If I had to spend $250, should I get Bose or Polk?

With the reputation Bose has on this forum, I don't think you'll find many here willing to do this. Pretty much everyone is going to tell you to avoid Bose like the plague, because, to be blunt, Bose is not awesome. Here's a good write-up explaining why.

What model are the Polks you already have?

Polk definitely.

Why not get some better main speakers and for go the sub? You say your present polks lack highs, so why not look for better main speakers that you like and avoid the Bose catastrophe. You can find many better bookshelf speakers that will have much cleaner sound output than Bose and have a much greater range of sound from them. My parents have a 3-2-1 and I played a frequency response test through it and the sattelites are cut off around the 200 hz level, which means you have some vocals coming out of the bass module, which can be annoying when it is no where near the other speakers.

Fry's currently has the Infinity Primus P362 for $120 each if you're open to looking into another brand.

I would seriously consider the PSB Alpha B1 loudspeaker. You can find them all over the place for just a little above your price range.

A major step up in SQ from what your looking at so far. Goggle for info.

Big reason ? More like a big crock of bs reason.

The reason is that a Marketing company has been able to pass itself off as a speaker manufacturer.

5.1 from 2 speakers, sheesh.

How about an Energy speaker setup -
1 pair of C-50 bookshelf speakers and either an ESW-10 or ESW-8 for a subwoofer. Would run you between $230 and $260.
http://www.wwstereo.com/#/ecommerce/..._84__0_0_0_-1/

You still here eh?

Do you really think Bose can offer what no other company has been able to emulate? 5.1 with only a 2.1 system? Makes me wonder why I've bothered to buy the 6 speakers I have if I could have done it with only 3.

Waiting for someone to tell you the Bose system you want to buy is everything you say it is and more? Find a Bose run forum and you'll get to hear those words. You won't find them here. There are few here that think Bose are anything more than a marketing company. You know, like the Gunther Renky(SIC?) commercials you see in the middle of the night selling pimple solutions.

But I guess the links I and others provided hasn't swayed your opinion about this company that peddles $200 (if that) worth the paper cone speakers in plastic housings in a $1200 package. The profit margin must be stupendous. The sound certainly isn't.

Why don't you just pull the trigger and get those Bose you think are so awesome? You sound like you are a big Bose fanboy.

Oh, one other thing, how about letting us know how you plan on hooking the Bose Companion to the Kenwood receiver.

We'd all like to know. The Kenwood does not have preouts and the Bose is self powered.

There's no such thing as "5.1 sound with only 2 speakers". Some speaker setups with the right sound processing can somewhat emulate surround sound, but the only way to get 5.1 sound is from a 5.1 setup. I would hold a lot higher opinion of Bose if they sold their products for what they're actually worth, which is probably around 20% of MSRP. Not only are their speakers of "questionable" design and build quality, but their electronics aren't anything spectacular either. To my knowledge (and I hope someone will correct me if I'm wrong), you have no support for lossless blu-ray audio with their $1000+ systems yet. No Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD Master Audio. I'm not sure about multichannel LPCM, but I would be surprised if it's supported. To sum up, Bose is nothing more than a very over-priced, entry-level, budget-quality HTiB system, IMO.

And some would say to you that you may be too ignorant to accept the advice of people here trying to tell you, that the Bose you covet are overpriced for what they deliver. Accept the advice and make your pick but don't continue to convince everyone else that Bose are the be all and end all of low priced consumer speakers. They are not.

Can you understand that?

If you think they sound good, its your money. Nobody is going to prevent you from buying what you want, however, its you that came here asking for advice. You have that advice. It wasn't what you wanted to hear, too bad. Enough advice to make up your mind unless you are so dense as not to understand plain English.

A fanboy is one who, in the face of overwhelming advice to the contrary continues to convince anyone who will listen that 'X brand is the best bang for the buck'.

You sound like a Bose fanboy.

I told you up in the very first response to this thread that you won't find much love for Bose here. I didn't realize until a few minutes ago that you had 2 threads going on essentially the same subject. Anyway, like many others have said, it's your money, buy whatever makes you happy. If you think the Bose sounds great, then go for it. Monster sells some great cables that would really go well with a Bose system. LOL

Choose what you like and enjoy it.

The issue though, especially with Bose involved, is knowledge, acceptance/assumption, and perception.

Many people do not know what a proper audio system should sound like, they assume that if it is loud and thumps that equates to hi-fi. Unfortunately, that is a misconception that is difficult to change if the individual does not have the proper mindset.

Those I categorize as more mindful may be open to realize and learn with a good demonstration of what a hi-fi system actually sounds like and in turn appreciate it. However many folks simply assume if something is marketed repeatedly and relentless it must be good. Kind of like buying bottled water because supposedly it is cleaner and is of a higher quality H2O, in reality most companies source is the same as your tap.
Perception due to marketing made/make people believe that bottled water was superior to the drinking fountain where in actuality the fountain can have cleaner water.

If you really love the 'clean' look of Bose and find that it sounds fine to you asking folks hear is only going to frustrate you. I do not have a perfect knowledge of audio field but in my studies and pursuit of understanding of the subject I know that Bose is a company that offers superior marketing for substandard audio quality. Especially for the prices that they demand. -For years they have practiced very strict pricing structure Minimum Retail Price, aka Maximum Ridiculous Pricing.

Frankly the $300 panasonic 5.1 system's audio quality is as nice if not better than the Bose $2,000 5.1 system.
You pay a hefty premium for their form over function but if you like it go with it.

Now enjoy your current somewhat Frankensteinish sound system.

My vote is the Polk.

Best Regards
KvE

If I had a nickel for everyone who just hooked up Bose and it sounded great and that made it all ok.

Although you may have your mind set, I personally think bose highs are a bit too high. If I were you I would let my ears tell me whats best for me. The best reasonably priced high end sound I heard was Klipsh. They are little pricey for a budget system but they sure rock my home theater. Good luck

get another set of Polks and move the ones you have to the rear if they aren't to your liking and get a sub and I think you will like true 5.1 much better than simulated. It should say on the back which ones you have, btw.