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JazzBones
01-02-2013, 12:55
I bought this item over a week ago from my local John Lewis store with the, hoped for, intention of improving on the inbuilt speakers of my Panasonic TX-L32G10B LED flat screen Telly situated in a modest sized lounge. I would imagine that quite a few of us find the inbuilt speakers of today's flat screens not up to the job so have sort out the various plethora of ancillary 'Sound Bars' that are on the market today... I did this by purchase of the Bose. Its a neat looking compact unit C525mm W x 308.96mm D x 73.50mm H) that a TV, up to 40" can be placed upon. Connection from TV to Bose unit is via a single optical digital audio cable for so called best performance, you can also use SPdif or plain phono connections but the optical is said to be the best? To say that I am disappointed with the sound performance is to be charitable. Reality is that its bloody awful! Heavy over emphasised bass drum hit and very heavily accentuated bass notes particularly noticed on the intro to BBC and ITV News out put. At times male speech is over deep and throaty and at other times speech is normal, it can hit you either way thus it is a must to have the Volume +/-/Mute handset readily with you.

Today I phoned the technical department of Bose with the situation as above and also the question that if I were to use to soft foam bungs in the bass out put vents to control the over experience of bass would this damage the internal amp/s of the unit bearing in mind that there are manufactured vents for dissipating heat and ventilation? The technician I was speaking to was obviously not acquainted with ported speakers and the idea of bungs?

The unit is going back and I shall revert to my original course of actions which is a single input, small amp, a good quality small speakers. Note: I'm not into AV multiple speakers plus sub woofers and because to the location of TV to my audio set up this latter linkage is out of the question.

Has anyone else used a sound bar successfully OR a small amp and equally small speakers to enhance audio out put from the flat screen telly?

Thanks

DSJR
01-02-2013, 12:59
B&O probably make the best soundbars and charge accordingly for the superb finish and use of materials that often need loads of work to get this standard of finish.... I love Panny tellies but readily admit that their sound quality hasn't ever been what I'd regard as "good."

Macca
01-02-2013, 13:01
Ah, some good old Bose-bashing - its been a while ;)

Personally I've never heard a good soundbar and I'm not sure such a thing exists. Thy are only for when the WAF is insurmountable. A little intergrated and some JBL Control 1 speaks will blow it into the weeds and is all you need for adequate TV sound.

DSJR
01-02-2013, 13:09
But you can't put such things next to a big flat TV in a confined space or "TV Corner," no matter how much better it may sound - and that's the problem! - I do remember Ron's room well and sympathise deeply with his situation.

The only other possibility Ron if you can find the space is a development of Macca's idea - some little powered/active PC desktop speakers for around a ton from a pro music supplier such as Studiospares. As long as the TV has variable line outs and/or the speakers have a volume control on them, this *could* be workable....

Ali Tait
01-02-2013, 13:11
They are never going to equal a proper amp and speakers, but the Yamaha ones are not bad for what they are. Certainly an improvement on the telly speakers.

Macca
01-02-2013, 13:11
bear in mind the JBLs come with wall mounting brackets included...

EDIT although agree the active solution is more elegant if possible

JazzBones
01-02-2013, 14:54
Thanks Dave, Martin and Alcoholic (:)). Borrowed a pair of Bren's light weight pop socks and loosely bunged the ports up. Guess what (?) they greatly ameliorated the heavy bass output. I really think these ports, which Bose advise not to block, are meant for enhanced bass output and as I have already mentioned are meant purely for bass extension which I don't need. I purposely listened to this on the BBC TV lunch time news that has all the bass emphasis mentioned before and it was quite acceptable. I've put Bren's pop socks back on her feet, she never knows what to expect from me, and replaced these with class O small sponge bungs so will have a good listen tonight. Class O pipe lagging one inch rolled lengths which I used, has a very low spread of fire to practically nil in the event of a fire by the way.

Dave, I never realised that B&O did sound bars shall look 'em up on the inty and pay a visit to old work place in Hertfordshire.

I realise that the Bose Tech guy couldn't go along with this as it is not mentioned and he would have to refer to Bose USA.

I've got a spread of 28 days and I can return the unit for a full refund within this period of time.

Externally, the Bose does look well made and substantial and pleasing to the eye much better than some of the long plastic coated offerings I've seen.

Ali Tait
01-02-2013, 15:04
Aye that's the thing with Bose, it's all about the looks, not the sound quality IMHO.

JazzBones
01-02-2013, 15:15
Aye that's the thing with Bose, it's all about the looks, not the sound quality IMHO.

Ali, you've got this in one as I never went for their other stuff but the Solo was purely a tidy solution, sound wise, from the TV's speakers, as I said I'm not into AV, haven't got the room or inclination for it.... money resources going towards my audio system.

Mad Mr H
01-02-2013, 15:31
Re "Connection from TV to Bose unit is via a single optical digital audio cable for so called best performance, you can also use SPdif or plain phono connections but the optical is said to be the best?"


Usually SPDIF, the optical is the same SPDIF signal going through one more stage to produce an optical transmission format - and then back again at the other end.

So SPDIF I would use over optical.

Might be worth using the phonos as well - just in case the sending unit you have is the issue, not trying to pass the blame to another bit of kit but if you don't check you don't know..........

It is always possible you have a rogue unit - Bose have never been known for too much bass - In my experience (and I do mean experience not just repeating words from others..............)

MartinT
01-02-2013, 15:35
It's a Bose. I've yet to hear anything they have ever produced sound good. 'nuff said.

Mad Mr H
01-02-2013, 15:40
Aye that's the thing with Bose, it's all about the looks


Ali, you've got this in one

Seriously :eek:

Not trying to offend anyone, Bose = Looks ???

Mainly square boxes in black (professional grey) or white - I've never considered the looks of Bose items to be design icons.

Bose design is about how to reproduce the sound (you might not agree with that.....) The technology behind what you see is what Bose is all about.

Bose is about fitting in without being the centre of attraction.

Ali Tait
01-02-2013, 15:52
Okay, maybe I should have said lifestyle rather than looks.

Ali Tait
01-02-2013, 15:55
...and no, I certainly don't agree they are all about sound. That may be their claim, but my experience certainly doesn't bear that out.

MartinT
01-02-2013, 16:10
The technology behind what you see is what Bose is all about.

The 'technology' in Bose equipment is about choosing the cheapest possible components they can get away with.

Mad Mr H
01-02-2013, 16:49
The 'technology' in Bose equipment is about choosing the cheapest possible components they can get away with.

Specifics?

Cabinets, drivers, electronics, packing, cables, brochures?


From Bose

"The Bose® Limited Warranty lasts two years from the purchase date for electronic products, home cinema and integrated systems, and powered speaker components, and five years for speaker components that are not self-powered (amplified). The 131® environmental speakers have a three year Limited Warranty. Powered component speakers have a two year Limited Warranty term for the electronics and five years for the speakers. The Headset X has a five year Limited Warranty, excluding the ear cushions, which have a two years Limited Warranty. Please see your Owner's Guide for details. For the Limited Warranty on professional products, please refer to your Owner's Guide."

Many pro products which get hammered have 5 years cover.

That's better cover than many 'main stream' companies.

So I am curious when you say cheap as possible, I may have misunderstood what you meant but product viability is about the balance of cost of materials vs retail cost, so any company needs to use cheapest items it can "get away" with to maximise profit margins whilst the clever companies maintain a level that does not incur warranty repairs. Cover that Bose offers seems to suggest they are better than average.

When that level of "cheap" produces high failure rates that's not good product for the consumer but also poor for the company profit.

I've not heard high levels of failures from Bose products?

Puffin
01-02-2013, 18:05
"Well Sir, do you require a "nice tone" from your radio?.....Bose has a nice warm tone....the cost for a Wave Radio....errr too much!

This is hilarious IMO


http://youtu.be/ZCBe7-6rw4M

Techno Commander
01-02-2013, 19:55
Does the TV not have an audio line out you can run to your main amp and speakers?

MartinT
01-02-2013, 21:38
So I am curious when you say cheap as possible

You are falling for the marketing drivel. Bose put far more funds into marketing than most audio companies and something is sacrificed: the quality of their components. Remember the famous 'high end' 901 speakers? They actually use 9 cheap transistor radio drivers and enormous active compensation to get something approaching a realistic sound. As I said before, I've never heard anything made by Bose sound decent. There is plenty more about them on the net; I leave you to research it or believe the hype.

Spectral Morn
01-02-2013, 21:46
Better sound through no research at all :eyebrows:

Beobloke
01-02-2013, 23:46
B&O probably make the best soundbars and charge accordingly for the superb finish and use of materials...."

B&O don't make soundbars, Dave. If you're thinking of the Beolab 7.1 and 7.2 then these are effectively just a pair of stereo speakers laid end to end for use with their TVs. They not a soundbar in the sense that they don't seek to attempt any sort of surround sound effect - but probably sound better than most soundbars out there anyway!

As far a genuine soundbars go, the best I've heard are the Yamaha ones. As for Bose, don't get me started.... :D

Macca
02-02-2013, 09:14
Has someone posted the link to the 'High End Store' video yet?

Ah yes they have. Very good. Thread on course, carry on...

DSJR
02-02-2013, 12:19
Sorry Adam, it shows how long it is since I sold B&O and my mistaking a "soundbar" for a stereo set in a tube... In my day it was a Beolab 3500 IIRC.

The suggestion of taking a line output to the HiFi is a good one, except that Ron's TV is off to one side as I remember.

Roll on the "new" Mini-T, since one of these with some baby speakers (TEAC used to make some nice titchy ones in metal cases once) would probably be ideal - but what a bloody faff though :(

JazzBones
02-02-2013, 13:31
Sorry Adam, it shows how long it is since I sold B&O and my mistaking a "soundbar" for a stereo set in a tube... In my day it was a Beolab 3500 IIRC.

The suggestion of taking a line output to the HiFi is a good one, except that Ron's TV is off to one side as I remember.... (Correct, Ron)

Roll on the "new" Mini-T, since one of these with some baby speakers (TEAC used to make some nice titchy ones in metal cases once) would probably be ideal - but what a bloody faff though :(

Dave, if I remember it was the boss man who sold the B&O stuff, not bothering with the other goodies and the son of the singing troubadour who installed 'em. This allowed time for you to be indoctrinated by Linn, Naim and Ashley James :lol:

Now the new Mini Max T plus good mini speakers, they are out there somewhere, is something I'm going to seriously consider. I'm wondering if volume etc., can be controlled from the Panasonic handset, can't see why not after suitable set up?

Puffin
02-02-2013, 18:37
Has someone posted the link to the 'High End Store' video yet?

Ah yes they have. Very good. Thread on course, carry on...

:lol::D

DSJR
02-02-2013, 22:44
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Dave, if I remember it was the boss man who sold the B&O stuff, not bothering with the other goodies and the son of the singing troubadour who installed 'em. This allowed time for you to be indoctrinated by Linn, Naim and Ashley James :lol:



Yeah, I'm like a reformed smoker where these three are concerned ;)