Home audio & video forum: BOSE 321 System?

I neither love or hate Bose. It just seems to be expensive. I do love the fact that they are one of the sponsors of DiscoveryHD. Someone needs to support HD. Anyways, I'm familiar with the idea of "virtual" surround, where two speakers are used, and in the case of the Bose 321 a sub-woofer. On my Yamaha receiver, when I plug in headphones, I get a virtual surround effect in the headphones. I'll be darned if I can figure out how they simulate sound coming from different directions, but they do. I'm assuming the Bose does something similar, with a slight delay of certain audio frequencies. Personally, I believe this 321 system is directed at the person who has only heard audio from one TV speaker, and in this case it will blow their socks off. For the audiophile, a true surround system would be preferred. The tradeoff is that a true surround system requires three add'l speakers and speaker wires. My dad would be the ideal candiate for the Bose 321 system. A regular surround system would confuse him. He would get lost with all the options and buttons to push. He's a "push one button and leave it" type of person.

The Bose rep came about 2 months ago and told me that they are going to be updating the Lifestyle II and 321 GS II series this year sometime. They have fallen by the wayside, but they plan on comming out with new models that will have upconverting DVD players installed, and MAYBE a possibility for a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD player, although that is not confirmed yet.

What happened is that right as they were about to release their new models, Dolby changed their codecs, so rather than put out what they had and have to upgrade it in the near future so they could be using the latest codecs, they opted to hold off on the release and get them all programmed with the new codecs. I am looking forward to the new lines mostly since I am tired of looking at the old ones.

no, sorry, no timetable. The bose dude didn't have a date or even month yet and I have not talked to him in a couple of months. I would guess by at least june, though i have no factual knowledge to back that up with.

The Sony Dream System is not bad although the highs are not as clear as either the bose system or the denon 2.1 system (which puts out about as much volume as I do when I talk to someone). The Sony does have a 720p dvd upconverter though which neither of the others have yet.

You stated that your 901 soned terrible no I think Bose are a rip off and that most of the money you pay for them goes into there adds But 35 Years ago I heard those 901s on display and they had an awsome 2 channel soundfield as good as headphones But If I remember you had to drive them with a special Bose e.Q. amp otherwise they would not sound rite do you have the bose amp? If you dont it would be interesting to hear them with the matching amp why not try and find one mabey thru e-bay if you could find one super cheap you may have A jewel of a 2 channel speaker system good day stewee

power non-Bose amp. Maybe that was to rig the demo. The direct-reflecting set up had loads of ambiance due to the majority but smaller speakers being rear firing for some time delay. However in A-B comparisons with a couple other brands, both the others sounded better in my opinon. Actually most of the disadvantage could be overcome by having ample reserve power because the 901s were not highly efficient at all. (orignal model, that is - they've been tweaked considerably over the years.

Story is, I picked top of the line, at that time, Polks over the Bose. Eventually I became dissatisfied with the Polks. Then got Missions for a much more transparent & open sound field (& they were less dough than the Polks.)