Review on Black Pair of Definitive Technology A90 High-Performance Height Speaker Modules for Dolby Atmos by Joshua Paulson

This review is very wordy. I think most Revain reviews fail because they don't communicate properly. For example, an angry reviewer received a damaged speaker so they treat the experience as if it were a product, or a dissatisfied customer just mentions an issue or return process. This is not a performance rating of the actual item, this is a shipping or retailer rating. Many reviews can be very vague with phrases like "speakers sound great" or "I love it!" or a reviewer gives an extremely positive verdict without any complaints, but only gives the product 4 out of 5 stars. Reviews like these often leave the savvy consumer unanswered with questions. If you've spent $500 on speakers, you should give a review worthy of the price. The first thing I want to say and this is for those who are thinking about buying a home theater. is that the Definitive Technology A-90 modules ONLY work with the Definitive Technology BP 9020, 9040 and 9060 loudspeakers. The A-90 was specially designed for these loudspeakers. This is because the A-90 modules do NOT have built-in wiring. If you have something else (like Bose, Klipsch, JBL, Polk Audio, BIC America, Martin Logan, ELAC, etc.) and you're looking at those because you want Dolby Atmos, you need to look at something else because those didn't win work with what you have. I generally recommend sticking with the same manufacturer for Atmos speakers whenever possible IF that manufacturer makes them. If not, then everything is fine. You just have to find the ones that you feel will serve you best. Here's what I have now: I'm running the entire Definitive Technology '9040' line with a Yamaha A-1080 receiver. I bought an A 90 to complete my setup. They connected easily to my BP 9040. I was surprised by the weight of each module (they kind of collapse and you could get a finger or two caught, so be careful). They are very strong and fit my 9040s perfectly. In fact, I hardly notice them visually because they literally become part of the floorstanding speaker. I then had to disassemble the microphone to calibrate my system. One more thing, you STILL need two sets of good quality speaker wire to make them work. They plug right into the bottom of the speakers. The sound of the A 90 is fantastic. My room has a 9 foot ceiling and the sound echoes quite clearly from my seating position or adjacent seats in the room. Note that Atmos speakers provide an overhead feel in scenes that require this effect. The main workhorse is always your center channel. Everything else complements what you hear. Also, AV calibration and tuning is always required. Read and understand the AV Owner's Manual. Watch helpful home theater videos to learn something new. All of this helps a lot. Most importantly, be patient and enjoy. The idea is to have fun and learn from all the experiences. Now for the really FUN 😜 These specific Atmos modules add a LOT of immersion, and I'm going to use a real movie scene example to explain it better. I recently checked out Blade Runner. (1982) on 4K disc. The final fight scene in the pouring rain between "Deckard" (Harrison Ford) and "Batty" (Rutgers Hauer) was out of this world and in HER world because those Atmos speakers were very good at isolating the sound of the falling rain but masking it. clear and it sounded like it was raining in my living room. I literally looked at the ceiling and wondered if I needed an umbrella. It was so exciting and at the same time fluid with all the other things that happen in the Blade Runner closing scenes. A distinctive and immersive sound that literally draws you in. These speakers made me feel like you were in a big room wherever I sat. How about music? for example a specific music hall or cathedral. Music filled the space above my living room and the whole room. It was a solid sound and I felt like my room was bigger than it really was. Jazz music sounded very immersive, especially when using the special jazz-friendly surround modes. Even using it in simple "7-channel" stereo mode was very immersive. All other genres performed very well. I'm not a music lover but I was more than happy with the experience. The price is quite steep, as is Definitive Technology's entire line of home theaters. Remember you get what you pay for. With a reasonable budget the price pays off for you with a very pleasant and unique sound for years to come. Watch. Sounds like a lot, but if you enjoy streaming music and movies, you'll get over it very quickly. I plan on keeping these speakers and the rest of my Definitive Technology "9040" line for years to come. I'm not sure if this line of speakers is still considered entry-level. I know there are systems that can cost $50,000 if you have the money or resources to fund something like that. In my opinion, the Definitive Technology line, which includes the A-90 theses, is an average level. You should get a mid-range AV receiver to work with that investment. Whether Denon, Yamaha, Onkyo, Integra, Pioneer, Sony or Marantz; You need to take a look at their midrange drivers. Plan to spend between $800 and $1200 for a quality AV receiver. Power is more a matter of personal preference. There is no perfect power rule. What matters most is the listening experience, which conveys a perceived difference with clarity. The A-90s are packaged very well and work absolutely perfectly. If you receive a damaged speaker please report it to Revain and they will help you resolve the situation so you can receive an undamaged set and experience the sound of heavy rain in your own life like I did. Even my dog looked at the damn ceiling. They are definitely worth the investment.