BOSTON ACOUSTICS A200

Second-hand. In fair conditions. Shows signs of wear. Without original packaging.

The Boston Acoustics A200 represents the pinnacle of the American brand’s loudspeaker lineup—a bold yet refined design that found commercial success in the North American market, while remaining relatively rare in Europe. Today, this rarity only adds to its appeal among enthusiasts and collectors alike.

With its imposing yet elegant profile, the A200 stands out as a true sonic monolith: tall and wide, yet remarkably slim. Its minimalist aesthetic hides an ambitious engineering concept, designed to deliver a coherent and natural acoustic performance, optimized for placement against the rear wall. At the time, this design choice was unconventional and often misunderstood as a limitation—but it is, in fact, one of the key factors behind its excellent low-frequency behavior.

Technically, the A200 is a three-way loudspeaker that faithfully follows the design principles established by Roy Allison. Its wide front baffle (an impressive 53 cm) enables controlled semi-space (2π steradians) radiation from around 325 Hz upwards, ensuring an extremely linear and coherent frequency response across the entire audio range. When positioned properly against a wall, the woofer also operates under ideal conditions, making the A200 one of the very few domestic loudspeakers that can genuinely be considered an “infinite baffle” design.

The crossover network is simple yet effective, with first-order slopes for the woofer and midrange, and a second-order slope for the tweeter. The crossover points are set at 450 Hz and 3,000 Hz. The tweeter is left unattenuated, while the midrange is adjusted via a series resistor, still maintaining excellent linearity.

A small tweak further enhances performance: by removing the easily detachable bottom plinth, the woofer's height is reduced, optimizing its interaction with the floor. This simple adjustment results in improved coherence in the upper bass and a more natural and controlled response in critical frequency ranges.

Sonically, the A200 delivers a full, detailed, and surprisingly neutral sound, capable of adapting to a wide range of musical genres and elevating refined recordings. The bass is deep and articulate without ever being overwhelming, while the mid-high range shines with balance and naturalness. The soundstage is wide and stable, benefiting from the speaker’s high emission coherence and reduced rear dispersion, which minimizes negative effects from room reflections.

Inside, the cabinet is reinforced with asymmetrically placed internal braces to reduce resonances, while the midrange driver operates in a dedicated chamber. The sealed woofer has an in-cabinet resonance of 42 Hz and a Qtc of 0.67, ensuring an extended and well-controlled low-end response.

The Boston A200 is a speaker for connoisseurs—those who value substance over fleeting trends and are willing to wait for the right pair to come along. And sometimes, that wait is richly rewarded.

Technical Specifications:

• Type: 3-way, 3-driver loudspeaker system
• Frequency Response: 36 Hz – 25 kHz
• Recommended Amplifier Power: 15 – 250 W
• Crossover Frequencies: 450 Hz, 3000 Hz
• Impedance: 8 ohms
• Sensitivity: 91 dB
• Woofer: 1 x 250 mm cone
• Midrange: 1 x 120 mm cone
• Tweeter: 1 x 25 mm dome
• Cabinet Volume: 50.7 liters
• Dimensions (HxWxD): 1040 x 530 x 160 mm
• Weight: 27 kg