Consumers should do their research before shelling out money for Bose speakers. A google search will bring you to epinions or audioreview websites where you can find review after review, mostly negative, from buyers of Bose products.

The commonly accepted wisdom in the audio industry is that Bose makes low audio quality products and sells them at very high prices. In other words those Polk, JBL, Wharfedale or Infinity mid-fi products you can find at Amazon are usually higher quality at much better price points.

Compare the sound if you ever get a chance. Make sure you DO NOT depend on volume, in other words volume is a bad indicater of quality. Listen for the high and low notes and to the clarity of the music. Tough to do in a showroom at Circuit City or Best Buy, but even there the differences will show up. Bose attempts to prevent consumers from doing this by segregating their products away from the competition.

After this you might look at online audio magazines (do a google search), Audioreview (one word) and Audiogon. You'll find whole NEW world of audio products such as PSB, Paradigm, Vandersteen, Quad, Sonus Faber, ACI and many more who's products will put you on a much higher level of audio than you'd ever imagine. Usually these speakers are SEVERAL times more electronically sophisticated than Bose at the same price! What you won't find in these websites of magazines are Bose articles. Bose just isn't taken seriously by the industry.

Good luck and happy hunting!


Good Rear channel speakers for the price   March 14, 2005
 11 out of 11 found this review helpful

I bought these speakers with skepticism- but I satisfied with the output For God sake they carry 2 .5 drivers how do you expect to get base from them Buy a subwoofer if you want base.
As rear surround they do a fine job.. Of course there are better rear surround speakers but they cost over $400- $500
For about $150 you can't ask for more.
If you have cash go for mirage, axiom, krell, polk etc
But If you are not rich and want a rear channel speaker you can enjoy you have the answer here


Please... their small surround speakers give me a break!   August 16, 2004
 10 out of 13 found this review helpful

Ok to all the "audio buffs" that have written reviews on this proudct one word "Cheap".

Ok you take a 2.5" main speaker and expect true bass?!? What planet are you living on?

I purchaced these speakers to replace my old JBL surrounds that did the exact same job! Back up the other speakers as a rear surround. The clarity is surpassed by brands like Harmon Kardon and Pioneer Elite, but dont expect to shell out only 150$ for a pair of those. They run around six to seven hundered dollars per speaker!

First you cannot buy a speaker to do a job it was not intended to do. The speaker has a true sound that makes you feel warm and cosy. At 100W peak RMS you can turn it up and hear the high end just sing!

If you want Bass get a subwoofer, or a pair of mains with a couple of big woofers. Or do like I do and get both :) But if your looking for a quality proudct that will last and give you a clear tone and low distortion(like none) then get these speakers.


Great surround speakers or stereo in a small room   January 23, 2005
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

I'm not usually a huge Bose afficianado, but I use a pair of Bose 161 speakers as my rear surround speakers and they're great! I have much larger speakers for my L, R and center - and the 161s compliment them perfectly. I can hear very detailed sound coming from them - perfect for effects in movies.

I'm not sure I'd use these as my primary speakers in my living room, but for surround applications, or small stereo needs, they fit the bill perfectly. They're attractive, solidly built, and easily mount to walls using the included wall brackets.


disappointment land   June 3, 2003
 7 out of 41 found this review helpful

Normally I stay away from reviews of products outside the realm of cds and books. Not this time!

If your idea of fun is waiting on a customer service line with the words "Please wait for the next available agent" ringing in your ears endlessly, only to find out - after missing several important business calls - that you are being required to spend additional money (120 bucks) to get your problem resolved, then go through Bose. Cd players getting stuck and static on the speakers is not how I used to enjoy music when listening to Pioneer equipment. And I spent less money with Pioneer.

This company (Bose) charges way too much money for original product purchases to justify the customer spending hours of his own time trying to fix a problem generated by lack of real ingenuity on the part of the company. In other words, they should build this stuff BETTER! One who can afford these products does not have time to re-enact choice product abuse scenes from movies like "Office Space" (i.e. in this case, hacking away at a cd magazine with an ice pick in order to try to remove it).

So if you do want hassles and a company website that does not empower you to directly contact anyone with any power in the organization, go through Bose.

They will not disappoint!