Bose Acoustimass 10 Series IV (black)

Pros: Unmatched Clarity
Powerful Bass (if set in the right place and position)
Powerful Sound
Sleek Design
Flexible Position (Small Size)

Cons: Apparently Some Frequency Limitation

Summary: I spent about a week shopping around for speakers and had a friend of mine who is specialized in speakers and deals a lot with Proficient, a top end speaker system manufacturer that is actually about 3 times the price of Bose. We roamed around from store to store listening from system to system.

When we sat down in the Bose showroom we were sold and I whipped out my wallet right away. What many people in the reviews criticize are two things, frequency and Bass. This review aims to address these two points.

BASS QUALITY/WOOFER
In regard to the bass I was very disappointed when I first set up my system. After some tweaking from the amp (onkyo tx-sr606) it got better but was not what I wished it had been. I went through the users manual about a week later and found something interesting. The Woofer opening is supposed to be facing the wall somewhere about 2 feet away or so from it. I made that change and I could literally feel my floor shaking. The beauty of this is that the woofer seems to be everywhere, makes you feel like its right under you, even at low volumes. (The room I have set up my speakers in is 6.5x5 meters)

FREQUENCY RANGE
Secondly with regard to the frequency. Yes there may be some frequency limitations, I personally did not notice them but only read about them. I am not an engineer but all I can say is that music and movies sound unbelievable. It is important to note that Bose is about sound quality, clarity and the size of the speakers, where it delivers with flying colors and exceeds most of the competition.

Yes you can get something cheaper with more appealing numbers (power, frequency range etc), but believe me I know what I am talking about, the Bose will sound better hands down. These are truly top of the line speakers and definitely worth more than what they cost.

IMPORTANT NOTE
Bose speakers are not your standard plug and play speakers. The placement of each speaker, the settings on your amplifier, the type of amplifier you use, the power being sent to the speakers, the input you are using, and the quality of the audio you are listening to all play an important role in what you get out of your speakers.

If you are not just looking for good sound without a headache and are not very technically oriented, brands such as Sony sell good plug and play speakers that will provide you with great sound and and tv viewing / music listening experience.

If you want to take it up to an entirely different level however, and have the patience to find the ideal setup, Bose is definitely on top of the list. A little patience can take you a long way, even with setting up speakers.