Bose? Any Thoughts?

[mightyt]

Just yesterday I heard another infomercial for Bose ... but not the kitchen clock CD / radio ... It was for this 321 Bose Home Entertainment center ...

I have never heard a Bose personally nor non one with an opinion, but I am curious and thought maybe someone here could shed some light? Is some thing like this worth the $$ or is it all more late night hype??

Thanks, T.

[aperry]

Many will claim that the Bose stuff is over-priced for what you get, and they may be right, but I have the Bose Acoustimass 15 Series (includes the module unit and 5 dual-cube speakers). I'm very happy with it.

Regarding the 3-2-1 system, I've not seen it or heard it, but it'll probably work fine. I'd suggest finding a store where you can listen to a demo (preferably a demo done inside of a room type setup, and not just set up in the store). You might shop around a bit to find the right demo.

Good luck!

[mightyt]

Thanks for the feedback aperry ... The 321 stuff is talked about here ...

http://www.bose.com/controller?event...dvd_index&ck=0

and here ...

http://latimes.p2ionline.com/shoppin...toryid=5943092

http://latimes.p2ionline.com/shoppin...58_2979909.jpg

The infomercial made it sound like the 2 speakers filled the room with as much sound as several more surround sound speakers ... including detailed sound quality ...

Hmmm ....

[stanger89]

Friends don't let friends buy Bose

Bose is great if you don't want to do any research, don't care about paying too much, and you want a name your friends will think "wow".

But in reality (I'm trying to fight reducing myself to the "Bose sucks" argument), you can do much better for the same price, or as good for less:

http://www.svsound.com/products-sys-sbs.cfm
plus this:
http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=4032234

Will come in at about the same $1200 price as the 321, but will give you a full, real 5.1 system.

Or you could just get a 2.1 system:
SVS SBS-01 - $210
SVS PB10ISD - $429
Panasonic XR55 - $230

And an interesting stat I just found:
Bose 321 - 44 lbs shipped
Setup I listed 134 lbs

In audio, weight really does give some measure of quality, it's just not possible to build good sounding, non-resonating enclosures light.

[src666]

Also known as "Blose" (blows).

Bose used to produce great high-end speakers. Then they got into the miniturization kick, and produced little bitty trendy speakers that sound horrid. There is no such thing as a phantom speaker setup that sounds as good as good descrete speakers, especially for a home theater setting. Period. It's all hype.

If you need small speakers, look at Gallo Nucleus Micros (http://www.roundsound.com). These puppies blow all other small speakers away. After trying to find a good small-speaker solution for years, these guys sold me, and I've never once regretted it. The 5.1 set with a powered sub can be found for about $1300.

[stevech]

Bose shifted from engineering to Marketing.

Their stuff is good, but costs 300% of what equivalent non-Bose brands can be had for.

Common sense tells you this - if you look at how much advertising they do, plus their retail stores in malls that seem to never sell anything.

I'm too cheap to pay for Bose.
Same for Mercedes.

Can get same/better for far less.

[Kanati]

In audio, weight really does give some measure of quality

Hehe... "Buy audio equipment by the pound." Always heard and and it's definitely something to live by.

[stanger89]

Just have to be careful that you're comparing apples to apples.

Speakers are one thing where weight is usually a good thing (rigid cabinets are not easy to make light). Of course then there's Magnepans which totally defy convention, yet sound awesome (and at 550/pair for the MMGs would be another option for the OP).

And of course the new digital amps, that by most accounts sound awesome, yet are really light.

-edit

Speaking of good alternatives for the OP:

Magnepan:
http://www.magnepan.com/_mmg.php - 550/pr
http://www.magnepan.com/_mmgw.php - 300/pr

Paradigm:
http://www.paradigm.com/Website/Site...ma_Series.html - 150-200/pr (can't remember what my Cinema 70's were)

I've heard the bigger Maggies and they are sweet, and I'm very impressed with my Paradigms, they give my fullsize Klipsch's a run for their money.

Speaking of Klipsch:
http://www.klipsch.com/product/product.aspx?cid=769
You can get into the reference line for under $500 I think.

[lovingHDTV]

The one advantage I see of a system like Bose where you get "surround sound" without the descrete speakers would be in a situation where you can't/don't want to install the descrete speakers. I've a friend in this situation right now where it would cost several hundred dollars to get the wires installed. What I suggested they do is demo the systems at the stores and see if they sound good to them. Then get one, bring it home set it up. If they like it, keep it. Otherwise return it and try another.

In the end if it sounds good to you and fits your situation, then it is probably the right product for you. You will not see comments about poor quality with Bose, their stuff will work pretty much as advertised. What you will hear about is value, are you getting all you paid for?

good luck,

[dbfresh23]

I also saw that infomercial and I must say that it did peak my interest. That interst quickly went away when I saw the price tag. I could have a real/better surround system for less then $1200. The only real reason I could see buying this would be to buy a decent system for a bedroom, but at $1200 I'd still more likely run some wires for in wall speakers before I got the Bose 321.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by lovingHDTV

The one advantage I see of a system like Bose where you get "surround sound" without the descrete speakers would be in a situation where you can't/don't want to install the descrete speakers.

First thing you must realize is that there's nothing magical Bose has done to give you good eveloping sound from 2 speakers. A good stereo system, well setup in the room will give you a very enveloping sound all by itself, especially if the rear of your room is rather "live". Then there's this:
http://www.dolby.com/consumer/techno...l_speaker.html

I've a friend in this situation right now where it would cost several hundred dollars to get the wires installed. What I suggested they do is demo the systems at the stores and see if they sound good to them. Then get one, bring it home set it up. If they like it, keep it. Otherwise return it and try another.

Always good advice. I'll just add that you're almost always better off buying better, but less (eg buying a good reciever, mains), and adding as you can (sub, wires, surrounds....).

In the end if it sounds good to you and fits your situation, then it is probably the right product for you. You will not see comments about poor quality with Bose, their stuff will work pretty much as advertised. What you will hear about is value, are you getting all you paid for?

You should see some of the anti-Bose threads on AVS, the quality is definitely called into question. They are not as well made as say, Klipsch or Paradigm for example. It's always interesting when you start digging into the empire that is Bose:
http://www.perrymarshall.com/marketing/bose.htm
http://www.geocities.com/p_iturra/Misc_HT_Speakers.html
http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...uency+response

[mightyt]

Thanks for all the EXCELLENT feedback / advice everyone ... I really appreciate it ...

It appears my money would be better spent elsewhere ...

Stanger, thanks for the many reference links you provided ...

T.

[Fluffdaddy]

Bose Speakers and Monster Cables................It's all in the marketing baby

[Vidfreaky]

You know what we say in the recording industry when it comes to Bose?

No highs, no lows, must be Bose.

Friends don't let friends buy Bose is right. The only advantage Bose has to other speakers is that they're smaller and less conspicuous (sp?). And shouldn't you be paying LESS for less speaker?

[Jesse]

Well......

I am not and have never been a fan of bose audio. But (always a but) a few years ago my wife heard the bose "wave radio" somewhere. Soon after that her birthday rolled around and she decided that she would like to have one, with a cd player, for the bedroom. It was ugly expensive ($500-$600), but compared to some of my toys it was a drop in the bucket, so I was not in a position to say no. I was pleasantly surprised. It was not worth what I paid for it, but considering its size it sounds quite good. Yes, I could buy a receiver and some inexpensive speakers that would sound better for the same money, but if you have a wife then you know that very often form trumps function. Around our house it is always a compromise between form and function.

The inlaws sprung for one of the high end bose surround systems (5.1, dvd player, etc). Installed it was over $2k. They think it is great. The father in law is just happy to have surround, the mother in law says it is not ugly or obtrusive. I was so much less than impressed when I heard it. Imagine what they could have got for that $2k........


Jesse

[Naylia]

Originally Posted by Jesse

Imagine what they could have got for that $2k........

Yeah they could have snagged a Mirage 5.1 system or almost any other small speaker provider's 5.1 package and had surround sound and $1000 still in their pocket.

[Polypro]

I can barely hear, but my Logitech Z-680's sound great to me

P

[stanger89]

I'd take those over Bose any day

Hey! I rhymed