 "Perfect Big Sound Solution" | 2008-09-02 |
| - Reviewed By User: A36RTN0FZY3ICY |
| There is much debate about the product value to cost ratio of this speaker system. On the upside, you're getting a perfect hybrid of high-end electronics and sound quality and a budget "no frills" system. On the downside, you are at the mercy of Bose's engineers to calibrate the system because you will have no control over it once it's plugged in. That said, those Bose engineers know what they're doing, and right out of the box, I had to do nothing other than plug and play and enjoy! The bass/acoustimass speaker only punches in the low end when needed. It doesn't rumble or fill your room with unnecessary hum. The satellites provide a distinct center channel as well as extremely spacial stereo/surround emulation. Whether at full blast or turned down for late-night viewing, the sound is crystal clear. You will lose the surround effect if you sit too far away from the speakers however, and I recommend you sit no more than 12 feet away from your TV for optimal effect. Overall, is it worth the $500? I think so. In the end, you could opt for a full-on 5.1 Sony system for the same price, but in my experience, all-in-one systems are cheaply built and last maybe 5 years. Bose systems will last you considerably longer, and the Cinemate will complement your entertainment system and provide you with countless hours of entertainment. |
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 "Another Over Price Bose Product" | 2008-08-30 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3R3LZN5NDXAJQ |
I had my eye on this Speaker set for many years and finally ordered it for my 32in plasma TV. All I kept remembering is the audio test I did at the local store, which I was amazed bac then. What a Major disappointment, was expecting so much more from the folks in Bose.....
I must say, I was really hoping for more expecially when someone spends $500.00 on just 1 sub woofer and 2 speakers. The setup was a breeze,but thats all I can say positive about Bose
I currently have another living room to which I have a Onkyo and Polk Audio rm6750 setup and those add much more sound then the Bose CineMates and even costed less. Another complaint that I have with the Bose Cinimates is there is no digital input, No Bass Control, ONLY a STUPID volume control..
Folks: Save your money and buy something else yet cheaper...
Conclusion- Years ago I would say Bose was the king of Audio.... But now, there are so many competitors that offer for less.... I'm really waving my views on Onkyo and Polk Audio components... Bose is nothing more then a Overprices Name that people from the informicals....
I ended up returning this for a full refund...... |
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 "BIG sound, small package" | 2008-08-17 |
| - Reviewed By malcolmar |
I just picked up this system and it sounds AMAZING. I have it hooked up to my 42" HD LCD Vizio Gallevia, which is also hooked up to a computer and an Oppo Up-Converting DVD, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii.
I like the simplicity of the system. With only one stereo connection, I am able to connect it to my TV and have everything else go out from my TV so I can switch effortlessly from one device to another with only my TV remote. This way I get the Bose to play all my audio. Honestly, I don't know why anyone would want more connections on the Bose unit since this hook up works so well.
In fact, I don't even use the Bose remote. OK, I only use it to turn on the speakers. I use my TV remote to control the volume which again works perfectly. What surprised me the most is that internet radio from my computer sounds great too. One of the stations I enjoy has a really weak signal so the only way I can enjoy it it via the internet. With the Bose, I could actually hear the bass which was not the case with my previous receiver/ stereo speaker system.
It is important to read the instructions. To make everything work right I turned off my TV speakers. This way sound only comes through my Bose Cinemate AND I put the TV audio setting to "STEREO" and NOT "SURROUND".
I talked to a Bose rep. and he said to get the most out of the system, it needs to be getting a stereo signal because the Bose Cinemate does the work of converting that signal to a digital surround sound. I have a feeling that the people who gave low reviews of the system either have the TV speakers still on or have the TV set on surround (which in most cases is the default setting) or both.
Lastly I turned the Bose volume setting way up while keeping my TV remote on low so I could just use the TV remote to adjust sound.
The bass is AMAZING. After putting in Star Wars Episode III, I was blown away by the intro scenes of the movie and I could feel the sound and the volume was not even set to 50% more like 20-30%. I have a good size living room in my house and I can't see why (if hooked up correctly) someone would say this system does not produce rich, clear, loud sound.
I can't wait to re-watch all my movies. So far, in addtion to feeling the bass, I heard some rich clear sounds I never noticed before. Way to go Bose! A+++ |
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| "Perfect for what it's made for" | 2008-07-27 |
| - Reviewed By smittyrn |
A lot of people seem to want to compare the Cinamate to a full sized home theater system. It's not. It's an extension of your TV speakers. You are not going to get true surround sound out of it, but it does a great job producing solid, clear 2.1 stereo sound. I needed a system that I could set up and not have wires running everywhere (I move from condo to condo every few months). I'll be using this one as a bedroom system when I stop moving around.
And don't mistake the Acoustimass module for a large subwoofer. Bose has never been about big, thumping bass. It's about sharp clear reproduction of sound, and it's not for everyone.
You only have one input for the system, emphasizing the fact that it's made to be an extension of your TV speakers.
The Universal remote is wonderful. It controls my TiVo, cable box, DVD player, even my XBox 360. I've never seen a remote work as seamlessly with multiple devices; it's like something Apple produced.
Pros: Clean sound from an unobtrusive system, and a FANTASTIC universal remote.
Cons: No HDMI or Aux input. |
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| "Incredible sound quality, great "surround" decoding" | 2008-06-23 |
| - Reviewed By distantrhythm |
I have owned quite a few high-fidelity and/or surround-sound audio systems over the years, and am quite impressed with the sound quality and decoding ability of this Bose Cinemate system. It is simple to setup and operate, and gives me consistently accurate, 5-star sound.
The source is my LCD TV's system digital sound out, which gives me a choice of optical or rca cables. This is perfect for the Cinemate for a couple of reasons; one, the Cinemate recognizes a digital signal through the rca leads, and two, this allows me to use my TV as a source switcher, between HDMI, S-Video, 720p, VGA, etc. and the Cinemate automatically recognizes the source and decodes accordingly with it's "Videostage 5 circuitry with active equalization". This means it "delivers a home theater experience from almost any source. CDs, VHS tapes, and even mono TV programs that weren't recorded in surround sound will sound lively and room filling". I would have to agree.
I have read in other reviews that the bass module is lacking, but I would suggest they put it against a corner perhaps? Maybe its because my TV has an un-amplified digital output, but when the source has intense bass (iTunes, DVDs, xBox), the bass is plenty loud in my 16' x 20' listening area, and it is exceptionally clean as well.
The only controls I ever need to use are the on/off and the volume. It has a great pre-programmed universal remote, but it doesn't work for any of my unique components, so for that and the fact that it only gives you the single input (I would love to hook up an FM tuner without the TV, for example), I have to downgrade my rating by a star.
But these are minor concerns; you won't find better build or sound quality, or ease of use, anywhere else for the money in my opinion. I can't imagine trading this for anything else; I might upgrade the TV, but this sound system is a keeper! |
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| "Great Sound!" | 2008-05-31 |
| - Reviewed By User: A12B6WRKGCOF94 |
| I've read many reviews on the Cinemate System and a lot of them put this system down, but I LOVE the sound quality and the bass the system puts out! Its true that there are no adjustments in bass or treble but i don't think it needs it, everything sounds crisp and clear. The only thing that I have to get used to is not seeing the volume show up on the TV when I'm adjusting it. Near Flawless Sound!!!!!! I also got the Bose speaker stands and they are great, also hides the wiring very well. I used the setup CD to get started and it was very helpful, but most people can probably set it up on there own. It only took a few minutes |
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| "Great little sound system" | 2008-05-27 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1NOE55QUBT7PH |
I wanted something to enhance the sound system on my Sony Bravia 46" LCD HD TV. I didn't want to go all the way to a surround system for a number of reasons. The Cinemate solved my problem. The voices are much crisper and understandable and the background sounds and music are greatly enhanced. This system works best if one follows the instructions for set up. It is very important to turn off the TV sound and set the sound out on the TV to Fixed. If a TV can't be set up this way full advantage of the system may not work. This is the best sound I have heard yet without going all the way to a full surround sound system.
The Remote is one of the best universal remotes I have used. I have the Bose unit, my TV, a Cox DVR HD cable box and a LG DVD/VCR player all programed and working on it. |
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| "Bose® CineMate(tm)" | 2008-05-25 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3NBCD7PQSSYBQ |
Good sound system, although I'm not sure it's worth the money. I've had one other sound system (surrond sound KLH) and while I'm not dissapointed with this system, it's just not the same. BUT, the sound is good and the setup is simple. There aren't a lot of connections to make and the look is clean and nice. So if you're looking for a good sound system that makes installation easy and seamless this one is for you.
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| "BLOWS YOU AWAY!" | 2008-05-08 |
| - Reviewed By xemi1988 |
| These speakers will blow you away! Amazing surround sound in a small package! No need for speaker stands and speakers cables all over the place, these 3 simple speakers will give you all the surround sound you need. Amazing quality and very easy to set up too! |
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| "Amazing!" | 2008-03-10 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3AT8ID23IM1ZG |
Seems a lot of people here are giving this sound system a bad review - apparently these people don't know a whole lot about audio.
The Bose Cinemate system is a 100% transparent audio system - this means that it can only work with what it is fed. If you feed it straight audio from your television without any sort of coloring, then it's not going to sound a whole lot better than your TV.
I have a 42" Zenith Plasma that has OK sound to begin with. Not a whole lot of bass response, but still better than your average TV. I added the Bose Cinemate and a plain old, consumer grade, Optimus 10-band EQ I've had hanging around for the last 20+ years, and I have not ever had a better sounding audio system in my living room.
When you know what you are getting into, and how to use it, the Bose Cinemate is an amazing sound system. |
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