Bose AM cubes good enough for rears in a 5.1 setup?

[Swerve]

I am a victim of Bose Marketing. I got a set of 5 free Bose Acoustimass 10 Cubes several years ago. I use 2 for rears in my living room as well as another 2 driven by a small JVC exec system hooked up to my PC in my office. A few years ago, when I started to get enthusiastic about HT but before getting more knowledgable, I actually purchased a Bose VCS-10 Center channel for $180 in Portland- better than $240 at home when our dollars were pretty much at par. I believed it would sound better than the 5th Cube that I previously used for a center, but it was pretty much the same. I've decided to now replace it with a Jamo C60CEN to match my new Jamo C607s, which I totally love.

After reading the Bose thread, http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38446 , I am now starting to question replacing the rears I'm using. I watch TV in stereo 50% of the time, HDTV with 5.1 30% of the time, music in stereo 10%, and DVD movies where this becomes an issue only about the remaining 10% of the time. Now knowing all their shortcomings and particularly their poor frequency response range, am I missing a lot of sounds effects in the rear?

Should I ditch my Bose rears and get Jamo C601s to match my fronts? They need to be small for my stands, and won't be wall mounted. C603s and C60SURs are too big.

 

[jamie2112]

In a simple answer Yes get rid of the bozo speakers. The Jamo's are much better by far....

 

[lsiberian]

Yes ditch them Bose speakers aren't full range. Just look at the frequency graphs and see what you are missing.

 

[Swerve]

Yes ditch them Bose speakers aren't full range. Just look at the frequency graphs and see what you are missing.

Yep, I'm definitely missing some range, but considering they're just surrounds, am I really missing a lot of the sound effects that typically are reproduced in the rear?

I think I'm just going to have to buy them and see for myself. I know I won't be disappointed. The BD player will have to wait a little longer.

 

[lsiberian]

I can only speak from experience, but I have never heard good lower frequency sounds from a bose cube. My rears actually have lower frequency sounds and it makes a huge difference on a blu-ray track.

You can certainly make do until you are ready to upgrade though. I know people who have used 4 bose cubes for their rears because they didn't want to ditch them. You know the whole I paid way to much for these I'm keeping them line.

 

[jamie2112]

I can only speak from experience, but I have never heard good lower frequency sounds from a bose cube. My rears actually have lower frequency sounds and it makes a huge difference on a blu-ray track.

You can certainly make do until you are ready to upgrade though. I know people who have used 4 bose cubes for their rears because they didn't want to ditch them. You know the whole I paid way to much for these I'm keeping them line.

They paid way to much for bozo'z marketing scheme......

 

[deedubb]

As much as I loathe Bose, if you want a blu-ray player and that will have to wait if you buy speakers instead, I would suggest you wait on the speakers. I'm sure you'll notice a difference, but since they are only surrounds, I'd spend money elsewhere first.

 

[lsiberian]

As much as I loathe Bose, if you want a blu-ray player and that will have to wait if you buy speakers instead, I would suggest you wait on the speakers. I'm sure you'll notice a difference, but since they are only surrounds, I'd spend money elsewhere first.

But Blu-ray players will go down in price a lot over the next couple years so if you can wait do.

I only have one because it came with the PS3

 

[Nemo128]

eBay the whole Bose, enough sheeple out there to offload it to.

 

[murl]

I'm using two 301's as surrounds and I wonder how much I'm missing out on.....

 

[BobSD]

Because of the percentage breakdown you gave, I would not rush to replace your back speakers, your best sound may be when you are in the stereo mod, I paid $500 for my pair of back speakers, (Defs), I very seldom hear then except for the reverb affect of a bang, or in some 5.1 music. but the main listening pleasure is the fronts!!

 

[Swerve]

I'm using two 301's as surrounds and I wonder how much I'm missing out on.....

I once considered those for fronts to finish off my Bose setup, but could never pull the trigger on them. What I've read so far relates to the missing frequency response in the bose twisties, but I haven't seen anything on 201/301/901s. I bet they're far better.

I'm looking at C601 bookshelves for my rears, but thinking that maybe I'll wait until I move into a house. Depending on the room this will all go into, I might get some C60SUR surrounds instead to finish off my setup.

 

[murl]

I once considered those for fronts to finish off my Bose setup, but could never pull the trigger on them. What I've read so far relates to the missing frequency response in the bose twisties, but I haven't seen anything on 201/301/901s. I bet they're far better.

I'm looking at C601 bookshelves for my rears, but thinking that maybe I'll wait until I move into a house. Depending on the room this will all go into, I might get some C60SUR surrounds instead to finish off my setup.

In my opinion I wouldn't ever waste my money on Bose again. I have the DefTech BP-10s which I realize may not be the best speakers in the world but there is such a difference, and I will guarantee that they sound better than the 901s too. My wife even hears the difference when I toggle between them, and she doesn't really care. Not trying to steer you toward anything of mine, just an example.

 

[lsiberian]

I once considered those for fronts to finish off my Bose setup, but could never pull the trigger on them. What I've read so far relates to the missing frequency response in the bose twisties, but I haven't seen anything on 201/301/901s. I bet they're far better.

I'm looking at C601 bookshelves for my rears, but thinking that maybe I'll wait until I move into a house. Depending on the room this will all go into, I might get some C60SUR surrounds instead to finish off my setup.

Listen to us. We are trying to help you. Please don't buy Bose speakers. They are junk. Just sell the ones you have on ebay and use the funds to buy a couple of KEF2001.2s from accessories4less.com they are a 100(50 percent of the cost and cheaper than the ebay auction I saw last week) each and way better than Bose if your receiver can handle them.

I suggest you wait on a Blu-ray player if you can. They are still making advances on them and I would hate to see you throw down 250 on something that will end up being the lower end player in the future. I know Blu-ray is amazing, but your investment in speakers will last you a lot longer than the blu-ray player. I think better speakers are better than better sources(like blu-ray) But that's my opinion.

You will gain more in your setup by upgrading your speakers then by upgrading your player. Remember you already have a bunch of DVDs and the speakers will improve your viewing of them all.

 

[murl]

Listen to us. We are trying to help you. Please don't buy Bose speakers. They are junk. Just sell the ones you have on ebay and use the funds to buy a couple of KEF2001.2s from accessories4less.com they are a 100(50 percent of the cost and cheaper than the ebay auction I saw last week) each and way better than Bose if your receiver can handle them.

I suggest you wait on a Blu-ray player if you can. They are still making advances on them and I would hate to see you throw down 250 on something that will end up being the lower end player in the future. I know Blu-ray is amazing, but your investment in speakers will last you a lot longer than the blu-ray player. I think better speakers are better than better sources(like blu-ray) But that's my opinion.

You will gain more in your setup by upgrading your speakers then by upgrading your player. Remember you already have a bunch of DVDs and the speakers will improve your viewing of them all.

I agree 100%, he is being very honest with you. I have two bose as surrounds like I said earlier and they are alot of hype.

 

[Swerve]

Listen to us. We are trying to help you. Please don't buy Bose speakers. They are junk.

Whoa, guys! I said I ONCE considered, but that was the extent of it!

I've already gone all Jamo fronts and sub and am MUCH happier.

 

[murl]

Whoa, guys! I said I ONCE considered, but that was the extent of it!

I've already gone all Jamo fronts and sub and am MUCH happier.

Haha, sorry didn't take notice you were using the past tense!

 

[lsiberian]

Whoa, guys! I said I ONCE considered, but that was the extent of it!

I've already gone all Jamo fronts and sub and am MUCH happier.

Good! I am glad I misunderstood.

It's not just a hate thing with Bose it's a fact thing.