Customer Reviews

Bose Acoustimass 16 Series II Home Entertainment Speaker System (Black)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I consider myself an average audiophile. I have used a lot of equipment over the last 10 years and have spent countless hours reading reviews here and on other forums. This review is of the Acoustimass 16 (AM16) series II.

I'm using the AM16 as "surround speakers." With that, I'm only using 4 of the satellites and the "bass" module. I have Polk Monitor 60 fronts and a Polk CS2 center that I will not replace with these speakers. I have and love a (MFW) 15" sub made by a company I don't like. I highly recommend you get a "true subwoofer" if you are going to spend this kind of money on surround speakers.

I call them surround speakers because they are *not* full range speakers that can accurately produce the entire frequency range. The Polk Monitor 60 speakers are full range speakers that you should consider if you want a relatively small footprint in a good speaker. Yes, they are 1,000 times bigger than the Bose cubes, and there's a reason for the size (and it isn't to take up space).

So now that you know how I use them, here's what I think of the sound quality.

Bass modulator- this thing is a great "mid bass module." Plenty of mid-bass slam for music and to round out the sound from your real sub. The AM16 modulator has 3 5.25" drivers, the AM10 has 2. This was the reason I purchased the AM16 for a few hundred more than the AM10.

If you don't have a dedicated sub and are considering these speakers as your only speakers, take a look at the Polk RM705 on Amazon. Onko and Sony also make speaker sets for under $400 that more than compete with the sound quality of this system.

So when should you buy this package? For me, I bought it because I wanted wall mountable, swiveling, speakers that would serve the purpose of presence and surround speakers and get more displacement on the bass.

This is a lot to pay for a seemingly small benefit, but my wife did want something that looks nice. As you probably already know, the AM16 probably has the highest wife acceptance factor (WAF) around. My budget for speakers was such that the cost of these was not a deciding factor. The polk RM705 was another option for sure, but the mounting was not what I was looking for.

You'll read a lot of reviews of people essentially defending their purchases because they spend a good amount of hard earned money on these things and don't want to feel dumb. This is especially true for this company's products. My review is an attempt at an unbiased opinion, I hope this help you.

hi everyone, first my setup is a panny 58inch plasma 720p...my bose acoustimass 16 series 2 is the second bose product i have owned. My first introduction to Bose products with their Lifestyle system with just 5 speakers and the Acoustimass module that had 2 woofers...i forget the Lifestyle model number...this was back in 2000. Again, this setup only had 2 woofers. The new Acoustimass module found only in their flagship speaker setup (Acoustimass 16 Series II)has a total of 3 woofers downward firing. My second foray into home theatre "excitement" was switching to the Infinity TSS750, years ago, when it first came out. Now, when comparing the two...the TSS750 did have a clear sounding treble...like when the glass shattered in the matrix movies...you could hear that "KEEEEEESSHH" sound...the emphasize being more on the "eeee" rather than the "ssshhh". The movie sounds could be described as sounding "brighter". However, the Bose had a warm, richer sound...not as "tinny" as some have described speakers to be. Look, i am just an average techno girl that loves a good hd-surround sound setup. My very first interests in Home Theatre was when DVD first came out and Dolby Prologic II was the ticket. I had the Sony "Twin Tower" speakers that had the circuitry built into the towers. This was 1996 i remember. Today, I have the Onkyo TXSR705, now paired with the Bose Acoustimass 16 series 2...it sounds TREMENDOUS...yeah it is a more powerful reciever...but also i think that extra woofer gives it a bit more OOMPH... WHEN i scurry through different reviews, i read such negative points but many are reviews off of older systems. Lets have the merits of the Acoustimass 16 Series II be the product that we critque and not lump Bose surround sound speakers. I believe that if you get the best of the bunch...meaning the 16 series 2 that have the 3 woofers in the bass module and pair it with an outstanding av reciever it will ROCK...now for me...its all about movies...not so much music...and maybe crazy audiophiles have a problem with music...its possbile...but the craze now is movies...also...its important that when you hook it up and set your speaker size preferences in the av reicever...that you set it to...LARGE SPEAKERS..THATS RIGHT LARGE SPEAKERS..ITS IN THE MANUAL...i am not some audio crazed expert but I read up on the products I do own. I have owned 4 different speakers now to know the difference but let me try to stay on point also...Consumer Reports Magazine states that...dont let marketing dictate the quality of your speakers...all the fancy metal, choromium, diaphrams or whatever your speakers are made of doesnt guarantee the audio translated out to what you hear...let your ears decide. Besides technically your ears are very unlikely to pick up all the frequency variances marketing touts. For me it boiled down to brand quality, great sleek modern looks, and a comparative review of the sound i have come to learn. Forgive my grammar as best you can and pick apart what you can from the review to benefit you. I am a real product owner and the Bose bashing i believe is not based on actual ownership of the Acoustimass 16
Series 2 which has the 3 bass woofer speakers on the modual vs the older Bose products. You can only get the more powerful Bass module with the Acoustimass 16 Series II, which we are reviewing now. Ok...ciao everyone

I was looking to replace a hodge-podge 7.1 collection of speakers, so I shopped and read reviews. I decided to try the Acoustimass 16 Series II in a listening/viewing space which has quite a few positioning "challenges". The set up was easy (color coding, diagrams, descriptions); the supplied cabling was more than adequate, and while the Acoustimass itself is rather large, it fit neatly behind a chair in a corner, visually out of sight, but NOT audibly! The third downfiring woofer in the 16 can vibrate your floor and still have plenty left with no distortion! I also wanted the 16 for its included 6th (rear) cube. My Sony 898 AVR has more than enough to drive it, and shows the 6th cube simply plugs into the rear left channel - works great. With "bashing" criticisms of Bose in mind, I tried a variety of inputs and types of sound. Clapton's "Unplugged" demonstrated the 16's ability to handle acoustic, soft sound. The guitars, piano, and voices were clear, and sharp with an overall warmth. Something more "electric"? Wow. From Queen to ELO to Blood, Sweat, and Tears, the sound was rich, clear and fully surround. BS&T's horns were clear and sharp. Next the increased sharp sound of SACD. From Dylan to Elton, the enhanced sound was clear and distinct. Classical pipe organ (there's no better test of a system's range and clarity) in both CD and SACD - unbelievable clarity, richness, range, depth and warmth. TV in SD or HD, or DVD produced clear, full soundstages with distinct, audible dialogue. The technology here is amazing; at times you'ld swear the deep sounds are coming from those tiny, adjustable cubes! A little time spent with positioning and balance yields a wonderful blend of direct and reflected sound. So I tried and it's true; the Acoustimass 16 has clarity, richness and warmth as it wraps you in sound. Finally, trust your ear; it sure passed my tests of physical adaptability and sound performance - from rattle your windows to quiet clarity.

This speaker set up is awesome. KEEP IN MIND that this does not have a sub like the other setups that other manufacters sell. The large unit shown in the picture is what is called a Modulator. It gives you low end for the other 6 speakers. Almost like a sub, but not the samething at all. Pair this up a JBL 12" powered sub with this setup and you are at the IMAX!! Trust me add a sub and your done. I have my setup powered by an Onkyo THX Ultra 2 certifed reciever and a 12"JBL powered sub in a 20x16 room and shakes the walls!

CANT GO WRONG!

Okay, I'll man up and admit I bought this for the same reason I bought an Audi instead of a VW. While it's arguably one of the best products on the market, I spent twice as much as i needed to, primarily to make the statement to house guests that I'm successful, prosperous, and an appreciator of the finer things in life. That being said, I'm a life-long satisfied customer of Bose products. Their quality and performance has (for me) been so consistent, that I'm willing to shell out a few extra hundred bucks for the peace of mind that comes with being unacquainted with disappointment.

This system survives just fine on its own, and anyone who claims it needs a supplemental subwoofer probably has both a job setting up stage speakers for Metallica and an unfortunate aversion to earplugs. I currently use a low-end ($200) Yamaha receiver ('cause I spent all my dough on the Audi) and I have no complaints in the area of frequency response. Setting up the system, the inconvenient demands of my girlfriend required placing the bass module in a corner off to the side of my television, but surprisingly this had no adverse effect on sound balance. It did, however, require me to splice some wires to get the rear cubes to where I needed them. I've had the system a couple years now and have had no significant quality issues. When I tip/bump/move the bass module, I'll get some low frequency feedback. I'm not sure if this is normal, or just the result or accumulated layers of dust and cat hair, but when left alone, it behaves itself.

I have been very happy and satisfied with this product and would recommend it to any friend who likes a sure thing and doesn't complain about paying for it.

Before springing for these speakers, I would strongly advise reading Steven Burk's review AND ALL THE COMMENTS to it. There's hard data to be found there, not just opinion.

the sound is great. holds up well to our 7.1 receiver. talked to bose's rep told me how to hook up larger 7.1 receiver to this bose system. would like to see bose make a larger system.

Bose is my first home theater system. I never wanted a super jazzy system which can blow the roof top, I always wanted to have a decent home theater system to watch and enjoy movies from my childhood days and growing up always wanted BOSE. Till now everything I listen to on BOSE has been fantastic and excellent. It did live up to my expectations and I have fallen in love with it.

As a general rule, most serious audio publications won't review Bose products for two reasons, one: they don't want to get sued by Bose if Bose doesn't approve their review, and two: Bose won't be likely to approve most reviews. You see, Bose is more of a marketing company than an audio company. They put a lot of money into both their marketing departments and their legal departments. They have created and propagated a myth that Bose products possess magical properties. That's really their brand identity; Bose has magical sound, their is nothing better, come on, drink the Kool Aid and repeat the mantra.

There are thousands of zombie like people walking around thinking that Bose must be good because they heard it somewhere. Where did they hear that? Certainly not from professional reviews; people who buy Bose don't read serious and professional reviews. A common user review of any given Bose product goes like this: "I'm no audiophile, but these sound awesome to me". So what's wrong with this type of mentality? First of all, it implies that a so-called audiophile is a snob. Second of all, it's an opinion created without the benefit of any qualification. I mean, if you were in the market for a new car for example, and you were the type of person who did research first, you might read expert reviews. I'm not talking about reviews from people who bough the car or rented it for the weekend, but of journalists who do this sort of thing for a living. You might read Road and Track, or Motor Trend, or even Consumer Reports. Now suppose that you are reading an article in any of these publications about a new car from Brand X. Would you take the publication seriously if the reviewer wrote the following: "I'm no expert, and I certainly don't know anything about cars, and I'm not familiar with many different brands of cars, but I can tell you this; this car that I just drove is the best in the world."

So Bose is very innovative and brilliant in their marketing. They create ads that seem to indicate that their product uses some special secret technology and that magic happens when you use them. I'm not exaggerating. That's is basically what one of their television ads says, 'this product uses Bose technology' and you hear a testimonial from a couple in their fifties or sixties that when they turn their Bose product on and hear the music they just start dancing and that it's magic. I don't know if they are actors or not. I don't know who they are. They don't look like actors to me, but they also don't seem to be anyone I would go to for advise on purchasing audio equipment. And really, what is Bose technology anyway? Any manufacture of any product could use their brand name and the word technology and it sounds like it is something unique. This is all very subversive and effective. I don't blame Bose for using these kind of tactics. After all, they have been working for a long time. It seems that Bose is preying on the ignorant, and quite possibly those with early stages of hearing loss.

But it is another matter to bully people around. And that's what Bose does anytime anybody says something negative about their products.

I have a question for you Bose faithful out there; did you audition any products from Jamo? How about Bowers and Wilkins? Did you take the time to go to an authorized Martin Logan dealer? Why did you purchase a Bose product after listening to something from Linn, or Magnapan, or nOrh, or Legacy Audio? Is it because you have never heard of these brands? I'm not just dropping names here, I'm making a point. Anybody with properly working ears and an unlimited budget would choose any of these brands or one-hundred other brands that your or I have never heard if over Bose simply because Bose is not all that it pretends to be. Really, their are many brands much more in reach for the rest of us that are of better build and sound quality than Bose; brands like Klipsch, or Polk, or a half dozen others, (it's true that there are many more high-end exotic brands than middle of the road brands like Klipsch or Bose). Whether I like the way Bose speakers sound or not is completely beside the fact that Bose uses really, really inexpensive materials. I'm not making this up. It is a fact. Have you ever noticed that Bose never publishes specifications on frequency response? It is true that specs aren't everything, but they are something. Why do you suppose Bose omits this? They claim that the sound of their products speak for themselves, but remember, this is their marketing department talking. The fact is that Bose speakers cover much less of the range of sound that humans are capable of hearing than other brands do. It is simply impossible for most Bose speakers to recreate very high and very low frequency sounds. Not even their subwoofers can reproduce very low frequencies.

So, I'm not endorsing any of the brands I mentioned, but I am encouraging you to really educate yourself if you are serious about buying a good sounding speaker system. Don't believe everything you read, certainly don't believe everything you hear. Don't but something you only heard in a big box store. The acoustics at Target or Sam's Club are nothing like the acoustics in your home. Do some research, go to smaller audio stores and bring your favorite CD's; this is very important because you will know what they should sound like, so you already have a standard to compare other systems to. Just like a car, don't buy the first one you see. Test drive it, and many others before buying anything. And ask yourself, "do I really want to support a company that bullies magazines around simply because they fear bad press?"

BOSE is a marketing machine, plain and simple. You see them everywhere you look, on the television, on billboards, in magazines; they saturate you with advertisements.
Being already familiar with BOSE I was at a friend's house last weekend who had the misfortune of having picked up an Acoustimass 16 in black. He had everything set-up and we listened to a few DVD's and a few tracks. Well the speakers were definitely being sent the discreet multi-channel mixes from the DVD's we listened to, but it sounded incredibly hollow with no resolve whatsoever in the high end and the bass, or lack thereof, sounded muddy and boomy. To illustrate this we listened to the first few second of "Down In It" from the debut Nine Inch Nails album, "Pretty Hate Machine". It's a good way to measure how good the bass enclosure is, because it has one solitary low bass bell note to start the song.
Pausing the song showed how poor the design of the casing is inside. The note resounded in the cabinet for a whole second afterwards!! It was certainly not giving off low frequencies either, despite BOSE's assertion that this unit plays loud and clear to the deepest frequencies.
Obvious BOSE is thinking of a different species' hearing limits when they refer to the deepest frequencies, because this unit doesn't even come close.
The high frequency response of this unit falls off really quickly and made listening to CD sound like a low-quality 128 Kbps .mp3 file.
If I had to rate this system on its CONS and PROS:
PROS - very easy set-up with wiring, tiny satellite speakers
CONS - sound, the bass is muddy and doesn't get low, the highs are nowhere to be seen.

From the overall sound of these speakers I would have guessed I was listening to a $200 Home Theater in a Box solution. That BOSE charges over $1,000 for the sound I experienced is pretty criminal, but I guess that's what a good marketing department can do.

For the $1,000+ that BOSE charges for these speakers you can find solutions that will more than outperform these speakers for under half the cost. Check out the 5.1 and 6.1 systems from Onkyo, JBL, Klipsch, etc., all for around $500 that will easily outperform the rubbish BOSE is pawning off on you.