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Posted: 1/15/2006 12:48:18 PM EDT
OK. My dad wants a bose system for our family room. I read he it sucked. So i told my dad it sucked, he tells me i am a asshole and that his friend said it is the best, and he trust his friend.
So whats the best home stero system for less then 2k? Matt |
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Don't get Bose. They don't suck, but they are made of less-than-high-price materials yet charge incredibly high prices. Basically, they sound good to people who haven't heard quality sound equipment.
Best bet is to piece out the system. Yamaha makes a good receiver for a good price and Boston Acoustics speakers are nice. |
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Blose sucks. Are you asking for a complete system, amp and 5.1/6.1/7.1?? I personally use a Yamaha DSP-A1, and Infinity IL-60'S for fronts and rears. I have Infinity CC-4 center, and Infinity sub. Something to be said about 1500 watts of lows.
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For that price range there are many options. Cambridge Soundworks makes lots of nice stuff. Boston Acoustics as well. I would look on eBay for some older NHT speakers ($500), a nice amp ($400) preamp/tuner ($400), and whatever source units he wants.
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He called you an asshole for your speaker preference? Nice family life you got there. |
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I think it's being called an asshole for questioning his world view. Dad has a friend he respects. Friend tells him to get Bose speakers because they are the best. Son does some research and finds out the truth - Bose sucks. Tells dad. Dad sees this as an attack on both himself and his trusted friend. |
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Bose sucks.
Trust me. Have a look at www.avsforums.com for some more informed opinions that agree with Bose blows. |
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+-1 Kings of midrange sound. You can buy better for less. |
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That's the easiest way to waste 2G's. Let him get it and learn his lesson, some people only learn the hard way. I would not spend a dime on Bose. There are so many other companies with MUCH higher quality out there, but................ |
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ETA with a big Infinity sub. |
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OK i let my dad read the 8 page article so he told me to price him out a custom system. But he wants small speakers. Looks like you can build a nice system for 1k.
LOL to some of the responds. I think my family might have bigger proablems then picking out stero products! |
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Maybe you could get him some nice in-wall speakers.
That way when his BOSE loving friend comes over, your dad can play them and have his friend say "Damn, where is that superior sound coming from? It puts my overpriced BOSE speakers to shame!" Then your dad could respond "The sounds coming from the wall, BITCH!" and then slap him like rick james. |
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I've had a Bose Lifestyles 25 for about 7 years now. It doesn't suck but it is not the best. You cannot do more than adjust treble and base on the subwoofer. I would like to have more control over the sound than that. Get a good home theater system. I will probably upgrade this year.
(Watching the thread for suggestions.) |
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And I was gonna buy a Bose wave radio for my office. My dad is probably show up at work and bitch slap me!
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+1 |
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If you were looking for something similar size but better sound, give this a try: www.bostonacoustics.com/home_product.aspx?category_id=34&product_id=306 |
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Bose is definately way overpriced. I love my 7.1 Yamaha receiver. I have had Pioneer before. I would have bought a Pioneer 7.1, but there were none at the time I was buying.
I have Polk speakers and love them. Lots of others have mentioned great brands too. Just depends on how much you or him are willing to spend. |
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My uncle's got a Yamaha that kicks ass.
I have an older Sony that is pretty good also. |
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The article linked above mentions a lawsuit against Consumer Reports a few years ago. I remember a lawsuit against Stereo Review about 25 years ago over their review of the 901. The 901 received generally good comments, but due to the direct, indirect design of these speakers, the soundstage was not good.
The 901 has one tiny (4"? 4.5"?) full range speaker pointed forward, and 8 pointed to the rear at angles such that the sound bounces off the walls. Bose did this to spread the sound, to try for a near surround sound effect. This might be cool if listening to recordings of live orchestra, but does nothing to give a good sound stage. That comment really ticked off Bose... how DARE they criticize Bose speakers! So they sued. They lost. And many magazines vowed to never review or carry ads for Bose again. And this is why Bose has to advertise on TV and radio, and magazines you do not usually read for their expertise on audio equipment. Now you know... the REST of the story. |
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I've got a set of bose 901s.
I bought them from an uncle about 8 years ago for $300 and that price included a harmon kardon amp. They sound better than any $300 walmart pioneer system I could have got at the time. But I can hear the difference between good high end stuff and these. If I were spending $2000 on new stuff I'd never buy bose. I'd go with the paradigms mentioned above. Luckily I'm not terribly picky when it comes to sound quality. So I'll be saving my money and using these for a while yet. |
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Here's another approach: Suggest that he buy a pair of used 901s instead.
That way, he gets to decide for himself if they're any good, and yet can still sell them for roughly what he paid for 'em if he doesn't like 'em. Ebay would be the most obvious source, although there are stereo shops that also sell used gear (either outright or on consignment). |
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Wow thanks for all the responses.
My dads is goddamn stubborn. He never heard a good sound system before. He heard bose at the store and at my uncles house and loved it. But ofcourse, anything sounds better then the pos tv we have right now. I'm trying to get him to go for bigger speakers but he keeps on saying "you don't need big speakers, look at the sound that comes out of the small bose speakers." ahhhhh Hell, sometimes i don't know why i even try to help people out. |
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In'm in the market for a $500.00 or less 12" sub. What to get?
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I own 6 bose speakers. Two in the garage, two in the shed, and two for rear channel on the theatre. Infinity RS series for front sides, Boston sub, Denon for power, and Infinity for center channel. It isn't modern, but it puts you right in the middle of the gunfight while watching HEAT!!!
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velodyne, is good, most new subs can be had for under 500, just check the specs and see which one is the best. |
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BOSE SUCKS
Definitive Technology Mirage Polk Boston Acustics others |
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Why do you care what your dad gets?
Once you move out, you can get whatever you want. |
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If your dad is set on Bose, let him get Bose otherwise he'll always be second guessing his decision...
That being said, I'd take your dad out to a music shop with his favorite music and get him to listen to some of the better speaker brands (B&W, Paradigm, NHT, KEF, etc.) and see what his ears tell him. Personally, I have a JoLida amp with B&W speakers and I'm quite satisfied with that combination. |
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Here you go, real speakers for real audiophiles...
When you watch Jurrassic Park, you can feel the T-Rex walking. www.alteclansing.com/legacy/specs.asp The fabulous Altec Lansing Voice of the Theatre! These are the speakers used by movie theatres for many, many years. They weigh 200 lb each. Each one comes on a shipping pallet. A mere $6100 each. Yes, some guys put these in their homes. I want them! ETA: Subwoofers? We don need no stinkin' subwoofers!!! |
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Also worth pointing out that nobody here is reccomending Sony ... A clear sign you're getting good advice from people that know what they're talking about.
I run ... Yamaha RXV2090 + DDP1 (Early Dolby Digital, plan on upgrading this year) Boston Acoustics Mains, Centers and dipolar surrounds Mirage Subwoofer Real important point about brands like Bose ... Note that all of the top brands for home Audio that you hear being discussed in this thread, you've NEVER seen a television commercial for (Have you ever seen a TV commercial for Harmon Kardon, Yamaha, Cambridge Soundworks and so on?) The reason being, that these companies put all of their money into research and development and making a superior product ... They know their customer, and they know how to reach them and they know they don't have to blow huge amounts of cash (and thus charge huger amounts of cash) on television advertising. Bose on the other hand puts all of their money into advertising. Their customer is Joe Sixpack. The person that knows nothing about nothing, but figure ,well, it's expensive, it's probably pretty good. |
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DING!, DING!, DING! We have a winner! The biggest innovation "Doctor" Bose has made......................... Is his heavy use of advertising, trying to sell his POS speakers/radios! Hell Most of the tech in the "wave radio" is based off a patent from 1939! Tall Shadow |
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Salesman push Klipsch because they give way bigger commisions for sales. Horns suck for tweeters. Klipsch are real efficient because of their horns, which means they can get real loud on cheap equipment. The screech and really distort though. |
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Bose has great advertising, great brainwashing, and very mediocre products in slick packaging, and it's overpriced for what you get.
Really, for the same amount of money, it's difficult to get WORSE sound. Try shopping at any better audio store. You'll walk out with anything BUT Bose. Really. Bose equipment carries NO technology certification marks from any company, desirable or otherwise. No THX certs. No Dolby certs. No BBE certs. NONE. Because the equipment is NOT ELIGIBLE for those certifications and would NOT pass the tests. It's cheaply made SHIT marketed to SHITHEADS. A friend who says "bose is best" is a friend who's an idiot who hasn't a clue and is talking out of his ass. Me, well, I play with some fairly serious high end audophile gear. But I got to this point only because I heard the difference and found it worth it...for the very good deals I got, in particular. Amps: Krell KMA-160 monoblocks. About 8000 bucks a pair when they were new. Speakers: Aerial Acoustics 10Ts. 7700 bucks a pair. Results: Well, everyone who hears my setup thinks it's the best sound they've ever heard. I've heard systems that cost several times more that really DIDN'T sound better. CJ |
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I would look at the Tannoy....
I have listened to the arena setup in may different rooms and they are great! and are small like the Bose setup. http://www.tannoy.com/ArenaOverview |
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I recently went through a total upgrade of my home theater. I did a shitload of research, tried and tested things, etc.
Here is what I got, after reading tons of reviews: Harman Kardon HK 240-AVR receiver. Damn nice, under $400, 7.1 surround. One of the best values out there. Oppo DVD player - beat out $2500 DVD players, and costs less than $200 SVS 5.1 Surround speakers with subwoofer. The absolute best value in speakers for under $1000 total. These things are incredible. Here is a thread on one of the top AV forums out there: www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=625876&page=1&pp=30 I installed mine yesterday and the wife and I were blown away by the clarity, quality, bass, etc. Simply amazing. Read the reviews on the thread. Bose is overpriced, and does not do the job. They are all marketing hype. |
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HOT LINKED |
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SVS - they are incredible. |
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You can build one yourself that will KILL anything in your price range. |
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Klipsch are real efficient because of their horns, which means they can get real loud on cheap equipment. The screech and really distort though.
You haven't heard good horns, then. |
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Get some Pioneer TAD's. If nothing else, you can show off how much you spent. |
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