Whirlpool

I am looking for speakers for music and games. My budget is around $500. I found one store is selling bose companion 5 for $549, which i can afford. But after i did the thread search, most of people here are recommended Logitech Z5500. I tried the companion 5 at Bose showroom, but can find anywhere to test Z550.Can anyone give me a recommendation which speaker is better? I am going to buy a speaker tomorrow. Thanks

Z-5500

Go the Logitech, much better in my opinion mind you audio is such a personal thing.

In my industry we like to say BOSE stands for Bring Other Sound Equipment so maybe I am bias :)

check altec lansing and creative too...

just dont limit yaself to logitech only... they are not the only ones out there...

Sh1mmy writes...

just dont limit yaself to logitech only... they are not the only ones out there...

But easily the best ones for the price points..

I'd love to lend a set of Z5500's to compare to my Creative ones.

www.creative.com/product...113&product=9306

Someone saying something is "great" is not much use unless they have heard several others in the same category. I've seen a few people mentioning stuff about the cheaper Logitech range that makes me think maybe the Z5500's wouldn't stack up well vs the GigaWorks S570's.

not a big fan of logitech but i would take the Z over the Bose anyday.

BOSE make some visually appealing products but the price tag for the performance is ridiculous.

all the reviews ive seen pretty much sum the same thing.

The Key writes...

In my industry we like to say BOSE stands for Bring Other Sound Equipment so maybe I am bias :)

isnt it BOSE = Buy Other Sound Equipment?

Elmo. writes...

Z-5500

1+

misc. writes...

isnt it BOSE = Buy Other Sound Equipment?

That and also Bring own Sound Engineer.

IN all seriousness though I would go Logitech over the BOSE, I have heard the ones you are thinking about getting and they sound very nice.

yeh the OP shoulda made a poll, best speakers for 500$ or z5500s vs BOSE or something. i think u could guess the results.

the mention of 5500s in the title vs bose probably woulda got 10000 views (ok mayb not that many.

Any serious audiophile will tell you to avoid BOSE which are in general very overpriced for the performance.

BOSE = style over substance.

Not that they are cheap generic crap, they'll still sound ok.

Just buy a Sony Entertainment System from Harvey Norman for $500... instead of buying a sisi sound system like bose or Z5500..

rodles do u have any experience with this?

or are you just posting here for the sake of it.

the z5500s give awesome performance for the price, and the sub alone is not found in home entertainment systems until u reach the price of upper hundreds to <1000$.

i recommend the OP goes and reads some reviews, as well as using the search function on this site, or others in relation to audio.

we are all here to try and get you the best deal for ur cash, just take reviews and opinions with a grain of salt and try to make an informed decision.

Thanks all...

misc. writes...

the z5500s give awesome performance for the price, and the sub alone is not found in home entertainment systems until u reach the price of upper hundreds to <1000$

hi misc i want to know is bose companion 5's sub better or worse than z5500?

also i think i am not able to set up all 4 satellites in my room because it is hard to do the wiring. So if i just set up the 2 front satellites, will the performance still the same?

The only thing worse than people that have been sucked in to Bose's marketing hype, are people that are quick to criticise Bose with comments such as "Bring Other Stereo Equipment" and so forth.. when Im sure in most cases, they only say that because they have been sucked in to the anti-Bose marketing hype. Just as bad as each...

Companion 5's a re a two speaker system, and NOT a 5 speaker system like the z5500. So, of course they are going to sound different.

However, Bose has realised that some people want computer speakers, but can not run the rears. Companion 5's do a fantastic job of "virtually"recreating the rear speakers. I have heard this myself, and it is quite remarkable.

BUT, at the end of the day, you have to listen to them YOURSELF. Forget Bose marketing hype, and forget the people that "have a friend whos an audiophile... and he said...." make up your own mind. If you think it sounds good, and it suits your needs and you have the money... then who gives a crap what people think about the brand your buying...

~Y~S~L~ writes...

bose companion 5

Z5500

Mate, make sure when people comment on the Bose set, they actually know it.

Unfortunately it is not uncommon that people on internet forums give advice based on hear-say only. Seems fashionable to rubbish Bose, but when you ask you'll find that most who talk against Bose never listened intensively to the set that is discussed in the thread.

Surprises me that you cannot find a shop that has the z5500 on display. Have seen them on display at Domain, HN etc.

If you ask me - z5500 are for people who love 3 things - bass, bass and more bass : )

Never heard the Bose set, so I cannot comment.

PeterM writes...

If you ask me - z5500 are for people who love 3 things - bass, bass and more bass : )


Errr.

You know the bass can be turned down right?

I have been using the Z-5500's for half a year now and they are impeccable. Sure the bass can get muddy/too loud but you have two options, either turn the bass down or tinker with the fuse at the back of the sub to restrict certain frquencies passing through. Overall the sound quality is excellent for movies and games and they are a bargain.

I suggest you try to get one at Ebay, definitely the cheapest method, or you can get them for around $400 at most PC shops.

Elmo. writes...

You know the bass can be turned down right?

Errr.

Yes?

~Y~S~L~ writes...

I am looking for speakers for music and games. My budget is around $500. I found one store is selling bose companion 5 for $549, which i can afford.

I was looking at the bose companion 5 as well. However my question is: How do they operate off any USB port rather than the traditional way of connecting speakers?

E

evelyncentral writes...

How do they operate off any USB port

They have an audio interface built in.

Most PC speakers are strictly speaking not "speakers" but speakers and an amplifier.

There is a DAC in these speakers, so they are a DAC, amplifier and speakers.

The Companion 5 apparently give you some sound processsing for virtual surround sound, so they are a sound processor, DAC, amplifier and speakers.

Hope you are not totally confused now : )

gizmodo.com/gadgets/peri...ion-5-206602.php

PeterM writes...

There is a DAC in these speakers, so they are a DAC, amplifier and speakers.


Thanks PeterM. I can see what happens now.

Regards
E

Bleez writes...

forget the people that "have a friend whos an audiophile... and he said...." make up your own mind

agree with him =)

it's better to listen to them yourself, because everyone preference is different

IMHO Bose always try to ride the coat tails on their name and charge a premium. I have listened to Bose HT systems before and the performance was poor for the cost.

The Companion 5s at $549 are probably $249 for the speakers and $300 for the Bose name.

YMMV but it is best to get whichever one sounds best to YOU.

I have both the Bose 5 companion and Logitech Z-5500 hooked up to my computer. I can honestly say that They are both good, but to be more specific,here is what i use them for. I love Entertainmet. Movies, Music, PC Games, Strippers..lol etc. The Bose definitely is overpriced but also has noticeably clearer quality Sound when compared to the Logitech and Uses less power. The Only way Logitech can sound comparably as Clear as the Bose is to tweak the Equalizer and Turn the volume up, which ends up being too loud or has too much bass. I guess that works for some. I mainly love the Logitech for its Power and Bass (Sound Vibration), which I need when I play FPS games Such as CALL OF DUTY 4. It works best for Surround sound and I can hear my enemies creaping up from behind..lol and can feel when I get shot. Bose cannot trully create Surround sound like advertised or like actual 5.1 surround sound speakers. Im sorry but for Surround sound, the Logitech wins. Logitech has way more functionality and requires some Experience. The Bose has no Equalizers, no power,has no Highs and No Lows, connects through USB and No Sound Card, But it is still Clear Quality Sound.

The Funny Thing is that I only Bought my Speakers after I heard all the Replies on this forum and other sites about Bose and Logitech,I figured, What the Heck!,I'll just Buy Both so I can actually tell you the difference. Im fortunate enough to say that Money is not an issue with me. So if you want the best speakers ,either be happy with what you got or get more money and buy more Speakers like I did..lol hope this helps!

Bet most of the ppl who pay out BOSE are the typical "I heard people say they were crap, I heard this, I heard that".

I have bought BOSE, Logitech, KHT, etc over the years and the BOSE are not just "rip-offs", they actually sound great.

I guess BOSE getting bashed may of been some urban myth started from some non-branded speaker company wanting to spread false rumors via the Internet.

Most of the crap starts off with something like.. "Im an audiophile.. I know a friend thats an audiophile and he says BOSE are crap".. well FYI, I have ears too and I let my ears decide for me, I don't need an "audiophiles" to tell me what sounds good or crap. Do you ever hear.. "Well I have better eyes, and I can tell you that looks crap, if you think otherwise than your not an sightaphile"... No

gp03 writes...

I have bought BOSE, Logitech, KHT, etc over the years and the BOSE are not just "rip-offs", they actually sound great.

I don't think anyone's debating that they can sound great, but it's just that you're largely paying for the looks and the brand name. So in effect most of their products appear overpriced compared to similar priced equipment. I'm not a fan of BOSE myself, but as long as the person is happy with it and is willing to pay that premium then I don't interfere. :)

Edit: With that said I still feel like smacking my mate's dad over the head who spent $6k on a BOSE DVD player + 5.1 speakers which doesn't sound anywhere as good as a proper setup, but I digress.. :)

To the OP:
If you want great quality stereo for $700-ish, then these are worth a look. Again, it depends on whether you want 5.1 or not, I guess.
www.coemaudio.com.au/Pac...-and-Bundles/204

i quite like the companion 5 actually :p look great and they sound decent too.

but i just can't justify the cost of them...

not when z-5500 are so cheap nowadays.

i say go for z-5500. havent tried them, but i am using the z560s (5500's grandfather :P) and still love them so i say you can't go wrong

OK, I work for HN & listen to & sell the Z5500s 5 days a week. They are fantastic speakers IF you have a decent sound card or SPDIF (Sony Phillips Digital Interface) or fibre optic out. They are also bulky and to get decent sound you have to turn the volume up. Also there is the hassle of setting up the surround speakers.

I live in a rented unit, it's small and I can't turn the volume up loud and can't attach the speakers to the wall. I went into a store, listened to the companion 5s, fell in love and haven't looked back. In my little unit, they sound awesome at low volume levels and they go so loud that it's uncomfortable to be in the same room.

For a larger space Z5500s, smaller space, Companion 5s.

Oh, and if the bass on the Z5500s is over-baring, move the sub away from the wall. If any of you on here knew half as much as you pretended to you would know that a sub should be about 1 & ½ feet (45cm) away from the wall.

jimtheguru writes...

a sub should be about 1 & ½ feet (45cm) away from the wall.

in the computer world, subs are usually placed close to the wall because of the desk. having the z5500 sub 45cm away from the wall would most likely be protruding out past the desk, unless they have an unusually long one.

For those for whom space is at a premium try the Logitec Z10. Any system with a sub is gonna sound crap if you don't position it right. And at half the price of either.....

jimtheguru writes...

I work for HN

That's what we expect from HN sales staff:

great advice...

IF you have a decent sound card

... and always try to sell you something you don't need.

HoPeFuLLL writes...

I'd love to lend a set of Z5500's to compare to my Creative ones.

http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=4&subcategory=113&product=9306

Someone saying something is "great" is not much use unless they have heard several others in the same category. I've seen a few people mentioning stuff about the cheaper Logitech range that makes me think maybe the Z5500's wouldn't stack up well vs the GigaWorks S570's.

I've tested both of these in the same room connected to the same computer. The Z5500 is good but the S750 is by FAR superior in sound quality, even for bass quality. You sure do pay for it though – it's twice (?) the price of the Z5500 and it doesn't have the digital decoding feature.

I've also listened to two BOSE computer speakers (don't know what the models were though). The sound quality was decent at medium volume, especially for the size of the speakers. But i did not enjoy it at high volume at all. I wouldn't buy it because i have my speaker vols very high most of the time :p

But these are just my personal opinions on what i've listened to. As other people have said, audio is a personal thing and what one person loves another person may not.

particle writes...

I wouldn't buy it because i have my speaker vols very high most of the time :p

Next time you see an elderly person with a hearing aid – that could be you in 10 years time. Hearing damage is irreversible, so take it easy with the "doof doof"

Don't buy Bose purely because they are simply WAY overpriced for the performance they deliver. not saying Bose perform badly, just for the price, it's bad value.

The logitechs in my opinion are heavly bass orientated. Though, they are priced very well to how they perform.

I'd suggest spending that $500 on a proper A/V receiver and speakers. JBHifi have a Yahama setup going, which is an A/V receiver, 5 satilite speakers and sub. My mate bought one on the week-end and they sound superb for $500. Much better than the logitechs.

No highs, no lows, it must be Bose.

InfinityChaos writes...

Don't buy Bose purely because they are simply WAY overpriced for the performance they deliver.

Everybody says that, because everybody says that.

Not that I disagree, but what leads you to your conclusions?

PeterM writes...

but what leads you to your conclusions?

I've heard a few Bose setups and they do sound fantastic but not enough to justify the price, in my opinion anyway. Audio can be a very personal thing as mentioned early in this thread.

gp03 writes...

I guess BOSE getting bashed may of been some urban myth started from some non-branded speaker company wanting to spread false rumors via the Internet.

Hello, and welcome to Conspiracy 101. :)

There's no myth or false rumours about bose, except those perpetuated by the marketing department of said company. They have a deserved reputation for being overpriced and poor quality. Try googling bose and missing frequencies and you'll get heaps of information regarding their product flaws.

http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html is a start...

PeterM writes...

That's what we expect from HN sales staff:

great advice...

... and always try to sell you something you don't need.

Um, I wasn't aware that I could sell things on here, I thought that's what eBay is for!?!

I mention this because alot of on board sound cards:-

a) Pick up hum from the PSU

b) Lag when memory runs low (can be an issue with modern games running on a 32 bit OS)

As for missing frequencies on bose, I tested this theory out with a PowerBook running sectrafooX, a pro sonus firebox & matched Sony gold mics (Where did I get this equipment? My flat-mate is a DJ). With the sub placed correctly (to find out how to do this RTFM) I detected an almost perfect frequency response from both companion 3 & 5s (with the bass gain set in the middle). The Z5500s however Increase dramaticly at the bass end. The Z5500s also tend to thump when they should boom. For accuracy Bose win, people are just used to too much bass these days & in my opinion, it sounds fake. I will agree however that my companion 5s are unpleasant to listed to at high volumes, but my neighbours bash on the door & complain well before I hit that volume level. As it's been said here before, let your ears make the decision

By the way, my DJ flat mate uses Companion 3s because there is nothing more accurate in the price class.

jimtheguru writes...

uses Companion 3s because there is nothing more accurate in the price class.

yes which is why the bose shouldnt be recommended to the vast majority of pc users because it simply costs too much, and costing more then the computers itself for some. if you bring in the bose for comparison, you should also bring in the other major more expensive audio brands, the ones that might not be available from harvey norman.

bentan77 writes...

might not be available from harvey norman.

Um, go into HN and try to buy Bose. They won't deal with us because we're rip off merchants & they have a brand image to maintain. But you are right, comparing Bose to Logitec is like comparing apples & oranges. Bose sit on that line between consumer speakers & professional monitors.

you should also bring in the other major more expensive audio brands

And like alot of professional monitors, they are unpleasant at high volumes, compare to the Dynaudio BM5A at $1,995, fantastic for professionals, but not a pleasant experience to listen to for long periods & undeniably more accurate than the Bose companions. However the Yamaha MSP3A at $598 has noticably less bass than the Bose companions & are the same price.

Oh, sorry, did you think I was a gimp who was only pretending to know what I was talking about. Don't let the fact that I work for HN fool you, I was tier 3 tech support for Apple once & delt with high end audio & video for many years

jimtheguru writes...

Um, I wasn't aware that I could sell things on here

You are right, if you try to sell things here the mods will delete the thread/post, it is against forum rules. (...yes, I know you tried to be sarcastic.)

a) Pick up hum from the PSU

That's quite common that mobo analogue output suffers from interference problems.

However, if you use SPDIF this is not an issue. So with speakers like the z5500 you do *not* need a good soundcard or any soundcard, as long as the mobo has SPDIF. Most mobos these days come with SPDIF.

You may just be influenced by your training at HN to sell people stuff they don't need. (No offence, but you will know 1st hand that HN sales staff has a tendency to do this.)

The Z5500s however Increase dramaticly at the bass end.

Our ears pick that up easily, but now we have scientific proof.

The Z5500s also tend to thump when they should boom.

Yes, there is always the same kind of bass coming from the z5500, no matter what the track or music style. Some people call that "one note bass", I often compare it with the "bass boost" circuit many cheapish speakers use.

my DJ flat mate uses Companion 3s because there is nothing more accurate in the price class.

For $400 he should be able to get quite decent nearfield monitors, but if the Bose does the trick for him, why not.

Michael E writes...

There's no myth or false rumours about bose

My main point is not that people are wrong, but that people generally have very little or no 1st hand experience and they repeat like little parrots (imagine the parrot sound now) "good but too expensive, good but too expensive". (This is only funny if you imagine the parrot sound with it.)

In the case of bose, fair enough.

But the general attitude to repeat what others say without doing their own research or switching the brain in leads to a lot of confusion on these internet forums.

Bose ' Better Profits through Marketing'

Z5500's sound quality wouldn't even compare to the BOSE headphones that retails for about $200.
Not to say Z5500 are cr@p. For a generic PC speakers, I do recommend Z5500, but as for true sound quality, I would definitely pick BOSE over logitech.

Good but expensive? yeah, it is rather expensive, but if you truly want good sound, and you think it's worth it, the price tag is reasonable.

This is a PC forum, so many suggests Z5500, if you go to an acoustics, sound engineer and other musical appreciation (or musicians) forums and mention Z-5500, they will laugh at you.

surgeprotector writes...

if you go to an acoustics, sound engineer and other musical appreciation (or musicians) forums and mention Z-5500, they will laugh at you.

I'd agree with that.

surgeprotector writes...

This is a PC forum, so many suggests Z5500, if you go to an acoustics, sound engineer and other musical appreciation (or musicians) forums and mention Z-5500, they will laugh at you.

..you think mentioning Bose to those guys would be any differerent ?

Mika75 writes...

you think mentioning Bose to those guys would be any differerent ?

Yeah.
there's plenty of acoustically knowledgeable people that still swears by BOSE.
not that it's the best the world, but it's still a pretty good small space solution IMHO.

If you actually read any of Dr Bose's reports on acoustics and human perception, and the application of these to his speakers and entertainment systems, you would get some idea of how the BOSE systems are not a slapped together "higher PMPO is better" sort of system.

Bose® patent everything that moves .. Acoustimass® & Waveguide® ? a new name for the Transmission Line.
Direct/Reflecting® technology ... "The challenge for Bose® engineers was to recreate this listening experience in people’s homes"... a challange they have yet to achieve, sounds real good on paper though :)
Bose® Professional is the only thing with specs and their only product worth touching.

Mika75®

Mika75 writes...

..you think mentioning Bose to those guys would be any differerent ?

Yes.

I agree with surprotectors comments.

With just about everyone jumping up and down and rubbishing Bose, people who never listen to the systems think it is not only expensive but rubbish in a technical sense… which it is not.

If people don’t know a certain brand/speaker, they should just not comment. Or at least they should say “I heard somewhere that bla bla”.

It is really funny. There are companies like Sennheiser and they surely make nice headphones. However, some of their sets are overpriced compared to other brands and some of their sets are just not very good at all in absolute terms. But somehow they have avoided the problem people have with Bose. You can mention Sennheiser in a post without half a dozen people posting “Sennheiser are good, but too expensive, buy a BD or AT.”

I would say buy a stereo amp, get a DAC and a pair of nice 2.0 speakers.

The Z-5500's are yuck

Mika75 writes...

Bose® patent everything that moves

Yeah, mate, whatever. We know now you don't like Bose and that's fine.

PeterM writes...

Yeah, mate, whatever. We know now you don't like Bose and that's fine.
Good to know where u stand Peter....I would recommend less reading, get some cd's and do some listening....cuase u get 'better sound through research® ' :)

To the OP, recommend The Bose® Companion 5 to your enemies...

Mika75 writes...

'better sound through research® '

as opposed to better sound through no research??
At least BOSE spends time researching...
I'd much rather spend money on researched material than purely on brand name.

surgeprotector writes...

At least BOSE spends time researching...

im quite sure other brands do research. i think brand name tells something about the quality of a product in audio. in the pc world, brands dont matter as much.

http://www.storedj.com.au/products/product.php?id=567

go these if you love sound quality (and have a good sound card)

studio monitors let you hear music the way it is meant to be heard

Mika75 writes...

I would recommend less reading, get some cd's and do some listening

That is excellent advice.

I recommend you do the same.

Have a nice day.

surgeprotector writes...

At least BOSE spends time researching...

One point often made in favor of Bose is their research. Indeed, Bose has a large and highly-trained scientific research staff. However, it seems that relatively little of this research filters down to their everyday speakers --- their basic speaker designs have remained largely the same for many years. This rather surprising conclusion is supported by comparisons with other industries. For example, Budweiser and MacDonalds also have large and highly-trained scientific research staffs, and yet continue to produce the same products year after year. In essence, most of the research is for purposes of hedging their bets and flexibility --- if the marketplace demands changes, the corporation will have the research results in hand to react quickly. In the case of Bose, the research budget is still quite small compared to the marketing budget. Furthermore, the research makes good PR, and in fact justifies one of their well known marketing slogans --- "Better Sound Through Research."

From: http://www.zhome.com/ZCMnL/PICS/stereo/bosefaq.htm

bentan77 writes...

i think brand name tells something about the quality of a product in audio.

and BOSE has an excellent reputation as well as proven track record.

surgeprotector writes...

and BOSE has an excellent reputation as well as proven track record.

Now the Bose haters probably say "that's undeserved" and you say "not, it is not" and we can go on like that for another 50 posts.

I wonder what Bose did wrong that they get attacked like that, mostly from people who have very little or no 1st hand experience. Tall poppy syndrome? Maybe...

Anyway, the best advice IMO is still that people just test speaker before they buy and I cannot see what's wrong when Bose is included in the test field. If ppl like the sound and the price, they can buy them. If they don't like the price or the sound, obviously they don't buy them. What so complicated about that? Same for all brands speakers.

I cannot see that this discussion leads to anything positive or helps anyone.

probably a good idea. I'll shut up now.
I just don't like people making comments based on nothing.
Oh well...
I can't teach people everything.

I'm going to throw a spanner in the works here... and say that the Bose companion 5's are f*&king excellent! I wouldn't consider myself an audiophile by any stretch. However I am pretty damn pedantic when I comes to sound. I've spent stupid amounts of cash of amps, pa's, mics and instruments over the years because I can't stand second rate sound.

I have had the Z5500's for a couple of years now and they're pretty damn good to be honest. They really come into their own when turned up loud (until the sub/amp overheats and everything becomes very quiet all of a sudden). For gaming, movies, etc the surround sound is a really nice thing and there are plenty of settings to get the sound just the way you like it. However, physically it's a big bit of gear for a desktop speaker setup. The sub is huge, it really is big if you want to wack it under your desk and still have room for a few empty tinnies. And let's be honest, wires suck the fat one. Unless you have a fancy way of concealing wires, they get everywhere. Don't get me wrong, I do like the logi's but they are now hooked up to the TV since I don't have the space for them in the study.

In terms of the Bose setup – if you want a compact, good looking and great sounding 2.1 setup and have the cash to burn, go for it. I have listened to them on a number of occasions and I think they sound fantastic. The little control module could be improved but that's neither here nor there. If I were to get a new setup for my desktop now (which I still may do... hmmm) I would 100% go for the Bose. I'd rather pay more for something that produces sound that I am happy with before going cheap and getting an inferior setup. They are up there with the best in terms of sound quality in their price range (Please read that sentence twice before telling me how rubbish they are compared to pro audio gear).

Remember: This is my opinion. As has been mentioned a number of times already – test them out for yourself to see what you like. And for all the Bandwagon Bose haters – I'd love to find out how many of you have actually had a listen. I know it's hard to form your own opinions sometimes, but give it a go. You might feel liberated.

Bell End writes...

Bose companion 5's are f*&king excellent!

I have had a listen. and... Yes they are. As with most BOSE products.
There are better product out there, but Z5500 is not one of them.

Agreed

i dunno though; i like their computer 2.0 offering..

the BOSE Companion 2 and BOSE MusicMonitor.

but found the companion 3 and 5 to be underwhelming.

are you wanting to get 2.1 or 5.1 setup?

if you wanna go BOSE then go BOSE MusicMonitor.

Finally some people with some sense and ears. Bose rock!!! For those of you who think Bose are over priced, stop wasting our time and yours pretending to know what you are talking about on the forums and GET A JOB!!!

Xmn002 writes...

i like their computer 2.0 offering..

Id prefer to go with some Audioengine A2's. $199 for some great sounding 2.0 speakers.

there are people spend 10x more $$$ to get branded wallet.

there are people who prefer BMW over Holden.

branded wallet good in quality, great as it looks, does it really worth it?

if $$$ isn't object, from Logic Tech, Creative, Sony, Bose, or what have you.

I would choose Bose. Not that it got best sound, but just because I can show it off to my mates

After I got mine, the 'sound' department does satisfy me.
It is more satisfying compare to my old Altec Lensing speakers

yay, newbie necroposting

welcome to wp, i hope your second post goes towards a thread a little more recent, but if you have something to say, this is the place to say it. Since the thread is resurrected from the dead i might as well add my 2 cents

I have speakers everywhere in my unit, a stupid amount of speakers for the space i have, and i still find myself wanting to buy more, i need to go to a different sort of AA (amplifiers anonomous)

Dont own a Bose system and i havent heard the companion 5s in person, have heard a few other Bose systems, they sounded good, but not the sort of purchase i get excited about, i own the z5500s and i bought them at a steal at $270 with a gaming laptop i bought about 18 months ago, that was an exciting purchase, purely because of price, if i paid the HN asking price id be pretty dissapointed (the price 18 months ago at HN was $700 dont know what it is now)

they are in my study hooked up to my laptop via optical cable and are fine for gaming and whatever i throw at them, but they arent spectacular, clarity is a bit lapse, they have plenty of power, but i find they lack finesse, too much bass, and what bass it has is muddy, (i used to install car stereos and always preffered a pair of boxed 8s than a single 12, because i like bass to have punch, to deliver the effect rather than just rumble designed to make your licence plate rattle) but for the price i paid they are an excellent audio solution

you cant really compare a $300 system to a $550 system, its practically double in price. I now have a desire to replace the z5500s with some behringer MS-40s (2.0 entry level monitors) they have optical inputs, and are a pretty accurate sound reproduction,

back to the bose system, i have been to a couple sound centres that featured bose, and their display rooms (im guessing with a few grand in gear) sounded superb, but looking at the spec sheet of the companion 5, i would personally look at other options for $550, if surround is definitely what you want, then i would be getting a 5.1channel amp reciever and some bookshelf/floorstanding speakers, i have a couple setups like this, and the majority of the speakers were sourced from op shops, i found some pretty hefty systems that had a bung cd player or radio or something and were selling the whole "broken" set for very cheap like $40, with floor standing speakers with excellent drivers. My main system for my living room is a 5.0 system, the main speakers are some excellent sony towers from a all in one system i bought for a couple grand a few years ago, the rest of the system was turfed and the speakers were used in this current setup, they dont need a sub because they have superwolfers and built in crossovers, and produce more clean bass than i could possibly need in my little apartment, my z5500s rarely get turned up above 20% any more, hence my desire to replace them with the smaller but sharper monitors.

at the end of the day, if you like the sound of the companion 5s and they are the solution you are looking for (size, looks, speaker config) and they are a price you are happy to pay, then go for them, but at least look at a yammy reciever system (jb have a nice one for 300ish, it will be very comparable in quality and power to the bose,) or look at some klipsch computer systems that are also excellent quality and in the $500 range, if you end up with bose, then great, just consider all alternatives before final decision (this is obviously advice for future shoppers, as im sure the OP of this thread has long ago decided what he was going to buy)

from my experiences;

i have been to about a dozen audio stores throughout melbourne prior purchasing my HT system.

Went to Bose in the CBD and tested their HT system. for $5k its not auditing the full range of frequencies, lacked a little high and base. wasnt that detailed.

My cousin has the Z5500 – not bad for $300 system. too muddy though and lacks the highs and bass is missing punch – just sounds muddy.

denon 3808 with following speakers;

B&W 683 very nice speakers – very detailed, nice full range but a little bit too bright for my liking.

Focal 7 series – even more detailed than the B&W above great looking speakers too but once again too bright too me.

test alot of other sets of speakers in this range – eventually settled for the Monitor Audio RS series speakers. love them – now ran in even better.... not perfect but for the price i have no complaints......

one thing i have noticed when you have a good audio system you can really tell the difference between bad audio and very detailed / accurate sound.

at the end of the day its your money do what ever you lease with it..... and remember a set of speaker might sound great to me but to you might not.

try a razer mako 2.1 with technology from THX. excellent sound , around 300 dollar mark. lots of reviews on the web.

All THX is, is a certification. The is no THX technology as such.

Oh no!! not this bloody thread again!!
LOL

Usually I listen to 3 types of music as a test of speakers quality.

Jazz- usually Miles Davies, clarity of the sounds are almost instantaneously apparent
Metal- whatever I'm listening to at the time, but usually slash. Volume and clarity, also the bass has to be clear and not overly accented to be able to hear a good double kick
Psytrance- This is a very diverse musical genre that draws on influence from every music there is... It usually consists of many layers, and colourful diversity of sound is present at the same time.
The bass has to be clear to be enjoyable but not accentuated, mid has to be clear but punchy and treble has to be crisp to be able to be audible over the rest.

After listening to an hour or more, I make my opinion if the speakers are good or not.
I don't usually really worry about how much a set of speakers cost. Just if they sound good or not. It is generally true that more expensive = better sound, but I have seen (heard?) some that is totally out of the equation as well (e.g. cough*sony*cough).

The set I'm now normally using? I use a set of Sennheiser headsets for computer/music monitor and a set of Sansui (Japan) floorstands that I got in a bargain bin in Japan for $400