Definitive Technology Demand D7
Contents
Definitive Technology is a relatively unknown brand in the Netherlands. The brand is young: founded in 1990 and has its roots in the United States. Definitive Technology has a mix of active and passive models. The Demand D7 we are testing is passive. But if you want to grow later, there are also Hybrid active floorstanders.
The distinguishing feature of the Definitive Technology speakers is not only their sleek appearance and neat finish. It’s also in the special mid/low unit.
Behave that the tweeter has a wave-guide, is also the mid / low woofer equipped with a BDSS – Balanced Double Surround System – and a Linear Response Waveguide. So it’s also a phase system. This combination should ensure a very even blasting behaviour. By the way, the range is 57 Hz – 24,000 Hz (67 Hz – 21,000 Hz at -3dB). The efficiency is 85 dB /w/m.
What is important with this Demand D7, is that there is a left and right speaker. It’s placed neatly on the back of the speaker, so it can’t be missed during installation.
Sound
Sweet, calm, neutral. And pretty precise. Very different from the Bowers, KEF, Elac or the Dynaudio – in the sense that you can really listen a bit longer. The Definitive Technology Demand D7 nevertheless offers a lot of insight and enough detail. We’re really not missing anything. The various lines at, for example, Graceland can be followed perfectly on the Definitive. Anette Askvik enters the room in a big way (has also been recorded very spatially), giving us the feeling of listening to a much larger speaker. And there’s a power there: the imaging is really big. That’s why sometimes we miss a bit of precision. But that’s not so bad in this class.
If we give Angel from Massive Attack a lot of gas, we hear some restrictions; the woofer starts chattering. This will be less likely to be the case in a small space, as that is where you retain energy. In our space of 50m2 this D7 is a bit too small. There are just physical boundaries, of course.
Measurements Definitive Technology Demand D7
The Definitive Technology Demand D7 measures remarkably straight for a compact budget speaker. The tuning is neutral. In this price range you have the risk that you don’t stand out, because other brands choose more for ‘splashing high’ and ‘roaring low’. Not this Demand D7. That gives a lot of peace and quiet during longer sessions.
In our opinion, the waveguides don’t do that much, because on the axis it measures high up to 20 kHz, but off axis it does fall off quickly. Anyway, anyway. Just turn around and play. Distortion is under control, but we’re seeing a spike at 40 Hz. So do the KEF and the Dynaudio. Perhaps it’s a port-tuning or resonance we’re seeing here. We also find it somewhat dangerous that the distortion rises between 300 Hz and 2000 Hz. Off axis is less.
Conclusion
It is an eye-catching speaker by design and by its unobtrusive sound. The finish is particularly good for a loudspeaker of 299 euros (each). Bottom line: it is a neat loudspeaker that is suitable for someone who wants a neutral, open sound. A speaker that deserves more attention and love!
