People have done their own assessments of the Bose cube speakers frequency response curves, and the bottom end of the acoustimass module is somewhere around 160 Hz, but, because the cubes themselves can’t get down very low, they force the acoustimass module to go up to somewhere around 320 Hz. Then, there’s a big gap between the top end of the acoustimass and the bottom end of cubes. I think it’s something around 80 Hz that are missing, and finally, the cubes top out at around 10,000 Hz.

For some perspective on these numbers: typical healthy human hearing ranges (in someone around 20 years old) from roughly 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. So the Bose speakers don’t come close to covering the entire range of human hearing.

There are other psychoacoustic issues that are problems with Bose speakers. For instance, because the cubes can’t get down deep enough to cover most of the range of men’s voices, they leave the reproduction of men’s voices up to the acoustimass module. But, because these frequencies are as high as they are, they’re localizable, meaning that you’ll hear all the men’s voices in a movie coming from the direction of the acoustimass module.

You can find home theaters in a box that include 5.1 speakers (the .1 being the subwoofer), a DVD player, and a receiver for substantially less than a comparable Bose system, but this system will outperform the Bose system hands down.

Next time you’re at a store that sells Bose, ask to do an A/B comparison. They won’t be able to accommodate your request because Bose won’t let them put their speakers anywhere near a competitor’s product. They don’t want you to hear the difference.

Similarly, with surround systems and their headphones; Had numerous products from competitors and had the same results. Bose produced clarity with deep rich sound.

Take my word, if you’re observant individual and you’ve used different products in the same environment in the past you’re likely to hear the difference (home,car, or elsewhere). On that note, if you think every glass of red wine taste the same, then just purchase the first item nearest the entrance or the most economic because you won’t be able to tell the difference.

E

At the other side, I’d like to reply to another comment made 4 days before “SoundGirl” did.

“if it makes me think it sounds good, then, it sounds good. “, as long as they invent sound-modules, which manipulate us – or even if they don’t – I mean, isn’t it all the same as long as they sound good?

Man, damn – I’m just waiting for something manipulating, since I know – in that case, it’ll has to sound good, right ? Jep.

Bose is overpricing, indeed.
But, wait – aren’t there much other companies, who work 10000% the same way ?

–
For example:
Microsoft Windows 7 will be released in Autumn 2009, guess how much it costs. Got it ?
I don’t think so. It’ll be priced at $700.
You know why ? Because Microsoft thinks, their OS is worth it – I think so, indeed – but compare it to Bose.

Even if they haven’t ever constructed an own system, and even if they used an army of lawyers to get their technologies “patented”, in my opinion, it worth every of my cents, I spent in them.

Truly, I think, I’ll get called a “wannabe” or a “somewhat like a dumb newbie” by someone here – but, it’s also worth it to spread my mind.

Look Bose is like McDonald’s. McDonald’s sells the most Hamburgers. Just not the best.

Their hocuspocus with phycoacoustics is what makes people think they sound good. Get rid of the processing, and Bose has nothing.