Bose Lifestyle + Denon Receiver? (1 Viewer)

[James Wilkinson]

So I find myself in a bit of a pickle.


Earlier this year I purchased a Denon AVR-S500BT receiver. My house had two speakers (Make/Model Unkown) built into the ceiling when I moved in, and I had been looking for a way to get them working and start off my home theater system. Using those two speakers and some very basic Sony stereo speakers, I hooked it all up. What i'm left with is a rather uninspiring 4 speaker surround sound system.


My dad had an old Bose Lifestyle 25 Series II System that was currently unused in his house, so he packed it all up and shipped it down to me. My hope had been to use 3 of the cube speakers and the subwoofer to complete a decent surround sound system, and eventually use all 5 when I move in the next year and do not have the ceiling speakers. Now that I have it in my possession its clear to me that my plan is likely going to fail. After reading posts on this forum and others, it seems Bose really looks to keep you from crossing their system with others for a number of reasons.


So thats where I'm at. My questions is, What are my options using the equipment I have at hand? I Understand Bose isnt really the best sound quality I can get, but it was free and I'd really prefer to use it if I can. I really like the Denon, and we run everything through it, but I'd like to have more speakers, better sound, and a subwoofer at all. Can I use the Cube speakers and not the "Acoustimass module", buying a separate subwoofer, or create some sort of workaround to use all of it? Do I have to start from scratch speaker wise? I Thanks for the help.

 

[Martino]

"Can I use the Cube speakers and not the "Acoustimass module", buying a separate subwoofer, or create some sort of workaround to use all of it? Do I have to start from scratch speaker wise?"


You cannot use the cube speakers without the module - at least it is not advised. With those, you run the L, R, C speakers out from the receiver into the module - then run speaker wire from the module to the cubes. The module will filter out lower frequencies that the cubes cannot handle.


You can then use the 4 speakers you have for the surrounds. If you don't like how it sounds, try using the bose for the surrounds...


You can add an external sub to this system. When you do - set all of your speakers to "small" on the receiver - but leave the bose module in place.


Like you said - they were free, and you will get sound out of them. When you get the $$$$ - by a matching set of new speakers, and send the free ones back...

 

[James Wilkinson]

Thanks for the Info, Im just a little confused I guess. The module only has the input from the Bose Music Center, and RCA outputs that go to each of the speakers. So I dont know what I would use to make the connection between my receiver and the Module.

 

[schan1269]

Lifestyle systems are not compatible with anything else.

You could try to find out what the ceiling speakers are(ceiling is all wrong for 5/7.1 anyway). An LCR bar(passive, such as Leon Horizon, Atlantic Tech ATH7...I think, or Pinnacle QP) or three matching speakers to flank the TV like Def Tech Mythos.