Help! Before I buy Bose!

[jman103099]

Okay, im looking for some sat/sub speakers for my mom for Christmas...

They must be:
1. SMALL (like less than 9 in tall and 5 wide)
2. have a subwoofer, because they're small (or have a good amount of bass)
3. be under 200 bucks... or around there.

The only thing I can think of is the Bose Accoustimass 3 - a "sub" and two little "speakers". Let me know if any of you have other recomendations!

Thanks!

 

[deftech]

Bose....under$200.00....you are kidding, right? You may want to go with computer speakers for you size/price requirements. Something like klipsch pro media.

 

[a67676767]

There are some guys driving around in white vans that have some pretty good deals on Digital speakers.

Haha J/K .. Couldn't resist.

 

[emorphien]

I'm amazed Bose sells anything that inexpensive. Regardless read this http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html if you dare. You might reconsider. The bose "sub" isn't a sub at all and has no notable bass reproduction capabilities to speak of. A competent little set of bookshelf speakers would be no worse and in a fact far better across the whole frequency range.

These are a little bit bigger than you say you want, but quite attractive and I hear quite good as well. http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=82.1

The Onyx X-LS is a bookshelf speaker, and bass response should be IMO more satisfying than what that Bose thing can offer. There are also inexpensive Polk speakers, and probably Klipsch and other big brands that are still going to be better than Bose. I am assuming you already have an amp or receiver, right?

It's up to you, or ultimately your mom. She may rather have the bose for its size, but I am giving you some other options that I think sonically will simply blow it out of the water. I'd probably go with the Onyx speakers simply because I've heard so much about them.

 

[jman103099]

Yeah 199.99 Bose Acoustimass AM3. I have actually heard this and the lows on it arent so bad.

As for the white van comment - dont laugh! That almost happened to me when I was in high school!!!

I am really thinking those av123 speakers look pretty nice... 219 a pair is the perfect price too!

A sub/sat combo would have been nice, but I may just end up with a little larger bookshelves (or she will I should say)

 

[emorphien]

Yeah 199.99 Bose Acoustimass AM3. I have actually heard this and the lows on it arent so bad.

As for the white van comment - dont laugh! That almost happened to me when I was in high school!!!

I am really thinking those av123 speakers look pretty nice... 219 a pair is the perfect price too!

A sub/sat combo would have been nice, but I may just end up with a little larger bookshelves (or she will I should say)

The problem with the "bass module" is that it really has no real low frequency output, but Bose is shy on specs and they don't even call it a subwoofer so some people don't really realize how much they can be lacking. Onyx (at av123) has a $200 subwoofer that is supposed to be absolutely superb, so if you ever wanted to give her a subwoofer you could get her something like that down the road.

Sure the bass module will go lower than the Onyx bookshelves, but not a whole lot and those modules are incredibly boomy (my parents have one they hardly listen to).

You might want to consider the Paradigm Atoms as well or Axiom M2s (I assume they're around $200 as well). I haven't heard that model of Axiom nor have I heard the speaker from av123, but I have listened to the Atoms extensively and I'd take a pair of those without a sub over the little Bose set you mentioned. I'm sure there are countless other options for ~$200 bookshelf speakers that I've missed.

 

[billnchristy]

They money you spend now will save you when you decide you need more a couple months down the road and have to start over.

X-LS and X-sub are excellent choices.

Some Circuit Citys still have some Infinitys left and have killer deals on them (I saw some floor models just last week)

Dont buy an infinity sub though if you can help it!!

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

I'd get some decent bookshelfs (paradigm Atom?), and buy the sub later. Moms aren't universally known for demanding monsta-bass.

 

[no. 5]

There are also inexpensive Polk speakers

I'll second that, I know some people around here don't like Polk, but for under $100 Polk R15s are pretty sweet.

 

[cstpeter]

The Boston Avedia deal at Audio Advisor gives you a 6.1 setup for $200, but I understand they only have white left. Heck of a deal:

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=BOAVI770

 

[no. 5]

, makes me wish I needed another 6.1 system

 

[Seth=L]

Once apon a time, before I knew all about Bose and their scheme, I purchased the AM3 system for under $200 as well. I was not impressed at all and returned them after having them only 2 days. The bass module does not go deep at all, it is just plain boomy. So it has lots of boomy bass, no low end. I direct compared this system to some small Sony speakers from CC in my home. My Sony ED bookshelfs with 5.25 woofers put that system to shame, and they were only $100.

Just about any speaker system around $150 and up will sound significantly better than the AM3. Even the Insignia bookshelf speakers that Best Buy offers leaps bounds over the AM3, and those are a steal at $50 a pair.

If you get the Insignias, which look great by the way, and the Onix X-sub that puts you just over your budget. That is a formidable speaker system for under $300 new. If you chose to upgrade to Onix X-LS for her in the future then that is great to.

 

[robot]

The Boston Avedia deal at Audio Advisor gives you a 6.1 setup for $200, but I understand they only have white left. Heck of a deal:

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=BOAVI770

Wow... that looks like a hell of a deal... not only does it look really good but the build quality seems excellent for a HTIB kind of setup in that price range. That would be fantastic for a computer or small room/fun room kind of setup.

 

[Seth=L]

How do you get the Boston 10" sub to work without a 12 volt trigger? If you have a 12 volt trigger this is a great deal, but if you don't what then?

 

[cstpeter]

Seth, I've seen people address that problem on other forums. Apparently you can get an AC adaptor and make it work--not sure exactly how, but I understand it isn't too hard.

I'm having a hard time stopping myself from buying that system. I have no use for it, but you never know when you'll need a 6.1 system!

 

[jcPanny]

Sat system.

If you want a full sat/sub system, check out the Athena Micras. They will sound better than bose and meet your size and budget requirments.

If you check the B-stock and clasified pages on AV123 you can find the X-LS spaker for about $150 and the 8" rocket tyke sub for $80 comming in close to your budget.