Bose Companion 5 Multimedia Speaker System - Graphite/Silver by BOSE
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Digital camera reviews of Bose Companion 5 Multimedia Speaker System - Graphite/Silver
Digital camera Review: Did not like the sound with my music
Summary: 2 Stars
I have a Bose Companion 3 (the original, not series II). Mostly what I use them for is listening to music on iTunes from my Mac laptop while I work on the computer in my office. Most of my iTunes music is 128 kbps bit rate, so we're not talking hi fidelity here. When I want real high-fidelity, I listen to a CD on my home entertainment system. I have been VERY happy with the Companion 3's with this set-up.
A couple of weeks ago I was in the market for another powered speaker system for my bedroom (again, high fidelity was not the goal). I learned that this was the last day of a 10% off sale at Bose, so I ran over to the Bose store intending to get another Bose Companion 3. When I got there, I learned of the Companion 5's. The salesman was very upfront, he told me that the sound quality was going to be similar to the Companion 3's, but the extra cost was mostly for the expanded sound that would occur with DVDs and games using the USB output on my laptop. I reasoned that the digital-to-analog converters in this expensive speaker system were likely to be better than that in my Mac laptop, using the speaker output connection. I listened to them in the store, and they sounded fine. So I spent the extra money and got the Companion 5's. Part of the decision was made by the way the speaker stands would work in my set-up.
When I got home and fired up the Companion 5's, I couldn't believe my ears. The only way I can describe the sound was "muddy" when listening to music from iTunes. I played the track that sold me on the Companion 3's in the first place, Greg Brown's "Blues Go Walking". Terrible, I could hardly hear the vocals. I played around with all the equalizer settings, including turning the equalizer off (as the very unhelpful Bose online Companion 5 owner's page suggested). I even tried using the old miniature speaker output on my Mac connected to the auxilliary input that Bose nicely includes on their volume control puck - no difference. When I played a DVD through the companion 5's, it seemed to sound fine - I was under the impression that it sounded better than the music from iTunes, but I did not spend a lot of time trying to verify this. The only thing that seemed to help the music was attenuating the lower fequencies on the equalizer setting. I tried to force myself to like the result, I wanted to keep these speakers! But then I reconnected my Companion 3's, and got the same sound that I had been happy with all along, much better than the Companion 5's. So the next day I packed up my 5's and returned them to the Bose store. I asked them if I could still get the Companion 3's at the sale price, which is was I went out to the store to get in the first place the day before. They told me the sale had ended, and in no uncertain terms, "no can do." So, having been through this dissapointing experience and wasting my time trucking back to the store a second time, I just gave up on the whole endeavor (who knows, maybe they did the same thing to the Companion 3 series II speakers, and then I'd have to bring those back as well).
Digital camera Review: Does not work with docking station
Summary: 1 Stars
These speakers do not work with the laptop I have. More specifically a Dell latitude D410 with docking station. it works with the just the laptop, but not through the docking station.....whacked!!!!!! So I dont know what they sound like yet???? beware that they have bugs!!!!Digital camera Review: Don't Listen to Naysayers!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I actually bought this system direct from Bose .... and I was not disappointed. Turn off any kind of sound enhancement etc settings on your computer before listening to this system. The sound is AWESOME. And YES just as good as in the Bose store. Music does not sound tinny! Maybe other reviewers aren't properly setting this system up, or did not turn off the computers sound settings/enhancements. The sounds is amazing for music AND movies. worth the $$$ I got it for $359. enjoy :-)))Digital camera Review: Don't know why I waited so long
Summary: 5 Stars
I resisted getting computer speakers for a long time, but finally when a new monitor had barely audible sound, I broke down and bought these. Wow, so much more and better than I was expecting. My husband is a complete analog geek and will only listen to CD and vinyl, but he said he would actually consider listening to iTunes now because of how good this sounds. I think I had had $99 computer speakers once that went into a box during a move and I never bothered unpacking them, so I was expecting only a slight upgrade from those. I also had the old Bose Acoustimass system for a stereo once and was never much impressed with it, I think it's in the basement storage now. For these, in the same room, they are comparable with our stereo system and slightly less so from another room. I'm going to get a pair of these for my new office and also am seriously considering an upgrade in headphones as well. I'm a believer.Digital camera Review: Easily the worst piece of consumer electronics that I've ever owned
Summary: 1 Stars
I bought these speakers with high expectations - they are on the pricey side for PC speakers, but Bose have a great name for audio quality, which is what I was looking for.
First things first, when they work, they are a pretty amazing set of speakers, virtual surround that actually works and superbly metered sound, from games, video, and music. Even playing an older game like Civ III with basic music, I was hearing nuances that I'd never noticed before. I didn't find them good at representing multi channel sound (5.1 inputs like you might get on DVD or Blu-ray), but they were very good taking a stereo input source and reproducing it well. Not true audiophile speakers, but they're a $400 part, not a multi thousand dollar sound system.
On the down side, they work about 20% of the time. Any by "work", I mean produce any sound at all.
From the first day I got them, there was an odd tendency for the speakers to go into standby mode while in use - didn't seem to matter if it was over the USB audio connection or the 3.5mm plug.
Over the next month or so this got progressively worse, requiring powering off the speakers for 5 minutes or so before I could make them work; to the point today where it's completely random whether I can make them work on any given occasion.
The USB audio connection 'seemed' less reliable than the 3.5mm aux feed, and after a time I switched my PC to connect through the aux plug - that bought me a few days reprieve but now neither work.
I did talk to the guys at a local Bose store, and while they were pleasant and sympathetic, and offered some good tips (like switch from USB to 3.5mm), because I didn't buy direct from Bose they couldn't really help. The big box store I bought them from wasn't remotely interested in any tech support as I didn't go back until after their warranty period.
I'm sure other people may have fantastic experiences with this product, and I probably just got the one in a thousand (or whatever) that work poorly. However, based on my experience, these speakers are awful, and you should stay away from them. I replaced them with the $25 set that came with the PC. The cheap speakers may not make good quality noise...but at least they make noise consistently.
Caveat Emptor