i own a set of the AM-7 and i tell you they sound excellent....let us remember that numbers dont tell the quality of sound..but your ears..if they sound good to you and you are satisfied...good for you! dont cry if they dont sound good to you...check your hearing ..maybe thats whas your problem folks......i run these babies with amy newly aquired DENON 5700 DTS and they rock...go with your hhearing and not what numbers tell you ..thats why BOSE refuse to post their figures..so that you dont get cut up in the numbers game...have fun...give it a try and if any of you live in southern californai..let me know and you can come and audition these your selves...and please bring your speakers so we can compare and maybe we might put yours in a yard sale and purchase a set of these rocking babies.....

NONE

They are Bose

I have the rare luxury of working for a high-end home audio and custom theater business in the Rocky Mountain region. We often get people who come in to one off the retail stores who have already shopped all of the retail giants. For this purpose we have a complete Acoustimass setup in one of our listening rooms for comparison. After listening to the Bose side by side with a "real" set of speakers, the choice is often very easy for people to make. Yes, Bose sound great compared to the $400 set of boomy Cerwin Vegas. They can not however, even touch the sound quality and accuracy of a "low-end" B&W speaker, such as the DM series. By the way, you can build an entire DM home theater system for well under $2000. Do yourself a favor, don't shop for your stereo or home theater equipment in a store where you can also buy shoes, dog food, and plumbing supplies. Go to an audio shop and look at all of the options; your ears will thank you.

small?

sound quality, materials, price

Tony from CA:
Like you, I used the Acoustimass 7 in a pro-logic system for several years (with a very nice Yamaha receiver). Yes, they sounded OK. However, when I switched to Dolby Digital (Outlaw Model 1050), they did not sound better. They sounded significantly worse. The Acoustimass line has significant weaknesses in its design. The more demanded nature of DD soundtracks drove that point home far more aggressively than pro-logic ever had. It was really very noticeable, even in a configuration similar to yours (speakers on stands ~48" or 52" off the floor, sub oriented along the side of the entertainment center and oriented along the wall with the port firing along the wall and a couple of feet from a corner). Bass was not entirely lacking, but it was weak (we'll call it thready -- there just wasn't much presence) and the highs felt very lacking. It only got worse when I started auditioning new speakers (Paradigm Studio 60's won, but I listened to lower-end Paradigms that are in the same price range as the Bose cubes, and the difference was night and day).

There are a lot of reviews here that blindly bash Bose, many of them written by people with drastically more expensive speakers. But there are also a lot of reviews that point to similarly-priced speakers that provide much better sound. Having used the Acoustimass 7 for four years and then upgrading, I can confirm that those reviewers are making a very valid point. Also, if you choose to upgrade to Dolby Digital (and I recommend both Yamaha and Outlaw very highly for economical and good-quality receivers if you choose to replace your Sony), don't be surprised if the Bose begin to *really* show their weaknesses.

Similar Products Used:

generic bookshelf speakers, Bose Model 100, Paradigm Reference Studio/60

Small Size

Weak Sound&Bass, Poor Tonal Balance

I was first interested in these speakers because of their size, but when I went to audition these speakers, I was thoroughly disappointed. The expensive price do not justify the extremely poor sound these little cubes produce. Weak bass and poor tonal balance are all I heard. The Cambridge SoundWorks Ensemble are about half the price and 20X better in sound and build quality.

Similar Products Used:

Cambridge Sound Works Ensemble, Klipsch, Energy

Crystal clear highs and lows with deep bass

None

In response to some of the other reviewers, I didn't buy these speakers because they are cute or compact but that they provide excellent quality sound for the price. Of course, you could spend a fortune for speakers which only proves how much money you have and not necessarily your audio intelligence. I'm very surprised to see complaints that this system provides no bass. Obviously these
"experts" failed to position the bass module in the correct direction. The hole on the module must be placed approx. 3 inches from the wall. Since the module is omnidirectional, it doesn't matter where you place the module, but in my case, I placed it under the left front speaker. I placed the rear module under the left rear speaker. One of my favorite movies which showcases the power of these speakers is Jurassic Park. During the opening sequence, I can hear every little sound and the bass causes the floor to actually rumble which of course scares the heck out of me everytime I watch it. Lastly, I have placed the front/rear speakers about 4 1/2 feet up and 8-9 feet apart. That is crucial to get the proper separation. I'm also using an older Sony pro-logic receiver which I realize is not top of the line so if I ever upgrade to a digital receiver, these speakers will only sound that much better. Don't waste your money on $2500 speakers unless you like throwing your money around.

It fits well in the garbage can.

You name it.

This is garbage.

None that I can think [ being small and cute does nothing for me]

No bass, harsh upper , sounds like my ancient am sanyo receiver[ discarded long time ago]

This is the biggest scam in the history of audio-electronics. I have no ideea how can people can pay that amount of money on a product that is with out any doubt much inferior to anything that costs even half.I do not have the 'privilege' to own one , but I listened the system several times in stores and every time I left wondering why are so popular. Marketing, I presume...

Similar Products Used:

b&W 602s2, monitor audio

"Cute"

Lack of accurate bass response, inability to handle discrete signals from a quality digital receiver, noncompetive high price, abysmal lower mid range, unnatural sound and distinct coloration.

After have lived with these speakers for 4 years I decided it was finally time to upgrade after purchasing a new Onkyo 575x receiver. I replaced them with JBL S38s and the matching S center channel speaker. The difference was like buying a Lexus after having driven a Chevy (no offense to Chevy owners out there). I was simply very unsatisfied with the Bose Speaker System and would STRONGLY recommend against anyone purchasing these. They are grossly overpriced, lack decent bass, sound just absolutely awful with low-fi sound sources such as TV (and only slightly better with VHS HiFi tapes,), and are totally lacking in quality lower mid range sound output, which is so essential for vocals. Don't let the small "cute" cubes fool you. Try a side by side comparison with another system costing the same amount. I guarantee you that you will go with the other system. Again, a very unsatisfied Bose customer...and there must be LOTS of us....given the other negative reviews of Bose products at this site.

click link below

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Similar Products Used:

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small (good for a little apartment)

sound disappointing after you listen to some of the alternatives, overpriced, passive sub/crossover module for all three cubes means lots of speaker wires running around

I bought my AM-7 after I got out of college and started building a "starter" home theater/stereo. Nothing fancy, based around a Yamaha RX-V690 pro-logic receiver. They were paired up with a set of Bose Model 100 speakers for the surrounds. After my old college system -- cheap Pioneer receiver and $80 Garrard speakers I got at Service Merchandise -- they sounded fabulous when I first got them. Sort of like parking your rusted-out Yugo and getting into a Ford Escort. I've used them heavily for several years now, and they are not as inherently evil as some anti-Bose reviewers might suggest. Would I buy them again? No. Would I recommend them to someone looking to bu home theater speakers for under $1000? No. Would I recommend them for music listening? No. Am I in the process of shopping for replacements? Oh, yes indeed. When hooked up to my Outlaw Audio 1050 receiver, they sound weak and insufficient. I'll probably hang on to them as bedroom or office speakers (of course, I still have the "Yugo" Garrard speakers, too).

They've served my needs, but they are overpriced and overhyped. If you feel like you just have to have the Acoustimass experience, try to listen to some of the alternatives. There are some brands around (maybe not at Best Buy or Circuit City, but they're out there) that will get you a lot more bang for your buck. You'll be glad you kept looking.

Similar Products Used:

Garrard $80 shelf speakers, possibly some Definitive Tech speakers in the future