Tower Speaker Reviews

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Daniel Kumin  |  Jul 27, 2016  | 

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $7,194 as reviewed

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Spacious bipole sound
Seriously full-range with powered bass section
Astounding dynamics
Minus
Big and demanding of floor space
Reflective bipolar reproduction may not suit every room, taste

THE VERDICT
A big speaker with a sound to match, Definitive Technology’s latest, Atmos-onboard, powered-tower flagship delivers the impressive imaging depth and breadth we expect from bipoles. Its response is as full-range, and its dynamic abilities as unfettered, as anything I’ve heard from a one-piece system.

Definitive Technology’s monolithic bipolar towers —which launched the brand in 1990—have been around in one form or another almost as long as that thing in 2001: A Space Odyssey. With the fourth generation bowing recently, the Baltimore-area manufacturer set us up with a full suite: BP9080x fronts, CS9080 center, a pair of smallerbut-still-huge BP9060 towers for surrounds, and the A90 elevation speakers (Dolby Atmos-enabled and compatible with DTS:X) to go on top of those surrounds; the marquee BP9080x fronts have the same elevation componentry to bounce height-channel signals off the ceiling built right into their top 5 inches.

Mark Henninger  |  Apr 14, 2023  | 

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $3,998/pair

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Excellent soundstage and imaging
Powerful and adjustable bass output
Disappears when the lights are out
Integrated Atmos module support

Minus
Each speaker requires a power outlet
Cloth grill is not removable
Can't be placed up against a wall

THE VERDICT
The Verdict: A tall, powerful speaker that dazzles with its superb soundstage and imaging, delights with its visceral bass output, and stuns with its starkly minimalist aesthetic.

The new Dymension DM70 Tower speaker is an evolution of a design that's signature Definitive Technology: An adjustable bipolar array combined with a 10-inch powered subwoofer that's integrated into the cabinet. It is not your typical 2-way or 3-way cone-and-dome tower speaker, it has a distinct sound that's larger than life.

Darryl Wilkinson  |  Oct 15, 2004  |  First Published: Oct 01, 2004  | 
The totally bearable lightness of being a Mythos.
Ultimate AV Staff  |  May 24, 2006  |  First Published: May 25, 2006  | 

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Daniel Kumin  |  Jul 01, 2007  | 
The flat-screen revolution has spawned a lot of dramatic and innovative loudspeakers, many of them different takes on the Definitive Technology Mythos - a family of sleek aluminum speakers that almost single-handedly reinvente
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Jul 02, 2007  |  First Published: Jun 02, 2007  | 
Mythos the magnificent.

It's not often that I find something to complain about when it comes to Definitive Technology, but, lately, I have cause. Every year, during each of the two major consumer electronics trade shows, CES and CEDIA, I (and plenty of other journalists, dealers, and a few hangers-on who shouldn't have been let in to begin with) have made the traditional pilgrimage to the Def Tech booth. We go there, drawn like corn-bread muffins to butter, to hear the latest Def Tech incarnation, thanks to the genius of head honcho Sandy Gross and company. As you would expect, some of these speaker introductions have been more exciting than others—the unveiling of the first Mythos speakers being one of the extra-special highlights in recent memory. Regardless, the Definitive Technology booth never disappoints.

Darryl Wilkinson  |  Jul 31, 2014  | 

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $2,499 ea

AT A GLANCE
Plus
1,200-watt Class D subwoofer amplifier
IR remote control for woofer level adjustments
No support grid behind grille cloth to block midrange/tweeter array
Minus
They’re pretty heavy
Remote control coverage too narrow to reach both speakers simultaneously

THE VERDICT
Def Tech’s updated flagship is an uncannily neutral, disappearing speaker and an amazing value.

It’s hard to believe that the original Definitive Technology Mythos ST was introduced seven years ago. At the time, the Mythos styling ethos—svelte, curved-back, extruded-aluminum cabinets—had already been around for a while, so the sleek, silvery design of the Mythos ST wasn’t a dramatic departure. Sure, it was the largest Mythos speaker to come out to that point, but what made it especially buzzworthy was that the ST was the first Mythos speaker to include a powered woofer section.

Mark Fleischmann  |  Mar 06, 2009  | 

Performance
Value
Build Quality
Price: $4,355 At A Glance: Slender, gloss black, extruded-aluminum towers • Dual built-in powered subs with passive radiators • Superb dialogue reproduction

Hide the Sub—No, Subs!

Why build a system around powered towers like Definitive Technology’s Mythos STS SuperTower? Wouldn’t it be easier to live with a subwoofer? Maybe. Maybe not.

Fred Manteghian  |  Nov 15, 2007  | 

So here I sit, my furniture all rearranged like an overcrowded antique store, just so I can be in the sweet spot. It is speaker review time again at the Manteghians.' It takes a long time to break out and set up speakers, and you've lots of boxes to deal with. But the simplicity of a speaker is what is most appealing. No HDMI to DVI handshaking problems, no video cross-coding issues, no 3:2 pulldown. You just sit down and listen to music and watch movies. Of course, it's only enjoyable when the speakers in question sound great &ndash; like this Definitive Technology Mythos system does.

Mark Henninger  |  Jul 25, 2024  |  First Published: Jul 24, 2024  | 

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $12,000/pair

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Exquisitely detailed sound
Exceptional imaging
Excellent bass for a dipole planar speaker
Modern aesthetics
Easy to assemble
Neighbor-friendly

Minus
Pricey
Power hungry
Dipoles are not for everyone
Limited optimal listening area
Could use a sub for some applications

THE VERDICT
These revealing, sublime-sounding speakers elevated listening sessions to a higher level of audiophile enjoyment than any pair I have reviewed before.

Roger Maycock  |  May 01, 2005  |  First Published: May 17, 2005  | 
Attention to detail makes all the difference.

Although they're best known as a loudspeaker manufacturer for the audio enthusiast, Dynaudio also has a commanding presence in professional audio. Their Dynaudio Acoustics subsidiary is highly regarded by many people in leading recording studios. It is in these circles where I first came to know and gain an appreciation for the brand.

Fred Manteghian  |  Apr 18, 2004  | 

Denmark is home to Dynaudio, one of the world's finest speaker manufacturers. After beginning modestly as a maker of speaker drivers, Dynaudio rapidly gained accolades from OEMs and the international do-it-yourself speaker-building conspiracy. But don't let their industrial background mislead you. Dynaudio's Contour and Confidence speaker lines are among the most classically striking speakers in the market today: business and beauty bundled together, in a high-end showroom near you.

Dennis Young  |  Oct 18, 2023  | 

Performance
Build Quality
Value
Top Pick: yes

PRICE $2249/Pair

AT A GLANCE
PLUS
Soundstage and imaging properties
Near full-range capability
Enjoyable at high, mid and low sound levels

MINUS
May heat up an AVR
Favors placement away from boundaries
Needs current to hit more than moderate SPL

THE VERDICT
The Dynaudio Emit 50 makes use of its evidence-based R&D and its heritage in professional sound production, delivering a capable tower at an affordable price.

Founded in 1976, Dynaudio is well-known in the world of audio. As one of the few loudspeaker manufacturers that make their own drivers, combined with the massive Jupiter acoustic measurement facility, the company gains a significant advantage when integrating the multiple parts of a loudspeaker into one system.
uavSteve Guttenberg  |  Jan 05, 2009  | 
Dynaudio is, first and foremost, an audiophile speaker company, but one that also makes superb home-theater speakers. Wait, that implies it makes separate audiophile and home-theater lines, which is not really true. Dynaudio speakers excel with music and home theater.
Steve Guttenberg  |  Dec 12, 2005  | 
All clear!

I think it's time we revived the old maxim that speakers are the most important part of an audio system. Yes, DVD players, A/V receivers, pre/pros, and power amps all play crucial roles, but speakers give you a bigger shot at personalizing your sound. Some speakers deliver exacting resolution, while others effortlessly unleash a wide range of dynamics or shake the foundation of your abode. Dynaudio speakers excel on every front and remain loyal to the sound embedded in your DVDs and CDs. So don't let the Dynaudio Focus speaker series' understated demeanor throw you off track; these speakers can get down and boogie.

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