Replacing bose lifestyle cubes w/ Polk

Zimbob

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?

jacob.simpson

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.

LessisNevermore

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

comfortablycurt

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.

leroyjr1

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

comfortablycurt

leroyjr1 wrote: »

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

Lee- I'll trade you a Bose Lifestyle system for the Pio SC-07 and the RTi A9's...deal?;)

wutadumsn23

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.

obieone

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.

leroyjr1

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.

AudioGenics

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.

Zimbob

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.....

nguyendot

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.

raidersrule76

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

Sonnyblu42

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?

ROHfan

Follow the great advice given in this thread. Get out of Bose equipment.

tonyb

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.

rooftop59

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.

Legender

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.

mrloren

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.