You might be wondering why anything manufactured by Bose, the well-known manufacturer of extremely high-quality (and expensive) stereo equipment would cost so little. Well, basically, Bose wanted to come up with a speaker that would be affordable for those people who don't care to spend an entire month's pay on a set of speakers, while at the same time ensuring the same level of quality that Bose's name has long stood for.

The result of this "experiment" was the Bose 141 model bookshelf speaker. One can purchase a pair of these fine pieces of electronic equipment for $129 from Bose's website, but you should definitely be able to find them for less. Circuit City, for example, seems to offer them almost perpetually for about $59 or $69 per pair. I purchased my pair on closeout from Circuit City at $29 for the pair.

Given that low price in combination with Bose's reputation for excellence, there's basically no reason not to choose a pair of Bose 141s over any other comparable bookshelf speakers. I use my 141s as rear speakers on my home surround sound system, and they have performed excellently. They add the rich, textured high and midrange sounds necessary to complete a simulated surround-sound system, without sacrificing bass.

Their ample power-handling (80W each) make them good even for use by themselves. Moreover, the Bose 141 speaker has a 4 1/2" full-range driver, which is impressive given the small size of the enclosure itself. Their compact size (6" H x 9 7/8" W x 6 1/2" D) make them ideal for use in other rooms such as an office or bedroom as well.

All in all, the Bose 141 Bookshelf speakers are an excellent buy for anyone who wants audiophile-quality sound at cheapskate prices.

UPDATE -- 03/15/01 In the many months since I originally wrote this review, I've seen these particular speakers go on sale at least five times. Typically, Circuit City offers them on "closeout" or some other bogus sale term for anywhere from $29.99 to $39.99 each. This is an excellent deal, and I would recommend that anyone who is interested in acquiring these speakers for a great price keep their eyes peeled and go to Circuit City as soon as possible after they begin another such offer again (if there's one near you).