Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Great hype, but missing some features, June 13, 2003
I picked up the lifestyle 28 system about a year ago, before I knew much, if anything about audio and speakers; I really should have shopped around. This system looked OK in the store, although I was still skeptical, as in the Bose stores, there is no place to try out the systems in quiet, with your own music, as everyone should do when buying speakers. I got home with the system, and set it up; I have to give them credit for one thing-the setup is relatively easy. Unfortunately, to use component video, one needs to use the adapter. I am using the adapter, but the use of component video doesn't help all that much over s-video, as the DVD player is a cheap, non progressive scan player. If you spent the money on a high definition television, as I did, to get progressive scan dvd, one needs to buy an extra dvd player. Also, there is only one video input, and it has to be the same format as the output (i.e. both component, both s-video, etc). Any other system in this price range has multiple video inputs. This means that if you have a vcr, and want to switch from your vcr to the dvd player, you would have to change the bose system to dvd, and change you tv to the bose input. If your tv doesn't have multiple inputs, you would have to either buy an a/v switch, or physically switch the cables. I do give bose credit for including coax digital input for all audio channels, but there is only one toslink optical in. That shouldn't be a huge problem, unless you have lots of external audio components, which most people buying this system will not. One other problem I've encountered is that the bass module is not a subwoofer, just some more midrange drivers designed to output lower frequencies, and they don't accomplish this very well.The bose system is not terrible if you don't need any of the extra features of non-bose systems, and you only use it for video games and movies. With music, no feature like "range compression," as bose calls it, or any other equalization on the system can make it sound real. The goal of reproduction of music is to make one feel like they actually there, and the bose system just doesn't accomplish this. The sound from the system does not do a very good job of filling any relatively large room; the directions that bose gives you for placement of speakers is exactly what any audiophile will tell you not to do-you don't want first order reflections in your home theater. (you can google search for better tips on placement). When the volume on the system is turned up over about 60% (which is usually needs to be at, since the amp is not very powerful) there is noise in the system. It goes "click-click-beep, click-click-beep." This is not noticeable if you have something player through the speakers, unless you listen very carefully. I first thought this might be a result of unclean power going to the unit, but I have a monster brand surge protector that does a pretty good job of providing clean power. It is evident that the bass response is lumpy, possibly because bose sugests that you place the bass module on a wall, which is known to create standing waves. The soundstage is rather large, but sound noticably drops off in certain places around the room. Good luck in your search for a good system, and the best advice anyone could give is this: go listen to the systems, with your own material, and compare! Make sure you shop around. There are endless possibilities in home theater now.
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44 of 55 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Great Sound, Crazy Price!, August 18, 2002
Bose makes great audio products. The Lifestyle 28 produces an incredible sound with high volume and no distortion at all. These speakers are only different from the old ones in that they are smaller and have bigger decibals for volume. But the price is simply ridiculous. For half the price you could get a Klipsch Synergy system, true power with perfect fidelity. The price you are paying for the Bose speakers are just for the fact that they are small and easily conceilable, not because they have the best sound (because they don't) or because they look great (because they don't).
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19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Paying for a name., January 20, 2004
I bought a Bose Lifestyle 35 system in Denver, CO, at the Cherry Creek Mall Bose Outlet. Prior to purchase, I was brought into a sound studio in the store to listen to "the system". It sounded pretty impressive. I brought the unit home, hooked it up and listened. Honestly, I had a hard time telling whether the Bose system or my television speakers were on. Very disappointed. I turned up the volume a bit (about 75% of max) and the center cube speaker blew. Very disappointed. I did some research and learned a lot. Bose does not publish a lot of the specs one would expect to be published on any audio system, let alone such an expensive one. People in the field think poorly of Bose quality and value, period. I called Bose Headquarters, the store in Denver, and a local dealer inquiring about returning the unit. I was told I must drive the unit back to Denver (250 miles from my home, over the mountains, in the snow) to return it, which I did. When I did, the store manager informed me that there is a mail-in return policy and I didn't need to waste an entire day, let alone drive so far in such conditions. He asked if there was anything else I was unhappy about (besides the salesgirl not informing me that I was to receive a free Wave Radio with the purchase; by the way, I liked the Wave Radio a lot but it is also overpriced), and I asked him if the system in the demo studio in the store is the same system I purchased. I mean, after all, they shine pretty spotlights on it and completely lead you to believe that's what you're listening to. "I don't believe anyone said that to you, did they?" was my response. Unbelievable. It turns out that what you hear in the studio is a specially recorded track (made by the designers of the system to accentuate the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of the system) played on an $8000 digital tape player! I subsequently purchased a $500 Onkyo 6.1 channel (not 5.1, like the Bose) system from Circuit City and am completely thrilled. It sounds FAR better than the Bose, for 1/7 the price. Goodbye, Bose, forever.
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