Combining 2 Acoustimass 16 serie II for a Dolby Atmos system

[mazersteven]

So what do you think then? What about I bought a system 15 years ago and decided to upgrade with another identical bought used for a fair price, it's not a huge amount of money comparing to those Klipsch or Nad or Cabasse set of speakers that would set me north of 5000$ and my living room would be cluttered with audio stuff and look more like a showroom than an actual living room.

Make sense huh? ;-)

Believe me we hear what your saying. But just know you don't have to spend north of $5,000 to put a system together that would exceed sound quality expectations of what you have. I can put a system together for $1,500. I guess it is bashing I guess it is talking bad about a system. But a lot of us have individual knowledge and personal handling of Bose acoustimass systems. I know I do and the fact that Bose limits or almost non-existent technical details makes it what it is.
You know Bose does have a market in the small speaker requirement sector for people who don't want to see their speakers. They just want to hear something and are non-critical. Consumers are also being directed and their thoughts are altered based on marketing which Bose is very good at. And the lack of Education leads people to believe they got the best sound system available.
You know in everything in life there are compromises to be made. In home theater/audio the compromise is a larger footprint in a bookshelf or floor-standing speaker. And bookshelves don't have to be that big but they're definitely bigger than a cube or small satellite speaker.
It's also better to be in the game with something then to be out of the game with nothing.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Yeah I get it. Buying an identical system for cheap seems reasonable. But the point is(and I don’t know what you paid), for a whole lot less than the 5k you mentioned, you can buy a system that would literally be better in every way. AND not stick out and look like an AV mess. Take RSL for example. They have amazing bookshelf speakers that are very small(by comparison) and smallish subs that are flat to 20hz.

Rogersound Labs

RSL Speakers - A division of Rogersound Labs - is a factory direct loudspeaker manufacturer, since 1970, based in Los Angeles, California. Family owned and operated.

rslspeakers.com

FWIW, I’ve never heard a bose system that impressed me. Conversely I wonder if you’ve ever experienced a home theater of higher quality. That’s not a dig, just a possible observation.
I can definitely appreciate the Neon analogy. As a car guy, I wouldn’t touch one, but can see the appeal, and have seen some decent ones.

 

[Fafaneboat]

Yeah I get it. Buying an identical system for cheap seems reasonable. But the point is(and I don’t know what you paid), for a whole lot less than the 5k you mentioned, you can buy a system that would literally be better in every way. AND not stick out and look like an AV mess. Take RSL for example. They have amazing bookshelf speakers that are very small(by comparison) and smallish subs that are flat to 20hz.

Rogersound Labs

RSL Speakers - A division of Rogersound Labs - is a factory direct loudspeaker manufacturer, since 1970, based in Los Angeles, California. Family owned and operated.

rslspeakers.com

FWIW, I’ve never heard a bose system that impressed me. Conversely I wonder if you’ve ever experienced a home theater of higher quality. That’s not a dig, just a possible observation.
I can definitely appreciate the Neon analogy. As a car guy, I wouldn’t touch one, but can see the appeal, and have seen some decent ones.

I paid 600cad for an AM16 with an additional Yamaha rx-v657 that I may try to sell or reuse, it's all in pristine condition. So 1000 cad +tx 15years ago and 600cad lately isn't bad and I could also buy a cheap 9.2 receiver all for about the price of one of your entry level high quality systems. But it's okay, I understand the vibe, I just thought I could be guided by non professional members.
And as I said the sound I get is okay for me just needed Atmos and more bass.
I must also say that I first looked at adding a fair quality 15inch sub and was willing to pay up to 500$ but it seems that mixing two very different style subs might have led to undesired results. Also, a 500cad sub was actually a bad choice as it would have been an entry level Chinese unit...
Hence the choice of an identical one wich on top of it, adds 6 identical speaker to the equation for the Atmos thing.

 

[mazersteven]

I can definitely appreciate the Neon analogy. As a car guy, I wouldn’t touch one, but can see the appeal, and have seen some decent ones.

Try selling them like I had to.
I remember them when they first came out and Chrysler was so excited about them and we had what was called a Ride and Drive where management and sales staff from dealerships everywhere meet at a central location to put the cars through the paces, acceleration, braking, handling, where we first got to drive them ourselves.

 

[Fafaneboat]

Try selling them like I had to.
I remember them when they first came out and Chrysler was so excited about them and we had what was called a Ride and Drive where management and sales staff from dealerships everywhere meet at a central location to put the cars through the paces, acceleration, braking, handling, where we first got to drive them ourselves.

Thanks but I'll give it a try before! ;-)
I have to know if it was worth the experiment and, if not, well I'll reuse the AM for another room or sell it.
It looks like you had fun driving these cars!

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Try selling them like I had to.
I remember them when they first came out and Chrysler was so excited about them and we had what was called a Ride and Drive where management and sales staff from dealerships everywhere meet at a central location to put the cars through the paces, acceleration, braking, handling, where we first got to drive them ourselves.

My mom worked at a Chrysler dealership when they launched. Iirc that was 1992. They let me use one for the weekend for a toad trip(surprisingly). For what it was, I didn’t mind driving it. I already had my ‘69 but needed the mileage lol. Glad I never owned one but it was “different”. I remember the ads.
“Hello!”

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I paid 600cad for an AM16 with an additional Yamaha rx-v657 that I may try to sell or reuse, it's all in pristine condition. So 1000 cad +tx 15years ago and 600cad lately isn't bad and I could also buy a cheap 9.2 receiver all for about the price of one of your entry level high quality systems. But it's okay, I understand the vibe, I just thought I could be guided by non professional members.
And as I said the sound I get is okay for me just needed Atmos and more bass.
I must also say that I first looked at adding a fair quality 15inch sub and was willing to pay up to 500$ but it seems that mixing two very different style subs might have led to undesired results. Also, a 500cad sub was actually a bad choice as it would have been an entry level Chinese unit...
Hence the choice of an identical one wich on top of it, adds 6 identical speaker to the equation for the Atmos thing.

Didn’t realize you were up nort der ay!
Canada is definitely a different gig for buying AV gear. To be clear, I have no investment in selling you anything. Just as a human being seeing you get the most for your money.
Let us know if you find a solution. I’d be curious to see what it is.

 

[Trebdp83]

Connecting the Bose may not be everybody’s choice, but it can technically be done. After thinking about it more, if I was experimenting with the same equipment, I would run the main speakers with the left module and height speakers with the right module. This would leave one empty connection on the left module and leave two empty connections on the right module.

 

[Fafaneboat]

Didn’t realize you were up nort der ay!
Canada is definitely a different gig for buying AV gear. To be clear, I have no investment in selling you anything. Just as a human being seeing you get the most for your money.
Let us know if you find a solution. I’d be curious to see what it is.

Yeah, it sucks paying that much more for the same stuff, we're being frauded!!!! :-(
Thanks, I'll work it out and come back for the results. It may take a while though since I'll also start with a new receiver from another brand and it might not sound like my old Pioneer.
I'm also anxious to confirm/infirm how loud and well this Onkyo TX-RZ630 unit will sound compared to my old Pioneer VSX-1018AH.
Power ratings were so hard to compare because of the changes in methods used over the years to measure them...

 

[NINaudio]

Oh my god, you're so annoying!!!

Speaker weight/size
Each cube speaker array and center front speaker: 2.4 lb (1.1 kg)
6.2"H x 3.1"W x 4.0"D
(15.7 cm x 7.8 cm x 10.2 cm)
Acoustimass module: 45 lb (20.3 kg)
16.3"H x 8.1"W x 29.1"D
(41.4 cm x 20.6 cm x 73.9 cm)

Manual download available here:

Customer Support

www.bose.com

Are you being like that on purpose? Bashing a post without knowing is bad! If you don't like it, just don't comment and try another, thanks!

Wow, one post and I've already annoyed you. That's gotta be a record.

Sorry, I posted specs for the acoustimass 15 module, since you kept referring to am15/16. My bad. Either way, at 2.2 cubic feet it's not a "massive enclosure" for a "subwoofer".

https://assets.bose.com/content/dam/Bose_DAM/Web/consumer_electronics/global/products/speakers/am15_series1/pdf/owg_en_am15_series1.pdf

 

[Kingnoob]

Wow, one post and I've already annoyed you. That's gotta be a record.

Sorry, I posted specs for the acoustimass 15 module, since you kept referring to am15/16. My bad. Either way, at 2.2 cubic feet it's not a "massive enclosure" for a "subwoofer".

https://assets.bose.com/content/dam/Bose_DAM/Web/consumer_electronics/global/products/speakers/am15_series1/pdf/owg_en_am15_series1.pdf

I’m surprised the brand sells so much gear ... there like beats audio or something.
Bose probably most popular audio brand by sales .??

Redirect Notice

I’ve never heard there headphones but I’m very skeptical they sound as good as they sell .

Bose | Company Overview & News

Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor of electrical engineering Dr. Amar G. Bose (d. 2013) founded Bose Corporation in 1964 after being disappointed

www.forbes.com

Mirage used to make good satellites wish I had bought some ....
did the brand die out ?

Wonder what sites deliver to Canada https://www.accessories4less.com ?
Does Monoprice ??

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[Fafaneboat]

Wow, one post and I've already annoyed you. That's gotta be a record.

Sorry, I posted specs for the acoustimass 15 module, since you kept referring to am15/16. My bad. Either way, at 2.2 cubic feet it's not a "massive enclosure" for a "subwoofer".

https://assets.bose.com/content/dam/Bose_DAM/Web/consumer_electronics/global/products/speakers/am15_series1/pdf/owg_en_am15_series1.pdf

Hahaha, I was fast on the answer, I must admit, I might have been a little rude I apologize! Well I believe AM 15 and 16 systems are the same with only 1 speaker more on the 16. It seems over there years that Bose did have various series that I may not know but you probably gave more like AM 10 specs wich were fitted with only 2 drivers in the module. Anyway, sorry if I felt attacked this morning, I'm better now.
I'm french so I may also have misused the word "huge" but 29" long is quite big to me, you can't deny it. Anyhow, I still don't want to convince anybody that my system is better than others, I just happen to like it and want to play with another one just for fun. I ended up explaining how it works instead of the thread being informative....
Again I'm sorry.

 

[Fafaneboat]

Connecting the Bose may not be everybody’s choice, but it can technically be done. After thinking about it more, if I was experimenting with the same equipment, I would run the main speakers with the left module and height speakers with the right module. This would leave one empty connection on the left module and leave two empty connections on the right module.
View attachment 43522View attachment 43527View attachment 43528

I ordered a p touch to identify wiring because it is gonna be a mess with all that wiring between receiver and modules then to the speakers. :-D

 

[NINaudio]

Hahaha, I was fast on the answer, I must admit, I might have been a little rude I apologize! Well I believe AM 15 and 16 systems are the same with only 1 speaker more on the 16. It seems over there years that Bose did have various series that I may not know but you probably gave more like AM 10 specs wich were fitted with only 2 drivers in the module. Anyway, sorry if I felt attacked this morning, I'm better now.
I'm french so I may also have misused the word "huge" but 29" long is quite big to me, you can't deny it. Anyhow, I still don't want to convince anybody that my system is better than others, I just happen to like it and want to play with another one just for fun. I ended up explaining how it works instead of the thread being informative....
Again I'm sorry.

I gave the specs for the AM15 model that which I got from the owner's manual that I linked to.

 

[Fafaneboat]

I gave the specs for the AM15 model that which I got from the owner's manual that I linked to.

Ok, I believe you! In fact, you know, I'm not particularly a Bose fan, I happen to enjoy a system that fits the bill for my situation and it was easier and less expensive to upgrade it with another identical unit bought used.
I tried to be precise with the description of my own system to avoid this kind of misunderstanding.

 

[Fafaneboat]

I’m surprised the brand sells so much gear ... there like beats audio or something.
Bose probably most popular audio brand by sales .??

Redirect Notice

I’ve never heard there headphones but I’m very skeptical they sound as good as they sell .

Bose | Company Overview & News

Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor of electrical engineering Dr. Amar G. Bose (d. 2013) founded Bose Corporation in 1964 after being disappointed

www.forbes.com

Mirage used to make good satellites wish I had bought some ....
did the brand die out ?

Wonder what sites deliver to Canada https://www.accessories4less.com ?
Does Monoprice ??

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's hard to import expensive gear from down south because of exchange rate and the import fees involved. There are stores like B&H or Rockauto that are Canadian customers friendly and provide prices in Canadian dollars with duty fees calculated in the shopping cart, but I don't know if both stores you mentioned do. There are a lot of stores in the us with amazing prices but they just don't ship to Canadian postal codes. As for Bose selling a lot of stuff, I believe they managed to make their name in the seventies with great novelties and it leds the brand to being renowned worldwide. I agree it also makes them being wanted by mass people who pay high prices because "it's a good brand". Same as let say "Lacoste", they sold high quality gears made in France (I think!?) in the 80's for high dollars and I think they are still expensive but are probably made in Asia or Africa nowadays. Rich people still buy Lacoste shirts and gear and they most likely still buy Bose stuff for the same exact reason being "it's expensive"!
We must admit they have tiny, fit anywhere, stuff that sound good for most people (including me). Acoustimass systems suit well for boats, motorhomes, rv's and small houses or appartments, I think that's also one of the reason they sell well...

 

[Fafaneboat]

The affect may be minimal with the surrounds, but wiring them with amp load in mind would be a good idea if you do it. Try this article https://www.audioholics.com/loudspeaker-design/comb-filtering

A very interesting article, I do not understand all of it, since it's very technical and in english (I'm french) but I enjoyed reading it and it helped me a lot! Thank you very much!

 

[Fafaneboat]

Hello everyone, to whom may be interested in how it ended up, here's a follow up.
I returned the Onkyo and opted for a Denon AVR-X3700H for it's pre-amp capacity.
I also added 3 cheap but no bad Fosi (2x160w on paper) mini amps and an Infinity aircom T10 cooling device since yes the Denon does get hot.
I was helped by Trepdp83 who gave me advices.
I could have used any combination to hook-up both Bose AM16 but I went with one for the surround and one for the heights and one LFE output for each. Since I did want to use all 12 speakers, I had to trick a bit so one Fosi bridgeable mini amp went for the surround back (had just one previously installed in my former surround set-up), I use both pre-outs to the amp wich feed a single back (helps in the settings afterwards to make the amp believe there are 2 speakers in the back!).
I've another Fosi to feed both rear heights (2 assignable, not amplified pre-outs) and finally the third one is hooked to another set of fronts speakers from the pre-outs in addition to the already amplified ones, so 4 speakers in the front.
I then have an actual 6.2.4 Atmos setup (amp thinks it's a 7.2.4) with 4fronts).
I liked the Bose sound before (sorry if I'm not a "true" audiophile but I do like this bassy sound) so adding another identical system and doubling everything is very satisfying. Of course it's easier to adjust the EQ since I can/must use the same for all speakers, but at the same time, the Denon auto EqX that everyone likes in Denons didn't work for me. It made an horrible sound, absolutely unlistenable at higher volumes so I had to de-activate it and go fully manuall.
The results is great for me, but I did have to spend countless hours adjusting everything and my best one for music listening has to use the multi-channel stereo wich rocks the house. It's not great in stereo only as it lacks deepness so I might try to plug Both Bose for lefts and rights instead of surrounds and heights but for now it's plenty good.
Sound with my older but more powerful Pioneer VSX-1018AH was traveling thru wall (I could hear basses and some low mids) from outside but now, I can distinguish almost everything so I'm gonna have to be careful not to bother neighborhood.
The Atmos/DTS X effects are really great but I will probably have to buy an Apple tv 4k or a Shield since none of my gear except htpc and PS3 handle it.
Here how it looks, with the black and silver speaker sets:

0 new items by Stéphane Montagné

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[Fafaneboat]

Oh, and a little video of a maybe not so famous here young American artist... Well not her but my fireplace accessory rack :

0 new items by Stéphane Montagné

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[Kingnoob]

Oh, and a little video of a maybe not so famous here young American artist... Well not her but my fireplace accessory rack :

0 new items by Stéphane Montagné

photos.app.goo.gl

Congratulations I got no idea how you succeeded but I’m sure they sound plenty good enough.. I saw mirage nanosats for sale locally but I cannot afford $215 right now .. those are another high end satellite
How do the acustomass work for bass? Each has triple 5.5” woofers right ?


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