Bose® CineMate® GS Series II Digital Home Theater Speaker System

by Bose

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 25 x 13 x 20 inches ; 31.6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 32 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B002MXWKAG
• Item model number: 320573-1100
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,442 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
  • #32 in Electronics > Home Audio & Theater > Stereo Components > Speakers > Speaker Systems

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The Bose CineMate II speaker system is the easiest way to enjoy Bose 2.1-channel home theater performance and bring out the full audio potential of your HDTV. Proprietary TrueSpace technology enables two compact speakers and an Acoustimass module to deliver compelling sound for movies, games, sports and more. The system easily connects directly to your TV, avoiding the need to disconnect other sources. And with no rear speakers, there's no wiring to the back of your room.

Product Description

The Bose® CineMate® GS II speaker system is the easiest way to enjoy Bose 2.1-channel home theater performance and bring out the full audio potential of your HDTV. Proprietary TrueSpace® technology enables two Gemstone® speakers and an Acoustimass® module to deliver compelling sound for movies, games, sports and more. The system easily connects directly to your TV, avoiding the need to disconnect other sources. And with no rear speakers, there's no wiring to the back of your room. A programmable universal remote control simplifies operation of other connected sources.

A sound upgrade for your home theater needs
The CineMate GS II system represents a quality home theater upgrade to complement your HDTV. Two powerful Gemstone speakers flank your TV and put you in the middle of dramatic home theater sound. You'll experience a level of realism that simply cannot be matched by TV speakers alone.

A hideaway Acoustimass module provides the low frequency effects that make movies and games so compelling. It even includes dedicated bass control. Place the module in a corner or out of view--all the sound seems to come from the compact speakers. Together, the speakers and Acoustimass module provide full depth and clarity for your music, too.

Simplified setup
Setting up a CineMate GS II system is a quick exercise, with only a few wires to connect. It hooks up directly to your TV with minimal-if any-disruption to existing component connections. A small interface module houses your audio input from the TV and displays on/off status for your system. And it's all controlled with a programmable universal remote that works seamlessly with most video components attached to your television.

What's in the box
--2 Gemstone speakers
--Acoustimass module
--Interface module
--Universal remote control and batteries
--Stereo cable (6')
--Speaker cable (15')
--Optical cable (6')

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

232 of 235 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simplest and Best 2.1 System!, December 13, 2009

By 

CM "CM" (St Louis, MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bose® CineMate® GS Series II Digital Home Theater Speaker System (Electronics)

I did extensive research before purchasing the Bose Cinemate GS II Series; but before I start my review I have a quick comparison to share by comparing a $300 panasonic system to the Bose Cinemate GS II: I previously owned a panasonic 2.1 system with built in up-convert DVD player which recently broke (lasted about a year). Sound quality on the Bose Cinemate GS II is markedly better than the panasonic system! Plus my audio system is not tied to a standard DVD player. I should have bought this first--instead of being $300 behind the curve than if I just bought the Cinemate GS II to begin with. Just though I should share that in case you are trying to justify the cost.

REVIEW--Info I discovered during my research and since owning for 3 months: I listened to the Cinemate II and the Cinemate GS II side by side in the store, both using the Toslink (digital optical audio) connection and also with the Component (analog audio) connection while watching an action scene from Kung Fu Panda in both BluRay and regular DVD. To me, the Cinemate GS II's sound was clearer and also sharper (crisper highs and clearer mids like with voices). The Cinemate II sounded great too (a lot better than the panasonic), but the sounds tended to be more muddled in the mid-to-high range (as compared to the the Cinemate GS II). But for $200 less and if your ears don't mind the difference (or can't tell the difference) then the Cinemate II is the better bargain. Also, the Cinemate GS II has the universal remote, but I don't use it ( I use a logitech Harmony Universal Remote). The Cinemate II remote has volume up/down, mute, and power on/off. The Cinemate GS II remote has quite a bit of features (a lot actually), and it feels good in your hand; but if you really want one, they are available from Bose for $30.95.

Other good to know info: You can connect both the Toslink and Component audio into the interface module at the same time. The interface module will automatically default to component audio unless there is an active Toslink connection (an active Toslink connection will always override the component audio). What does this mean? I have my DishNetwork receiver connected to the interface module via the component connection for watching TV--this is how I normally use the Bose Cinemate GS II (sounds great by the way). I then have my BlueRay player connected to the interface module via the Toslink connection. When I want to watch a movie, all I have to do is power on the Blueray player and the Bose Cinemate GS II will automatically use the Toslink connection (overrides the component audio). When I am done watching a movie, I power off the Blueray player and the Cinemate GS II automatically switches back to my TV audio. Of course the Toslink audio is the better of the two, but with only two connections available I had to compromise (plus my TV has no Toslink out--which would have been the preferred solution). The interface module works exactly the same whether you have the Cinemate II or the Cinemate GS II. Also, there is a Bass adjustment knob on the Acoustimass module, so you can turn it up or down to your preference. Sorry there are no other manual adjustments that you can do to the Bose Cinemate GS II.

Room filling sound: I have the Bose Cinemate GS II in my living room which is pretty big and it opens directly into the kitchen; total size is 20x60. Despite the room size, and even at a pretty low volume, I can easily understand a TV shows conversations because of the crisp and precise audio reproduction. I use to watch with closed captioning (so the TV can volume can stay at a normal level), but now I have turned closed captioning off.

Even at max volume (watching GI Joe), it was very very loud and the whole house was shaking, but the system did not distort at all--in almost disbelief it seemed to sound even better and clearer. I think that is attributed to the Bose TrueSpace technology which is used to covert 5.1 audio into a 2.1 system; the louder it got, I guess, the more the TrueSpace seemed to kick in.

Despite my acclaim for this system it is pricey; but, it sounds great, it was very easy to setup and it has the Bose 5 year limited warranty on the speakers. However, no matter how much a 2.1 system is touted as a possible replacement for a 5.1 or even a 7.1 system, in my opinion there are no 2.1 systems that can truly replace a 5.1 or 7.1 system. But if you don't like running wires and want a minimalist system with superb sound then I strongly recommend the Bose Cinemate GS II; or if budget minded, or can't discern the audio difference, then the Bose Cinemate II is a solid 2nd choice.

186 of 202 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Save $200 and buy the Bose Cinemate Series II, December 2, 2009

By 

Nicholas Taylor (Albany, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bose® CineMate® GS Series II Digital Home Theater Speaker System (Electronics)

Please note that my rating is purely based on price to value (not the actual sound quality which I believe is a 5 out of 5)... If you're considering the purchase of the new Bose CineMate GS Series II system please note that you might want to save some money and go with the earlier version, The Bose CineMate Series II system. I've been researching both systems for several days and have been trying to figure out how much better the new GS version is. After finding very little information online that compares the new GS version to the older version I finally decided to pick up the phone and call Crutchfield. They told me that the only difference between the two systems is that the newer version has smaller speakers and a universal remote... other then that there's really no difference except the price. The subwoofer is exactly the same size, it's only the main speakers that are different in size. The older version main speakers are (3-1/2H x 7-1/2W x 5-1/4 D) and the newer GS version has (2-1/2H x 5-1/2W x 4-1/8D). I was in my local Best Buy store earlier today to get a preview of the older CineMate Series II system and WOW does it have a great sound! Unfortunately they don't carry the newer version so I couldn't do a side by side comparison. It's hard to find good info on the new GS Series so I thought I'd throw in my two cents for others currently in their research phase. So in conclusion, if you don't care about slightly larger speakers and don't care about the universal remote then save yourself some money and go with the CineMate Series II system.

69 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent 2.1 system, November 21, 2009

By 

J. Curran - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bose® CineMate® GS Series II Digital Home Theater Speaker System (Electronics)

I bought this system for a bedroom AV setup. I live in a townhouse and my bedroom is shaped in a way that will not neatly or economically accomodate a 5.1 or 7.1 system. I also decided that I wanted the biggest TV screen that my room could accomodate and therefore needed small speakers that would fit neatly below my HDTV. For a situation such as mine, this system is amazing. I give it 5 stars because I am comparing it to other 2.1 systems with small sized speakers. It's not truely fair to compare this with a system composed of a high powered receiver, 7 large speakers and a powered sub. It's not meant to fill the needs of a large family room or mini in-home movie theatre.

The down side of this system is that it is high priced for what you get. You really should only consider the Cinemate GS II for a situation such as mine where space is at a premium and therefore options are limited. Unlike the Cinemate II, the Cinemate GS II does provide rich sound and ample bass. It also does NOT require a stereo receiver so you will save that cost.

Initially I was hesitant to buy a Bose system because I've always heard the criticism that Bose lacks Bass and sounds rather hollow. I went to the Bose store to listen for myself and discovered where those criticisms come from. You must be careful with Bose products. Some sound great while others are over-priced, mediocre sounding junk. The Cinemate II (NOT GS II) is a perfect example of what gives Bose a bad name. My TV's built-in speakers produced better sound.

So, in conclusion, if you are a discriminating, high-income audio/videophile with a large home, this system will disappoint you. If you live in a modest sized home with limited space and want a compact system that delivers surprisingly rich audio, the Cinemate GS II is hard to beat. Best advice is to shop around and let your wallet, your ears, and your space constraints be your guide.