want to replace an old Bose Lifestyle system I inherited and need some wisdom..!

[jasonh595]

Thanks in advance for helping -- I've been reading up on this forum and other sites and know the inherent problems with Bose -- I moved into a home a few years ago with a Bose Lifestyle 38 system with the cube speakers. It's a 5.1 system with in wall wiring... I'm ready to move on as I'm getting a new TV and want to use the HDMI eArc which obviously isn't compatible with the Bose setup.

As I'm not a super picky audiophile (ie I just want movies sports tv to sound good) if there's a world where I could just hook up the existing speakers to an AV receiver that does what I want it to and has the HDMI hookups I need, that would be fine... but at the very least if I need to replace the system and get new speakers... can I at least use the existing speaker wire with new speakers?

Apologies for the admittedly novice question... just trying to figure out a setup that will sound good but won't break the bank. But I also want to go with a solution that will last for years and not a band-aid fix so if that involves replacing the speakers I'm ok to go that route. Photos of a few of the components below in case that helps... Thanks

 

[warnerwh]

Unless you have very little money I'd buy some used speakers off of Craig's list or else where. Do some research on brands. Many people like Klipsch however I would never own their speakers but your opinion is all that matters. Do research on speakers also. It wouldn't take much money to make a significant improvement as the Bose speakers are essentially junk imo. I get the impression you're on a tight budget so again I'd try Craig's list for an audio video receiver. Make sure though that you do your own research on what the particular receiver is capable of. Many owner's themselves don't even know but fortunately owner's manuals are online and if you can't find the owner's manual online you don't want it. Some deals are good and many Craig's list deals are way high priced, you'll need to do your own due diligence. Comparing sold prices on Ebay you can get an idea of what a product is worth.

 

[lovinthehd]

So easy to do better than Bose speakers let alone their proprietary connections/setups/connectivity as true components. I think also you could do well with the used market. Depends on mounting bracket strength and wiring already in place, but probably adequate for better choices. But then again for just better than tv speakers, Bose could well fit your use. Depends on wiring harnesses to an extent, some Bose are avr friendly, some aren't.

 

[Eppie]

I found the user manual here but they don't even show the connections on the back. The Lifestyle 38 does have an optical input and most modern TVs still have optical audio out, so you could connect the TV to the Bose with an optical cable and connect other sources to the TV if needed to get audio from the TV to the Bose. The problem is DVD playback because the unit only has composite, component and S-video out; no digital outs.

If you plan to get a new TV, I'd say it's time to retire the old Bose unit with a audio video receiver (AVR) and disc player (if needed). If the AVR has component in you might be able to use the Bose for disc playback. If you can't afford new, look in the used market but ask for advice here so you don't end up with a lemon. Accessories For Less web store also sells refurb units at a discount.

The other issue is that those Bose systems have integrated subs and the subwoofer may not work with new speakers. Hard to know without a more detailed manual as this depends upon how it's all wired and powered.
Your in-wall speaker wiring is likely fine but replacing these Bose systems usually entails starting from scratch. A nice clear photo of the back of the Bose 38 unit and the subwoofer connections would help to know what your options are.

 

[Pogre]

If you replace the Bose speakers are you wanting to stick with little cube-sat speakers? How about subwoofage?

Like HD mentioned it's not hard to do better than Bose and you wouldn't have to necessarily break the bank. You will need a receiver, which can also be had without having to give up an arm and a leg. Entry level models will perform just fine if you don't want or need all the bells and whistles for setup and room correction.

DENON AVR-S650H 5.2-Ch x 75 Watts A/V Receiver w/HEOS

Denon Factory Refurbished

www.accessories4less.com

Accessories4less: High End Audio at Low End Prices!

www.accessories4less.com

 

[highfigh]

I didn't see anything about the size of the room but if it's not terribly large, it might be possible to use the cubes, at least temporarily. I removed the same electronics from a boat two years ago and installed a Marantz NR-series AVR with a different sub and because I measured the frequency response before disconnecting anything, I was able to see where the satellite speaker crossover occurred and set up the new equipment according to that. It really wasn't bad. It wasn't very loud, but was better than I had expected- I didn't want to alter the boat to use different speakers because I didn't have time for that and because I didn't want to pay for a headliner ($$$$$$) if it didn't go well.

Set the sub's crossover high, control the actual crossover by using the AVR's settings and try it- that could buy some time for choosing different speakers.

 

[-Jim-]

Hi Jason,

I'll join the Team here to help out.

I've taken a Bose Lifestyle 38 apart and repaired it many years ago. A good friend of mine had one on his 40 foot Cabo Sportsfisher, and the DVD portion failed. The reason I repaired it , rather than replace the whole system (The Bose Lifestyle 38 was the "stock" system that came with the boat when he bought it new) was the speaker wiring would have been impossible to replace without ripping the main salon apart; which would have been a massive undertaking. The Bose Lifestyle system was okay for a Boat, and probably better than most; which isn't saying much as most boat systems I've heard rarely make it up to a good car stereo level. He sold the Boat last month and has a new 29 Foot North River on order for May.

The issue of you using the Cube speakers again is they are not compatible with almost any Receiver Amplifier. They are nominally about 2 Ohms if my memory serves me, and designed to be fed from the Subwoofer that comes with the Bose System. Bose has been very resistive to providing real Data and samples for independent testing & review; so confirmed data is hard to come by. I'd also be concerned about the wiring. Not that it can't be re-used, but check it's size (diameter) and estimate the length of the run from any new Receiver so we can comment on suitability.

Jason, please also provide a Budget number so we don't go in the wrong direction. How many speakers are you looking to use, and of course as per @Pogre , what about Subs?

I hope this is helpful.

 

[highfigh]

Hi Jason,

I'll join the Team here to help out.

I've taken a Bose Lifestyle 38 apart and repaired it many years ago. A good friend of mine had one on his 40 foot Cabo Sportsfisher, and the DVD portion failed. The reason I repaired it , rather than replace the whole system (The Bose Lifestyle 38 was the "stock" system that came with the boat when he bought it new) was the speaker wiring would have been impossible to replace without ripping the main salon apart; which would have been a massive undertaking. The Bose Lifestyle system was okay for a Boat, and probably better than most; which isn't saying much as most boat systems I've heard rarely make it up to a good car stereo level. He sold the Boat last month and has a new 29 Foot North River on order for May.

The issue of you using the Cube speakers again is they are not compatible with almost any Receiver Amplifier. They are nominally about 2 Ohms if my memory serves me, and designed to be fed from the Subwoofer that comes with the Bose System. Bose has been very resistive to providing real Data and samples for independent testing & review; so confirmed data is hard to come by. I'd also be concerned about the wiring. Not that it can't be re-used, but check it's size (diameter) and estimate the length of the run from any new Receiver so we can comment on suitability.

Jason, please also provide a Budget number so we don't go in the wrong direction. How many speakers are you looking to use, and of course as per @Pogre , what about Subs?

I hope this is helpful.

The cube speakers in the boat I worked on were around 6 Ohms, not 2 Ohms- I never connect unknown speakers to anything without measuring the DC resistance. The AVR had no problem driving them and has never shut off.

That said, I wouldn't try to use the Bose speakers without checking the resistance- I didn't post anything in the earlier reply because I didn't see a problem on the boat's speakers.

I still have the main unit and sub, if any other details are needed.

It's not difficult to determine the frequency range for sub or satellite output from the main unit if you have an RTA app on a smart phone.

 

[jasonh595]

Hi Jason,

I'll join the Team here to help out.

I've taken a Bose Lifestyle 38 apart and repaired it many years ago. A good friend of mine had one on his 40 foot Cabo Sportsfisher, and the DVD portion failed. The reason I repaired it , rather than replace the whole system (The Bose Lifestyle 38 was the "stock" system that came with the boat when he bought it new) was the speaker wiring would have been impossible to replace without ripping the main salon apart; which would have been a massive undertaking. The Bose Lifestyle system was okay for a Boat, and probably better than most; which isn't saying much as most boat systems I've heard rarely make it up to a good car stereo level. He sold the Boat last month and has a new 29 Foot North River on order for May.

The issue of you using the Cube speakers again is they are not compatible with almost any Receiver Amplifier. They are nominally about 2 Ohms if my memory serves me, and designed to be fed from the Subwoofer that comes with the Bose System. Bose has been very resistive to providing real Data and samples for independent testing & review; so confirmed data is hard to come by. I'd also be concerned about the wiring. Not that it can't be re-used, but check it's size (diameter) and estimate the length of the run from any new Receiver so we can comment on suitability.

Jason, please also provide a Budget number so we don't go in the wrong direction. How many speakers are you looking to use, and of course as per @Pogre , what about Subs?

I hope this is helpful.

Thanks Jim (and everyone else on this thread) for the helpful info.

I'm definitely comfortable replacing all of the Bose components, including the subwoofer and wall mounted speakers -- though I would like to ideally mount new similarly sized (ie small) speakers in the same locations as the Bose wall mounted speakers... using the existing wiring obviously. I got a recommendation from a friend for an RSL Speedwoofer 10S, so I did a bit of research into that but also open to other suggestions.

In terms of a budget I could probably spend up to $2K, maybe $2500, for speakers, sub, and AVR. And I'm looking to do a 5.1 system (same as I have now)... and the existing wiring seems to be probably 25 foot runs from the media cabinet at the longest (ie the right rear speaker would be the furthest from the AV receiver and can't imagine the wiring is longer than 25' to get there). Diameter of the wire is about 1/8" per wire (when attached together they're a hair under 1/4" wide).

Thanks again!

 

[zieglj01]

The RSL Speedwoofer is a decent/nice option ... look at Cambridge Minx speakers

Cambridge Audio Minx Min 22 (Black)

Ultra-compact satellite speaker

www.crutchfield.com

 

[lovinthehd]

Thanks Jim (and everyone else on this thread) for the helpful info.

I'm definitely comfortable replacing all of the Bose components, including the subwoofer and wall mounted speakers -- though I would like to ideally mount new similarly sized (ie small) speakers in the same locations as the Bose wall mounted speakers... using the existing wiring obviously. I got a recommendation from a friend for an RSL Speedwoofer 10S, so I did a bit of research into that but also open to other suggestions.

In terms of a budget I could probably spend up to $2K, maybe $2500, for speakers, sub, and AVR. And I'm looking to do a 5.1 system (same as I have now)... and the existing wiring seems to be probably 25 foot runs from the media cabinet at the longest (ie the right rear speaker would be the furthest from the AV receiver and can't imagine the wiring is longer than 25' to get there). Diameter of the wire is about 1/8" per wire (when attached together they're a hair under 1/4" wide).

Thanks again!

Don't know if this will help particularly, altho your diameters are just the wire or include the insulation? https://www.tdiinternational.com/technical-source-product-info/conversion-charts-awg-to-inches/

I'd definitely consider an RSL speaker/sub package. Similarly a Hsu sub/speaker package. Even SVS. With SVS and RSL they have offered a free in home trial including return shipping costs to make it fairly painless for a comparison....

 

[Wardog555]

Replace everything. Problem solved including wires as the wires are designed for that system alone. Also lower the speakers to around ear level and ensure proper placements

 

[-Jim-]

Hey Jason,

I'm with @lovinthehd . I think you've given us the insulated diameter of a conductor. It's the "bare" wire we are needing. Would it be tough to replace the speaker cables?

 

[zieglj01]

can't imagine the wiring is longer than 25' to get there). Diameter of the wire is about 1/8" per wire (when attached together they're a hair under 1/4" wide).

Can you post a picture of what that wire looks like ... Also if you can go larger than the Cambridge Minx speakers that I posted, then that would be better ... Speakers at least the size of RSL would be a better size

 

[zieglj01]

Is this what your 38 system is using?

 

[jasonh595]

Is this what your 38 system is using?

View attachment 53989

Yes that photo is right. And yeah leaning toward the Minx speakers as they seem right-sized and an improvement over what I've got currently. Assuming I can use the Bose wiring, I would replace the 5 Bose speakers with Minx Min 22's and see what I can find perhaps at Costco for an AVR, and probably go with the Speedwoofer as mentioned above. How confident should I be that the wiring will work for me? Thanks much everyone for the guidance.

 

[zieglj01]

Yes that photo is right. And yeah leaning toward the Minx speakers as they seem right-sized and an improvement over what I've got currently. Assuming I can use the Bose wiring, I would replace the 5 Bose speakers with Minx Min 22's and see what I can find perhaps at Costco for an AVR, and probably go with the Speedwoofer as mentioned above. How confident should I be that the wiring will work for me? Thanks much everyone for the guidance.

I can not say for sure, but you may, that is you may be able to modify the RCA end by cutting it off and see if you can use it as the other end of the speaker cable since it looks like two wires going into the RCA connector ... maybe there will be some more advice on this ... yes Costco is a good place to check for a receiver

 

[Eppie]

Yes that photo is right. And yeah leaning toward the Minx speakers as they seem right-sized and an improvement over what I've got currently. Assuming I can use the Bose wiring, I would replace the 5 Bose speakers with Minx Min 22's and see what I can find perhaps at Costco for an AVR, and probably go with the Speedwoofer as mentioned above. How confident should I be that the wiring will work for me? Thanks much everyone for the guidance.

Yes, if you cut off the RCA plug on the one end you should be able to split the wires so that both ends are the same. The only thing we can't really tell from the photo is what gauge wire the cables use. If it's 16 gauge or heavier you should be ok. If it's only 18 gauge (higher number, smaller diameter) it may be a little too thin but that will depend on the receiver and speakers that you get. If you're only looking at 50W or 70W per channel and not planning to play at high volumes, you can get away with lighter cable, but if you get a 100W per channel receiver and like movie theatre level volume, then you would want to replace the wiring with at least 14 gauge (available on Amazon and Monoprice). Longer cable runs will also require heavier gauge cable. The cables you have will work; they just may not be ideal.

 

[zieglj01]

I believe that the Bose wire is 16 awg

 

[highfigh]

Yes, if you cut off the RCA plug on the one end you should be able to split the wires so that both ends are the same. The only thing we can't really tell from the photo is what gauge wire the cables use. If it's 16 gauge or heavier you should be ok. If it's only 18 gauge (higher number, smaller diameter) it may be a little too thin but that will depend on the receiver and speakers that you get. If you're only looking at 50W or 70W per channel and not planning to play at high volumes, you can get away with lighter cable, but if you get a 100W per channel receiver and like movie theatre level volume, then you would want to replace the wiring with at least 14 gauge (available on Amazon and Monoprice). Longer cable runs will also require heavier gauge cable. The cables you have will work; they just may not be ideal.

Before the speaker wire insanity began, 18 ga was the gauge most stereo stores gave when selling a system because, for most rooms, it was absolutely fine. The systems weren't high-powered, the wires weren't very long and nobody listened to the cabling. I know someone who did FFT testing on various gauges in the early-'80s because of this BS and he found that up to about 60', 16 ga caused no losses. That means 18 ga is OK for short runs.

Someone needs to do a voltage drop test for speaker wiring.