Blog :: How-To :: Placing Your Bose® Home Theater Systems and Speakers
Placing Your Bose® Home Theater Systems and Speakers
The following guide gives you some suggestions for creating the audio atmosphere of a Bose® home theater system . This guide will help you properly place, setup and connect your Bose Lifestyle® or Bose Acoustimass® system in your room. We recommend that you experiment with the orientation and placement of the Bose speaker cubes to experience the sound most pleasing to you. Exact placement of Bose Lifestyle® speakers is not as important because the Bose ADAPTIQ process will calibrate your Lifestyle® System to give optimum performance in virtually any room. For a more detailed explanation of how to set up your product, please refer to your owner’s guide.
Lifestyle Media Center
You need to place your media center somewhere near your other components (TV, Cable Box, VCR) so cable connections are easier. Be sure of the length of your cables before you pick a permanent spot for your Media Center and components. Make sure that you do not block the front of the Media Center because the IR Emitter will not properly communicate with other components, also leave enough room to open the front door on the Media Center.
Bose Cube Speakers
Follow these guidelines to help you select the locations for your speakers in your Bose system. Trying alternate arrangements of the speakers will take advantage of the unique sound characteristics of your space.
Left and right front speakers
The sound from the left and right front speakers should seem to come from the edge of the picture, so that the acoustic image is close to the size of the visual image.
- Place the cubes so that they line up with the vertical center of the TV screen.
- Place them up to 3 feet (1 m) from the edge of the television. We recommend a maximum distance of 3 feet (1 m) so that the sound does not become separated from the picture. The Bose speaker cubes should also be at least 6 feet (2 m) apart from each other. You may wish to vary this distance based on room conditions and personal preference.
- If your Bose Home Entertainment System features cube speaker arrays, direct one speaker cube of each array forward. Direct the other speaker cube toward the wall or in a different direction to reflect the sound. For a system featuring single cube speakers, direct each cube toward the wall or in a different direction to reflect the sound.
- The front speaker cables included with your Bose system allow the cube speakers to be placed up to 20 feet (6.1 m) from the Acoustimass® module.
Note: Bose cube speakers are magnetically shielded so you can place them close to the TV will not affect the picture quality.
Center channel speaker
The sound from the center channel speaker should appear to come directly from the center of the picture.
- Place the center speaker or cube array directly above or below the center of the TV screen, or at the closest convenient location.
- Align the speaker or array with the front of the TV screen (not pushed to the back of the TV).
- For a single speaker, direct the cube facing forward. For a Bose speaker cube array, direct each of the speaker cubes slightly away from center, to create a wider area of direct sound.
- The center speaker cable included with your Bose system allows up to 20 feet (6.1 m) distance from the Bose Acoustimass module.
Note: If you put the Bose speakers in a bookcase, be sure to place them on the front edge of the shelf. Placing speakers in an enclosed space can change the tonal quality of the sound. This effect is minimized if the shelves are filled with books.
Surround speakers
The surround (rear) speakers create an area of sound around the listener.
- Place the surround speakers in the back half of your room.
- Position the speakers so that they are at the listeners’ seated ear height or higher. The speaker cube should be directed slightly away from the listeners so that you cannot pinpoint the exact location of the sound source.
- The surround speaker cables included with your Bose system allow up to 50 feet (15.2 m) distance from the Bose Acoustimass module.
- If you are unable to run wires to your surround speakers, you can use the Bose SL2 Wireless Surround Link to send the signal wirelessly to your surround speakers.
Acoustimass module
The Bose Acoustimass module provides the deep, low frequency sound for your music and movies. The Acoustimass module also powers the rest of the speaker cubes in the system so all the wires from the rest of the speaker cubes will be run to the Acoustimass module.
- Place the Bose Acoustimass module along the same wall or close to the same end of the room as the TV monitor.
- Select a convenient location—under a table or behind a sofa, for example. Do not allow furniture or drapes to block the ventilation openings of the module. Be sure there is a gap of at least 2 inches (5 cm) between any surface and the front opening or the grille on the bottom.
- Place the Acoustimass module within reach of the audio input cable, speaker cables and an AC power (mains) outlet.
- Select a position for the Acoustimass module. For proper ventilation, place it on the long edge, with the connectors facing the floor. An alternate position is on its largest side, with the bass and treble controls facing up. Do not place the module on either end.
- Once you have selected a position for the module, place the four self-adhesive rubber feet near the corners of the bottom surface. The rubber feet provide increased stability and protection from scratches.
- Aim the Acoustimass port (the round or rectangular opening) into a corner for more bass or aim the port into the room or along the wall for less bass. Avoid blocking the air flow by allowing a gap of at least 2 inches (5 cm).
- For best low-frequency performance, do not place the Acoustimass module at equal distances from any two walls or from a wall and the ceiling.
Posted in How-To
July 15th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
Hey are the speakers wireless? If not does bose make anything like that.
July 16th, 2007 at 8:17 am
No, Bose does not sell wireless speakers, but they do sell the Bose SL2 Wireless Surround Link that allows you to send the signal wirelessly to your surround speakers (You do not need to run a cable to the back of the room). The Bose SL2 does require power, so you will need to position the SL2 close to an outlet and then run your speaker wires from the Bose SL2 to your surround speakers.
Bose also makes the Bose AL8 Homewide Wireless Audio Link which allows you to add additional rooms of sound to your Bose Lifestyle system, without running any wires from the Bose Lifestyle to the additional room.
August 11th, 2007 at 11:13 am
I Plan on purchasing a Bose life style 35 series III with the s-2 video enhancer and the sl2 wireless surround link. I an buying a 52″ sony xbr bravia lcd Hi def Tv monitor which will be hooked up to a digital hi def cable box. I also plan on hooking up an old(14 years) pioneer laser disc player to the VCR input of the bose media center. I would like to run a hdmi cable from the s-2 unit to the tv and an hdmi cable from the cable box to the media center. 1) Will the Progressive scan DVD built into the bose unit utilize the hdmi cable or must I use other video cabling? 2) I’m guessing I will need an s-video input or composite lead from the laser disk through the s-2 to the TV because of age. Correct? Do you guys forsee any problems in my proposed setup? Will I need any additional cabling or adaptors other than the hdmi cables? Are there enough dc ports on the back of the media center or the acoustimas unit to power the wireless transmitter and the s-2 video units? Thanks for your help
August 12th, 2007 at 8:10 am
James,
This system will work fine. You will want to hook up a fiber optic audio cable from your high-def cable box to the Bose Media Center to get optimal sound. Connect your laser disc player to the Aux input on your VS-2 Video Enhancer and run an Analog Audio Cable to your Bose Media Center. Enjoy your System!
September 1st, 2007 at 9:04 am
Do you have reps in the San Diego area that could help me with a system…I need help with installation..also in order to put the rear speakers in the proper place I would most likely need a wireless system.Is the sound quality as good in a wireless system?Is a wireless system more expensive? Thanks John
September 2nd, 2007 at 9:12 am
John,
Even though we are located only in Illinois, we have a custom installation service that can do installations anywhere in the country. Look under the Install Services category on our main page to find the option you need. I am not quite sure if you have a Bose Lifestyle system or not? If you do your in luck, the Bose SL-2 Wireless Surround Link can wirelessly transmit a signal to your rear speakers without you having to run wires to the back of your room. All you need is a power outlet for your rear speakers and the SL-2 and you will have hassle free surround sound.
September 22nd, 2007 at 7:44 am
I have a Bose surround sound theater system, and a 42″ Plasma TV mounted in a nook above the fireplace. Where do I place the center speaker if the rack space for the amp, cable and dvd player is to the side of the fireplace? Thanks for your input.
September 23rd, 2007 at 10:30 am
Robert,
I wish I had an idea of what your fireplace looks like but since I don’t we’ll just have to assume. If you have a fireplace with a mantle, I would suggest placing the center channel speaker on it requiring no mount. If your fireplace doesn’t have a mantle then you can mount the center channel speaker to the top of the nook above the TV. No matter what your situation you need the center channel speaker to be above or below the TV lined up with the center of your TV. If the center channel is placed to the side your attention will subconsciously be diverted to the sound rather than the picture.
September 23rd, 2007 at 10:37 am
I have setup my lifestyle 28 and am using an optical lead to connect from my cable box and set to PCM. When watching a program braodcast in stereo i get a distorted electro sound from the rear speakers. This is mainly noticable when there is speech on the program. Please help.
Thanks
September 24th, 2007 at 10:28 am
Tom,
This is not a very common problem but I have a few solutions that may work.
1) Try resetting your lifestyle system by unplugging both the acoustimass (bass) module and the media center for 30 seconds.
2) Switch the digital audio from PCM back to its original setting because the lifestyle media center will default to digital audio automatically. There is no need to manually change the settings.
3) Try reassigning the optical cord to another input.
I hope one of these options fixes your problem, if not you can try calling Bose Tech Support at 1-800-367-4008. If they can’t help, you may have a faulty cable box and need to contact your cable provider.
September 27th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
Everything I have read tells me that the Bose 28 is what I need for my home theater. In looking at the box of components, I do not see any brackets for mounting the speakers (all 5) anywhere. Do I need to purchase these seperately. Also, in using a prewired system, will 16 gauge work with the speaker wire adapter kit? What about the individual speakers, will they need any adapters? Thanks.
September 28th, 2007 at 9:46 am
Rick,
The Bose Lifestyle Systems do not include mounting brackets and you will have to purchase them separately. The good news is that with our Reward Dollar System you would get back $100 with the Lifestyle 28 to make an additional purchase from our site. 5 Bose Speaker Brackets would cost right around $125 so you would be getting 5 for the price of one. To do it this way order your Lifestyle 28 from our site and when you receive it your reward dollars will be included. Then come back to our site and order your brackets with your Reward Dollars code.
To answer your second question, yes the Bose Speaker Wire Adapter Kit will work with 16 gauge wire and no you will not need adapters for individual speakers. Hope this helps.
September 28th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
I’ll be receiving my Bose Lifestyle 48 Series 4 system tomorrow. I’ll be connecting my HD DVR cable box/Blue-Ray player with HDMI cables to the VS-2. Will the HDMI connection carry audio from the VS-2 to the Bose system or would I need audio cables?
Thanks much!
October 1st, 2007 at 7:40 am
Michael,
You should be good to go, since the VS-2 connects directly to the Lifestyle 48 it will carry the sound to it. HDMI broadcasts both video and audio digitally so no, you will not need additional audio cables. Just be sure you have an HDMI cable going from the HD Cable Box to the VS-2 input and then have another HDMI cable running from the VS-2 output to your HDTV.
October 12th, 2007 at 10:39 am
Lifestyle 48 - How do I switch the DVD compatibility from Region 1 to Region 2 for using European DVD’s ?
Thanks a lot !
October 15th, 2007 at 1:07 pm
Giovanni,
Unfortunately this is not possible on the Bose Lifestyle 48.
October 15th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
In your diagram you have the center speaker mounted on the wall. My flatscreen is mounted on the wall and I would like to purchase the Acoustimass system for my living room. Does the center speaker have a wall mount bracket? Does the accessory bracket (shown with the cubes) work also for the center speaker. Thanks!
October 16th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Annie,
Bose Speaker Brackets accommodate all Lifestyle, Acoustimass and 321 speakers. The center channel speaker fits on the same bracket that the rest of the speakers fit on. Speaker brackets are not included with Acoustimass systems but if you buy an Acoustimass from us, you will receive reward dollars that you can use to help purchase your speaker brackets.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
We have the Lifestyle 48. I am going nuts. Everything works great but, in using TV, I never get the surround speakers ON! I dont get it. Even with a surround movie, I get nothing. Am I missing a cable from the vs-2 to the tv as suggested above, or is it even simpler than that? DVD’s work fine, as does the radio, and CD’s.
October 30th, 2007 at 8:07 am
Sharon,
If you just have basic cable or a digital cable box and have the cable plugged into your TV you will not get digital surround sound on regular TV. Sometimes you will get analog surround sound (which is not as good) with channels like HBO or ESPN but with most regular programming you will get no surround sound because your system is not connected to do so.
Now if you have a high definition cable or satellite box (which I’m assuming you do since it is connected to your vs-2) you can fix this problem two ways. First of all if your HD Cable/Satellite Box is connected with component video (Red, Green and Blue cables), you will also have a separate audio connection. If your audio connection is analog (red and white inputs) that is the reason you aren’t getting digital surround sound. You need to check and see if your cable/satellite box has a digital optical or digital coaxial input. These are both digital connections and will give you digital surround sound. If you do decide to use one of these connections, you will have to go into the menu on your Lifestyle 48 and assign the CBL/SAT input to use an Optical or Digital Coax connection whichever you end up choosing. You will then get digital surround sound on the shows that use that format.
Since you have the VS-2 another option for you would be using HDMI if your Cable or Satellite box and your TV has HDMI connections. HDMI carries a High Definition Video and Digital Audio signal all in one cable. The VS-2 comes with a software upgrade, which I’m sure you already know, and will allow your Lifestyle to have an HDMI option. This would also allow you to hear digital surround sound.
Unless you have a digital audio connection, you will not hear digital surround sound. You need to check the connections on the back of your Cable/Satellite Box to see what options you have. I am not sure exactly what kind of setup you have. If you would let me know exactly what kind of setup you have including what kind of TV you have and what connections are available on it and what kind of cable/satellite box you have and what kind of connections it has, I can tell you exactly what you can do. If this response hasn’t answered your question write another one giving me the information I asked for able and I will be able to tell you what to do.
October 30th, 2007 at 8:44 am
Thank you! Here are more details. I have the hdmi cable going to the tv from the vs 2. The hd cable box has a coaxial going in from the outside. There is no opption on that box for an hdmi cable. We have a new Samsung HD tv which has 2 hdmi ports and I am using the 1st one which bose said was correct. So in reading your reply, does it mean I need an optical wire to somewhere?
October 30th, 2007 at 9:51 am
Sharon,
OK, we can rule out using HDMI with the HD Cable Box since there is no connection for it. This means that you have to use component video (Red, Green and Blue Connections) with either a fiber optic or digital coaxial connection. Here is a list of the cables needed to get High Definition video and Digital Surround Sound audio: 2 Component Video Cables and one fiber optic or one digital coaxial cable (depending on the connection you have).
Here is how to set up this connection.
VIDEO: Take the first Component Video Cable and connect it from the HD Cable Box Output to the CBL/SAT Input on your VS-2 (make sure the red, green and blue cables are connected to the correct inputs). Then connect the Second Component Video Cable from the Component Video Output on the VS-2 to a Component Video Input on your Samsung HDTV. You then need to go to the Lifestyle 48 Menu go to video and select Component Video for the CBL/SAT input. Your video connection is complete, you can now watch high definition channels in 720p or 1080i high definition resolutions.
AUDIO: I am still not sure exactly what connections you have on your HD Cable Box, but I have never heard of one that doesn’t have either a Fiber Optic or Digital Coax connection so I’m sure you have one of the two. I will go through both connections for you.
Fiber Optic - Connect the Fiber Optic Cable from the Optical output on your HD Cable Box to the Optical in on your Lifestyle 48. Then go to the Menu on your Lifestyle 48, go to audio and select CBL/SAT for the Optical(Fiber Optic)Input.
Digital Coaxial - Connect the Digital Coax cable from the Digital Output on your HD Cable Box to the Digital Input labeled CBL/SAT on the back of your Lifestyle 48. *A digital coax connection is usually a single orange input but on the Lifestyle 48 it is grey and labeled digital.
You should now be able to get digital surround sound on shows that broadcast in that format. Remember that not all shows broadcast in surround sound so you wont hear sound from the back speakers on all shows. Also you mentioned that you have an HDMI cable connected from your TV to the VS-2. This connection is doing absolutely nothing for you unless you have it connected to something else like a Blu-Ray Disc Player or a Playstation 3. Just like the component video connection I talked about earlier, you need an HDMI Cable from a component (Blu-Ray Disc Player) to a VS-2 HDMI input and then from the VS-2 HDMI output to the HDMI TV input.
This connection should work for you, if you need to purchase any of the cables I talked about for your connection, follow the links to our product pages that I have provided for you. If you have any questions call us at 1-866-224-6171, E-Mail us at sales@4electronicwarehouse.com or write another post.
November 14th, 2007 at 6:41 am
Hi !
I have a Lifestyle 48 with the VS-2. I am trying to connect my Playstation 3 with HDMI Cable on the VS-2 but get no signal on my TV.
I of course have a HDMI cable between the VS-2 and the TV .
I have also tried to connect the Fiber Optic cable from the optical output on the PS3 to the Lifestyle 48 optical input, but no sound, even i have selected it in the Lifestyle 48 menu ? Whats am i doing wrong ?
November 14th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Peter,
It seems like you have done everything right, but I have a few suggestions that could maybe fix your problem.
1) Hook up your PS3 to the VS-2 using the factory cables only to temporarily so you can see what you are doing. Then go into the PS3’s menu and see if there is an option for video sources. If there is select HDMI and also see if there is an audio source option to select fiber optic video. Then you can reconnect using your HDMI and fiber optic cables.
2) I’m not sure what kind of HDMI cable you are using besides the one Bose provided. Some cables are not SimplayHD certified which means that they will work with all HDMI interfaces. Your cable may not be communicating correctly with the VS-2, so if you can try a SimplayHD certified HDMI cable from a brand like Monster to see if that will work. Again I’m not sure what kind of cable you are using but sometimes cheap HDMI cables will have this problem.
3) If these solutions do not work I suggest calling Bose technical support at 1-800-905-2138.
December 26th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
My acoustimass subwoofer appears to be blown. I know Bose doesn’t recommend it but can I connect my cube speakers directly to my Pioneer receiver? If not, why? I have another subwoofer I can use.
December 27th, 2007 at 9:44 am
Steve,
You could connect your cube speakers to your Pioneer Receiver, but you don’t want to because they will sound terrible. The cube speakers crossover points are set up to work directly with the Acoustimass Module and nothing else. Connecting them with your Pioneer Receiver will work, but the sound quality will be so bad it won’t even be worth it. You will need to send your Acoustimass module in for repairs.
December 27th, 2007 at 10:55 am
I just purchased the Lifestyle V30 from you and I’m trying to figure out the best way to place the front speakers. We have 4.5′ built ins on each side of a 6′ wide stone fireplace. The TV is in the left side built in. Would you place the front speakers on top of the built in the tv is in, so the speakers would be only 4.5′ apart, or should we move the right front speaker to the other side of the fireplace even though it would be farther from the center and left front speaker?
December 27th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
Joel,
Placing the front right speaker that far away from the TV and other speakers will separate the sound from the picture. When the sound is separated from the picture, people tend to get distracted by it and look for the sound source instead of focusing completely on the TV. You want the sound to come from around the TV so the picture and sound seem in-sync. You will want to go with your first option setting the speakers on top of your built in. You can then angle the Jewell Cube Speakers to fit the shape of your room(see chart above) and run the AdaptIQ which will calibrate the sound to maximize sound distribution around the room.
December 30th, 2007 at 1:15 am
How do I connect my PS3 to my Bose lifestyle 35 audio. I used a HDMI cable to connect my PS3 to my TV(SONY Bravia).I also have a comcast reciever(HD)connected to my Bose by an optical cable which is very nice in sound anyway.Now can you tell me which cable(s) do I need to purchase to have my PS3 audio going through my Bose 35.Thanks
December 31st, 2007 at 2:52 pm
Freddie,
We have a Monster Playstation 3 Component Video A/V Cable that will allow you to do this, but you will have to use that instead of the HDMI cable and will have analog sound instead of digital. This cable has component video (still high definition) and analog audio cables. Plug the component Video Cable into your TV’s component video input and plug the Analog Audio cables into one of the Audio inputs on the back panel of your Lifestyle 35. This will allow you to get the Playstation 3’s audio through your lifestyle. Although you will not be able to use HDMI you will still get a good high definition picture.
January 10th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Just purchased the Lifestyle 38 series IV. Two questions:
1) Any recommendations regarding the monster speakers wires for the speaker hookup. There seems to be quite a few on the site.
2)Will the adaptiQ adjust the sound based on the following configuration:
Living Room Dining Room
__________________________________________________________
LS TV Media . Acoustimass RS.
CS . .
.3 ft wall .
.
12ft
.
.
.
. .
.3 ft wall .
LS(rear) (rear)RS. .
___________________________________________________________
January 11th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Sunil,
1) I am assuming you are doing an in-wall installation of the speaker wire. If your maximum distance is going to be 75 feet or below, any Monster 16 gauge two conductor speaker wire will work fine. Anything over 75 feet, use 14 guage two conductor monster speaker cable. Make sure you get cable made for in-wall installations, we also offer cable for outdoor installations. Read the descriptions of the products to find the right one for your particular situation.
2) The AdaptIQ feature maximizes sound to the seats people will be in while listening to the Lifestyle System so it will probably work with any configuration. I am a little confused with the description of your layout but the AdaptIQ should work no matter what.
If you are doing in-wall installation of your speaker wire, you may want to consider the Bose Professional install kit. It will make your installation look very clean and allow you to move the Acoustimass module where you want it to be. I have provided a link to the product above.
Here is a link to the Two Conductor Speaker Wire page. Link
January 29th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
I have bose cube speakers purchased about 4 years ago. Are they still considered very good speakers or is it time to update them?
I am running a 7.1 system with an onkyo 805 and all bose speakers.
January 30th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Collin,
Bose Jewell Cube Speakers are built to be very durable and last for many years. Bose still uses these speakers on their systems today and the technology will be the same that is in your speakers right now. You should be fine for a few more years.
February 5th, 2008 at 1:37 am
I Have the lifestyle V30 and was wondering if there was any way i can hook up my bose speakers with another receiver, such as an onkyo. can i connect it with the acoustimass module? or would i have to connect the speakers by themselves directly to the receiver.
February 5th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Adolfo,
You probably could plug the Jewell Cube Speakers into another receiver, but I don’t recommend it because they would sound pretty bad due to the fact that the crossover points in the speakers were made to work with the Bose media center only.
February 12th, 2008 at 7:11 am
I just hooked up my Bose Lifestyle V20 and am very happy. I also hooked up an LG BH200 to it, but none of the Bose codes work on the remote. Is there a code for the LG BH200 and/or can you program a code into the Bose remote?
February 12th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Tom,
Unfortunately we do not have the Bose remote codes to give you, that is something that you will have to contact their customer support about (1-800-905-2138). As for your second question, the Bose Lifestyle remotes are not learning remotes so if you can’t find the code on the list they provided you with you will not be able to program anything into it.
February 13th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
How can I hook up a Wii to my Bose Lifestyle system. I get sound but no video.
February 13th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Ryan,
It really depends on what kind of Lifestyle System you have. If you have a Lifestyle system that is a Series III or below, you do not connect video to the lifestyle system, you connect it to your TV. If you have a Series IV Lifestyle 48, 38, 35 then you will connect the video to the VS-2 video enhancers composite (yellow) input. If you have a Lifestyle V20 or V30 you will make the composite video connection to the back of the media center. Before the recent line of Lifestyles and V Series Lifestyles, the Lifestyle systems were made for audio only. I am guessing that you have an older version or you would be able to see the video connections. If you hear the audio through the lifestyle you have done that part right, now just plug the composite video jack (yellow) into the TV and you will be good to go.
February 13th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
I do have an older one, and it’s plugged into a projector mounted on my ceiling so I can’t connect to a TV. I guess there is no video in like on a VCR?
February 13th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Ryan,
Unfortunately there isn’t, but you can add video inputs to it by purchasing the Bose VS-1 (limited quantities) or VS-2 Video Enhancer (works on any Lifestyle except Series 1 18,28 and 38). These give you 3 video inputs and 1 video out. The difference between the two is that the VS-2 gives you 2 HDMI inputs and 1 out and will also upscale your analog video connections (like the Wii’s) to digital over HDMI. If you were to purchase one of these systems you would also have to purchase a long video cable like a composite, s-video, component or HDMI cable to run from the VS-1 or VS-2’s output to your projector. I am not sure if you are willing to do this or not but this is the only way you will get video to your projector. I have linked to all product pages if you are interested in making any purchases.
February 15th, 2008 at 7:16 am
I’m considering the Lifestyle 48 systems. What’s are the differences between the series III and series IV? I just purchased a Sony XBR4. Is there any advantage connecting the series IV to it vs.the series III?
Thanks
February 15th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Dave,
There is only one difference between the two models but it’s a big one. The Lifestyle 48 Series IV comes with the Bose VS-2 Video Enhancer. The VS-2 gives your Lifestyle 48 much more flexibility, and better connectivity options. With the Lifestyle 48 Series III you plug your audio sources into the back panel of the Lifestyle and your video sources into the TV. This makes you change both the input on your TV and on the Lifestyle 48 to get the desired combination. With the Series IV and the VS-2 you only have to touch one button for both to switch since all of the Video Inputs and Outputs are controlled by the VS-2. I believe your TV has 3 HDMI inputs which is the best High Definition technology available. The VS-2 gives you 2 HDMI inputs and one HDMI output which is not available without the VS-2. The great thing about connecting your VS-2 output to your TV with HDMI is that the system will upscale your other video sources to the highest resolution your TV can accept. So you will always be watching a digital signal at the highest resolution possible. The Bose Lifestyle 48 Series IV was made with High Definition in mind, and is definitely the option you want to go with. I have provided a link to its product page on our website. If you buy from us you will get $200 in Reward Dollars on our site to spend on brackets, cables or anything else you might need with your new system.
February 16th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I recently bought a Bose acoustimass 10 speaker system.Iam planning to set it up in my basement using in wall wires.I was wondering whether should i buy new speaker wires or can i use the same manufactured by Bose which comes along the system and use it as in wall wires.
Please update.
Thank you.
February 18th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Roger,
I’m not going to say that the Bose speaker wire won’t work in-wall because it will, but it wasn’t really meant for in-wall installations. You will run the risk of the wire getting torn or damaged when pulling them through the wall and also risk electrical interference from other wires. Quality in-wall speaker wire will have protective jackets to keep them from being damaged and be shielded against outside electrical interference from other wires. I would recommend that you get some quality in-wall speaker wire, 16 gauge should work fine. Here is a link to our Monster In-Wall Speaker Wire if you are interested in buying from us.
February 18th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Hi, having problem with my Bose LS48 and the Vs-2. Besides the tv going black all the time (only sound, no picture) it seems that the sound and the picture are not syncronised. I have now connected the HDS-cable box with Hdmi, straight into my TV, but still having problem with the Bose DVD. Sound and picture doesw not match! What to do???
February 18th, 2008 at 10:28 am
Thomas,
I have never heard of the Bose DVD player having unbalanced sound and picture. I would call Bose technical support at 1-800-905-2138.
February 22nd, 2008 at 7:04 pm
I am trying to set up a Lifestyle 28 system I bought at CompUSA going out of business. The system is missing the power cord to the acoustamass unit. I hooked up another power cord to it, and a yellow light flashes yellow when the system is on and green when it is off. Help, is this right?
February 25th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Stephen,
You need to call Bose 1-800-999-2673 and order the correct wire. If you don’t, you could run into problems down the road.
February 28th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
I am considering a V20 system but am trying to find out if it would be appropriate for a family room that is 22×22 feet in size. What is the maximum room size you would recommend to use this system in? Also, what wattage rating does this system have? I have not been able to find this information. Thanks in advance.
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:01 am
Bill,
The V-20’s rear speaker wires are 50 feet long and since your max distance is less than half the speaker wire length, you will be fine with wherever you put them.
Bose does not list wattage on their systems, but each speaker is amplified and has plenty of power to get the job done. If you want to buy the V-20 from us, here is a link to the product page. You will receive Free 2nd Day Air Shipping and $100 in Reward Dollars to our store in order to purchase brackets, cables or other accessories for your system.
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:02 am
I have an old Bose AM-5 System and would like to add some rear and maybe a center speaker to my system. I have no way of concealing wires to the back of the room and was wondering if the Bose SL-2 transmitter would connect directly to my Sony 5.1 Amp so I could have rear sound with out running wires across the carpet? I know Bose make a good center speaker, so I am okay there. Thanks
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:25 am
Gator Mike,
The SL-2 only works with Bose Lifestyle Systems and 5.1 Acoustimass Systems. It will not work with the AM-5 and is not compatible with other manufacturers products, sorry.
March 11th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
I own a LS V20. I am trying to hook my HP notebook (Pavilion dv9758ca) digital sound to my LS V20 to play my audio files. The HDMI connection on my PC will only plug into the DVD HDMI input in my LS media center (the other HDMI input is used up for my digital cable link and the AUX input does not have an HDMI port). This is far from ideal as the video signal has to recognized in order to play the audio signal. Although equipped with a Realtek HD Audio card, it appears like my PC does not support the S/PDIF format, so I cannot use the headset port as a means to send my audio signal through a digital Coax cable. Is there an alternate way of passing the audio stream from my HP notebppk to the Bose system?
March 12th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Frank,
The way I see it you have three options
1) You could get a new soundcard for your HP which I am sure you don’t want to do.
2) You could connect with analog audio instead of digital
3) You could connect your cable box with component video to free up an HDMI input. What most people don’t understand about the V20 and V30 is that if your output to the TV goes through HDMI, you really don’t need HDMI on any of the inputs. A component video signal will be upscaled and sent through the HDMI cable going to your TV so you will basically get the same quality picture as you would if you had an HDMI cable plugged into the input. You would need to get a digital coax or fiber optic cable for digital sound if you went this way. Just a thought.
If you are going with options 2 or 3 and need cables to complete them here is a link to our Cables product page.
March 16th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
I recently moved into a condo that already had Bose Acoustimass 10 speakers mounted into the walls; however, the bass module was not left behind. Am I able to plug the speakers into a regular receiver or do I need to somehow purchase the bass module? If I do need to purchase it do you have any recommendations where this can be done and how much it might be because I cannot locate one that is sold separately.
March 16th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Nicole,
Any Bose equipment that works as a unit (Lifestyle, Acoustimass, 321) is meant to work with its own particular equipment. If you plugged the speakers into a receiver instead of the Acoustimass Module they might work, but probably wouldn’t sound very good since the crossover points were set to work with the Acoustimass Module and nothing else. I would not recommend this. You may be able to purchase one from Bose, but the problem you will run into is that you are not going to know what series Acoustimass module you will need. Call Bose at 1-800-999-2673 and explain your situation, they might be able to help you. If not your other option is to get another Acoustimass 10 since the wiring is already done and you already have the brackets. If you want to go this route, here is a link to the Acoustimass 10 product page on our site. We have it on sale right now and if you buy from us you will receive $45 in Reward Dollars to use towards a future purchase on our site.
March 16th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
I just purchased a V20 and I’m trying to link my PS3 remote with the bose, since I use my PS3 for DVDs. Does the Bose remote recognize the PS3 as a DVD player and if it does which list would I find it under…DVD, DVD/DVR, etc. Sincerely, A man with too many remotes!
March 17th, 2008 at 8:31 am
Kevin,
We do not have a list of the Bose remote codes, the only one who would have access to this info is Bose. Call Bose tech support at 1-800-905-2138.
March 24th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Hi i was wondering if 301 bose speakers,bose acussitmass subwoofer and bose vcs-10 center speaker are compatable with my jvc home theater amp. Thank you,Blair
March 26th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Blair,
The Bose 301 Speakers and the VCS-10 Center Channel will work with your JVC. The Acoustimass Subwoofer is not available for sale by itself, it comes with either an Acoustimass System or a Lifestyle Home Theater System. You will need to buy a powered subwoofer instead. We have several in our Subwoofers section (click on the link to follow). Here are links to the Bose 301 Speakers and Bose VCS-10 Center Channel Speaker.
April 20th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Hello. I have a Bose Lifestyle 18 III system. Can I replace the single cubes with Jewel cubes? Can they plug straight into my current base module simply using wire adapters, with they work fine? thanks.
April 21st, 2008 at 11:04 am
Nick,
This will not work. The Jewell Cubes have different crossover points that only work correctly with their intended systems. Plus you can’t buy just the speakers by themselves. Sorry.
April 21st, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Thanks for your reply. What about dual-cubes, will they work with the LS18 III? Thanks.
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:07 am
Nick,
Again the crossover points will be different and you can’t purchase the speakers by themselves.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:03 am
Wow I was just about to put in an order for acoustimas 10 speakers, I already have a JVC receiver, when I noticed that all speaker wires have to be hooked up to the subwoofer? That is not good for me. I have already wired my speakers to go to my receiver, in an area which is located in a seperate room where it won’t be near the subwoofer. I cannot just hook the speakers up directly to the receiver…as it would sound bad? This would mean I have to make more holes and more cable to the subwoofer. I’m not sure I want to do that. Any other solution?
April 24th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Thai,
Unfortunately with this particular system, the only way to connect the speakers is by going through the acoustimass module. We may have other solutions for you, call our customer service department at 1-866-224-6171 and talk to one of our installation experts, they will be able to talk you through your problem.
July 12th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
HI, I am interested in purchasing the VCS-10 bose center speaker?? My question is will the VCS-10 work with my Lifestyle 35 currently? I am wanting to replace my tiny jewel cube center speakers with the VCS-10 to get a deeper bass sound in the voices..WIll it work if connected to the Acoustimass Module from my lifestyle 35?? Any info would be appreciated..Is there any options to replace my jewel dual cubes center speakers with something a little better? I mean, the jewel cubes are great, loud and perfect clarity, just need a little deeper tones at times. Any inpo would be appreciated. Thanks
July 12th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Dan,
Using a Bose VCS-10 with your current Bose Lifestyle 35 system would not be ideal. The Lifestyle systems have the crossover network already built into the amp for the speakers that come with them.
October 19th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
I have a lifestyle 38. General question: is it ok to position the front cube speakers directly on a shelf or some thing of the sort (that is, not to use a floor stand, table stand, or wall mount?
Also, I know that much is subject to personal preference re sound, but generally which do you think would be better having the L/R front cube speakers centered on the left/right of my 46in Lcd but only about 4.5 ft apart (supposed to be at least 6ft apart), OR roughly six feet apart but approximately 1.5 feet to up above the respective top corner of the Lcd?
thanks
October 20th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Craig,
I would recommend putting the L/R speakers 2ft. off the screen if possible. This doesn’t always work though. In that case with the Bose Speakers and the Lifestyle system will compensated for it. The Bose Lifestyle system has a technology included with it called ADAPTiQ. This technology will help in real world conditions when you can’t always put speakers where they need to be.
October 20th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
I am interested in the Bose cinemate system ,my room is 15 by 12 .Is this a good system with the 2 speakers ? Or should I go with the Acoustimass 6 seris 111 -5,1 speaker package –or something else
$126.00 more ?
Andrew
October 21st, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Andrew G,
The Bose Cinemate system would work fine in your size room with just the 2 speakers. Although the Bose Acoustimass 6 system with a Home Theater Receiver would give you a better Home Theater experience.
October 30th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Dear Sir,
I have the following equipment: Panasonic Plazma TV(TH-50PZ700U),Sony Blu-Ray DVD player(BDP S300),Yamaha Receiver(RX-V2092), and just purchased-used- a Bose Acoustimass Series IV 10 Speaker system.Only have basic cable, but with the built-in HD receiver am able to get HD broadcasts.
I understand the hooks-ups from the module to the receiver and the speakers to the module. However, I am not sure where the TV or DVD player hook. Being an older receiver,will I still be able to get HD from the TV & blu-ray player? Should I leave the HDMI cable from the TV to the player as is?
Thanking you in advance for your help! George Neslie
October 31st, 2008 at 2:36 pm
George Neslie,
I would leave your HDMI cable plugged in directly to your TV from your Blu-ray player. This will give you the best picture quality. You will still need to feed the the Yamaha receiver with digital sound though. This can be done with a digital coax or fiber optic cable. Then to use your digital tuner from your TV there should be a digital audio out. Use this to get your sound from the TV back to your Yamaha receiver. This will also be done with either a digital coax or fiber optic cable.
November 16th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Can I put an Acoustimass module in a high position, like under ceiling? On same wall as TV?
November 23rd, 2008 at 10:32 am
I just purchased the Lifestyle 38, but my living room is L-shaped with the TV in the corner of the 2 longest wall. What’s the best way to set up the speakers with this kind of configuration?
November 26th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
I have an old Acoustimass Bose system with 3 sets of cubes. I am powering them with an Onkyo 7.1 receiver. On the back of the module there is just a LF center and RF input/output. Can I add 2 more sets of Bose cubes directly to the receiver for my rears?
December 4th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Hi, we have a TV monitor, the Bose Lifestyle system and cable box in the closet with an RF remote. Can I hook up the Wii system, if so how?
Thanks
December 8th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Sir…I am afraid I may have just been suckered on eBay, but maybe you can help. I recently bought what I thought was a complete lifestyle system from an individual on eBay…it has the 5 typical dual cube speakers and bass module. After receiving the unit, it says it is a lifestyle model 5 music center. There was no instruction manual so I found one online, but it doesn’t show where this system come with rear or center speakers. Is it possible to add these to the unit or will they simply be another set of left and right speakers and have no surround effect from the rear of the room? The unit was advertised with all 5 speakers and module. The module says it is an Acoustimass 25 series II. ANY help would be GREATLY APPRECIATED…..Thank you, Frank
December 11th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
I have the first Bose 3-2-1 system. The problem I have is that I purchased a new TV and I am unable to figure out why the sound does not come through my TV when not using the DVD. Everything works fine for my DVD, but sound does not work through my speakers for my TV; I hooked up everything the same way I had the old TV hooked up. Thanks.
December 13th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
For Christmas I received a Onkyo TX-SR806 7.1 channel Home Theater Receiver, and will use a Panasonic Blu-ray Disc Player DMP-BD35. The receiver will put out 130 watts per channel. How well will the Acoustimass 10 series 1V work? How about the 16 series II? My TV is a Diamond series Mitsubishi 65″ 1080p DLP. Any thoughts or suggestions GREATLY appreciated!
December 16th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
I have a Bose Lifestyle 28 system connected to my Samsung 52″ LCD. In addition, I have a Comcast cable box for HDTV. I recently purchased a Samsung Blu-ray player and have it connected directly to the TV with an HDMI cable. I have an optical cable from the Comcast box to the Bose system for standard HDTV. How and what do I connect from the Blu-ray to the Bose system for audio only if I am using the Blu-ray player? Will I get true 5.1 sound through the Bose system?
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:51 am
I recently purchased an Acoustimass 10 system. I used my existing in-wall wiring for the back speakers and spliced them to the 25′ wires supplied and left the remaining cable wound up behind the module. Will the excess wire (25′) breakdown the signal to my back speakers? Should I cut the excess wire off? Any help would be appreciated.
P.S. The system sounds great.
December 26th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
I have the Bose Lifestyle VS-2 and recently purchased a PS3: how do I connect my PS3 using an HDMI cable to my TV and still get the Bose sound? I have a Pioneer Elite 60 inch TV. I appreciate your help. Thank you.
January 13th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
I have an Acoustimass 15 series speaker system. I recently updated my receiver and it is asking me to input the impedance of my speakers. My choices are 4-6ohms, and then above 6ohms. I have not found any conclusive documentation of exactly what the speaker impedance is. In the manual it says 4/8 - so is it 4 or 8?? It will make a difference in the calibration of my system. Any information would be helpful.
January 14th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
My family just purchased the Bose V20 lifestyle. I’m just wondering how we could link the Playstation3 to the Bose. Would is go under music player, DVD, etc?
January 20th, 2009 at 12:12 am
I purchased the lifestyles V20 which I love. I have a couple of issues though. I puchased a 52″ inch Samsung (touch of color 650 series) I can not get the Bose remote to find the code for the TV. I have to constantly use the cable or the original TV remote to shut the TV off. Why is that? Why won’t it find a code. I bought these system together new. The next question is I have a PS3 that I have hooked up to the HDMI port that read DVD. When we play a game the digital read display reads that the sound is coming out in 5.1, but when I watch a blue ray movies the digital display states the sound is in 2. The movie states it is in 5.1 but does not display that as the game does. Why is that? It seems to sound OK just reading different then the games. Is there something I need to do in the system. The Bose manual is not to friendly. I also can not find the codes for the PS3 remot4e in the Bose system. Your knowledge would be greatful in these confusing matters.
Robman
March 28th, 2009 at 6:04 am
Can this system play Blu-ray disc? Thanks
April 13th, 2009 at 9:12 am
I have a Lifestyle 35 with jewel cube speakers. If I purchase a Lifestyle v10 system, can I substitute my jewel cube speakers for those that come with the V10? Trying to save some money.
May 12th, 2009 at 7:23 am
I have a LS-18 Series 2 and a VS-2. My Cable box is HD, and I’m using HDMI cables. The background noise is great but when the various individuals talk, they are very muffled. Also, depending on the channel, I’m constantly changing my speaker from 5 audio to 2.
May 21st, 2009 at 1:27 pm
I have lifestyle 28. Is it possible to use Jewel cubes with the same subwoofer?
May 25th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
I have an AM-16 that sometimes experiences stress when I play a movie with lots of bass. When I adjust the LFE too low I don’t experience the bass I want. What do you suggest I do? I was wondering if the AM-16 could be connected to a receiver without the cubes connecting back to the bass module for power? Thanks.
May 26th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Ben:
The DVD drive in this system cannot play Blu-ray discs. But we have a nice selection of Blu-ray players and can work with you to get the systems linked up properly.
May 26th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Okaidja:
1. Make sure the LFE settings on your receiver are adjusted properly — is the woofer handling too wide a frequency range?
2. Check speaker levels — too low and you’ll have to turn the system volume up higher than necessary, which puts more stress on the bass module.
3. Add additional subwoofers to better distribute bass and overcome poor room acoustics.
Keep in mind that each system and the room it’s in is different. Better performance can usually be achieved through simple measures like adjusting speakers and speaker placement or modifying default settings to match the characteristics of your media room and listening preferences.
June 8th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Can the dual cube speakers be mounted sideways using the UB-20 mounting arms? Does this affect the sound?
June 10th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
I have a Bose Lifestyle V20, and I have a Blu-ray Sony BDP S300 and a Sony Bravia AW15 projector. I connect the projector with HDMI in the console and the Blu-ray with HDMI, but there’s no signal. Do you know if I must to reset all devices or if there’s a special connection for the projector?
June 15th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Darren:
Yes, you can mount the speakers sideways. But keep in mind that the brackets are designed for a vertical installation, with adjustments — both vertical and horizontal — being achieved using the movable arm. The sound quality should not be affected if they’re aligned properly and calibrated as instructed.
June 15th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Alexei:
It’s very difficult to make a judgment without knowing a lot of information regarding device setup, options selected, cable type, etc. Therefore I’d recommend calling our customer service reps at 1-866-224-6171 so you can discuss the exact configuration and find a solution to your problem. The problem could be any of the components in the system or the cables connecting them, but do make sure that the cables are properly connected and each device is set to send/receive signals from the HDMI ports. Usually devices will have an “auto” option or troubleshooting mode that may default settings or correct any incompatible signals or settings. Resetting the devices should resolve any handshake problems if they exist.
June 16th, 2009 at 9:28 am
I bought a SONY STRDA 4300ES receiver with 1 subwoofer port and 1 Optical output port. I need to connect it to Bose Lifestyle25 Acoustimass25 with 1 Coax cable input. Does it work?
June 23rd, 2009 at 9:00 pm
My house was wired with 16 gauge speaker wire when it was built. I have a Bose Lifestyle 48 series III with a VS-2. Since my Jewel speakers have a factory prong connection I can’t splice my Monster cable into them. Can I cut my Bose wires and splice them into my Monster cable then splice the other end to go into the Acoustimass module? If so, should the Bose factory wire be as short as possible for better sound? Thanks.
June 24th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Jim:
Actually Bose sells an adapter for custom installs, the AC-2 Bare Speaker Wire Adapter (http://www.4electronicwarehouse.com/products/bose/ac2-adapter-black.html). It can take up to 14 gauge wire and should solve your problem. Plus you can keep the original cables as backups or if you eventually change the system and want the original cables.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Prasad:
In order to connect the two devices digitally you will have to purchase a fiber optic-coax converter. The converter allows the SPDIF/TOSLINK to be transmitted via digital coaxial cable or vice versa. Please note that converters are usually directional, meaning you’ll need to buy the converter for the right direction (eg: f.o. to coax) or go with a bi-directional converter.
July 12th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
I accidentally set my Bose 321 system to video format PAL and can’t set back to NTSC: the TV displays unsupported format and will not display menu. I’ve unplugged the media center, press system setting, right arrow twice and down arrow five times and the press the enter key without success. How can I get the factory default settings restored? Thanks.
July 13th, 2009 at 5:18 am
I have a Bose 321 GS and a problem. In my house there is a built-in fireplace encased in marble with a mantle. To the right is a 5 foot wide and 3 foot deep crevice where I’m building a built-in bookcase. There will be a cabinet at the bottom with bookshelves above.
Here’s the problem. I don’t want to have a bass module under the cabinet. The vibration would rattle everything. So I wanted to move the bass unit to the back of the room, which is 20 feet away. However, the cable that Bose makes is 25 feet. I have to hide the cable and I can’t do it in the foot molding (or shoe molding). I was going to install crown molding and go up the 10 foot wall and down the other side, but then I would require a lot more cable than the Bose 25ft cable.
So what can I do? Is there a way to cut open the cable, solder more wires together and extend it? Is there a wall outlet that I can buy to plug in the bass unit and run it to another outlet and plug that into the media control? Thanks.
July 15th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
I recently switched to a Lifestyle 38 from the Lifestyle 18. I get audio fine but my video is in black and white. I’ve checked the cables and the yellow composite cable is tightly in the proper jack and the setting is NTSC America. What is wrong? Thanks.
August 23rd, 2009 at 9:21 pm
I have an earlier Lifestyle 48 and would like to update the receiver to an Onkyo. Is there an adapter I can purchase to go from the bass module to the new receiver? Currently one end has a plug with pins that plug into the Bose 48 and the other end has what looks like an ethernet plug.
Thank you
September 1st, 2009 at 12:55 pm
I have the Acoustimass 6 Bose system and have unfortunately lost some of the speakers while moving. I was wondering if you know where I could get replacement speakers. I am also trying to figure out if there is a setting that produces the “surround” feel without a full set of speakers.
September 15th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
I have a Lifestyle system and was wondering what my options are for placing the bass module in a built-in entertainment center. I was thinking I could place the module in the cabinet and drill some port hole(s) in the top of the built in entertainment center. How big of an opening(s) do I need?
September 21st, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I have a Bose Lifestyle 38 system and I am happy with the system. Do you think I can further improve the sound (especially voices) coming from the center speaker?
September 21st, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Joe:
In the setup menu you can adjust the levels of each speaker. Adjusting the other speakers down and the center speaker up will place more emphasis on voice and center-channel sound. There is also a setting called “Range Compression” that highlights vocals automatically. As always, I recommend running the ADAPTiQ calibration to ensure the system is aware of speaker position and room acoustics.
September 21st, 2009 at 10:41 pm
How do I reset to the factory default settings of the speakers on my Bose lifestyle 28?
September 22nd, 2009 at 7:28 am
Alan:
In the “System” menu there is an option to restore factory defaults called “Restore Settings.”
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:54 am
I purchased the system and now have changed plans to connect it to my television. Would the system be good to be placed in a room only to hear music? Thanks for your advice.
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Farhan:
The systems will sound great whether they’re connected to a TV or playing music. In fact, the Bose systems are designed to perform great regardless of the audio source.
October 29th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
I’m installing a Bose Acoustimass 10 Series IV in my living room; it has a vaulted ceiling. On one end of the room there is a wall below the vaulted ceiling but the other end has no wall. Can I install the speakers in the outside four corners of the vaulted ceiling with success? The room is about 18×24 feet, with wall unit on long end.
October 30th, 2009 at 9:07 am
Colin:
The biggest concern I have is that placing speakers into each corner separates the channels more than usual. In a typical home theater setup, the center and L/R speakers are placed in a cluster by the TV, with the subwoofer and surround speakers placed for sound and convenience. That setup works because the soundtracks from movies and TV shows are modified stereo, with supporting surround tracks to “fill” the rest of the room or parts of the room, such as in 5.1 surround. It creates a spacious feeling.
Now, if you’re just listening to music it shouldn’t be as big an issue because the reflected/spacious attributes of the Acoustimas system will make music sound even better, especially with your vaulted ceilings. So the placement is determined by the primary source of music — radio, stereo tracks, surround tracks, movies with surround sound, etc. But you also have to consider sound volume: the farther the speakers from the listener the weaker the volume, which means the volume will have to be turned up higher.
If you have to place the speakers in the corners, or if that’s where you want them, then put them there and then adjust the speakers into a direct or reflect orientation: the speakers can be twisted to concentrate or disperse sound.