Help me help someone not get bose

john ingram · 09-16-2003, 12:52 PM

Ok my friend got a bose home theater sytem and i told him how its not really a good system. He wants to check out some other gear. I told him bose is mostly junk and you want some speakers with a flat response and low bass as well as mid bass.
Anyways hes probably in the under a $1000 range total. What links can you guys give me to some quality stuff that is better than bose and isnt to expensive. Hopefully with prices on the links. Help me out. Im just going to send him a list of links and let him go at it.
Thanks alot,
John

P.S. I was wondering if fluance is good stuff for the money?

Michael Mathius · 09-16-2003, 01:42 PM

Checkout this Energy Encore review.

BenSC · 09-16-2003, 02:20 PM

This is a good article with response graphs etc:

http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html

AndyDC · 09-16-2003, 02:24 PM

I'm not arguing about the Bose, but that article doesn't seem very competent. The author does not seem to understand how to add the frequency response graphs from the different speakers to get the combined frequency response. It doesn't look like there is a dip of more than -3 at the cross-over point, contrary to what he says.

ChrisLazarko · 09-16-2003, 03:58 PM

Ok well Bose and Nuance are both companys to stay away from. They are overpriced and use very bad material. Basically they make there money through mass advertising. People who know nothing about audio will say WOW! because they are so small and assume they are so great.

If you want to look in the $1000 range then here is what I suggest.

Klipsch component system such as:

Pair Klipsch SF-1 (floorstanding)
Klipsch SC-5 (Center)
Klipsch SS-5 (Rear surrounds)
Klipsch RW-8 Subwoofer or SVS subwoofer of your choice.

Harman/Kardon AVR-125 reciever. It is a bsic 5.1 reciever with excellent quality and won't let you down.

Hope this helps.

**HTF Ads**

Jack Shappa · 09-16-2003, 04:35 PM

There are some awesome deals on Polk right now (I guess they're discontinuing the rti line). For under $1000 he could easily get a 7.1 system with rti28s, a csi30 (center), and a sub.

- Cryo

GrahamT · 09-16-2003, 05:25 PM

Yes, anything but Bose. There are so many good companies.

Paradigm, PSB, Energy, Mission, Athena, B&W, JBL, Polk Audio, Klipsch, Cambridge, Infinity, etc etc. There are many great companies who offer much better product for MUCH less money.

Jason_Reynolds · 09-16-2003, 10:47 PM

Boston Acoustics makes some nice theater systems.

I would Recommend the System 9000-2(something like that)..

ChrisWiggles · 09-17-2003, 12:52 AM

Graham's reccomendations are good, and I'll do my standard Paradigm plug. First, they are great sounding, great-value speakers. Tastes differ, and there are some other high-value speakers touted often, ascend, axiom, rocket, but it can be difficult to audition first. Which brings me to the second reason in recommend paradigm for beginners, is that they tend to have a "higher-end" dealer base, so you are usually(not always though) dealing with a good dealer who is knowledgeable and helpful(and found in the US). It's a great starting point, and then you can branch out from there. Always listen to as much as you can with your music, and it becomes VERY quickly obvious how much bose is left in the dust. What you choose in the end varies, but often paradigm is a good starting point. good luck

Lew Crippen · 09-17-2003, 09:59 AM

For $900 your friend can get the Rocket ELT system from AV123. I heard this recently in Dallas and it is very fine for primary HT use—it is good for music as well, but I see it more as an HT system, especially as the center speaker really handles HT duties so well.

Plus it looks great too.

If your friend is in the market for a receiver as well, they have a package deal right now with a Denon 1804 for $1,250.

Details can be found here.

LewB · 09-17-2003, 10:18 AM

Let your ears do the walking. Go to a store that sells Bose and other speakers. Have the salesman do an A-B swap between the Bose rig and any other manufacturer's stuff that costs the same. Bose will lose every time.

Dave Poehlman · 09-17-2003, 12:08 PM

Quote:

It doesn't look like there is a dip of more than -3 at the cross-over point, contrary to what he says.

Look closely, that's a -5dB gap between the sub and mains... actually it looks more like 6.

Plus, that's a nasty +6dB hump at about 3KHz.

I've never measured Bose, so I can't say how accurate that response curve is.. but, based on what I've heard with my own ears, it's probably pretty close. Also, the response doesn't represent the quality of sound coming out.