Looking for help on Bose advice...

[Blu Falcon]

My Bose is adequate for my home theater and the space they occupy. I've had my Acoustimass 10 Series II speakers for over 8 years now. I'm hardly ever afforded the opportunity to hear them at a decent level since we only watch more adult oriented titles (sounds like porn doesn't it?) when my two year old is asleep. Even at low volume these speakers can wake him up! However, he wants to watch Cars almost daily, so I always use that as an excuse to crank up the volume a bit, and these speakers can really sing. My wife thinks they're too loud and I have had complaints from the neighbors in the past. However, considering the overall bad rep they have, you almost feel embarrassed to say you own Bose.

[GORT]

I will put my klipsch speakers and my sony reciver up against any bose system

[wakeboredb]

Every speaker has its place in the market. My problem with Bose is not the sound quality, it is the sound quality for the price they expect you to pay. IMHO, the sound quality of Bose speakers is equivalent to many speakers at 1/3 the price.

I also give the engineers at Bose a lot of credit. They have taken some of the cheapest materials to build speakers and made them sound better than any other company could make that level of quality components sound. I do not mean that a slight either, I am truly impressed with what they have done. If only they would take that same skill and apply it to higher quality speakers...

Finally, Bose has spent a lot of time researching how people respond to sound and frequency's and have incorporated that into their speakers. They have accentuated and suppressed certain frequencies because of people's preferences (and because of limitations in the speakers size and build). In essence, they have built in their own equilizer. The question comes down to whether you want a speaker designed how Bose thinks you want to hear music, or if you want to try to hear the music exactly as the artist recorded it.

[seto]

Bose products are overpriced and designed more for lifestyle look. They really lack the depth systems of equal cost (or even cheaper) bring to the sound stage. However, if you enjoy what you have then there is no need to change. To each their own.

[Bourne1]

There is no doubt that they are over priced. And again, do not get a Lifestyle system, really not worth the money if you really do want to get Bose surround sound. Get an Acoustimass 10 or 16 system and buy a decent receiver. It will sound better than any of the Lifestyle systems they have. But yea, they are very over priced for the quality you are getting, if they had used better materials than maybe it would be worth the price. But hey, I paid $400 brand new in an un-opened box for my Acoustimass 10 series III, I wasn't going to pass that up.

[Beta Man]

Try to sell the Bose, and look into options, you'd be amazed what is out there for the price of Bose, which anyone with much audio knowledge would tell you to avoid.....

good luck.

[Slicker1]

Dr. Bose is spinning in his grave daily! Due to what they have done to his company. This is due to branding. Take a great speaker name and then sell out to the mass market. Keep the price high, make it much cheaper, push the name that people know.
There are many others guilty of the same, Klipsch, Polk, Snell, JBL, Infinity, Kef, Boston, AR, and CV just to name a few.
I'm not bashing mind you (so save the flames), it's just that if your old enough to know how these guy's speakers were made in their hayday compaired to now, just makes my head hurt.
So what's a guy to look for to find the best speaker value in this day & age? Well, I don't have all the answers, but one idea would be to look for the name on the speaker to also be the designer.
For example, if you wanted small speakers, take some of your favorite music/movies listen to it on a Bose system, then do the same on a Anthony Gallo Micro's speaker system.....nuff said!

[saprano]

Originally Posted by FEP3108

I will put my klipsch speakers and my sony reciver up against any bose system

amen to that, ill put my definitive tech's up against their whole line to. EDh63 might think were all crazy for saying bose is wack, but we want the best sound possible and were trying to help people get the best sound possible to. YOU may enjoy bose and think their good for you thats fine, but dont come thinking were insane when we say bose aint worth it.......its not, my freind has a bose system and iv heard it plenty of time's and came to the conclusion that they just dont sound good. i came so close to buying a bose system a few months back, but thanks to forums like this one that did not happen.( thank god)

i did my research for month's and month's to find the right system that i needed, it got to a point where i got tired of looking a system and gave up and was gonna settle for a bose and call it a day. but i didnt want to buy something that i was going to regret(and for the price they sell those things at i was going to regret bigtime) no bose system even has hdmi(this is 2008 right?) i wach blu-ray movie's i need hdmi so bose product's became even more worthless to me.

to the original poster if you want to stay with bose thats fine its your money were just giving you some advice, but if you want a system thats better than bose, just shop around. look online at different systems and go into store's to here how they sound, it my seem impossible to find the right system with a million different one's out there, but whith a little time and research you'll find one, you could get a onkyo 605 with some polk's speaker's and spend way less than you would on a bose. but thats all up to you, like i said if you like bose and like they sound then get bose, where all just letting you know thers way better sounding sytems out there.

[DragonSarc]

Originally Posted by saprano

amen to that, ill put my definitive tech's up against their whole line to. EDh63 might think were all crazy for saying bose is wack, but we want the best sound possible and were trying to help people get the best sound possible to. YOU may enjoy bose and think their good for you thats fine, but dont come thinking were insane when we say bose aint worth it.......its not, my freind has a bose system and iv heard it plenty of time's and came to the conclusion that they just dont sound good. i came so close to buying a bose system a few months back, but thanks to forums like this one that did not happen.( thank god)

i did my research for month's and month's to find the right system that i needed, it got to a point where i got tired of looking a system and gave up and was gonna settle for a bose and call it a day. but i didnt want to buy something that i was going to regret(and for the price they sell those things at i was going to regret bigtime) no bose system even has hdmi(this is 2008 right?) i wach blu-ray movie's i need hdmi so bose product's became even more worthless to me.

to the original poster if you want to stay with bose thats fine its your money were just giving you some advice, but if you want a system thats better than bose, just shop around. look online at different systems and go into store's to here how they sound, it my seem impossible to find the right system with a million different one's out there, but whith a little time and research you'll find one, you could get a onkyo 605 with some polk's speaker's and spend way less than you would on a bose. but thats all up to you, like i said if you like bose and like they sound then get bose, where all just letting you know thers way better sounding sytems out there.

I second this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!DEFTECH RULZZZZZ
I had Bose AM16, polks , radioshack speakers, infinity system been there heard it done that - gave it all to my brother and relatives.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by Blu Falcon

My Bose is adequate for my home theater and the space they occupy. I've had my Acoustimass 10 Series II speakers for over 8 years now. I'm hardly ever afforded the opportunity to hear them at a decent level since we only watch more adult oriented titles (sounds like porn doesn't it?) when my two year old is asleep. Even at low volume these speakers can wake him up! However, he wants to watch Cars almost daily, so I always use that as an excuse to crank up the volume a bit, and these speakers can really sing. My wife thinks they're too loud and I have had complaints from the neighbors in the past. However, considering the overall bad rep they have, you almost feel embarrassed to say you own Bose.

This is where the big misconception is. A $50 salvation army set-up will be loud. I'm disputing Bose for their sound stage, and fidelity. how "loud" speakers are, is something completely different. I don't claim to be a huge audiophile or anything, but when it comes to my money, I put some research into my queries to make sure I get the best possible equipment (in my price range!)

[moviefan]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

This is where the big misconception is. A $50 salvation army set-up will be loud. I'm disputing Bose for their sound stage, and fidelity. how "loud" speakers are, is something completely different. I don't claim to be a huge audiophile or anything, but when it comes to my money, I put some research into my queries to make sure I get the best possible equipment (in my price range!)

Just check out the Bose displays at BB and other big box retailers.
They are set to play LOUD so you will be impressed.
Having said that, the Bose CineMate @ $499 is a decent setup for those who don't want to buy a receiver and surround speakers.

[Tru-way]

Originally Posted by JasonR

Get the Acoustimass with an Onkyo 605 + for optimal sound, if you have to have Bose.

Please dont put "optimal sound" and "Bose" in the same sentence.

Buy.Other.Sound.Equipment.
http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html

[Slec]

There are so many reasons to buy a particular home theater. In college I had to buy a HTiB. I got an Onkyo that for its price was incredible. Now I'm moving on to upgraded units that are more tailored to my needs. I've created some threads and gotten a ton of good advice. I've gotten some I think is bad advice.

My parents got a Bose 321 for the Living room because my mom refused to have a surround sound setup. She hates bass and cranks treble (it's like listening to something in a tin can...ugh). The 321 was the perfect system, it was small and unobtrusive, but atleast got better sound in the room.

There are great micro-systems out there, and I think Bose makes a really good system, its just over priced. My $500 Onkyo HTiB sounded better than the Lifestyle 30 set in my dads basement. He even admitted it, but the were also setup differently. Just remember, there are more things at play for some than how it sounds. Personally, I don't mind huge speakers (and neither does my wife) and I want a good range of sound. Others want the speakers to be barely noticeable and the surround sound is a bonus. It's a trade-off, you have to give something up to gain something else.

[Bourne1]

Big speakers are beautiful.

[Bourne1]

Originally Posted by Slicker1

...For example, if you wanted small speakers, take some of your favorite music/movies listen to it on a Bose system, then do the same on a Anthony Gallo Micro's speaker system.....nuff said!

I've heard of those and hear nothing but good things about the Anthony Gallo micro speakers. Do you have them?

[wem003]

Originally Posted by Edh63

Bottom line, I am extremely satisfied with my Lifestyle 35. I'm just realizing that I am limited at my receiver when it comes to Blu-Ray. Again, bitstream sounds fantastic and I really could care less about this slight audio enhancement that the new disks give. let me put it this way, I have no one coming to my house watching movies asking me why I'm only using optical and bitstream. People come over and watch a movie that entertains them and gives them a wonderful experience. I think most people get way to wrapped up in all the technology sometimes when it really doesn't matter that much. The audio that I get right now from my Bose satisfies my needs well beyond what I deserve and I am more into getting the best picture quality that I can. With what I have today, I am very pleased with the Lifestyle.

Agree 100%.

I am not a Bose owner, and am not a fan - but this quote nails it on the head for me.

[Bourne1]

Originally Posted by wem003

Agree 100%.

I am not a Bose owner, and am not a fan - but this quote nails it on the head for me.

I have to agree with that quote also. It's also making me think twice right now about upgrading my receiver. As of right now, I am still satisfied with the sound I am getting. Maybe I should put my money towards my savings and a small amount into more Blu movies. Maybe I'll just wait for the next best thing in terms of a good budget receiver.

[Blu Falcon]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

This is where the big misconception is. A $50 salvation army set-up will be loud. I'm disputing Bose for their sound stage, and fidelity. how "loud" speakers are, is something completely different.[/b]

Some of us are more easily pleased than others.

I was sold on the Bose Acoustimass 10 Series II when I heard demo set-up at my local post-exchange in Germany. The speakers were paired with the Yamaha RX-V995, a receiver that I still own to this day, and I thought this set-up was perfect for my needs. Good sound quality. Unobtrusive. Pricey? Sure! But I really wasn't much into doing research on every single product back in those days, and I just took the sales rep word for it when he said "These are our best speakers coupled with our best receiver." All I know is that my ears told me that these speakers sounded pretty damn good. I didn't care about the "best" part, just the fact that to me it was very satisfying and more than adequate for my home theater. Nevermind the fact that the satellites were so small and were nearly invisible, I never once had anyone come over to watch a movie and say to me "You know, man, you're speakers are all mid-range with no highs and lows, and you could've gotten much better for less. Bose blows." But rather "Man, your home theater audio sounds awesome!" 8 years later I'm still getting comments like that, even in this day and age where everyone seems to be a lot more home theater techno savvy.

Someone commented on Bose not having HDMI. I'm running an optical cable from my PS3 into my receiver and these speakers still rock the house. I watched Transformers with the volume cranked up just a little pass a quarter of the way, and the audio was crystal clear with the low frequency bass module pounding away and rattling everything in my apartment. So not having an HMDI port in my receiver is a non-issue for me.

As someone mentioned, does it really matter what the name on your speakers, HDTV or receiver says? To some people that's important. My Toshiba Regza looks great. My receiver and speakers sound great. My PS3 plays great. At least I think so, even when comparing it to those awesome diplays at Best Buy. All my friends and relatives think so too. As long as you and your guests are entertained, isn't that what really matters most?

[JJ]

Originally Posted by Blu Falcon

Some of us are more easily pleased than others.

I was sold on the Bose Acoustimass 10 Series II when I heard demo set-up at my local post-exchange in Germany. The speakers were paired with the Yamaha RX-V995, a receiver that I still own to this day, and I thought this set-up was perfect for my needs. Good sound quality. Unobtrusive. Pricey? Sure! But I really wasn't much into doing research every single product back in those days, and I just took the sales rep word for it when he said "These are our best speakers coupled with our best receiver." All I know is that my ears told me that these speakers sounded pretty damn good. I didn't care about the "best" part, just the fact that to me it was very satisfying and more than adequate for my home theater. Nevermind the fact that the satellites were so small and were nearly invisible, I never once had anyone come over to watch a movie and say to me "You know, man, you're speakers are all mid-range with no highs and lows, and you could've gotten much better for less. Bose blows." But rather "Man, your home theater audio sounds awesome!" 8 years later I'm still getting comments like that, even in this day and age where everyone seems to be a lot more home theater techno savvy.

Someone commented on Bose not having HDMI. I'm running an optical cable from my PS3 into my receiver and these speakers still rock the house. I watched Transformers with the volume cranked up a bit and the audio was crystal clear with the low frequency bass module pounding way and rattling everything in my apartment. So not having an HMDI port in my receiver is a non-issue for me.

As someone mentioned, does it really matter what the name on your speakers, HDTV or receiver says? To some people that's important. My Toshiba Regza looks great. My receiver and speakers sound great. My PS3 plays great. At least I think so, even when comparing it to those awesome diplays at Best Buy. All my friends and relatives think so too. As long as you and your guests are entertained, isn't that what really matters most?

Excellently said. I feel the same way.

[Bourne1]

Bose actually has a new Lifestyle system with HDMI for those that are interested.