Bose LifeStyle 5 Series-III CD Mini Audio System
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- Number of Discs: 1
- Sound Type: Stereo
- Functions: CD Player
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A great pet in confined spaces
Pros
Blends in well with any decor. Good sound.
Cons
Overpriced and speakers need to be well placed.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
If you want a decent hi-fi that doesn't intrude on your decor, the Lifestyle is a great choice. If you are expecting high-end audiophile material; look elsewhere.
There are many who would argue about the pros and cons of using traditional full range speakers vs. using satellite speakers an a sub-woofer; however, the Bose strikes quite a good compromise, especially if you live in a confined space.
First, I wouldn't call the Lifestyle 5 audiophile material. Period. The mid-range isn't the greatest but then again, if you aren't an audiophile you probably won't even notice. My dad's 24 year old non-switching Sansui amp will still blow any Bose out of the water; but then again, were not comparing like with like.
Probably many people that buy a hi-fi forget why they buy one in the first place; to listen to music. My choice with the Bose was simple; a decent audio system for a very small space.
After buying it, the speakers were originally mounted about seven and one half feet from the ground. Bad move, the sound stage was convoluted and they were obviously too high up for comfortable listening.
The speakers are now mounted one foot and a half feet lower than their last placing. The direction of the cubes have also been adjusted to reflect the sound differently. This has solved two problems:
a) the stereo sound stage is more accurate
b) the stereo image and the ambient volume is even through the whole room regardless of you standing near or far away from the system.
Previously, the problem was having to sit in the 'right' place to enjoy an accurate stereo image; i.e. the sweetspot was anywhere but where I wanted it. True the sound was great, but it just wasn't 'right'.
The other problem is placing the sub-woofer. Though the company prides itself on having their 'invisible' cubes, the 33lbs sub-woofer is often referred to as an afterthought. Trust me; the claim that it can be placed almost anywhere for non-directional bass isn't entirely true.
Yes... you will get bass, but the level and impact it has, varies SIGNIFICANTLY based on where you place it. Though most of us would have better luck placing it in a lounge, placing it in a bedroom (where mine is) can be quite a challenge with more things around. Placing it in 'hidden' areas like under a bed or a large table creates very uneven low frequency response. Mid-lows are muddy and very low frequencies are way too 'boomy'. Try keeping the sub-woofer along the same wall as the cube speakers.
Ideally, the low frequency response should be as linear as possible. I listen to a good mix of jazz/classical/pop and dance and so far I haven't had to make any adjustments to the tone controls.
I think the lessons learned from using this system is:
a) the Lifestyle systems aren't as idiot proof as Bose puts them out to be. The placing of speakers is very important, especially the sub-woofer.
b) a few days to experimentation is need to get the settings right
c) it can be time consuming and no two fixes are the same since no two rooms hold identical acoustic properties.
The MusicCentre:
The compact music centre is a straightforward simple piece of equipment but there are many things it could have included such as being able to programme the CD player! At over $1000, this is something most users would expect...
The matching RC-5 remote also lacks a numerical pad to directly call CD tracks. Major disappointment. I guess in their pursuit of simplicity they left a LOT out. Else, the remote is relatively easy to use and does have a good effective range.
The MusicCentre also has dual outputs which means it can be used as part of a multi-room setup complete with a separate set of speakers and remote in a totally different part of the house. This isn't stated in some catalogues. Even I didn't know about it until buying the system. For those seeking to expand their system, there are three additional sound input jacks on the rear. I currently use one of the inputs with my PowerBook laptop. This is probably the best set-up for any computer user who has tons of MP3s on his hard drive. The lack of a CD-changer on the MusicCentre is easily made up by using my laptop as an 'MP3 jukebox'.
Value
The Lifestyle systems are incredibly over-priced. That's probably why the Lifestyles get such a bashing.
However, after using a component system for many years, I just wanted something that didn't clutter my room. The Bose was it. For users looking for a compact high-quality sound system, the Lifestyle 5 should please most people.
First, I wouldn't call the Lifestyle 5 audiophile material. Period. The mid-range isn't the greatest but then again, if you aren't an audiophile you probably won't even notice. My dad's 24 year old non-switching Sansui amp will still blow any Bose out of the water; but then again, were not comparing like with like.
Probably many people that buy a hi-fi forget why they buy one in the first place; to listen to music. My choice with the Bose was simple; a decent audio system for a very small space.
After buying it, the speakers were originally mounted about seven and one half feet from the ground. Bad move, the sound stage was convoluted and they were obviously too high up for comfortable listening.
The speakers are now mounted one foot and a half feet lower than their last placing. The direction of the cubes have also been adjusted to reflect the sound differently. This has solved two problems:
a) the stereo sound stage is more accurate
b) the stereo image and the ambient volume is even through the whole room regardless of you standing near or far away from the system.
Previously, the problem was having to sit in the 'right' place to enjoy an accurate stereo image; i.e. the sweetspot was anywhere but where I wanted it. True the sound was great, but it just wasn't 'right'.
The other problem is placing the sub-woofer. Though the company prides itself on having their 'invisible' cubes, the 33lbs sub-woofer is often referred to as an afterthought. Trust me; the claim that it can be placed almost anywhere for non-directional bass isn't entirely true.
Yes... you will get bass, but the level and impact it has, varies SIGNIFICANTLY based on where you place it. Though most of us would have better luck placing it in a lounge, placing it in a bedroom (where mine is) can be quite a challenge with more things around. Placing it in 'hidden' areas like under a bed or a large table creates very uneven low frequency response. Mid-lows are muddy and very low frequencies are way too 'boomy'. Try keeping the sub-woofer along the same wall as the cube speakers.
Ideally, the low frequency response should be as linear as possible. I listen to a good mix of jazz/classical/pop and dance and so far I haven't had to make any adjustments to the tone controls.
I think the lessons learned from using this system is:
a) the Lifestyle systems aren't as idiot proof as Bose puts them out to be. The placing of speakers is very important, especially the sub-woofer.
b) a few days to experimentation is need to get the settings right
c) it can be time consuming and no two fixes are the same since no two rooms hold identical acoustic properties.
The MusicCentre:
The compact music centre is a straightforward simple piece of equipment but there are many things it could have included such as being able to programme the CD player! At over $1000, this is something most users would expect...
The matching RC-5 remote also lacks a numerical pad to directly call CD tracks. Major disappointment. I guess in their pursuit of simplicity they left a LOT out. Else, the remote is relatively easy to use and does have a good effective range.
The MusicCentre also has dual outputs which means it can be used as part of a multi-room setup complete with a separate set of speakers and remote in a totally different part of the house. This isn't stated in some catalogues. Even I didn't know about it until buying the system. For those seeking to expand their system, there are three additional sound input jacks on the rear. I currently use one of the inputs with my PowerBook laptop. This is probably the best set-up for any computer user who has tons of MP3s on his hard drive. The lack of a CD-changer on the MusicCentre is easily made up by using my laptop as an 'MP3 jukebox'.
Value
The Lifestyle systems are incredibly over-priced. That's probably why the Lifestyles get such a bashing.
However, after using a component system for many years, I just wanted something that didn't clutter my room. The Bose was it. For users looking for a compact high-quality sound system, the Lifestyle 5 should please most people.
