Need Your Expert Opinions

[AHT]

I own an old Bose Lifestyle 5 System. It's time to buy a new system. Although I enjoyed the sound quality of this Bose system over the past 20+ years, the mechanical/electronic quality sucked. I am not looking for a home theatre system. This stereo system will be located in a formal living and dining room where only music will be played including CDs and Sirius radio (no television). Please recommend a complete quality system that includes a CD player. I don't want to spend more than $2800. I really appreciate all your expert opinions. Thank you.

 

[lovinthehd]

How large for each speaker were you thinking? Floorstanders? Bookshelf/standmount? Very small?

 

[AHT]

I really like my Bose cubes that are attached to the ceiling. Ceiling mounts would be preferred.

 

[lovinthehd]

Damn, very small is tough. Did you like that Bose "sub", too? Just what were the electronic/mechanical issues you're trying to improve on?

 

[Bucknekked]

Damn, very small is tough. Did you like that Bose "sub", too? Just what were the electronic/mechanical issues you're trying to improve on?

@lovinthehd
tough ask. if the OP really likes the Bose and is only replacing it because its at end of life, its a tough thing to recommend something the "mainstream AH" would normally choose. One of the problems will be anything you normally would recommend is very different from what the OP has. I suppose trying to probe and see if mainstream is palatable.

 

[shadyJ]

I wonder if you couldn't just use bipole-type surround speakers as the front left/right to achieve the same effect? After all, what Bose is doing is maximizing reflected sound at the expense of direct sound, but that is what many surround speakers do as well.

 

[KEW]

I really like my Bose cubes that are attached to the ceiling. Ceiling mounts would be preferred.

Have you listened to stereo music on two of the soundcubes?
I just want to make sure they have the dynamics to play as loud as you would ever want to listen to them.
Generally speaking a very small speaker like the Bose soundcubes is not really going to fill a living room/dining room space very well!

If a pair of soundcubes does the job, and with the task of being similar to the Bose system, but better build and sound quality, I would go with this package:

CG3M 2.1 Stereo Speaker System - RSL Speakers

rslspeakers.com

With these to ceiling mount them:

Vantage Point Small Bookshelf Mounts - RSL Speakers

rslspeakers.com

The one caution I would have is unlike your Bose these are pointed in one direction. I assume your combined two room are rectangular with a length much greater than the width. If you would be mounting them to shoot longways into the living room/dining room it should work fairly well.

If they will be mounted on the long wall to face across the short width of the room, I would go with these wall mount speakers (I believe this is an example of what ShadyJ is recommending above):

Infinity REFERENCE RS152 | 5-1/2" Surround Channel Speakers

Infinity REFERENCE RS152 2-way surround channel speakers deliver smooth & crisp surround sounds and are strong and durable, yet incredibly lightweight.

www.infinityspeakers.com

You would not, however, mount these so close to the ceiling.

I would still use the same subwoofer with it on the assumption that since you are wanting to maintain the compact nature of the Bose, you probably want a fairly compact subwoofer (this is essentially a 15" cube).

The Speedwoofer 10S Subwoofer - RSL Speakers

rslspeakers.com

As a FYI, we generally consider a system like your Bose as a "lifestyle" speaker where you are compromising performance in the interest of minimizing the visual impact on the room. Consequently we feel a bit like our "hands are tied". The recommendations above are as close as I am comfortable getting to what you had with the Bose.

 

[Gmoney]

I own an old Bose Lifestyle 5 System. It's time to buy a new system. Although I enjoyed the sound quality of this Bose system over the past 20+ years, the mechanical/electronic quality sucked. I am not looking for a home theatre system. This stereo system will be located in a formal living and dining room where only music will be played including CDs and Sirius radio (no television). Please recommend a complete quality system that includes a CD player. I don't want to spend more than $2800. I really appreciate all your expert opinions. Thank you.

For 2800 you can put together a nice two channel setup. Just Research two Bookshelf speakers 800 up 1000 for a nice pair. 1500 for a really good 100 watt X 2 into 8 Ohms Stereo receiver and a CD play only? Denon Yamaha or Marantz for around 500 will get you a very nice CD player only. Onkyo has a CD 390 6 Disc player it's Decent. Check out those listed.

 

[Paul Mohr]

Are you more concerned with how it looks or how good it sounds? Like others have said, cube speakers and specifically the Life style system isn't what many of us would consider good sound. However a lot of people seem to like them. I would also agree that mounting speakers to or near the ceiling wouldn't be the greatest for sound either. If you are looking for small and modern looking maybe look at something geared towards computer use? Some of those are very compact systems with small subs similar to Bose. It is basically just a bandpass woofer. Or a nice sound bar or bluetooth speaker. Some of those sound pretty good now.

For around 3 grand though you could get a pretty nice sounding two channel set up, it just wouldn't look like the Bose system. Some good bookshelf speakers, a smallish powered subwoofer, a receiver and a cd, dvd, or bluray player. Even a PS3 or something would work. And I have seen some two channel yamaha receivers that had sirus built into them. You might need an antenna though, not sure how that works. I have only really seen it cars myself.

In my opinion that would sound much better than a bose system or any set up with micro/cube speakers. Oh you would need some speaker stands too. With proper placement and a subwoofer many bookshelf speakers can sound amazing. Some people prefer them to towers.