I think these speakers are awsome. They have great(outstanding) bass, and a very lifelike midrange and highs. Now, I've listened to my dads $2,500 apeiceJbl studio monitors, and I think that that sound is comparable, but the sound
is not as good as them. Overall they are a great speaker,

I was very interested in the Bose due to what I have heard about them. Had never actually heard them, though. Was at a local audio store and finally got a chance. Was not particularly impressed. Then listened to a Polk Audio system that sold for $300.00 LESS then the Bose system. The Polk system buried them! Not even close. Then listened to a Polk Audio system that sold for $200.00 MORE. These things made the Acoustimass sound like a clock radio. When I make the plunge to "home theater", Acoustimass is history. Polk Audio is the way to go. I've also just purchased a Compaq Presario 200 Mhz MMX Pentium computer. Was looking for some serious speakers. Again was originally interested in the Acoustimass multi-media speaker setup - for only $599.00 - two micro-cubes and a subwoofer. Then listened to the Altec Lansing ACS-500 speaker system - for about half the price of the Bose system. Safe to say, I sit here typing this message listening to the Marshall Tucker Band cranking out of my Altec Lansing speakers. Incredible!

almost invisible, stereo imaging, D/R system

PASSIVE woofer for $600?!?!

I was using Bose 301's as my fronts, and they had treated me well for a while. Recently obtained an awesome Sony ES receiver and Sony DVD carousel, so it was time to buy what I though would be some quality surrounds and some extra bass.

Saw the AM5-III set on sale at Best Buy, so I thought I'd grab the set, along with the Bose VCS-10 center I had been drooling over for a year.

What a mistake. The VCS-10 was paper thin, with no background reproduction or mid-range to speak of (see my review there).

The AM5-III rear dipoles actually weren't that bad. They had crisp, clear sound with great imaging, and almost disappeared in the room, they are so small. Lacking mid-range, however, but that isn't a critical consideration for rears, in my book.

The real problem with these, for me, lies in the amount of money you pay to get a passive subwoofer with measly 5 1/4" speakers to make the boom! For $100 LESS than I spent on the AM5-IIIs, I was able to buy a POWERED, 8" sub from Definitive (awesome for size) AND two Inifinity rears that produce MUCH better highs and mids.

Well, since I did that, I then had to replace my center and fronts! The Bose 301s are semi-retired, and replaced with INCREDIBLE Infinity Overture 2's (got them for a steal at UBID.com) and the VCS-10 (lucky to make it out of my house in one piece) was replaced with the highly-acclaimed Inifinty CC-3 (got for a steal at Mercata.com).

If you are not an audiophile, are looking for a discreet system that no one will see, and like wasting your money, this is the system for you. Otherwise, read the "Hall of Fame" products reviewed here, find ones that sound good for you, then buy them online at a price you can't believe. It will be well worth it.

Similar Products Used:

Infinity, JBL

BOSE badly overadvertized sickly earingers you could do mutch better for less a perfect exsample of good advertising and poor workmanship

I have been working with Bose speakers for over a year. Listening to speakers is somewhat subjective, therefore I will focus my review on the objective qualities of Bose. The Acoustamass speakers certainly are not linear, acurate, or natural, however not everyone wants these qualities. The more disturbing weakness of these speakers is the horrible build quality. I recently discovered the crossover in the bass module, THERE IS NONE! There isn't even a high or low pass in the bose AM speakers. Therefore the "bass module" is attempting to play full range and creating loads of distortion in the process. Similarly the two and a half inch cones in the cubes are trying to play deep bass. The materials used to build the speakers are the cheapest Bose could find. All the baskets are stamped the cabinets are light and resonant. Certainly most other speakers are a better value simply because of build materials. I will give Dr. Amar Bose credit for one thing, he has made millions by marketing some of the worst crap on the market.

Veeeeeeerrrrrrrryyyyyyyyy Poooooooooorrrrr.They sound like you speaking with your hand over your mouth.
Besides, they are HIGHLY OVER PRICED!
For the same amount, I could have got myself a pair of Definitive BP8B and still have enough change to get myself a pair of AQ Indigo 8' pair.
Boy and they sure sound much better than BOSE

Maybe I'm bias towards my own system but for $799, you have to be much smarter to get anything but BOSE for yourself. :-)

It's time to move on to another speaker for review. Most people feel the Bose AM-5's are not very good. Bose does have some good sounding speakers, (the
901's for example) but these are not one of them.

I used to sell these while I was working through college. They sound greatuntil you put them next to a decent speaker. They have absolutely no midrange.
For TV and movies they are adequate, and if space is at a premium I guess
they'll do, but to be honest I'd get separates made by someone else. These,
like all other Bose products, are more hype and marketing than substance. If
you've got a tin ear and like the gee-whiz factor of Bose stuff you'll love
them. If you can actually hear a plane taking off over your house you'll find
them lacking.

I listened to these hooked up to a Harmon-Kardan receiver in a listening room. If they were about 80% cheaper I would have said "Hey, that's pretty good!". They aren't.

uhh yeah

well, let's see here...

A brief Bose dissertation...
A long,long time ago (approximately 1968), Dr. AMAR Bose went "tripping" into an audio store for speakers when he had a startling revelation. "Wow...all these big speakers sound so good, but cost so much! What if I invent a speaker using the world's cheapest, crappiest parts, but do some research in the field of psychoacoustics (the study of human hearing trickery) to fool the vast majority of the ignorant, American-Pie public into thinking they're hearing something that sounds good!?!" Then AMAR thought a little bit more... "Yes, Yes I will do some very limited research on this stuff, and then run off to radio shack and buy some cheap drivers, yes, yes." He then tripped back out of the audio salon, and had another revelation: After putting his speakers into nifty little cardboard boxes with veneer on them for designer imposter styling, and if he could fool all the rich wannabies into thinking they had a good piece of...speaker, he could then charge absorbitant amounts for it also. Over the years, AMAR did very well in marketing his noise emitting apparati, and if anyone ever tried to bring out the truth, he would stomp on them with more clever marketing such as: We do not release the frequency responses of our speakers, because good sound is in the eye of the beholder(with his head in a washermachine) or BOSE: Better sound through (1 year of) research (and thirty years of brainwashing akin to that of 1984). Anyway, you get the idea. I am trying to reiterate some of these important points due to the rash of recent posts on this site so more consumers do not fall for the trap.

Remember: 1. Attenuators only hide the true nature of music. They bring out a few of the frequencies the hman ear likes at first, but extended listening causes fatigue but more importantly, a realization that the original recording is skewed by the EVIL BOSE SCIENTISTS!!!!(This is much like those who hide their short comings until they are married and it is too late!) Speaking of hiding, anyone who has sat through an "unveil" at one of those fancy BOSE outlets, has been thesubject of an evil brainwashing technique employed by the Bose MINIONS
2. Thanks to mother nature, the law of physics states that 2.5 inch drivers cannot reproduce bass---try turning up that cheap boombox in your gargae to full volume and see what you get. Bose does not work miracles--not even with the thud box--it only has one or two 5.25 inch "bass drivers" similar to an old Aiwa minisystem that convulses on low notes in my basement.

3. Anything over 90 hz is pretty directional--so why does Bose let their thud module reproduce sounds up to 210 hz??? Uh-oh--you're getting it now---yes--to make up for those bass deficiencies that were in your boom box in your garage. What does that mean to you??? Well, everytime someone talks on screen, you will be looking at that cute, little thud module on the floor instead of your screen instead or a center channel speaker depending on what AM system you own.

4. Bose says paper has the most natural reproduction of any material. Wrong--Bose uses paper because it is the cheapest and keeps their margins HIGHER THAN ANY AUDIO COMPANY.

5. Bose Speakers are indistructible!!!--heheh. Well, if that is so, why do the foam surrounds rot in five years, and why does Bose warn us not to plug those fabulous little furninture cubes into the receiver without running a crossover through the thud box???!!!

In my humble opinion, I have listened to many speakers for many hours: so many that I can pick out every little flaw, and coloration with ease. Please also consider my musical background--I have played sax most of my life, and I am the discerning type who will shake their head everytime they hear a mistake played at a live concert. With this in mind, through my friends at the audio stores and my own employment, discounts have made money no object when purchasing speakers, so I don't have to own these things to review them. I have listened to these things more than most people who own them including at my girl friend's house whose mother is proud of her Bose Systems. I had the displeasure of watching a movie on these things, and it was then that I made my final decision: That i felt sorry that my girlfriend's mother ever wasteed the money on BOSE. I will never tell her that, though. She is too proud of her "investment" and would probably kick me out of the house and banish me from seeing her daughter FOREVER. (Sound like a familiar situation with all those jaded reviewers and their five stars?) Well, thank you for your time...

AVOID THESE AND ALL BOSE SPEAKERS LIKE THE BLACK DEATH--IF YOU ALREADY HAPPEN TO OWN SOME, WELL OF COURSE YOU ARE PUKING IN DISGUST, BUT IF YOU ARE STILL READING,THOUGH , THE THUD BOX WILL LOOK HANDSOME AS A BIRD HOUSE FOR FLUFFY THE LOVE BIRD TO DO HIS THING IN.

Similar Products Used:

eveything---i work for a major retailer and also have friends in al the other mass market stores and high end stores