Help ... Replacing-out Bose Lifestyle speakers (1 Viewer)

Bill_Boston · Feb 25, 2003

Greetings,

First off, please don't rag on me for being the owner of a Bose Lefestyle 12 "Home Theater" system. At the time, it sounded like a good idea. I've been happy with the system, but now realize that the Bose performance is not nearly as good as other equipment on the market. Anyway, I would now like to phase-out the system for something more robust. As I would like to do this gradually, I was hoping that someone could answer the following question ...

Can I continue to use the 5 Bose cube speakers in my new Home Theater set-up ???

I'm looking to replace out the "music console" and subwoofer (with amp) first, then, replace the 5 speaker's.

If this is technically possible, what do I need to look for when purchasing my new amp ??? On another note, I don't want to compromise my "future-state" system by purchasing an amplifier for the Bose speakers.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,
Bill
Boston, MA

MattMB · Feb 25, 2003

I've experience with the Acoustimass system, not the Lifestyle system. The Acoustimass setup comes with the "Bass Module" and the cube speakers, but is driven off of components instead of the "music console." I imagine that the speakers in both systems are the same, so I'll base my answer off of that.

The AM system has speaker wire that connects from the component setup to the "Bass Module." The module contains the crossovers that send the high frequency to the cubes, and keeps the "mid bass" in the "Bass Module." The cube speakers will not provide sound correctly if the "Bass Module" is taken out of the setup.

You should be able to use an AV receiver and the speaker system just fine, and also add a real subwoofer to the mix, in addition to the "Bass Module" and the cube speakers. The "Bass Module" does not play low frequencies well, making a dedicated subwoofer needed.

JeremyFr · Feb 25, 2003

the problem with that is that in the lifestyle systems all the amplification and dolby digital decoding is built into the bass module as well and it has a propietery cable that links it to the music center. You could try riping the whole unit off the back of the bass module and seeing if you could run it off seperate amplifier as for the cubes if you want to run them off an HT reciever you could get away with it as long as you had the speakers all set to small on the reciever though this may not cut them out high enough in frequency that they're designed for as most recievers cut out about 90hz and below set to small. the other thing you could try as cheap and crappy as this sounds is a resistor inline between the cubes and the reciever at the right resistance to elimate the bass going to each set of cubes. quite frankly there is no easy solution to your problem.

Martice · Feb 26, 2003

If this is technically possible, what do I need to look for when purchasing my new amp ??? On another note, I don't want to compromise my "future-state" system by purchasing an amplifier for the Bose speakers.

Hi Bill. Unfortunately, you are in a tight spot that I've coined the "Pay twice" trick. It works like this. The "Lifestyle" system carries a hefty cost to most and once a person who had to save their pennies to purchase the "Lifestyle" system actually buys it, they are actually in a 'ONE WAY' win situation. You either like it or you're stuck because you can't simply upgrade any component in your system that you feel needs to be changed. The sad part is that if you buy a Bose system (Lifestyle)and you don't like it, you have to purchase a whole new system all over again (Pay Twice). You have to pay a hefty price to own a Lifestyle system and if you don't like it, you have to pay again for a completely separate system in order to upgrade your sound.

A major part of their marketing strategy is to keep you away from the obvious competition in your electronics store so that you are more easily convinced to pay such a fee for their system and then when you do pay for it, if you don't like it for some reason, you have to get rid of the Lifestyle system entirely or move it to your bedroom and purchase a whole new system that is a lot more flexible and tweakable. I don't think that everyone has enough money to purchase two systems with one possibly costing about $3500.00. In light of this, some will defend their Bose system because they have no other choice but too. It's either defend it or admit that you were suckered into a relationship that has a lot of glitter and simplicity but does not allow for the owner to improve on the system.

The good news is that there are a lot of people who don't know about the pitfalls of dealing with such a sonically flawed, all in one entertainment center so selling it shouldn't be so hard. Besides, with the losses you may or maynot have to take with the sale of the Bose system, you can easily afford an Energy system or any other satellite system offered out there. Now if you hear any improvemnet over the Bose system is on you and your ears but you won't have to worry about the ability to upgrade your system and the freedom to upgrade whenever you want.

Click to expand...

MikeRP · Feb 26, 2003

OK Bill:

I got an idea. You have a powered sub. Don't even try to change that configuration with your speakers. You'll ruin the cubes. You'd have to have a crossover control, I think, of at least 300 Hz so that you wouldn't damage the cubes and I don't think there's any receivers out there that go that high.

Remember this thing is powered so you don't need an amp for the 5 channels. But, if you are going to 7.1 - you need an amp for the the 2 extra channels. Question is: how do we get a new receiver or pre-pro to use its processing to pre out to the speaker system

When I first looked at your manual on line I thought you may be you know what.

But, I'm intrigued by the cable on page 10 of your manual that says "to digital signal source". It goes on to say that it accepts bitstream or PCM connections on page 11 or 12.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you MAY and I mean MAY MAY MAY be able to buy a receiver or pre pro. Take
your DVD player bitstream to the receiver and then do hook a digital cable up to the optical digital OUT on the back of the receiver. You'll need an optical to coax converter cable as the manual says. I have this on the back of my 45 TX Pioneer.

What I haven't decided is if this gets you anything. (I'm thinking thinking thinking and my guess is now it doesn't help). The difference this set up has versus the AM-15 is that the AM-15 will connect directly to your receiver.

I'd give Bose a call - they have been very helpful with me and see if there is anyway to do the above with a new receiver. It would be a shame if there isn't. I'd sell it if you can't connect it to a new receiver.

Not sure I helped............:-(

Mike

JeremyFr · Feb 26, 2003

The problem with that would be if it did and big if there since the music system isnt hooked up through its din cable to control the amplifier you'd have no volume control and only stereo sound if you were lucky. The Optical out on most recievers will not pass the same stream coming into the reciever for 1.), for 2 there would be no volume control effect on that optical out it would be the same level as the source coming in. and you'd have no volume control on the sub/sat's so you'd be playing full blast whether you liked it or not.

Bill_Boston · Feb 26, 2003

Thank you all for replying ...

If I go out, buy a new Dolby Digital pre-amp processor, new amplifier, and new subwoofer, can't I just use the Bose cube speakers as opposed to buying 5 new speakers ???

Jeff-Watson · Feb 26, 2003

I don't think so because the connection of the speakers on the lifestyle system is via a unique Bose plug. Also the lifestyle sytem as stated before does its signal processing via the acoustimass module. Your best bet would be to do just like I did. Sell your Bose setup on E-bay (the resell value is unbelievable) and then you will be able to purchase a nice setup for less money that sounds incredibly better. Good Luck.

MikeRP · Feb 26, 2003

Sell the thing Bill..................

I can't beleive Bose made that system so inflexible.

and I thought I was sc____ with the AM-10's

Mike

MikeDep · Feb 26, 2003

when I went to buy my JBL system, I looked at a set up that I still today wonder if I should have bought, it wasnt the cube speakers...I was actually all decided previous to going, that I was going to buy this set up, then the salesman talked me outta it.....

I looked at Bose 301's for fronts, 201's for rear, and the bose Center channel, and was pretty impressed, but this salesman would not stop playing these JBL's for me...he just kept going, "You will love the JBL's trust me".

So I went home with JBL that day, and Im not dissapointed, but.

I still wonder

MattMB · Feb 27, 2003

MikeDep,

I have a set of 201 and a set of 301. While 2 channel music sounds pretty good, and the 301s have some nice extension on bass, the design of the tweeter mounts plays havoc on the sound field. Bose says that it makes the music sound fuller and all around you, but you do not get the channel separation for surround sound that you would like. If the Bose center channel you're talking about is the one with the 4 2" full range drivers, you are better off without it. It does not handle male speaking voices as well as MTM center designs in the same price range.

I've since sold the 301s and the 201s are being used as speaker stands for some DIY three ways for 2 channel audio.

Home Theater

Entertainment & Streaming Content

Physical Media

Home Theater Equipment and Hardware

Other Diversions

Bargains and Classifieds

Home Theater Forum

Archives

Help ... Replacing-out Bose Lifestyle speakers (1 Viewer)

Stunt Coordinator

Agent

Supporting Actor

Screenwriter

Supporting Actor

Supporting Actor

Stunt Coordinator

Stunt Coordinator

Supporting Actor

Auditioning

Agent

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread

Sign up for our newsletter

and receive essential news, curated deals, and much more

Similar Threads

Forum statistics