Connecting another companies subwoofer with Bose double cube speakers

[mvp]

Has anyone ever tried to connect a different companies subwoofer (ie Klipsch, etc) to Bose double cube speakers? My Acousticmass 15 series 11 subwoofer is blowing fuses. I am debating about repairing it or not since is it over 15 years old. But I am wondering what kind of sound I would get from my Bose double cube speakers if I connected them with a different brand subwoofer (I would not buy a Bose subwoofer as they are not making ones with much bass anymore). I know the signal goes from the receiver into the subwoofer and then the subwoofer sends the signal to the cube speakers. I just don't know how much processing the Bose Acousticmass 15 subwoofer does to the signal. Therefore I don't know if the sound quality will be degraded coming out the a subwoofer from a different company. Does anyone tried this? Does the acousticmass 15 optimize the signal going to the cube speakers? Thanks!!

 

[TLS Guy]

Has anyone ever tried to connect a different companies subwoofer (ie Klipsch, etc) to Bose double cube speakers? My Acousticmass 15 series 11 subwoofer is blowing fuses. I am debating about repairing it or not since is it over 15 years old. But I am wondering what kind of sound I would get from my Bose double cube speakers if I connected them with a different brand subwoofer (I would not buy a Bose subwoofer as they are not making ones with much bass anymore). I know the signal goes from the receiver into the subwoofer and then the subwoofer sends the signal to the cube speakers. I just don't know how much processing the Bose Acousticmass 15 subwoofer does to the signal. Therefore I don't know if the sound quality will be degraded coming out the a subwoofer from a different company. Does anyone tried this? Does the acousticmass 15 optimize the signal going to the cube speakers? Thanks!!

Just don't even think about it. Bose just make sure their junk will not be compatible with anything else. Dump the junk, and get something far better.

 

[lovinthehd]

Bose never made true subwoofers, bass modules is about as kind as I can get. Biggest problem with your speakers is mostly about how poor their lower frequency response is, would leave a gap in response typically (even with their own bass module). I don't believe there's any special eq being provided by the Bose amplification for the satellites. Taking the opportunity to get better speakers (and sub) is now!

 

[mvp]

Bose never made true subwoofers, bass modules is about as kind as I can get. Biggest problem with your speakers is mostly about how poor their lower frequency response is, would leave a gap in response typically (even with their own bass module). I don't believe there's any special eq being provided by the Bose amplification for the satellites. Taking the opportunity to get better speakers (and sub) is now!

What subwoofer would you recommend? I was looking at Klipsch and SVS but not sure which ones have good bass. Plus, I guess I have to the individual 5 speakers for the surround sound. Do I need to buy the same brand as the bass unit. Which of those do you recommend?

 

[mvp]

Just don't even think about it. Bose just make sure their junk will not be compatible with anything else. Dump the junk, and get something far better.

Which Subwoofer would you recommend? And which speakers for the surround sound? Do I have to get the same brand speakers as the subwoofer? thanks!

 

[lovinthehd]

What subwoofer would you recommend? I was looking at Klipsch and SVS but not sure which ones have good bass. Plus, I guess I have to the individual 5 speakers for the surround sound. Do I need to buy the same brand as the bass unit. Which of those do you recommend?

For subs I usually would point people at SVS, Hsu Research, Rythmik, Monolith to start (or even just DIY or even more costly models from the likes of JTR, Seaton or Funk)....Klipsch not so much altho their best models (SPL-120, 150) at a really good discount might be decent. No, the speaker brand and sub brands need not match (altho some do come in sets that are somewhat aesthetically matched).

 

[mvp]

For subs I usually would point people at SVS, Hsu Research, Rythmik, Monolith to start (or even just DIY or even more costly models from the likes of JTR, Seaton or Funk)....Klipsch not so much altho their best models (SPL-120, 150) at a really good discount might be decent. No, the speaker brand and sub brands need not match (altho some do come in sets that are somewhat aesthetically matched).

I was looking at the SVS SB 3000. I was wondering if I would need 1 or 2 of those though for movies/music. If I only need 1 I could probably afford it. What do you think?

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I was looking at the SVS SB 3000. I was wondering if I would need 1 or 2 of those though for movies/music. If I only need 1 I could probably afford it. What do you think?

Well how big is the room? That is usually the first thing to consider when sub shopping. Most of us here are proponents of ported subs, but if the room isn’t large, a big sealed one like the sb3k can be effective. We also commonly recommend duals for the advantage of smoothing the frequency response. With a single listening position you can usually do good with one as long as you have some latitude with placement.
In any case, if your main experience is with the Bose woofer, anything from brands already recommended will be completely eye opening. The problem is that you’ll basically need a whole new system since bose intentionally makes sure their components are not compatible with normal equipment. I can’t think of one single reason why you’d miss it though. Not one.
lol.

 

[mvp]

Well how big is the room? That is usually the first thing to consider when sub shopping. Most of us here are proponents of ported subs, but if the room isn’t large, a big sealed one like the sb3k can be effective. We also commonly recommend duals for the advantage of smoothing the frequency response. With a single listening position you can usually do good with one as long as you have some latitude with placement.
In any case, if your main experience is with the Bose woofer, anything from brands already recommended will be completely eye opening. The problem is that you’ll basically need a whole new system since bose intentionally makes sure their components are not compatible with normal equipment. I can’t think of one single reason why you’d miss it though. Not one.
lol.

The room is 560 sq ft. The connector ends for the bose cube speakers are RCA, I think. Couldn't I splice another connector on the wire though??

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

The room is 560 sq ft. The connector ends for the bose cube speakers are RCA, I think. Couldn't I splice another connector on the wire though??

Ok. How about WxLxH?

As far as splicing, I’m not sure which end you mean. If you want to drive your old cubes with a new AVR, I’d recommend against that. Those little cubes are designed to work with bose amps, and using a regular AVR could damage the speakers, or worse, the AVR.
Another problem is that the AM systems is that the frequency range that they cover is limited in comparison to normal gear. The ol expression comes to mind,”no highs, no lows, must be bose. On top of the limited top and bottom, there’s a gap in the middle of the FR. That’s because the little cubes can’t play deep enough to blend with the woofer that doesn’t play high enough to blend with the cubes. In short, even if you hooked up new speakers to the AM amp/module, the new speakers would NOT receive all the frequency range that they should.
I would seriously consider this as time to move on, and up.
Otoh, if you really super duper love the AM system, try eBay. You can often find pieces for bose electronics there.

 

[mvp]

I think you and the others have convinced me to move on from Bose. Thank you so much for the information!! Now to decide what I need in terms of a new Bass unit and new speakers. The room is about 20' x 28' in length and width. It has a 20' high cathedral ceiling that is open to the second floor. So lots of volume. Help!! What do I need to get? I was thinking of the SVS SB-3000 but that is based on some reviews that liked it. I want something with great bass, that will be thunderous and vibrate the walls. I also need help setting up the unit once I get it and figuring out where it should be placed in the room for the best sound. Do you know anyone in the Houston area that can help??

 

[lovinthehd]

Well I still think you can do more for yourself than you think with some help here on the forum, gear setup isn't that complicated, but depends on your willingness to learn/spend time to an extent. We do have some members in TX so maybe they can help out in any case. Subjective reviews are often positive, so hard to go on that What do you have now aside from the Bose speaker/bass module....a real avr or some bose thingy?

 

[mvp]

That is funny, "some bose thingy", Ha! Ha!

No, I have a Denon receiver. It was one that the Audio guy at Best Buy recommended. I bought it sometime, maybe about 10 years ago. The speakers are the Bose double cube speakers. Based on everyone input, I should replace the speakers also, though I am not sure what I should get. I will share that I am an Engineer. I have a PhD in Aerospace Engineering, so I understand the discussions on the subwoofer crawl, but I an not an electrical engineer and I feel a bit overwhelmed with all the information. Based on all the feedback from the experts on this site, I can clearly see there is SOOOO much to learn. I don't want to make a bad decision on subwoofer or speakers. I so wish there was an audio guru here in the houston area to help me make the right choice.

 

[lovinthehd]

That is funny, "some bose thingy", Ha! Ha!

No, I have a Denon receiver. It was one that the Audio guy at Best Buy recommended. I bought it sometime, maybe about 10 years ago. The speakers are the Bose double cube speakers. Based on everyone input, I should replace the speakers also, though I am not sure what I should get. I will share that I am an Engineer. I have a PhD in Aerospace Engineering, so I understand the discussions on the subwoofer crawl, but I an not an electrical engineer and I feel a bit overwhelmed with all the information. Based on all the feedback from the experts on this site, I can clearly see there is SOOOO much to learn. I don't want to make a bad decision on subwoofer or speakers. I so wish there was an audio guru here in the houston area to help me make the right choice.

Just spend some time here, looking not just at the forum the various reviews and setup articles that are part of the site....and you're always welcome to message me and pepper me with questions fwiw, glad to help, altho I'd just make threads here in the forum for wider input (but generally pretty good around here....). When posting up always good to be specific about your gear....what Denon receiver ? You won't have much issue with the electrical specifics unless you've spent too much time with the audiophool publications/reviews/blogs etc.....that could distort things. It ain't rocket science....

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Well, I’ve been to Texas! Lol.
@danzilla and @panteragstk are in Tejas, but can’t say if they’re very close. They may know of other members though.

As far as finding the right gear, it seems you’re open minded and willing to learn. Don’t worry, there’s no need to learn everything at once.
You do have a pretty good sized space.
Have you considered a budget? My guess is probably not, since it seems you were simply looking to repair your bass module lol. Welcome to the rabbit hole.
Imo, in that room(and most) I’d recommend a nice pair of ported subs and some good towers. Of course we’ll need to figure out center and surrounds and (possibly) height speakers for Atmos/dtsx.
If you want to shake the walls, we can definitely guide you. As HD mentioned, I would browse Rythmik, PSA, monolith, and outlaw for subwoofers. All of these brands make very high quality subs and have something that will blow you away, no doubt.
What kind of content are you into?

 

[mvp]

Well, I’ve been to Texas! Lol.
@danzilla and @panteragstk are in Tejas, but can’t say if they’re very close. They may know of other members though.

As far as finding the right gear, it seems you’re open minded and willing to learn. Don’t worry, there’s no need to learn everything at once.
You do have a pretty good sized space.
Have you considered a budget? My guess is probably not, since it seems you were simply looking to repair your bass module lol. Welcome to the rabbit hole.
Imo, in that room(and most) I’d recommend a nice pair of ported subs and some good towers. Of course we’ll need to figure out center and surrounds and (possibly) height speakers for Atmos/dtsx.
If you want to shake the walls, we can definitely guide you. As HD mentioned, I would browse Rythmik, PSA, monolith, and outlaw for subwoofers. All of these brands make very high quality subs and have something that will blow you away, no doubt.
What kind of content are you into?

A budget is a good question. The idea that I need to replace my home theater system is new. I hadn't saved for that. But when I saw the price of the SVS SB-3000 ($1200) I thought I would splurge and get it for the awesome bass. Now with the thought of a whole series of equipment will be needed, I am not sure what to do. Maybe I could go to $2k but not sure if I should buy some great equipment now and buy more later, or buy mediocre equipment and get it all now. Are there ever sales on this equipment, maybe black friday sales? As far as the content, I like lots of different music but I would mostly use these speakers for watching TV. I like alot of sci fi and action movies so the subwoofer would get a bit of use! I love a deep rich bass sound in music also! Hopefully the two people you know from Texas see this. Thank You!!

 

[mvp]

Just spend some time here, looking not just at the forum the various reviews and setup articles that are part of the site....and you're always welcome to message me and pepper me with questions fwiw, glad to help, altho I'd just make threads here in the forum for wider input (but generally pretty good around here....). When posting up always good to be specific about your gear....what Denon receiver ? You won't have much issue with the electrical specifics unless you've spent too much time with the audiophool publications/reviews/blogs etc.....that could distort things. It ain't rocket science....

The Denon Receiver is AVR-1912. I thought the model number was on the back (and I can't really get to the back of it easily) but I found it on the front of the unit. I appreciate all your help!! Hopefully I can learn enough quickly to figure out what I should get. I started another thread just now about what equipment to get, since you and the other experts have convinced me not to try to fix the Bose subwoofer.

 

[panteragstk]

Well, I’ve been to Texas! Lol.
@danzilla and @panteragstk are in Tejas, but can’t say if they’re very close. They may know of other members though.

As far as finding the right gear, it seems you’re open minded and willing to learn. Don’t worry, there’s no need to learn everything at once.
You do have a pretty good sized space.
Have you considered a budget? My guess is probably not, since it seems you were simply looking to repair your bass module lol. Welcome to the rabbit hole.
Imo, in that room(and most) I’d recommend a nice pair of ported subs and some good towers. Of course we’ll need to figure out center and surrounds and (possibly) height speakers for Atmos/dtsx.
If you want to shake the walls, we can definitely guide you. As HD mentioned, I would browse Rythmik, PSA, monolith, and outlaw for subwoofers. All of these brands make very high quality subs and have something that will blow you away, no doubt.
What kind of content are you into?

@Danzilla31 isn't too far from me in San Antonio, but he probably knows a lot of places to get good deals on gear that are local to us. I usually order online or from folks on the forum if I can. Pretty sure he gets stuff from members too, but I'll let him chime in on that.

As far as subs go, there are so many good choices now that I may scratch my idea of building new for the HT and go with something by monolith or something similar. Maybe.

What you get for the money in subs is pretty excellent right now.

 

[Danzilla31]

I think you and the others have convinced me to move on from Bose. Thank you so much for the information!! Now to decide what I need in terms of a new Bass unit and new speakers. The room is about 20' x 28' in length and width. It has a 20' high cathedral ceiling that is open to the second floor. So lots of volume. Help!! What do I need to get? I was thinking of the SVS SB-3000 but that is based on some reviews that liked it. I want something with great bass, that will be thunderous and vibrate the walls. I also need help setting up the unit once I get it and figuring out where it should be placed in the room for the best sound. Do you know anyone in the Houston area that can help??

My niece just moved to Houston and I live in San Antonio. I would love to go visit her and help you in the process maybe we could set something up

 

[TLS Guy]

Which Subwoofer would you recommend? And which speakers for the surround sound? Do I have to get the same brand speakers as the subwoofer? thanks!

Sorry for my late reply. I have been very busy of late. In any event, I design and build all my own speakers, and I don't often visit dealers, and not since this Covid-19 situation.
However try and find speakers that have good third party measurements. If they measure poorly they will not sound good. However, even of they have good measurements, you should try and give them a listen, or have easy return.

Your room is close to identical to mine in volume, but mine is a closed room, when the door is shut. It does sound like a room too big for bookshelf speakers. You should therefore in my opinion be looking at towers.