Bose speakers? (1 Viewer)

[Adam_Wolf]

I would like to finally get a HT setup for my new apt. The TV room isnt too large, but good enough for a HT.

I want to know if the Bose speaker systems are adequate. I was looking at one at Best Buy for around $400, the Bose Acoustimass 6 Series II Home Theater Speaker System..is this crap? or decent...I will then purchase a decent digital receiver.

I am looking at Best Buy only because if their 24 month no interest deal.

Am I better off getting a HT in box? I dont need a new DVD player.

Suggestions please? Thanks! Have approx $1000 to spend, but would like to spend as little as possible and get the best I can.

 

[chung_sotheby]

Adam, do yourself a favor and do a bose search in this forum, you will see exactly how good of a product bose is.
Possibly the best in the business in price to performance ratio (wink wink, nudge nudge)

 

[Adam_Wolf]

The only reason that I like the Bose is because they are tiny...What else can I get thats small like the Bose?

Thanks!

 

[Steve_Ma]

I'll save you alittle time. Not many people around here think too highly of Bose speakers and think they are overpriced for the performance they deliver.
Bose really excels in the marketing of their products. I, personally, believe that they put out "OK" sound, especially given the size of some of their speakers. But I also believe that for the price...there are certainly better deals out there when it comes to quality audio reproduction.

Just my $0.02
--Steve

 

[BrianWoerndle]

First thing to do:
Step away from Best Buy. Almost everything they have is mass-market sub-par stuff. You can find better for the same price. Go to a local speciality home theater shop. They have super expensive stuff, but they also have things in your budget that will be better than anything from Best Buy. You will be looking at the lower lines from Paradigm, PSB, Energy and NHT. There is more, but that is all that popped into my head for now.

 

[Evan S]

Adam, you want small? Check out Energy's Take 5 system. Slightly more than Bose, but much better sound, much better quality.

 

[Dan Hine]

How about Polk's RM-6200 series? It sounds great, the speakers are less than 7" tall, and it includes Polk's PSW250 subwoofer. I have that sub and while it is NOT the be all/end all of subs it is a very nice 8" 50watt unit that takes up very little space. That set is $599 at Crutchfield so you can probably find it for a little less elsewhere on the net. Or you could go with Polk's RM-6000 series for $399. Either set will still allow you to get a nice entry line receiver.

 

[Adam_Wolf]

The only allure of Best Buy is the fact that they have the 24 month no interest financing. Is better quaility store offering something similar?

 

[Lew Crippen]

Adam, there is nothing particularly wrong with purchasing at ‘Best Buy’ and stores of their ilk. Many on this forum do. However, what Brian said is true: they mostly sell mass-market items, though I would differ with his characterization of ‘sub-par’. For sure much is over-priced and does not match medium or high end equipment, but there are buys to be had at ‘Best Buy’.

They do sell many standard products (such as TVs), from companies such as Sony, Toshiba that offer some of the best quality on the market. The same cannot necessarily be said of their speaker selection, but (for example) they do sell JBL, which have several lines of speakers that many on this forum own and are quite happy with.

But it is extremely difficult to make valid comparisons at places like ‘Best Buy’. Finding a salesman who actually knows his products and what else is available is difficult, though not impossible at such places. None of them (in my area) are set up to make any A/B comparisons. Some of the salesman may try to sell you products which you don’t need. And on and on.

Still, if you know what you want, there are some advantages.

But I’d second what Brian had to say on looking around. Check out some gear at a high-store. Make some comparisons. Then buy what sounds best to you, at the price point you like.

One more piece of advice, very small speakers (like Bose array speakers), even when combined with a decent subwoofer, generally tend to be weak in the mid-range area and especially the lower mid-range. You can do much to eliminate this problem by seeking out some small bookshelves. You might look at some Axioms just to see what can be done with a small package. Polk has already been suggested. JBL and Infinity (both available at the mass market stores) have some small entry-level speakers with reproduction that is quite good for the price point.

 

[Phil Iturralde]

...would like to spend as little as possible and get the best I can.

Review this website Chuckster's Home Theater Site - $850 Home Theater System
Originally published last year, the Onkyo AV Receiver is now replaced with another model, but the speakers (JBL NSP1) and sub (Sony SA-WM40) recommendation is still !!
Review the objective speaker graph test by Tom Nousaine for Sound&Vision Magazine (some w/review links) vs. Bose @ my website Are Bose Speakers "Over Priced vs. Performance??" Some of the speakers mentioned above, objective speaker graphs are posted also.
For more JBL Speaker INFO & Reviews w/links, see my web page Why you should add JBL N & S Series to your audition list!.
NOTE: Because my website is 'FREE', hosted by GeoCities, if too many HT enthusiasts visit, GeoCities will shut it down for an hour or so because it exceeded the specified 'freebie' Data Transfer Rate. Sorry about that, just bookmark it and visit my site an hour later or when everyone has gone to bed!
Phil

 

[Adam_Wolf]

Thanks for the link...I do not see the NSP1 speakers on the best buy web site however.

Are any of these systems decent?

JBL Home Cinema Speaker System with 2-Way, Dual-Midrange Satellite Speakers
Model: SCS150SI

JBL Home Cinema Speaker System
Model: SCS135SI

How about this receiver?

Yamaha 400-Watt Dolby Digital/DTS Home Theater Receiver with Matrix 6.1 Decoding — HTR-5540 -$299

 

[Phil Iturralde]

As such, I highly recommend the NSP1 home cinema package to anyone looking to get into home theater without emptying his or her bank account in the process.

The wide and flat range displayed by Tom Nousaine objective speaker graph supports Brent and other speaker reviewers subjective positive comments about the N24 & N-Center.
Have fun deciding,
Phil

 

[Adam_Wolf]

Thanks Phil....Is $469.95 for that set a decent price? I do not want to use Wall Brackets, Id rather buy Speaker Stands for the rears.

Are the rears that big?

Also, what sub can you recommend that is available at Best Buy? I do not want a very powerful one as I live in an Apt. bldg..

We are talking $769.00 for the speakers and receiver, is that a decent deal? Probably over $1200 when you factor in a sub, cables and speaker stands for the rear.

 

[Darren_T]

I was a Bose "victim" on my first audio purchase. I bought the Acoustamass 6 system. It consisted of L,R, and C channels with their bass module. I spent about 800 bucks on the setup. A few years later I was introduced to Paradigm and other mid-high end speakers. I bought a pair of Paradigm Atoms... one of the less expensive smaller bookshelf speakers they offer. They cost about 150 a pair. I did a side by side comparison with the Atoms as compared to my Bose system. No contest. The Atoms blew the Bose system away in output as well as detail. Neither were high in SPl but the Atoms had so much more presence. So, 150 bucks and I toasted my Bose system. Soon after I bought Paradigm Mini Monitors and a matching center. All said and done with a small subwoofer was just a bit more than the Bose system but ooooooodles more output and detail and that was the lower end of the Paradigm line. I'm now a DIYer and am upgrading everything because it's just too good a deal when you build them yourself
Darren

 

[Phil Iturralde]

We are talking $769.00 for the speakers and receiver, is that a decent deal?

Not bad - fits within your stated budget and BestBuy criteria (...24 month no interest financing) choice.
Phil

 

[Kieran Coghlan]

Adam,

I just wanted to second Phil's recommendations... The N-series from JBL, and the Sony M40 sub, plus a Yamaha receiver is a great combo, and all available from Best Buy... Granted you can do better on price online, but if 24 month financing is important to your budget right now, go for it. You will be very impressed with this system, I think. It's a great, extremely affordable entry level system, from which you can (if you so desire) upgrade piece by piece as you get more into HT. Seriously, this is about the best system you can get for such a small budget. But, as always, I would STILL recommend listening to it first, and then going to other stores and comparing, just to be sure. Also, see if Best Buy will let you compare that Bose system you were considering to this JBL system. I think you'll be amazed at the improvement of the JBL's over the Bo$e.

Good luck,

 

[Wayne W]

If you are looking for "small" speakers you can go with any of the satellite speaker systems. I have the System9000 set from Boston Acoustics and love them. Paradigm and Polk Audio also make great sets. They include two small satellite speakers, two surround speakers, a center channel, and a subwoofer (a real one!). Definatly go somewhere besides BB and listen to some of the other brands. Good luck!

 

[DavidGT]

Mr Adam,

You've read the rest, now get ready for the best. Go to audioreview.com and take a look at AR HC2 package. It comes with 5 Edge speakers and a 10" sub. It received an almost perfect raing of 4.83 out of 5 stars. And get this...you can get it at accessories4less.com I think for $299 for the 5 edge and sub. Beat that!!!!!!
And as for the receiver, PLEASE... you can do better than Yamaha. If Denon is out of your price range then go to Onecall.com they have the Kenwood or JVC DD/DTS receiver for $199.00. Yamaha's are too laid back and neutral bordering on weak. The Denon's, Kenwood's, JVC's have what Yamaha's lack: the oomph factor.

 

[GarySI]

Check out this page. Bose cupholders.
http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/..._placement.php

 

[DavidGT]

Hey Adam,

Oh I forgot to mention one other thing. The $199 Kenwood or JVC DD/DTS receiver at Onecall gives you 100W x 5. Whereas the $299 Yamaha HTR-5540 is only 75W x 5.
I know...I know wattage isn't everything but it's still 25W more per channel.
But you know what? Even if the Kenwood or JVC was rated at 75W, it would still sound bigger and better than the Yamaha.
Heck, with all the money you save from the AR speaker package, go for the gusto and get the cream of the crop Denon 1803 for $360 at AMSOUND.COM or Reliableaudiovideo.com.