Bose Acoustimass

[matt_fp]

Planning to do a nice neat install in the lounge and am very tempted by Bose Acoustimass 3 or 5 (not quite decided yet). Don't want surround and like the look of the Bose stuff and could very easily hide the cubes in each corner of the room and run the cables up into the roof space.

Anything better for the money (£500 max) or any suggestions from you more knowledgeable audio/home entertainment people?

Best Regs
Matt

[RobDickinson]

The Kef eggs, way more sound for the money, Bose blows.

"No highs, No lows, must be Bose"


--- Along comes an argument I guess --

[allnighter]

YAMAHA do an excelent digital sound projector the YSP-800.
Basically It's an all in one solution speaker/digital Av Amp with clever acoustic trickery to project the correct 5.1 sounds all around the room from multiple speakers within one box.
It costs around £500 , and it's an ideal solution for someone like yourself who doesn't like surround speakers on the back wall , or for someone whose life has turned misery by a nagging wife.

check for further details on this link

www.yamaha-uk.com/sound_projectors/?product_id=115




>> Edited by allnighter on Friday 25th November 00:49

[Zod]

Yes, Kef KHT 2005.2 or, if the 2005.2 is too expensive, the Kef KHT 1005. Bose is rubbish. Just check this link out and search Google yourself.

They use cheap paper cone 2.5" dirvers int eh small satellite speakers that are good for neither treble nor midrange and the "subwoofer" uses a driver that is too small to produce the right bass frequencises andis housed in a thin palstic enclosure.

The KEFs have high quality UniQ (concentric tweeter and midrange) drivers in heavy aluminium enclosure with a decent subwoofer and are real hifi, unlike the con-jobs from Bose. KEF is by no means the only game in town. Mordaunt Short and Tannoy, amongst others, also make good, stylish 5.1 systems.

[keithyboy]

Try www.avforums.com - full of interesting stuff

[zetec]

I have the Accoustimass 5 speaker system and I am damn happy with them. They provide excellent sound in what is a limited space (my front room). The sub is hidden behind a sofa and the cubes are on a shelf, the sound they give out (for my room) is fab. The bass is subtle but there and the treble fom the small cubes is fantastic.

[rich1231]

keithyboy said:

Try www.avforums.com - full of interesting stuff

step away from the keyboard... do not go to that site... wallet emptying power is too strong

[thebluemonkey]

STOP!

Buy Anthony Gallo.

His spheres are amazing.

Mind blowing.

You need them.

[telecat]

The "classic" system was made up of JBL Control 1's and a REL Subwoofer. The advantage being that you can buy Control ones singley(at the time).

[Matt_FP]

Cheers guys, thanks for the info. Yamaha kit looks very interesting!

Matt

[cuneus]

Could do a lot worse than the Canton CD1

Beautifully built

[granville]

The Yamaha is the best single/stereo point source system to-date but it needs backing up with a subwoofer for which Yamaha themselves conveniently produce a slim 'against the wall' unit for about £100.

This makes all the difference with the YSPs.

The Acoustimass kit offers a sublime blend of aesthetic and perfromance and frankly, nothing short of in wall/ceiling mounted speaker designs offer such an effectively discreet experience.

Other than that, the revised KHT2005s are still incredible.

[Cotty]

Matt_FP said:

Yamaha kit looks very interesting!

Am I reading that right, 23 speakers

£479.99 www.pricerunner.co.uk/sound-and-vision/sound/audio-systems/510496/details

Very interesting

>> Edited by Cotty on Friday 25th November 11:43

[Matt_FP]

[quote=derestrictor]

The Acoustimass kit offers a sublime blend of aesthetic and perfromance and frankly, nothing short of in wall/ceiling mounted speaker designs offer such an effectively discreet experience.
[quote]

Partly why they appealed, I'm no audiophile and like the hideaway nature of the Bose units. I've dropped you a mail anyway chap, please furnish prices

Matt

[Incorrigible]

I got my kit from Derestrictor, and although they're more "Stone henge" than discreet, all the kit is very well matched and he does do a cracking deal

[Cotty]

derestrictor said:

The Yamaha is the best single/stereo point source system to-date but it needs backing up with a subwoofer for which Yamaha themselves conveniently produce a slim 'against the wall' unit for about £100. This makes all the difference with the YSPs.

Could you run a sterio through the Yamaha. I could kill two birds with one stone.

[kerfuffle]

I have a Lifestyle system in my bedroom, which I'm happy with. I must admit, I chose it mainly because I wanted a fairly discreet system - not for any audiophile reasons. I'm not sure I'd be so happy with it in my sitting room. However I do intend to hook it up to the TV, which will please the missus no end when she's trying to nod off

[granville]

kerfuffle said:

I have a Lifestyle system in my bedroom, which I'm happy with. I must admit, I chose it mainly because I wanted a fairly discreet system - not for any audiophile reasons. I'm not sure I'd be so happy with it in my sitting room. However I do intend to hook it up to the TV, which will please the missus no end when she's trying to nod off

I once set up a top end Denon AV amp with the series one AM15 speaker system - I was sceptical due to purely snobbish reasons, arising from old membership of the secret order of the anorak - but this guy insisted on a 'wife friendly' aesthetic.

The effect, in parallel with a modest Panasonic LCD front projector was nothing short of subjectively gobsmacking: ok, not THX but effing incredible for 99% of punters (myself included) for 99% of applications.

Oddly enough, due to the limitations of microphoning on many soundtracks, I actually prefer the perceived, additional focus/clarity afforded to dialogue by technically lower range centre channel drivers, exactly like those in Acoustimass and KHT designs, to the more traditional, expensive, full range centre speaker which can have the effect of exposing the vocal in what often seems to be an excessively 'papery' or nasal presentation.

AV is not audiophile hi-fi...

[ultimasimon]

derestrictor said:

kerfuffle said: I have a Lifestyle system in my bedroom, which I'm happy with. I must admit, I chose it mainly because I wanted a fairly discreet system - not for any audiophile reasons. I'm not sure I'd be so happy with it in my sitting room. However I do intend to hook it up to the TV, which will please the missus no end when she's trying to nod off I once set up a top end Denon AV amp with the series one AM15 speaker system - I was sceptical due to purely snobbish reasons, arising from old membership of the secret order of the anorak - but this guy insisted on a 'wife friendly' aesthetic. The effect, in parallel with a modest Panasonic LCD front projector was nothing short of subjectively gobsmacking: ok, not THX but effing incredible for 99% of punters (myself included) for 99% of applications. Oddly enough, due to the limitations of microphoning on many soundtracks, I actually prefer the perceived, additional focus/clarity afforded to dialogue by technically lower range centre channel drivers, exactly like those in Acoustimass and KHT designs, to the more traditional, expensive, full range centre speaker which can have the effect of exposing the vocal in what often seems to be an excessively 'papery' or nasal presentation. AV is not audiophile hi-fi...

Very true - a lot of people think that high end home cinema is on par with high end hifi, a myth of course for most equipment, unless you look to Meridian budgets and the like.

I have the Acoustimass 15 system in my downstairs cinema and although I am very pleased with its cinematic ability, its far from an audiophile product as its is missing in the mid-range frequencies.I have a REL to 'help' it, but if discreet is foremost on your list then I still rate the Bose as 9/10. Plus it will take all 160 watts perchannel and more of my old trusty DSP-AX1 amp - something most small speakers can only dream about.

[allnighter]

derestrictor said:

AV is not audiophile hi-fi...

Beg to differ on that one, I have a top of the range Denon set up and trust me you feed it DVD-A material or SACD, and stereo purists will be gobsmacked literally by the superior quality of the 5.1 rendition and the detail involved.Furthermore I am still one of those who think LPs still sounds better than CD.If I could afford a Meridian set up with B&W both top of the range , I am sure my ears will thank me even more for the present collection of about 30 DVDA(ie:Fleetwood Mac) and SACD(ie:Pink Floyd Dark Side Of The Moon) discs.