[macaw]

A receiver is not a good option for my bedroom - I just want to amplify the speaker-outs on the TV with a good 2.1 setup... I'm under strict orders from my wife to "not have a bunch of ugly electronics in the bedroom." I'm sure the Bose is quite nice but I don't want to spend that much. Ideas?


TV is a 42" Sharp LCD so it needs to not look hideous with that.

 

[Nelson9937955]



Quote:
Originally Posted by macaw /forum/post/12951856


A receiver is not a good option for my bedroom - I just want to amplify the speaker-outs on the TV with a good 2.1 setup... I'm under strict orders from my wife to "not have a bunch of ugly electronics in the bedroom." I'm sure the Bose is quite nice but I don't want to spend that much. Ideas?


TV is a 42" Sharp LCD so it needs to not look hideous with that.

There are MANY alternatives to that POS. Search that model here and see what kind of negative stuff you see.


As far as much better and cheaper options:


Binaura B102 or bB202 ....check ebay

Zvox mini, 315 or 325

 

[porsche951]

To surpass the Bose, you will need at least a couple of cans and some string...

 

[phoenix79]



Quote:
Originally Posted by porsche951 /forum/post/12952163


To surpass the Bose, you will need at least a couple of cans and some string...

While this is a big exaggeration, porsche isn't far off when it comes to the cinimate. I don't know why Bose ever released this item, but it is as bad as a sony htib but without any digital audio connections found on everything else released to the market. Please avoid the cinimate.

 

[BuffaloJim]

I'm generally a Bose fan, but I have to agree on the CineMate. There are many, many better alternatives. Take a look at the Binaura B202, especially on ebay. This should be much better than the Cinemate. I have the B102 and have been reasonably happy with it, although it seems to be finally on the fritz after 2 years of use. Many of these had capacitor problems after awhile. Mine might as well, but I haven't investigated it yet.


Jim

 

[blake18]



Quote:
Originally Posted by porsche951 /forum/post/12952163


To surpass the Bose, you will need at least a couple of cans and some string...

LMFAO! So true.

 

[blake18]



Quote:
Originally Posted by BuffaloJim /forum/post/12961921

I'm generally a Bose fan, but I have to agree on the CineMate. There are many, many better alternatives. Take a look at the Binaura B202, especially on ebay. This should be much better than the Cinemate. I have the B102 and have been reasonably happy with it, although it seems to be finally on the fritz after 2 years of use. Many of these had capacitor problems after awhile. Mine might as well, but I haven't investigated it yet.


Jim

Why, exactly...?

 

[davyo]

As a fan and forum defender of many Bose products I must say the CineMate does suck.

The 321 GS systems and the LifeStyle systems are very good sounding systems (in my opinion) but the CineMate,, stay far away, they are just pure crap.


Might I suggest a Bose 321 or even better yet check out the Yamaha YSP systems.

The YSP's are the best of all the 2.1 type surround systems.


Cheers

Davyo

 

[porsche951]



Quote:
Originally Posted by davyo /forum/post/13014471


As a fan and forum defender of many Bose products I must say the CineMate does suck.

The 321 GS systems and the LifeStyle systems are very good sounding systems (in my opinion) but the CineMate,, stay far away, they are just pure crap.


Might I suggest a Bose 321 or even better yet check out the Yamaha YSP systems.

The YSP's are the best of all the 2.1 type surround systems.


Cheers

Davyo

If Davyo says a Bose system sucks, it must really suck!

 

[BuffaloJim]



Quote:
Why, exactly...?

A Bose fan?


Because:


Nothing is easier for the average technophobe to hook up.


More than acceptable sound.


Absolutely fantastic resale value, far better than anything in its price range.


Good looking, especially when it comes with tiny speakers that disappear in a room and keep your significant other happy.


Excellent customer service - and it's geared to the average person, not an engineer.


The best reason though is the first. It's simply very easy for the average person to get pretty good sound out of a Bose system. Other manufacturer's products are far too complicated and their manuals are written in hieroglyphics.


Jim

 

[porsche951]

"The best reason though is the first. It's simply very easy for the average person to get pretty good sound out of a Bose system. Other manufacturer's products are far too complicated and their manuals are written in hieroglyphics." For some people, mediocre sound quality is not good enough. Anyone who can't figure out how to set up a surround sound system deserves Bose.

 

[BuffaloJim]



Quote:
For some people, mediocre sound quality is not good enough. Anyone who can't figure out how to set up a surround sound system deserves Bose.

That very well might be true, but you'd be surprised by the number of incorrectly set up systems. Here's a former post of mine:

Quote:
It's true that you can get as good or better sound for less money than Bose charges. But what you won't get is a system that will produce decent sound as easily as the Bose will. I'm always shocked at the number of reasonably intelligent people that are incapable of correctly hooking up an AV system. The number one problem is hooking speakers up out of phase. This does not happen with Bose systems. "Out of Phase?", some people ask, "I don't even know what that means." These are the people Bose systems were meant for. Decent sound. Easy to set up.

 

[porsche951]



Quote:
Originally Posted by BuffaloJim /forum/post/13026740


That very well might be true, but you'd be surprised by the number of incorrectly set up systems. Here's a former post of mine:

That is sad, but true...