Bose Acoustimass 5 speakers = Surround sound???? (1 Viewer)

Hi there,
I'm a newbie, so please be gentle
I have been given some Bose speakers (Acoustimass 5 series ii). These are stereo speakers which consist of 4 cube bose speakers and 1 sub woofer.
I would like to turn this into a surround sound system. I contacted a Bose shop today who informed me that this cannot happen as all speakers run to the subwoofer.
Then I went to a electronic department store who told me the opposite. He said all i'll need to do is buy a bose centre speaker and buy a 5.1 amp/reciever and I can run all speakers directly to the sub.
Can anyone tell me which is correct. Or if i'm just confused between the two. Can someone give me advise on how to get these speakers to turn into surround sound.
NOTE: I'm aware that there are many Bose haters out there, bare in mind, I GOT THESE SPEAKERS FOR FREE!!! I'm sure they are far better than my TV speakers.
Your help is greatly appreciated.
Simon

He said all i'll need to do is buy a bose centre speaker and buy a 5.1 amp/reciever and I can run all speakers directly to the sub.

Click to expand...

These are stereo speakers which consist of 4 cube bose speakers and 1 sub woofer.

Click to expand...

Looked these up...
http://worldwide.bose.com/productsupport/en/web/am5_series2/page.html
If you really wanted to use these stereo speakers in a 5.1 system - this is basically a 2.0 system (don't consider their bass module as an actual sub)...
So for a 5.1 system- you will need a center channel, right and left front speakers and an actual sub, and then get a 5.1 receiver to go with it - and may be able to use these free stereo speakers as your rear speakers until you can get rears that match your front speakers.
If you wanted to use these for the rear speakers - go from the rear speaker out to the sub module with speaker wire, and then from the sub module to the mini cubes.

I'm sure they are far better than my TV speakers

Click to expand...

-- If you want to keep it as cheap as possible, and you did not want to spend any more money and use these to have better sound than your TV - you would have to by at least a stereo receiver - then would hook these up to the left/right channel speakers. The speaker wire first goes into their sub module, then from the module to the speakers.
If you went with a 5.1 receiver - you would hook these up as your left/right channel speakers, and set the center channel to "OFF" and create a virtual center channel. So you would at least need a receiver...the sub module has an internal cross over, so you send all of the signal to the sub module, and it removes all of the lower frequencies and then sends the higher ones to the cube modules.
If you actually want a bose surround system that have matching speakers in all 5 channels - you will need to get another set of these speakers (hopefully for free) - this would add another 2 channels and another of their sub modules - and then you would need to add a center channel as well. You will also need to get a powered sub for this system.
If you cannot get more of these speakers for free, you would be better off scrapping them and starting from scratch...or use them as temporary rear speakers....

Throw a way there sub set the cross over as high as possible and add a real sub and you could have a working system

Click to expand...

It is important to get a real sub, but go ahead and keep the module in the loop. If you set the cross over point to 100 HTz on the receiver, then this module will cover the 100 to 200 Htz frequencies. If you get rid of it all together, asking an acutual sub to go up to the 200 HTz range is asking it to do too much...

It is amazing the amount of "I don't know nothing, yet they pay me anyway" that goes on at the Bose clerk shops. (Notice I didn't call it a store)
The AM5ii is a decent speaker set if you...
1. Have never heard anything else.
2. Got them for free.
I remember going to a Bose training seminar(this is back in the day BEFORE Bose became the marketing company, that just happens to put drivers in a box) when the AM5i debuted. I was sitting with my colleagues and we asked a simple question...
"Have you determined the amount of delay that comes from the various angles of setting these speakers up? Is there a chart?"
From a Bose rep, "These speakers, when properly set-up, do not create delay."
"Really? So these aren't" Direct/Reflecting?"
Bose rep, "There is no delay, but yes they employ the famous Direct/Reflecting sound."
We got up and left.

I have an acoustimass 5 series II purchased back in the 1994 (it has two side cubes and the bose subwoofer), do the cubes need to be matched with bose subwoofer? Or can I purchase a mid-cost powered subwoofer from (Polk, JBL, Klipsch, etc.)?

I have low cost KLH center and rear speakers, which I am looking to replace too.

I mostly use this while watching TV, some music. The room is about 15x15 open to a kitchen from where we listen quite often too.

I am afraid that the answer will be to replace the Bose Cubes too, and if that is the case, what do you suggest that will result in similar or better quality sound and still be able to hang the speakers where the cubes are now?


Thanks in advance for your advice.


These are the speakers,

http://worldwide.bose.com/productsupport/en_us/web/am5_series2/page.html#tab=manuals_tab

QuantumJaguar said:

I have an acoustimass 5 series II purchased back in the 1994 (it has two side cubes and the bose subwoofer), do the cubes need to be matched with bose subwoofer? Or can I purchase a mid-cost powered subwoofer from (Polk, JBL, Klipsch, etc.)?
I have low cost KLH center and rear speakers, which I am looking to replace too.
I mostly use this while watching TV, some music. The room is about 15x15 open to a kitchen from where we listen quite often too.
I am afraid that the answer will be to replace the Bose Cubes too, and if that is the case, what do you suggest that will result in similar or better quality sound and still be able to hang the speakers where the cubes are now?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

These are the speakers,
http://worldwide.bose.com/productsupport/en_us/web/am5_series2/page.html#tab=manuals_tab

Click to expand...

You can not, at all, use the cubes without the bass module. The bass module is not, and should not be confused as, a subwoofer.

You have to add a subwoofer to the bass module/cubes.

Thanks. Would you have a mid range suggestions on total replacement of the cubes? i.e. wall mounting on the same spot on the wall.

What is "mid-range" to you?

To me, mid-range is $2000. (But, I buy speakers with the intention of doing it right...and having them 20+ years)