May 2009 Reviewed by Vince Hanada	Definitive Technology ProCinema 1000 Home-Theater Speaker System

Description Model: ProMonitor 1000 main and surround speaker Price: $219 USD each Dimensions: 10.9"H x 6.25"W x 6.5"D Weight: 6.5 pounds each Model: ProCenter 2000 center-channel speaker Price: $349 USD Dimensions: 17"W x 6.5"H x 6.5"D Weight: 10 pounds Model: ProSub 1000 subwoofer Price: $499 USD Dimensions: 14.4"H x 12.0"W x 17.9"D Weight: 31 pounds System price: $1724 USD

Features 1.0" pure-aluminum dome tweeters 5.25" BDSS midrange drivers (ProMonitor 1000 and ProCenter 2000) 5.25" pressure-coupled bass radiators (ProMonitor 1000 and ProCenter 2000) 10" high-definition woofer (ProSub 1000) 10" pressure-coupled bass radiator (ProSub 1000) 300W amplifier (manufacturer rated) (ProSub 1000) Available in high-gloss black or white (ProSub 1000 available in matte black only)

Definitive Technology, founded in 1972 by veteran speaker designer Sandy Gross, is one of the most respected brands of American loudspeakers. My first experience of DefTech was of its line of bipolar speakers, specifically the BP10, some 15 years ago. One look at their current lineup shows consistency and evolution -- the BP10 is still available, now as the BP10 B. The BP10 was and remains a terrific speaker, offering a huge soundstage at an attractive price of $1200 per pair.

The subject of this review, the ProCinema 1000 system, is at the opposite end of the scale. Comprising six compact, direct-radiating "lifestyle" speakers -- four ProMonitor 1000s, a ProCenter 2000, and the ProSub 1000 subwoofer -- it retails for a total of $1724. Although it doesn’t offer the huge soundstage of the BP10, the ProCinema 1000 does continue DefTech’s tradition of high performance at a bargain price.

Description

The ProMonitor 1000 exudes elegance. Its high-gloss black finish tapers from a slightly convex front to a rounded rear. Around back is a single pair of gold-plated binding posts. A couple of innovations distinguish these speakers from run-of-the-mill lifestyle speakers: DefTech’s Balanced Dual Surround System (BDSS) drivers couple the speaker cones to the chassis at both the inner and outer edges, instead of just the outer edge, as in conventional drivers. As the cone moves in and out, its excursion is more linear, according to DefTech, resulting in less distortion and greater clarity. The other unusual feature is the inclusion of pressure-coupled passive radiators.

The ProMonitor 1000 has a 1" pure-aluminum dome tweeter, and below it a 5.25" BDSS driver. Set into the top panel is a 5.25" pressure-coupled passive radiator. According to DefTech, the radiator moves out when the BDSS driver moves in, effectively doubling the radiating area and resulting in better bass response. DefTech claims the ProMonitor goes down to 42Hz, unusually low for an enclosure that measures only 10.9"H x 6.25"W x 6.5"D, though they don’t specify how many dB down the speaker’s output is at 42Hz.

The ProCenter 2000 has the same appearance and technology as the ProMonitor 1000, but in a somewhat larger, horizontal enclosure measuring 17"W x 6.5"H x 6.5"D. The driver complement is two 5.25" BDSS drivers flanking a 1" pure-aluminum dome tweeter, with a 5.25" pressure-coupled radiator at each end. DefTech claims the ProCenter goes down to 42Hz, the same as the ProMonitor satellites.

The ProSub 1000 subwoofer is relatively small at 14.5"H x 12"W x 17.9"D. Its 10" front-firing cone is driven by a patented 300W high-current amplifier with discrete MOSFET output devices. Like the satellite speakers, the subwoofer has its own passive radiator, a 10" cone mounted on the bottom of the enclosure. Coupling these two drivers results in low-bass response to 18Hz, according to DefTech, though once again they don’t specify a -dB value.

The ProSub has a single LFE input (RCA), and stereo speaker-level inputs and outputs. The volume control is conveniently placed on the side, near the front of the cabinet. The only other control, on the back, is for setting the crossover frequency. The enclosure is rather disappointing: a matte-black finish that doesn’t match the high-end look of the satellites.

Performance

First, to get a sense of each ProCinema speaker’s bass response, I used the Audyssey automatic room-correction software built into my Integra DTR-8.8 A/V receiver. Audyssey set the crossover for the front and surround channels to 130 and 150Hz, respectively, and the center channel to 80Hz. As Definitive Technology recommends 80Hz for all ProCinema 1000 speakers, I adjusted the setup manually to 80Hz for all speakers. I placed the front speakers 9’ from my listening seat, the surrounds about 5’ away. The subwoofer ended up 10’ away, in the right front of the room.

I listened to the Blu-ray edition of Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. Its Dolby TrueHD soundtrack, laden with musical sequences, proved ideal for evaluating this surround system. With the DefTech system’s identical drivers, the stage performances by Dewey Cox (John C. Reilly) held together extremely well spatially, with the band and Dewey’s singing up front, the crowd noise in the surrounds. Hall ambience, as in the theater performance in chapter 5, was rendered with crisp, clean detail through the ProCinema 1000s.

Although the ProMonitor 1000s’ passive radiators are supposed to extend their bass response, tonally these speakers sounded a bit thin in the upper bass. On the other hand, the highs extended smoothly, without sounding harsh or fatiguing, but much more like a higher-end speaker. This made the many musical sequences in Walk Hard an enjoyable listening experience.

Dialogue was easy to follow through the ProCenter 2000, which sounded equally good whether reproducing speaking or singing voices, male or female -- I never had to strain to make out what anyone was saying or singing. Nor did the ProCenter suffer from the off-axis comb filtering that I often hear from center speakers that share its horizontal D’Appolito-type driver array.

The ProSub 1000 subwoofer is a great match to the other speakers. Perhaps because the ProMonitor and ProCenter are equipped with passive radiators, their bass response was better than speakers this size normally would have. This increased bass response permits better blending of the outputs of satellites and sub, and that’s what I heard with this system. There was no noticeable "jump" between the various cabinets -- the blend sounded seamless.

In terms of bass output, the ProSub 1000 produced deep bass better than other subwoofers at or near its price. Despite the 10" cone’s long excursions, which caused the ProSub to vibrate wildly, it wasn’t able to shake my walls. Take the opening scene from the Blu-ray of The Dark Knight -- the Dolby TrueHD soundtrack pulsates with deep bass. The ProSub 1000 provided an involving experience, but fell short of rattling my bones -- understandable performance for a $500 subwoofer.

Comparison

Competing closely with the Definitive Technology ProCinema 1000 system in the arena of lifestyle speakers is the Polk RM95-DSWPro 400 system ($1225). It comprises four identical, wedge-like main and surround speakers with bipolar driver arrays; a center-channel with a direct-radiating midrange-tweeter-midrange array; and the DSWPro 400 subwoofer, which costs about the same as the ProSub 1000 (though its driver is only 8" in diameter vs. the 10" active and passive drivers in the DefTech sub). Unique to the DSWPro 400 is its ability to fire downward or to the front, which may be advantageous in certain setups.

Listening to music was pleasurable through the ProCinema 1000 system. Two tracks that stood out were "Ride Across the River" and "The Man’s Too Strong," from Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms (SACD, Vertigo 9871498). The trumpets were layered nicely in the right surround speaker, sounding far off in the distance -- something the bipolar RM8 surround speaker of the Polk system couldn’t match. The Polk system also sounded thinner overall in the upper bass. In the high frequencies, with instruments such as cymbals, the DefTechs’ better upper-frequency air was reminiscent of higher-end bookshelf speakers such as the Paradigm Studio 20. The Polk RM8 didn’t sound harsh in comparison, but couldn’t match the DefTechs in high-frequency clarity.

Although it costs about the same as the Polk DSWPro 400, I give the performance nod to DefTech’s ProSub 1000. When I watched The Dark Knight, the ProSub clearly outperformed the DSWPro 400 in depth of bass and ultimate loudness. However, in terms of flexibility and operation, the DSWPro 400 may be more suited to your home theater because it can be configured to fire downward and comes with a remote control.

Where both systems fell short was in comparison to a surround array based on a good two-way bookshelf speaker, such as the PSB Alpha B1. Despite having passive radiators to extend their bass response, the Definitive Technology speakers could be pushed only so hard until some distortion kicked in. Listening at very high volumes to intense hi-rez soundtracks such as that on The Dark Knight, I heard a bit of apparent cabinet ringing from the ProCinema 1000s, something that I never experienced with the PSB Alpha B1s. This shouldn’t be a problem if you have a smaller room and listen at sane levels, but it’s something you should be aware of.

Conclusion

Definitive Technology’s ProCinema 1000 system is a killer combination of looks and performance. Despite its sleek, high-tech-looking cabinets, it gives up little in performance to larger, conventional bookshelf speakers; the biggest compromise you might need to make will be in ultimate volume level. And with its bargain price of $1724, you won’t have to pay through the nose for this system’s looks and performance -- something you often have to do with lifestyle speakers. Put these DefTechs at the top of your audition list.

Manufacturer contact information:

Definitive Technology
11433 Cronridge Drive, Suite K
Owings Mills, MD 21117-2294
Phone: (800) 228-7148, (410) 363-7148
Fax: (410) 363-9998

Website: www.definitivetech.com

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