When you hear the Acoustimass 5 Series III speakers, you'll think you're listening to much larger speakers. Yet the spacious sound actually comes from two tiny cube speaker arrays and a hideaway Acoustimass bass module. The improved cube speakers offer enhanced performance, contemporary styling, and a smaller size than the Series II. And the improved module fills a room with even deeper, fuller bass. These Virtually Invisible speakers are the definitive answer to the question of how to combine spacious sound with space-saving design.

Though the Virtually Invisible speaker design may seem like a disappearing act, the performance is quite noticeable. Full, resonating bass and crystal-clear highs envelop a room in beautiful stereo sound. It's all the result of years of intense research and testing. The Acoustimass 5 speakers accomplish what no conventional speakers can claim: big, lifelike sound without big, bulky speakers. Now or in the future, Acoustimass stereo speakers can be turned into a home theater set by simply adding the compatible Bose VCS-10 center-channel speaker. For full five-speaker surround sound, add the VCS-30 center-surround speaker package.

Product Description
The Acoustimass 5 speaker system delivers the ear-pleasing music of a symphonyor the dramatic effects of your favorite movie. The Acoustimass module produces low notes without audible distortion and can be hidden behind furniture. Rich, full music and movie sound appear to come from the small cube speakers, rather than the Acoustimass module, hidden out of view. Two Direct/Reflecting cube speaker arrays deliver the warmth and emotion of string and wind instruments. Those sounds are lifelike and spacious thanks to Direct/Reflecting speaker technology. With a blend of reflected and direct sound, this innovative Bose technology recreates the way sound reaches your ears during a live performance. You experience the richness of your favorite music, from almost anywhere in the room. Connect this speaker system to the rear channel outputs of your home theater equipment, and enjoy the same superb sound quality from your movies as you do from your music. You can mount the cube speaker arrays to your walls, or display them on attractive stands with our line of accessories.

Someone once said "There's a sucker born every minute". Now that's appropriate.


Acoustamess   January 22, 2003
 51 out of 85 found this review helpful

My best friend bought one of these systems and eagerly called me over to hear it. I thought it was a simple minimal system good enough for a kids room. Then he told me how much he paid for it. I nearly fainted. The surround speakers that I built myself For under $300.00 should go for $100,000.00 by these standards. The acoustimass is not Hi-Fi. Distortion, Boomy unfocused bass, no lower mid range, no low bass, no high treble, poor sound stage and generally cheap. I thought Bose was high end stuff. This really burst my balloon.


NOW a great value in speakers   September 25, 2005
 28 out of 37 found this review helpful

Several years ago when these first came on the market they were totally novelty priced, ie. more expensive than warranted. But now at 399. they are a great value and I say this not only because I own them and I'm thrilled but also I know several people who have them in various sized rooms and varying placements, and these speakers simply kick it!! With all due respect to the naysayers, unless you're an ardent audiophile, these speakers will make you very happy.


Bose Rules   December 19, 2005
 26 out of 38 found this review helpful

I am sorry to see the negative reviews on this board. I have had Bose speakers for more than thirty years. My first set, a pair of 601's is still functioning in a friends house. My 901 series VI blow away any home theater systems I've heard. With the direct reflecting sound, there is no need for center channel, rear channel. You just get realism in the listening experience that is unmatched. I have two sets of Acoustimas AM-5's and I am totally satisfied. I've had one set since 1991 and that is a tribute to the quality and longevity of the product. I purchased a second set when I finished my basement and they are nothing short of awesome. When I entertain, I almost always get a compliment on the sound of the speakers. Other reviewers have commented on the lack of bass. I would just say that you really do have to pay attention to the placement of the subwoofer. Bose intends for the subwoofer to use the floor as a platform to send the bass throughout the room. Placing the subwoofer nearer to the corner of the room sometimes will increase the bass. I have both of my systems set up with the subwoofer in a corner firing out at a 45 degree angle and the rooms are totally filled with deep rich bass.

I have always preached the gospel of putting your money in a good set of speakers. While your other equipment is important, the speaker system will make or break the quality of your sound. But with any speaker system, you have to finesse the placement for optimal results.


this system blows (not in a good way)   May 10, 2006
 26 out of 43 found this review helpful

do not buy this system. for the money there are much better systems out there.

I bought this for my family room mainy for the small size of the cube speakers. The main problem with the system (which bose has corrected by the way) is that the "acoustimass" component (bose's fancy name for a subwoofer) is not active (or powered) which means the base is totally inadequate and is overun by the cubes which have no mid or bass ranges. The result is that you get a very "tinny" sound out of most applications including dvd's. I ended up getting a sony active subwoofer and it sounds much better.

In hindsight I would have bought a different brand than bose, but already had to much invested in bose to scrap the system completely, and the size of the cubes is nice. Still pissed that I spent that much money on a substandard system, but hey, got sucked into the bose marketing machine.