to fly you out to safety

 

[David Machowski]

William
Yeah, I live in Arizona and I've seen some of the temps posted on the news.
Dude, that's not weather. That's an emergency condition.
Call somebody! Get them to fly you out to safety

Yeah i am glad i live in AZ now. Grew up in Chicago, and not going to miss it tomorrow LOL.

 

[Bucknekked]

Yeah i am glad i live in AZ now. Grew up in Chicago, and not going to miss it tomorrow LOL.

welcome to the AH forum and if you are fairly new to Arizona, welcome to Arizona.
I'm out in Gilbert and we've been in the desert for a good long while.
I still don't miss the cold and snow of the northwest. Oh, wait. Let me go check again.
Ah, no. Still don't miss it

 

[David Machowski]

welcome to the AH forum and if you are fairly new to Arizona, welcome to Arizona.
I'm out in Gilbert and we've been in the desert for a good long while.
I still don't miss the cold and snow of the northwest. Oh, wait. Let me go check again.
Ah, no. Still don't miss it

Thank you! Relatively new to the forum, but been in AZ for about 12 years... Out in San Tan Valley, so pretty close!

 

[Paul DS]

Those are just base specs, they don't tell the whole story or even much of the story. A 12" subwoofer driver can be completely awesome or it can be pathetic. so can a 455 watt amp, depending on how that power is rated.

 

[Paul DS]

At over $1,700.00/speaker, I seriously doubt that the 12 in subwoofer in the BP9080X towers would be pathetic.

 

[ryanosaur]

At over $1,700.00/speaker, I seriously doubt that the 12 in subwoofer in the BP9080X towers would be pathetic.

Just to clarify...
You are justifying a perception of quality by price alone?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Where lol? I am down to look around!

Where there’s a will there’s a way.

If you can’t find any deals, send me a private message.

But the first step is to broaden your horizons by auditioning as many speakers as possible.

You don’t know what you truly like until you’ve heard enough speakers.

Reading and asking questions here on AH also helps a lot.

And for the record, I thought DefTech sounded good.

I think GlocksRock still owns the BP7001SC towers. I’m sure he’ll tell you that they sound pretty great to him.

In case you haven’t noticed, my screen name is “AcuDefTechGuy”, so I did start out on AH with a $13,000 DefTech system.

But some of us have changed over the years.

 

[Steve81]

Looks like S&V reviewed these a while back:
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/definitive-technology-bp9080x-speaker-system-review

The extension is respectable for a tower speaker (-3dB at 27Hz), but it’s not competing with a good subwoofer in that respect.

 

[Paul DS]

Just to clarify...
You are justifying a perception of quality by price alone?

Actually, price is usually a pretty good starting point. If I were in the market for a tower speaker I would certainly give the BP9080X speakers an audition. I suspect they might sound pretty good.
A speaker is only as good as it sounds in YOUR home.

 

[snakeeyes]

I would add decent subs. It gives you the freedom to place the subs in the best locations for bass in the room.