Bose 3 2 1 gets negative audio review. (1 Viewer)

[Jacob_St]

I figured I'd add to the overflow of Bose threads. Here's a link to the only review I could find for this "revolutionary" new system. Eventhough the reviewer was polite it was obvious he wasn't impressed.
Link Removed

 

[KeithH]

Bose 3 2 1 gets negative audio review.

Gosh, I would hope so!

 

[Vlad D]

Sound and Vision gave it a good review. Actually, I don't think I've ever read a bad review in that mag.

 

[MarcVH]

S&V gave the Marantz 7200 a pretty poor review (bad enough that the manufacturer claimed their review unit must have been defective, as I understand it.) They've also done some useful things, like head-to-head reviews of bookshelf speakers which actually included comparitive results. I agree that these cases are the exceptions rather than the rule, though.

Their Bose 3-2-1 review, fortunately, is easy to filter out. It doesn't contain lab results, flatness curves, power output, or much of anything. I don't give a damn how well the system works with whatever DVD you're hyping this month; I care how well the system works with the Avia test disc. The review contains subjective impressions, and even those aren't comparitive subjective impressions.

Every notice how it seems most every speaker review says the speaker "rivals the performance of speakers costing hundreds more"? But they never name what speakers those might be?

 

[Phil Iturralde]

(2nd paragraph on page 76)
However, that clarity was also the Achilles' heel of the HC6 system. The crisp, clear high end, upper vocal range, and substantial bass overshadowed an uneven, somewhat weak midrange and lower midrange. Voices tended to lack richness and authority.
Listening to just the front L/R satellites and the subwoofer confirmed my initial impression of the HC6 system's strengths and weaknesses. Overall, the music sounded satisfying, but voices - male voices especially - lacked the depth and warmth you would hear from larger, more expensive speakers. This may have resulted from a hole in the frequency coverage where the satellite speakers cross over to the subwoofer.

So, would you call that a glowing speaker review?
Your personal audition of this system really matters, but it makes you wonder why Rich Warren wrote what he did. It could be that after listening to hundreds of HT speakers over the years, his trained ear helped him to write down his Pros & Cons impressions during this review.
Interestingly, the HC6 Frequency Graph** benchmark performed my Tom Nousaine (performed at a later time), confirms what Rich Warren documented during his listening & testing evaluation.
HC6 front left/right... 125 Hz to 20 kHz ±5.1 dB
HC6 center............. 110 Hz to 20 kHz ±4.2 dB
HC6 surround........... 125 Hz to 20 kHz ±4.9 dB
HC6 subwoofer........... 49 Hz to 130 Hz ±2.2 dB
You can visually see** why he thinks that the set has "crisp, clear high end", with 5+ dB peaks (humps) over the AVG midrange SPL area @ the 1.5 and 6.5 kHz scale. The graph also confirms his note that, "...uneven, somewhat weak midrange and lower midrange. Voices tended to lack richness and authority" when you see graph line take a nose dive @ 125 Hz down (- 5 dB from the AVG midrange SPL area).
**See and compare the (scanned-in from the S&V mag) HC6 Graph to some other S&V Freq. Graph Benchmarks @ my website Are Bose Speakers Over Priced vs. Performance??
I can tell you before auditioning this set personally, that certain solo instruments like a tenor sax, flute, or trumpets will beam and sound piercing (between the eyes) during playback because of the 5+ dB peaks over the AVG midrange SPL area @ above normal listening levels.
Sound and Vision Magazines Speaker Reviews give you two areas of consideration,
1) the Reviewers evaluation/observation/opinion and
2) Tom Nousaine Standard Speaker Frequency Bench Marks.++
Reading both should give any consumer a snapshot of what to listen for and expect during their auditioning process.
++See Sound & Vision SEPT. 2001 issue, pg. 101 "Behind the Numbers - How to read our lab test for speakers" by Tom Nousaine.
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

 

[EricHaas]

Yes, you can read between the lines of S&V reviews. I noticed for example in that issue the difference between the "pro/con" section of the AR system and a Paradigm sytem they reviewed (I think it was monitor series). It was pretty clear that they liked the Paradigm system better, although it was easier to tell this from the pro/con stuff than from the text of the review.

It is ironic though that a publication geared toward audio enthusiasts is somewhat less reliable for honest opinions than CNET for example, which is sort of the online equivalet of Consumer Reports. Whether you like or hate CNET, they do give honest opinions, most likely because they are unconstrained by advertising connections for the most part. Just take a look at the 15 or so speaker reviews they have up there. Half at least get mixed reviews at best (note they also panned the Klipsch Quintets). Personally, I am somewhat sorry to say that I would trust a CNET review over reviews in most audiophile mags.

The following observation of the Bose system was surprisingly perceptive:

"The midrange is lacking any sort of presence and is overwhelmed by highs and lows."

Without any FR data of their own or from Bose, they certainly summed up the chief weakness with any Bose speaker system. And they got the second one dead-on as well - that Bose speakers are overpriced for what they are.

 

[rodneyH]

that is why I no longer read S&V, they never say anything bad about any thing, at leaast HTM gives a numeric value to the products (not totally objective, but better than S&V)

 

[Travis G]

Nice website Phil.

I am confused as to how the tolerances are derived from the FR charts though. For example...

The center channel of the JBL N-Series/PB10 System FR curve seems to be just as bad as the Bose Acoustimas 15 System (besides the fact that JBL N-Series actually plays up to 20 kHz and costs about $530 less). But it's tolerance is listed as only ±5.5dB.

Travis

 

[Arron H]

I have a confession to make I purchased a Bose 3-2-1 system when I first started looking for HT equipment!!! I just bought the thing on impulse without doing any research. I was the average consumer looking for an all in one, easy to setup, HT package. I was the typical consumer that Bose is trying to market it's product to - the uneducated newbie who likes the idea of having HT but hasn't really researched anything.
It was easy to setup but even without really auditioning any other speaker systems, my ears told me that the Bose 3-2-1 system was truly horrible. I quickly took it back to Good Guys and started checking out forums and reading reviews. I strongly encourage anybody out there even remotely considering this system to PLEASE STOP NOW!!! Try using to a CD - this thing is flatter than Olive Oil!!! Okay, I'm finished but just want to make sure that nobody else actually buys this loser.

 

[KeithH]

Arron said:

I strongly encourage anybody out there even remotely considering this system to PLEASE STOP NOW!!!

I don't think you have to worry about the people who visit this site considering anything by Bose. Remember, it's the "uneducated newbie who likes the idea of having HT but hasn't really researched anything" who are far more likely to buy Bose crap.

 

[Arron H]

Noted for future reference It's amazing how many newbies get sucked in. I friend of mine from work said her husband was getting ready to buy one a few weeks back. Thankfully, I got to them in time!!! They are now auditioning other systems.

 

[Eujin]

A couple of months back, a co-worker of mine ignored my dire warnings of Bose over-pricing and under-performance, and bought the 3 2 1 system on impulse while shopping for a new TV. I posted a rant about this at the time, but the funny ending to the story was that my co-worker's husband was fooling around with the THX test tones on one of their DVDs and realized that you can't get discrete 5.1 sound from the 3 2 1. They took it back to BB and got one of the Sony "dream systems" instead--they're definitely newbies to the whole HT thing. They used the additional $500 difference to buy a whole lotta DVDs. I've heard the Sony systems and have to say that for HTIB (and compared to similar all in one systems), they're pretty decent. It's just outrageous the kind of pricing Bose gets away with.

 

[Charles J P]

But at $999, the 3-2-1 System is overpriced. Many other DVD players, such as Panasonic's DVD-RP56), can generate moderately convincing two-channel surround-sound effects. You can save yourself a lot of money by picking up a DVD player with such a feature and playing it through your existing two-channel stereo.

I think this is the key. Give people who found this review an option. Dont just tell them it stinks and leave them wondering "now what?".

 

[Steve & Karen]

Obviously once you listen to it next to almost anything else, the Bose 321 sound bad... but please be sympathetic to the newbie who wants to spend around $1,000 and knows nothing... that's where I was 2 months ago... once I went the "get better sound for same price for components" I quickly went bump bump and am no longer at 1000 total... one problem is the audio shops that literally laugh in one's face :b when one asks to put together a components for same price as Bose 321... so... what would you do for components at same price... speakers L/C/R only, dvd player and receiver?

 

[Steve WC]

Alan Pummill

Middletown, Ohio

Member

[137 posts]

Member Since:

July 7th, 1999

Greg, do your friend a fovor and check out the Paradigm Cinema Series. The sat's are $150/pr, the center is $110. Match these up with a PDR-8 or PDR-10 sub, and you get a complete Paradigm speaker system for under $700.

Plus Yamaha: 5440 $299.00

Panasonic DVD RV 32K $149.00

Edit: Just noticed you did not need rear speakers so this would come in at even less $.

 

[Arron H]

Steve & Kerry,
There are a lot of HT in a box combos out there. If I were in the $1000 or less market I would give the Denon DHT-700DV serious consideration. It's listed at $899.98 at Sears. Here's the link:
Link Removed
It includes a DVD player, a 5.1 speaker system, and a Denon receiver. The Denon receiver is probably worth more than the Bose 3-2-1 system

 

[Jason Wilcox]

I wouldn't really reccommend that denon HTB. It isn't really a true denon receiver, it's a denon receiver shrunk down with a dvd player in it. It is rated at less than 35wpc and the sub also has a 35 watt amp paired with a 5.25" woofer. However, it does feature pro logic II and the whole setup looks slick.

Home Theater mag rated it descent giving it an 80 for value.

 

[Arron H]

I wasn't necessarily recommending the Denon HT in a box but rather suggesting that anyone with only $1000 to spend for everything (DVD player, receiver, and speakers) give it consideration, especially if they are leaning towards purchasing a Bose 3-2-1. There are a lot of HT in a box systems out there for under a $1000. I mentioned the Denon HT in a box to illustrate the point that there are some viable alternatives out there besides Bose 3-2-1 but it is certainly not the only example
I like Steve WCs recommendation regarding the Paradigm Cinema speakers + sub, Yamaha 5440 and Panasonic RV32K for $1150. This system would beat the Bose 3-2-1 silly. The point is, there are options out there for separate components for around a $1000 as opposed to purchasing Bose products (thank god).

 

[Jason Wilcox]

yeah, even a kenwood htb-504 paired with a toshiba sd-1700 dvd player would put the bose system to shame. total cost- less than $550

 

[Steve & Karen]

Actually my point was that for the price of the Bose 321 ($1,000 or 1,100?), one can do better putting together the equivalent with components... DVD, Receiver, and 3 speaker system (Left, Right Center). In general can do better with selected low end components than HTB... but does require a little research.

Me, I am already around 3,000 (HK-50, HK-AVR 320, and speaker system based on either Paradigm Reference 40 or Def Tech 700 for the Fronts L/R.

-Steve