Good sound for a teensy all-in-one box that looks nice.

Monstrously overpriced.

I, thankfully, did not purchase this item. It was intoduced to me by a friend who appears to have been brainwashed by thier infomercial. Now, if this were a $200 "boom box" I wouldn't complain, the sound is lively albeit not particularly accurate. But $1000? Unbelievably overpriced comes to mind. I has no midrange, wild peaks across the frequency spectrum which I can only imagine are due to the plastic box it comes in. Little power, no stereo separation or imaging. Considering thier advertising is entirely based around the bass "acoustic wave" system, you'd think it'd at least have OK bass. This is sadly not the case. I recommend you purchase a low-priced "audiophile" bookshelf system like the PSB Alpha ($200) set and a reciever or stereo amp. You'll be more happy in the end, and it won't take up all that much more space. But if you do buy this, please don't tell anyone how great this patented "acoustic wave" technology is. Its just a transmission line, and not a very good one at that. Just bite your lip and deal with the fact that you just got ripped off.

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I haven't used any "boom box" this expensive before.

Reproduces music very accurately. Simple to use. Neat design and shape. Plenty of room for improvements. The AW needs to upgraded for the new developing technologies; flat screen displays, DVD, MP3, ...

Well the AW has room for improvement. Top side controls for audio equipment ended in the mid 70's. Front panel display and controls would be nice. Make the CD player compatiable for MP3s. Better, have a DVD/CD/MP3 player with a 14/15" front display like a computer screen on a notebook up front to watch movies or videos. This would be placed in front of the curve fascia. This can replace the electronic mechanical levers and switches and make them software display buttons like touch screen technology. An indicator on the front to tell you if it is "on" like a red LED inside of that little window for the remote sensor pickup. This only takes a resistor and LED. Get ride of the pedestal and design a 3 CD cartridge CD player or mini-disc player option and/or front display with control knobs or levers. The credit card size remote can go! A remote control with rubber buttons. Red LED display instead of the green display. Longer warranty. Yeah, one year is minimum but if you are going to be a leader in the industry, how about a 3 or 5 year warranty parts and labor.

I listened to the BOSE infomercial several times and read all I could about the AW. But reading about did not tell me how it sounded. So I took BOSE up on their 30 day free trail offer. After I opened the box and hooked it up they had a AW sampler to listen to. I didn't want my decision to be based on their sampler CD but what I listen to. The CD that made me decide to purchase the AW was recorded in a studio in New York, March 2,1959. Cleaned up onto CD is, Miles Davis Kind of Blue. I felt that I was sitting next to Miles Davis in the studio! It sounded great! The AW is not a stereo like the old Marantz units. It is not a surround sound receiver like the 5.1/6.2 like in a movie theater (which is made up sound like a door closing and swords swooching). It is not quad receiver either. The AW is not boombox that's going to viberate your rear view mirror or push out 2000 watts either! But what the AW is is an electronic sound reproduction unit that sounds almost like the actual instrument. The AW uses reflected acoustic waves to reproduce itself. A better analogy of the AW would be like a hair with a split end. The left side of the hair is what the actual instrument acoustics and the right side of the hair is the AW sound. That's how close it reproduces music. You have to also understand how the CD is recorded. If it was recorded live in a studio or in a concert hall. You have that element of atmosphere, like a jazz club, concert hall, or orchestra hall. The AW will reproduce this sound very accurately. Where as if it was recorded directly from the actual instrument like a 200Hz signal front a base guitar, you don't have that element of atmosphere present. You will just get a 200Hz sound signal. Now if the microphone was placed in front of the strings you will have that element of atmosphere. If you listen to jazz, instrumental or orchestra music, this is a wonderful unit. To fully appreciate the AW you have to have that ear for music. Especially if you played a musical instrument before, you'll understand. If your planning on buying one, tell the customer service rep that you want some CD samplers to go with it as a deal to buy. My purchase price was $1079 with pedestal, 10 CD BOSE samplers and leather CD carrying case.

Quality and presence in the sound.

Price and programming flexibility - single CD player.

I bought a used Acoustic Wave Radio/CD from ebay. I had every intention of reselling it to make a few $$. Once I got it and fired it up I was immediately impressed by the qulaity of sound this unit produces. It's staying! I brought it to my folks house and now they want me to get them one as well. It is pricey but there are deals to be had out there. You don't have to pay full price to enjoy it's wonderful sound.

Compact size, ease of use. I'm not an audiophile, but it sounds okay, but not a whole lot better than the Altec-Lansing computer speakers I have.

Unit isn't programmable - can't play only the tracks you want in advace. Whoppingly huge cost, unless you have some sort of major discount.

I happened to have a $900 gift certificate for the Sharper Image that I acquired for absolutely nothing, so I figured I'd blow it on a small audio system. I guess I could have used it to get a couple of cheaper items, but most of the stuff they sell isn't worth it anyway.

1.Great sound 2.Portability

1. Price 2. Wish it had a clock and timer, or at least a timer for auto shutoff.

I was looking for a great portable stereo/"boom box" to take with me on trips. I decided to spring for the $1100, and I can say that I am very pleased with this unit. I own a great home theatre system, so I was not expecting this unit to challenge the sound of a $12,000 system, but to fill a room with beautiful sound, the Bose Acoustic Wave System does the job. I have also used it in a very large and noisy convention hall, and this unit had the punch to deliver great sounds.

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Sony CFD-370 Stereo CD/AM/FM "boombox" (no comparison)

Size,Sound,Ease of use.

Price but if you are reading these reviews you probably have the money to burn anyway.

Just a voice of reason. Everyone wants compare this unit to a (high-end) audiophile system and it is not designed to do that. It is designed to be the best sounding compact system around and it does that perfectly. Why does every Bose basher compare it to their component system at home. No matter what system you have it can't be compared to this unit because the Acoustic Wave System is in a class by of its own. Give it a fair shake by comparing it to a bookshelf system of its same size and it will win hands down every time. Sure I could purchase a set of cheapo Sony floor speaker and receiver and get more voume and a little more bass from that setup but I can't carry the Sony to any room in my house,take it outside for a cookout, or put it on the kitchen counter for my wife while she makes a great dinner. The Bose is made to produce great sound in a small portable package and not to be a component system killer. It is not designed to be used as a home theater alternative. It is not going to give you as a previous poster said "chest thumping bass". Go buy a powered sub and sit on it all night if you need that. I don't. I needed a small portable system that sounded great and I did not care what it cost as long as it met my expectations. I found that in the Bose and that does not make me a brained washed,zit faced, Alabama backwoods, rednecked hillbilly who has no taste. To insult someone because they made a purchase they are happy with is ridiculous. I just can't believe how terribly nasty some the the reviewers are over the Bose products. If you don't like something then don't buy it but it is never ok to trash someone over whether or not they like a particular product. They purchased it and like it and that is all that matters. I love my Bose system and that is what matters to me. It is not a home theater or rack system. It is a small tabletop system that can be moved anytime and anywhere and it produces the best sound for anything its size and no one can argue that!!

better then some basic entry level hi-fi and home studio gear on the same range price. Takes one of the veils off your perception.

Not real hi-fi but will make you aware that you want to improve on how you listen. Bear in mind that big speaker or even stand mounts are very easily wasted in rooms that cannot take too much "sound".

BOSE WAWE RADIO The acoustic of your room and the placement of the speaker is almost more important than the system itself. It sounded better than equivalent costing speakers and amp in small and medium size rooms. I wouldn't reccomend spendin money for it unless you only have a small room. THE REAL TEST OF SOUND IS NOT WHEN YOU TURN UP VOLUME BUT WHEN YOU TURN IT LOW.

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Mordaunt Short speaker (about 1998 model standmount), Technics SUV4x amp.

Portability, small size

Let's be realistic--how amazing could the sound be from two little speakers shoved together in a small plastic box? Will the bass be tight, dynamic, and thumping? Will the mids pierce your chest with realism and depth? Will the highs be accurate, detailed, and transparent? Will the soundstage be separated and true to the recording? Oh? What's that you say? No one expects this little system to do all that? FOR THIS MUCH MONEY IT DAMN WELL SHOULD DO THIS STUFF, OR AT LEAST TRY WITH ALL IT'S MIGHT, AND THERE'S NO WAY THIS SYSTEM COULD TRY!

HEY! I've got an answer to the guy below me (the last reviewer)...why do all the owners of this product love it and all the people that don't own it hate it? Not because those that don't own it are jealous, thieving, stinking lower-class punks, but how about BECAUSE ANYONE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BUY THIS PRODUCT HAS BEEN SUCESSFULLY BRAINWASHED BY ONE OF THE MOST ACHIEVED ADVERTISERS IN THE WORLD OF AUDIO AND WOULD JUST HATE TO ADMIT THEY JUST FLUSHED OVER $1000 DOWN THE TOILET FOR CRAP! I know, once you've been suckered into buying this through late-night infomercial and the zit-faced, moronic teenagers that work at Best Buy that know as much about audio as an infant, you feel really crappy, and you just don't want to admit you got screwed by a dishonest, low-quality company. People that don't have this system aren't owners not because they can't afford it and are just jealous--they don't own it because they are smart, careful buyers that audition, read about, and research a product before they buy it! The only people who hate Bose are people that know more-than-average about audio and want to help out those poor souls who are drowning in Bose propaganda. Bose over-charges, uses terrible materials, and most-importantly, couldn't care less about their fans. Those that just love Bose need to move past your local Alabama Circuit City or Best Buy and learn about higher-end audio, where you pay more not for crap, but for quality. Sorry I had to be the realistic, un-effected conscience for all you brainwashed Bose army commanders! So, ok, this system is great for it's size--WHAT ABOUT THE FREAKING PRICE???@!!!! If you can afford this, do some research and learn of all the things you are missing out on for LESS MONEY!

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Klipsch, Bose, Wharfedale, Paradigm, etc.

Size and sound. The wow factor first time listeners experience.

Expensive but if your considering the purchase you won't regret it.

Wow what an amazing system. Oh, wait a minute I forgot this can't be an amazing system because it is made by Bose. I guess I will have to go wait in line with all of the other Bose bashers and submit my review when they are done casting their bad reviews on a system that they will never be able to afford. Why do people continue to buy Bose products. Simple because they sound great PERIOD!!!! Are they over priced? ABSOLUTELY!!! So why did I buy it then? Because never in my 28 years in the music industry I have never heard such an amazing sound from such a small unit. It was purchased by me for me because I enjoy music and because I can afford it. But if I could not afford it then I certainly would not post a negative review out of envy. That has to be the reason for all of the differing arguments. How could so many people love this (all owners I might add) and so many people absolutely despise it. How can anyone submit a review without owning and living with this system for awhile. There is no system of this size and price anywhere in the world that can produce the same smile on my face everytime I hear it. I know this because I have looked world-wide for such a system. I don't consider myself to be an audiophile but I do love and appreciate music as it was intended to be heard and I do that everyday with the Acoustic Wave Music System. I can hear the rumblings now. Here comes the whole legion of Bose haters to kick down my door,setup their racks of components,run the wiring through my house,pre-program the system,get out their spl meters,run their setup disks,fly in their acoustic Ghandi to bless their setup,and then ask to compare their system to mine. Only a fool would step up to a challenge like that. I am sure that setup would lift my house from its very foundation and spin it around like a basketball on the tip of Michael Jordans finger but I don't need or have time for that. I want pure,clean,satisfying sound that doesn't require a degree to operate. So go ahead bash away all haters but I have and always will enjoy and love the biggest and best name in the audio industry. Thanks Bose for a beautiful product that makes me happy. I love it!!!!!

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Bose Wave Radio. Bose Acoustimass home theater system with Yamaha components.

great sound with virtually no distorion even at high levels of play. Price, never got something for this price that played this well

This is honestly the best minisystem I have ever heard. I have never scene something so small produce so much sound and with this much clarity. I bought around 20 of these and would like to sell 19 of them new for $920 a piece including shipping. these are sold at Bose for $1079+ tax.(with tax almost $1200) if You are interested email me at mjjd20@aol.com

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Sony, JVC, Blaupunkt, Infinity, Pioneer