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Def Tech SM45 Owners

4K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  Kini62 
#1 ·
Hi,

I would appreciate your experience with the SM45's

I purchased a pair and just tried them out with my Marantz AVR and Andrea Bocelli Blu Ray. No AVR calibration yet, just straight audio.

I was surpised in a not so good way, Andrea's voice was very thin sounding. I'm not expecting deep heavy bass from this but reasonable mid lows.

What is realistic low freq response for this speaker, certain not 30Hz as spec says.

Just thin sounding overall, clear and spacious but lacking the low mids.

All reviews on Amazon and pro review give this speaker all positives so not sure what I am doing wrong here.

My AVR is set to small speakers and LF crossover at 40Hz to get more bass through the SM45 without prevail.

Thanks
 
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#2 ·
Def Tech frequency specs are always fantasy. Let your sub do the heavy lifting (it will also improve your speakers all around capabilities). Cross over at 80 Hz, then come back and tell me the results :).
 
#3 ·
Thanks

I'm on 2nd floor apartment so sadly no sub.

Regretfully sold my Maggie 1.7's, it had the right amount of bass and everything else but of course much larger than bookshelfs.

I still have the Maggie CC3 center. Been debating between Maggies and downsizing to smaller bookshef monitors since I will be moving and most likely into even smaller room.

I guess I cannot ask too much for basic entry level speakers.
 
#4 ·
Plus give them time to break in, as the mid drivers loosen up they will become fuller and richer sounding.
Also, make sure you've given them some room to breathe, they won't like to be too close to a wall or back of a cabinet, the rear port needs room on all three sides to give them their best low end performance.
 
#5 ·
Well, it’s a shame you still don’t have the 1.7s. I think they are a wonderful speaker, especially at 2 grand. But they too need a subwoofer. Heck, adding a sub to my 3.6s made a significant difference. I do suggest that you get a sub (just be a good neighbor — there will be times you can tweak it).

The SM-45 will be lucky to reproduce 50 Hz with any decent output. The SM-55s were able to get down to the mid 40s. And as far as bookshelf speakers go, I gotta give Def Tech credit, they produced more bass than I was expecting when I auditioned their lineup. I just wish they’d stop all this silliness with their frequency specs. Anytime you see a speaker company give unrealistic frequency response specs and don’t give you a minus 3 dB parameter to that spec, then they are in the business of trying to fool people. Really a shame because they do make good speakers.

BTW, there is nothing to crossover since you don’t have a sub. Just run your speakers in a natural 2.0 setup until you get that sub. The SM-45 will go deeper than a lot of bookshelf speakers, including my EMP Teks.
 
#6 ·
I think in your situation being in an apartment and a sub being out you might have been better off with a SM55 or SM65. They both have the racetrack bass radiator technology. I have the SM55 and they are pretty dam awesome, but I have a sub. There is decent bass for the SM55's though.
 
#7 ·
Yes, my Def Tech Sm450 don't hit nearly as low as advertised...24 hz!? Really, they don't hit a dime under 40...
I would agree if you are solid on Def Tech SM series, go 55 or 65 if you are not going to use a sub...
 
#8 ·
Thanks everyone. This is first time I have tried DT's.

I got them at refurb price so didn't take too big of a hit.
my bad for not looking at cabinent size. I was thinking with 4" driver they
would be smaller in size, was I wrong. I have a pair of monitor audio rx1
tried to sell but previous owner replace the tweeter and there are scuffs so
no go on selling.

The rx1 and sm45 are almost same in cabinet size! Rx1 with 6" driver does better with low mids obviously.

I understand DT used large cabinet in the sm45 to add lower end to the 4" driver.

one day I will head back to Maggie heaven, maybe with the .7's.
Apartment dwelling, I turn Maggies up without any knock on the door.
 
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