A Question about Bose speakers (ugh)

ccruiser

Before everyone tells me how over-rated Bose speakers are, believe me, I know. So, here is the deal: my dad has a set of the Bose Lifestyle speakers that is about 8-10 years old (not exactly sure). Given that he has a huge WAF to deal with, Bose was pretty much his only option if he wanted surround sound, ha.

Anyway, he upgraded to an HDTV and HD satellite last year. Problem is, the Bose receiver is too old to have HDMI inputs/output. I set him up and work-around where all the HDMI cables go straight into the TV and then sound goes from the TV to the receiver. But, the sound has never been exactly in sync and it's not HD sound either.

So, i know there aren't many (if any) Bose fans around here, but I figured I'd ask you guys before I had to go join some stupid Bose forum. Is there any way the Bose speakers can be hooked up to a normal receiver? I want to surprise him with a new one for Fathers day.

All the speakers plug into the sub, and I've heard that bose runs at lower ohms than most other speakers. I did a little bit of google-ing, but most of the recommendations were to just get rid of bose and buy a real set of speakers...

Thanks,
-ccruiser

comfortablycurt

Get rid of the Bose and buy real speakers.;)


There are plenty of other options out there for smaller sub/sat systems, that will sound WAAAAAY better than a Bose system.

Polk's RM series satellites, just to name one.


Do the Bose speakers have standard spring clip inputs, or do they use some funky Bose issue connector?

ccruiser

they have the standard spring clamps that accept bare wire in the back of the speakers. But, I am thinking they might have some funky Bose issue connector that plugs them into the back of the sub. And I know the sub has a weird cable that runs to the "receiver" (which is a tiny little silver box of uselessness).

cnh

comfortablycurt wrote: »

Get rid of the Bose and buy real speakers.;)


There are plenty of other options out there for smaller sub/sat systems, that will sound WAAAAAY better than a Bose system.

Polk's RM series satellites, just to name one.


Do the Bose speakers have standard spring clip inputs, or do they use some funky Bose issue connector?

Curt's right,

We need to know what the Ohm rating on those speakers is and how they are hooked up to the sub module....If you could get me a MODEL number for the lifestyle system...I might be able to get an answer from a friend who, unfortunately, sold Bose systems for years--along with a LOT of other equipment, including Polks! I'm not sure how fast I could get this info for you...but he would probably know!

cnh

ccruiser

Well, I won't be able to get by there until at least Wednesday, but I will definitely get the info and post it up here.

Might even try and get some pictures of the funky hookups in the back of the sub up. Although I would hate to taint Club Polk with such obscene images...

Toxis

Who cares what impedence the speakers are? That won't change how he needs to set the system up.

What we do need to know is what tv he has and what cable did he go from the tv to the Bose. Some tvs will input hdmi audio and only send stereo PCM out. This could be the issue.

ccruiser

The TV is a Samsung LN52A650 52-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color. Best I remember, the cables going from the tv to the bose receiver are just standard Right and Left audio (red and white RCA connectors). The bose lacks ability to handle video at all.

tonyb

So there is no regular receiver involved,just the Bose,correct?

cnh

ccruiser wrote: »

Is there any way the Bose speakers can be hooked up to a normal receiver? I want to surprise him with a new one for Fathers day.


Thanks,
-ccruiser

If he's going to TRY to hook this stuff up to another AVR shouldn't we know if the Bose speakers are 4 ohms or less, since most AVRs can't handle that?

cnh

tonyb

Usually,the crossover for the Bose speakers are located in the sub. Depending on the model,you can hook them up to a regular receiver, but you must use their sub also. If you try to just hook up the Bose cubes to a receiver,you'll fry them.

ccruiser

tonyb wrote: »

So there is no regular receiver involved,just the Bose,correct?

Correct. There is just the the TV, a DirecTV box, a DVD player, and the Bose box.

tonyb

Buy a cheap HK refurb with Hdmi inputs, you should be able to connect the Bose to the receiver,then you'll have all the HD audio you want. Would you by chance know what model the Bose system is ?

ccruiser

tonyb wrote: »

Usually,the crossover for the Bose speakers are located in the sub. Depending on the model,you can hook them up to a regular receiver, but you must use their sub also. If you try to just hook up the Bose cubes to a receiver,you'll fry them.

So are you saying that I could get a regular Onkyo or Pioneer receiver and hook up only the Bose sub to the actual receiver and leave the cubes plugged into the sub? Or base module or whatever Bose calls that sorry excuse for low end sound?

What about the ohms rating? I'm no sure just yet what ohms the bose speakers can handle, but I'm going to probably just call Dad tonight and ask him about the system so I can get the specs needed to figure this mess out.

Edit: Looks like I just missed your comment about the HK.

tonyb

No matter,whatever receiver you get,as long as you keep the Bose cubes plugged into the sub,you should be fine. Make sure the sub has the inputs to go from receiver to sub,know what I mean? It doesn't matter what ohm rating because the amp inside the sub powers it all,they are designed to work together and only together.

unc2701

tonyb wrote: »

No matter,whatever receiver you get,as long as you keep the Bose cubes plugged into the sub,you should be fine. Make sure the sub has the inputs to go from receiver to sub,know what I mean? It doesn't matter what ohm rating because the amp inside the sub powers it all,they are designed to work together and only together.

That pretty much defeats the purpose of what he's trying to do... (since the Bose only has L/R inputs and does it's own "surround sound")

Anyhow, IIRC Bose runs more like 6ohm, and you'll actually be fine on most AVR's because you're going to set the crossover as high as it'll go. Without the low freq's, you're unlikely to overheat the AVR.

So- Bose has a big ol' frequency gap where the cubes only handle like 240hz+ and the sub handles like 200 down. Thus, set the speakers to small in the AVR, the crossover has high as you can (some AVR's go as high as 200) and hook the cubes directly to the binding posts on the AVR.

For the sub, if it doesn't have any kind of standard input, you'll have to hook the Bose receiver to the LFE out on the AVR. If you can, choose an input on the bose receiver that's supposed to take a variable-level signal (ie output from a TV that has volume control, instead of something w/o volume control, like a CD player). You can either use a Y cable from the AVR LFE output to go to L/R on the Bose input, or just hook it to one side (and you'll have to set the volume on the Bose louder).

This will be a little ghetto, but there's no reason you can't hook the cubes directly to the AVR is you set the AVR crossover right and running the sub through the bose receiver is an OK work-around for getting signal to it. You'll just have to power up more crap and teach them to not change the input on the Bose.

tonyb

My old accustimass has plugs on the back for all 5.1 inputs. If his only has left and right inputs,then it will not work. He would then most likely have to try and find a used Bose sub with those inputs. I once asked this very question on the Bose forum and at Audioholics and got the same answer. You can't hook up the cubes directly to an AVR, you have to run them by way of the sub or you'll fry them. Maybe they were wrong,I dunno,but thats what I was told, and haven't seen anyone post differently. He's just gonna have to look at the back of that sub to be sure.

unc2701

tonyb wrote: »

My old accustimass has plugs on the back for all 5.1 inputs. If his only has left and right inputs,then it will not work. He would then most likely have to try and find a used Bose sub with those inputs. I once asked this very question on the Bose forum and at Audioholics and got the same answer. You can't hook up the cubes directly to an AVR, you have to run them by way of the sub or you'll fry them. Maybe they were wrong,I dunno,but thats what I was told, and haven't seen anyone post differently. He's just gonna have to look at the back of that sub to be sure.

Gotcha- I hadn't seen a 5.1 input version... I guess we should point out that he'd need an AVR with pre-outs for that.

Regarding the frying: that's from not setting the crossover high enough. The bose cubes _really_ can't handle low freqs, so he'd also need an AVR that can set the crossover at 200hz or more. IIRC, 240 is what the sub module does, but it's been awhile.

ALWALLER

hi

Does the direct tv box have analog outs for audio ?
Can you hook it up direct to the Bose receiver/sub ?
Will the direct tv box output both HDMI to the TV and
analog to the BOSE receiver ?

bklynNupe

Less than two years ago, do you know how many times I almost pulled to trigger on a bunch of Bose plastic cubes ?:eek:
I thought they were so neat, compact and cool!
What saved me was a lunch hour to kill and a chance sale on a polk psw 505 at j&r music world.
I'm glad I took the red pill.

erniejade

My receiver does not have HDMI I just have my cable box and dvd running hdmi directly to the TV. The digital out from the cable box and the dvd going to the onkyo 575.

AresPolk

Sounds like it is time to upgrade for your Dad. Take advantage of well, all the advantages of Blu-Ray, HD Audio and HDMI.

ccruiser

First off, I just want to say thanks to all you guys have chipped in so far. I appreciate it.

Next, I talked to my dad and this is the info he gave me on the system:

Bose Lifestyle Model 5 music center
Lifestyle Series 12

Hopefully this will give some of you people who are more knowledgeable than me a clue as to how to go from here.

be83663

I would definitely consider buying your dad either Definitive's ProCinema 1000: http://www.definitivetech.com/Products/products.aspx?path=Home Theater Speaker Systems|On-Shelf Systems&productid=ProCinema 1000 &hometheater=1
or KEF's KHT3005SE: http://www.kef.com/us/SurroundSound/KHT/3005SE#bottom
They are both priced at about $1,600. Both companies have one level lower versions for about $1,200 also.
I know that they are both better bookshelf/satellite 5.1 speaker system than the Bose.
KEF, due to its stylish look, is definitely more wife-friendly than most satellite speaker systems I know of.

lanchile

ccruiser wrote: »

First off, I just want to say thanks to all you guys have chipped in so far. I appreciate it.

Next, I talked to my dad and this is the info he gave me on the system:

Bose Lifestyle Model 5 music center
Lifestyle Series 12

Hopefully this will give some of you people who are more knowledgeable than me a clue as to how to go from here.

If you love your dad....Get him real speakers!!!. Bose uses the lowest quality all over.But many people get "Koo-Koo" when they see or hear the name Bose.
those people do not know anything about electronics or music.

PS: Bose is the only company that does not "show" the specification of their products, they just say. it is compatible with receivers 4-8 ohms. I guess they must be very ashamed of their specification.

unc2701

No 5.1 on the base unit. Looks like There's a digital coax input on the sub unit, though. Simplest solution would be to plug that to the HD box, assuming it's got coax output seperate from the hdmi.

tonyb

unc2701 wrote: »

No 5.1 on the base unit. Looks like There's a digital coax input on the sub unit, though. Simplest solution would be to plug that to the HD box, assuming it's got coax output seperate from the hdmi.

Yes,but you still won't get the newer HD codecs from your blu-ray player. Pops probably doesn't care though.