Our take on the Definitive Technology SR-8080BP

by Kristen Schaub

Bipolar technology immerses you in the surround experience

Definitive's SR-8080BP bipolar surround speaker demonstrates how intensely realistic surround sound can be. It contains left- and right-firing driver arrays that radiate full-range sound in an omni-directional pattern — you'll really hear the difference as on-screen action shifts seamlessly from one side of the room to the other. Part of Definitive's Bipolar Series, it uses advanced driver design and rock-solid build quality to give you exceptional detail and presence with ambient effects and multichannel music.

High-tech drivers for exceptionally detailed sound

Each driver array in the SR-8080BP has a 4-1/2" mid/woofer paired with a 1" dome tweeter, for perfectly blended highs and mids. This bipolar design creates a big, immersive soundfield, which is really effective for surround speakers. Each pure aluminum dome tweeter has a silk surround, allowing it to reveal delicate, low-level ambient sounds. And thanks to Definitive's Balanced Double Surround System (BDSS) drivers, your movie special effects and multichannel music will sound clear and detailed. These mid/woofers disperse the sound over a wide area in your room so that even viewers sitting off-axis hear smooth, engaging sound.

Versatile placement options

Definitive's bipolar surrounds aren't fussy about placement — they shine in a variety of room sizes and shapes. A pair of SR-8080BPs works well on your side walls for 5.1 systems, or on the side and rear walls for a 7.1 system. Each speaker has a keyhole slot for on-wall installations. You can also place this speaker on a shelf or stand and get great sound.

Build a complete Definitive home theater system by adding perfectly matched bipole towers (see the BP-8020ST, BP-8040ST, BP-8060ST, and BP-8080ST) and a center channel (see the CS-8040HD, CS-8060HD, and CS-8080HD).

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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.

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Highlights:

Linear Response Waveguide™ for wide dispersion and smoother sound for listeners sitting off-axis
Balanced Dual Surround System (BDSS) driver technology places rubber surrounds on both the outer and inner edges of each speaker cone for improved clarity
frequency response 40-30,000 Hz
sensitivity 92 dB
8-ohm impedance
handles up to 200 watts
left array: 4-1/2" mid/woofer and a 1" aluminum dome tweeter
right array: 4-1/2" mid/woofer and a 1" aluminum dome tweeter
one set of 5-way binding posts
high-gloss black finish on top and bottom caps with cloth grille-wrapped enclosure
9"W x 15-3/4"H x 6-3/16"D
weight: 13 lbs.
warranty: 5 years
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Features and specs chart | What’s in the box? | In-depth notes

Features and Specs


Enclosure Loading...	Bass Reflex
Bipole or Dipole Loading...	Bipole
Tweeter Loading...	Dome
Midrange size (inches) Loading...	---
Woofer size (inches) Loading...	4-1/2
Connector Type Loading...	5-way post
Power Range Loading...	20-200
Sensitivity Loading...	92 dB
Impedance (Ohms) Loading...	8
Frequency Response Loading...	40-30k Hz
Height (inches) Loading...	15 3/4
Width (inches) Loading...	9
Depth (inches) Loading...	6 3/16
Weight (pounds) Loading...	13
Mounting Bracket Included Loading...	Keyhole
Parts Warranty Loading...	5 Years
Labor Warranty Loading...	5 Years

Product Research

What's in the box?

Download owner's manual

One black full-range bipolar surround speaker
2 Grilles
Owner's manual
Online product registration information

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Features

Bipolar Design: The Definitive Technology SR-8080BP is a bipolar surround speaker, containing two full-range woofer and tweeter arrays. The speaker cabinet has three sides, with the driver arrays firing in phase approximately 100° apart to flood the area with sound (the third side mounts against the wall). Dispersing the surround channel's sound evenly over a broad area of the room creates an enveloping movie experience.

Drivers: The two woofers used in the SR-8080BP are 4-1/2" second generation BDSS (Balanced Double Surround System) drivers. BDSS is Definitive's patented technology that supports the speaker cone at both the inner and outer edges allowing longer and more linear excursion for greater clarity and detail. The new Linear Response Waveguide (patent pending) smoothes off-axis frequency response and disperses sound over a wide area. The two tweeters are pure aluminum domes, heat-treated to relax the crystal structure, then coated with a ceramic to produce extended highs. The Linkwitz-Riley crossover networks maintain a smooth output around the crossover frequency.

Voice-Matched: The SR-8080BP is a full-range low-distortion speaker which is timbre-matched to blend perfectly with all of Definitive's BP series speakers.

Binding Posts: The speaker terminals are gold-plated, 5-way binding posts and will accommodate spade connectors, single or dual banana plugs, pin connectors, and bare wire up to 10 gauge.

Mounting: The SR-8080BP is designed for easy placement; it has a keyhole slot for wall mounting, or it can be placed on a shelf or stand. It's designed as a surround speaker (surround or surround back channels), but can also be used for front effects channels in Audyssey DSX, Dolby Pro Logic IIz, or Yamaha DSP 3D (with presence speakers) systems.