Replacing bose lifestyle cubes w/ Polk

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Zimbob
Zimbob Posts: 2
edited July 2009 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
I currently have a Bose Lifestyle 38 system (i know, I know, don't start), & would like to start replacing the cubes w/ Polk surround speakers (starting w/ the center speaker, RM8 Center). Since Bose doesn't publish their friggin specs, I don't know how much wattage the Bose/acoustimass is putting out and if it will blow the Polk speaker. I have a feeling the Bose cubes are 6 ohm & the amp is pushing somewhere in neighborhood of 100 watts, so I'm thinking I'm ok to switch to an 8 ohm speaker that handles 125 watts. Has anyone done this already or know for sure?
Post edited by Zimbob on
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  • jacob.simpson
    jacob.simpson Posts: 481
    edited July 2009
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    Am sure Polk CS will be able to help you out, contact them and if am not mistaken they will surely have data to back this up.
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  • LessisNevermore
    LessisNevermore Posts: 1,519
    edited July 2009
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    Hi Zimbob, welcome to CP.

    Getting right to it, I wouldn't do it. I doubt very seriously that the Bose amp is putting that kind of power into the cubes. The lion's share of the power is going to the 'sub'. I also believe Bose uses higher impedance levels. I believe if you connect even 8 ohm speakers to that amp, it will clip out and blow your new speakers. Of course, as you said, Bose won't publish specs, so no one knows for absolute sure.

    I wouldn't risk it. A new receiver will drive the Bose cubes, albeit with less power, than it would drive normal impedance speakers. (8/4 ohm).....but it would be the safer upgrade, then do up the speakers.

    Best of luck heading down the rabbit hole.:D
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  • comfortablycurt
    comfortablycurt Posts: 6,745
    edited July 2009
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    LessisNevermore wrote: »
    Hi Zimbob, welcome to CP.

    Getting right to it, I wouldn't do it. I doubt very seriously that the Bose amp is putting that kind of power into the cubes. The lion's share of the power is going to the 'sub'. I also believe Bose uses higher impedance levels. I believe if you connect even 8 ohm speakers to that amp, it will clip out and blow your new speakers. Of course, as you said, Bose won't publish specs, so no one knows for absolute sure.

    I wouldn't risk it. A new receiver will drive the Bose cubes, albeit with less power, than it would drive normal impedance speakers. (8/4 ohm).....but it would be the safer upgrade, then do up the speakers.

    Best of luck heading down the rabbit hole.:D

    That would probably be your best bet.

    I remember reading information from private tests stating that the Bose cubs run at a 16 or 32 ohm nominal impedance. I'd upgrade your AVR first...and then start upgrading the speakers.
    The nirvana inducer-
    APC H10 Power Conditioner
    Marantz UD5005 universal player
    Parasound Halo P5 preamp
    Parasound HCA-1200II power amp
    PolkAudio LSi9's/PolkAudio SDA 2A's/PolkAudio Monitor 7A's
    Audioquest Speaker Cables and IC's
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  • leroyjr1
    leroyjr1 Posts: 8,785
    edited July 2009
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    Bose Rocks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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  • comfortablycurt
    comfortablycurt Posts: 6,745
    edited July 2009
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    leroyjr1 wrote: »



    Bose Rocks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Lee- I'll trade you a Bose Lifestyle system for the Pio SC-07 and the RTi A9's...deal?;)
    The nirvana inducer-
    APC H10 Power Conditioner
    Marantz UD5005 universal player
    Parasound Halo P5 preamp
    Parasound HCA-1200II power amp
    PolkAudio LSi9's/PolkAudio SDA 2A's/PolkAudio Monitor 7A's
    Audioquest Speaker Cables and IC's
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  • wutadumsn23
    wutadumsn23 Posts: 3,702
    edited July 2009
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    I agree with the guys on this one, ditch the Bose unit and upgrade with a new AVR. Then get ahold of some speakers. Good luck and welcome to Club Polk.
    HT Rig
    Receiver- Onkyo TX-SR806
    Mains- Polk Audio Monitor 70
    Center- Polk Audio CS2
    Surrounds- Polk Audio TSi 500's :D
    Sub- Polk Audio PSW125
    Retired- Polk Audio Monitor 40's
    T.V.- 60" Sony SXRD KDS-60A2000 LCoS
    Blu-Ray- 80 GB PS3


    2 CH rig (in progress)
    Polk Audio Monitor 10A's :cool:

    It's not that I'm insensitive, I just don't care.. :D
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  • obieone
    obieone Posts: 5,077
    edited July 2009
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    Another welcome, and recommend you taking some pic.'s of your system, and SELLING it on craigslist.
    If you can get $1,000-1,500, WE could build you a damn nice system.
    I refuse to argue with idiots, because people can't tell the DIFFERENCE!
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  • leroyjr1
    leroyjr1 Posts: 8,785
    edited July 2009
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    comfortablycurt wrote: »
    Lee- I'll trade you a Bose Lifestyle system for the Pio SC-07 and the RTi A9's...deal?;)

    I still have my first Bose system (Bose 321) which is currently running in my daughters bedroom. It does a great job playing poor recorded music. No match for my 2 channel rig.
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  • AudioGenics
    AudioGenics Posts: 2,567
    edited July 2009
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    There'll be lots of advice but just make sure you make the final decision.

    Its a buyer's market - resale prices are not good but you can
    find great deals like when people are upgrading their systems.

    good luck....and Welcome to Club Polk.
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  • Zimbob
    Zimbob Posts: 2
    edited July 2009
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    Thanks all for your help. Unfortunately, I need (& want) to keep the core lifestyle media center as I haven't seen any other supplier w/ the functionality of the umusic center (loading several hundred cd's into memory & playing them back in any order desire, & literally having it 'memorize' my musical tastes, ie jazz, etc). Also, I don't happen to have $2500 in my pocket to spend on a new system. At this point, I'm simply wanting to know feasibility of starting to swap out bose cubes a few at a time.....
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  • nguyendot
    nguyendot Posts: 3,594
    edited July 2009
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    comfortablycurt wrote: »
    That would probably be your best bet.

    I remember reading information from private tests stating that the Bose cubs run at a 16 or 32 ohm nominal impedance. I'd upgrade your AVR first...and then start upgrading the speakers.

    I was told differently than that. 16 or 32 ohms at the volume those play at, and the distortion levels they have would mean some serious power. I believe they are 2 or 1 ohm with upwards of 10% THD.

    This means any speakers you put on will be extremely quiet and sound horrible.

    Listen to everyone else though, get a decent AVR and speakers, and sell the bose lifestyle off to some unsuspecting person on Craigslist for a pretty penny.

    I bet you could come out even.
    Main Surround -
    Epson 8350 Projector/ Elite Screens 120" / Pioneer Elite SC-35 / Sunfire Signature / Focal Chorus 716s / Focal Chorus CC / Polk MC80 / Polk PSW150 sub

    Bedroom - Sharp Aquos 70" 650 / Pioneer SC-1222k / Polk RT-55 / Polk CS-250

    Den - Rotel RSP-1068 / Threshold CAS-2 / Boston VR-M60 / BDP-05FD
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  • raidersrule76
    raidersrule76 Posts: 471
    edited July 2009
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    This isn't slow trying to sneak back in is it? JK

    Welcome to cp you will get some very useful info. here I know I have and so dose my bank account.

    Mark
    Sig to be updated after dealing with the insurance company:(:(:(
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  • Sonnyblu42
    Sonnyblu42 Posts: 1
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    Post Resurrection... I have the same problem... This BO$E Proprietary stuff is BS.
    I also have a Bose Lifestyle 28 Series II system... But now it's worth more to keep and use than to sell. PLEASE, There must be a speaker that can REPLACE BO$E Jewel Cubes?
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  • ROHfan
    ROHfan Posts: 1,014
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    Follow the great advice given in this thread. Get out of Bose equipment.
    TV: 65" Samsung QLED 4K
    Fronts: Energy RC70 --- Center: Energy RC-LCR
    Front Heights: Polk RC65i --- Rears: Polk RC85i --- Sub: Power Sound Audio XS15
    Pioneer VSX-1120K --- Parasound HCA-1000A --- Oppo BDP-103
    Vincent Audio SA31 preamp --- Teac UD301 DAC
    AIYIMA Tube T7 preamp --- Nobsound 12AX7 tube preamplifier
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,906
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    Sonnyblu42 wrote: »
    Post Resurrection... I have the same problem... This BO$E Proprietary stuff is BS.
    I also have a Bose Lifestyle 28 Series II system... But now it's worth more to keep and use than to sell. PLEASE, There must be a speaker that can REPLACE BO$E Jewel Cubes?

    Unfortunately there isn't. Their crossovers are in that subwoofer and are specific to those cubes . They are meant as a all-in-one system with no upgrade path. You best bet is to sell the whole thing and start from scratch.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,973
    edited January 2017
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    Honestly on Craigslist or eBay you could peice together a modest 2.1 system that would blow that blows away. Polk has the RTiA 1s and 3s for super cheap on eBay right now. Either pair under 200 shipped. Grab a pair of those, something like a PSW111 and a little entry denon or Yamaha receiver. Under $500 new and it will sound awesome.
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:     Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
    Bedroom 2.1    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • Legender
    Legender Posts: 478
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    Here in Dallas you can get a used Denon 38xx receiver with over 100W per channel for $200 or less. Just have to be patient. I've picked up a few of those over the past few months.
    What you really need find is replacement for your Bose music organization and playback. Then you could slip in another system easily.
    Music: Oppo103 - Parasound JC2 - Parasound A21- SDA 3.1
    Theater: Denon 3808 - B&K 7500/Emotiva XPA-3- RTi12, CSi5, RTiA7x4, PSW505
    Sleeping: Marantz 70005 - Harman Kardon 2400 - SDA 2
    2 Channel: Cary 306 SACD - Canary Audio 906 - Pass Labs x250 - PS Audio Perfectwave DAC, Polk LSiM705, SVS SB13 Ultra
    Office: Dell Optiplex, Emotiva XDA-2, Adcom 5500, LSiM 703
    Spares: Yamaha CA-810; LSi 15; Kenwood Basic M2a, Yamaha M60/M80, Polk Monitor 7, SVS SB13 Ultra
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  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,454
    edited January 2017
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    I agree, sell the Bose and get some real equipment.

    For your play list you can get a network receiver and play via DLNA from your desktop/laptop to your receiver.

    A4L has great deals on referb receivers http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/category/avreceiver/home-audio/receivers-amps/home-theater-receivers/1.html

    Pioneer Elite VSK 44 $200
    Pair of Polk RTiA 3 $190 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Polk-Audio-RTiA3-CHERRY-2-Way-RTi-Bookshelf-Speakers-PAIR-/361542425875
    and a decent sub $400 http://hsuresearch.com/products/vtf-1mk3.html

    For less than a grand you will be much better off.
    Post edited by [Deleted User] on
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music
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