donc230's Full Review: Bose 3·2·1 GS II Theater System
The Bose 3-2-1 GS Series II is a simple to set up and use, everything in one box, home theater system. The GS Series II improved upon earlier systems with the increased power and additional capabilities that customers have asked for. Expensive, but designed to enhance the viewing experience of the majority of today’s high definition television buyers.
To Bose users, simple means that there are only two very small multidirectional speaker enclosures, each with two speakers that point forward and angled toward the side walls, and a “folded horn” style subwoofer that handles the low and very low sound frequencies from the sound track. It is all tied together through a single media center that also contains the AM/FM receiver, DVD, high definition progressive scan DVD, MP3, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+R, DVD-R, and Video CD capable player. There are no wires to run to rear speakers, the front speakers are very unobtrusive, and the subwoofer produces the sound it needs without floor shaking rumbles.
But First A Disclaimer: Once again I ask for you to please hang in there with me. I am still not a techie, and therefore technology only catches my interest when it gives me something I want in return. So this review will only cover those specifications, features, and capabilities that more faithfully integrate the sound into the television experience, rather than analyzing numbers that do not translate directly into enjoyment of the show on the screen. At the risk of offending the more technical minded readers, what follows is my experience.
Home Theater or Sound Integration Package
My own definition of a home theater system would be one that truly replicates the sound and picture experience one would get at a real motion picture theater. That is the experience where subsonic bass frequencies rumble through your seats, you hear a train coming from behind you and across the screen, and you are never distracted by words coming from somewhere other than the actor’s lips. True home theater would be a total sensual involvement of at least three of the five senses. As I understand it, that would require a minimum of 5 sound sources surrounding the viewer: a center full hearing range speaker behind the screen, at least one full hearing range speaker on each side of the screen, one full hearing range speaker in each rear corner, and because the human ear is not very good at figuring out what direction low frequencies come from, or even care when they are so low that they are only felt, a single very low frequency speaker. As a plus, it would have the potential power to shatter wine glasses or liquefy the contents of the listener’s lower intestines. Proper speaker placement and room furnishings will also have to be factored in when designing such a system.
What I like to think of as a sound integration package would be something a lot less complicated. It would be an enhancement of what most of us know as stereo, but with the ability to maintain that sound comes from the correct actor’s lips and allow you to unobtrusively feel things that rumble on the screen. No matter which chair you sat in, with this package you would still be able to experience the stereo effect, and localize the dialog, from the screen. A system like this would not take up a lot of space in my living room, it would not bother my neighbors any more than my forgetting to bring my trash can back from the curb after trash day, and not run my electric bill up above the level of the national debt. And then, I do not think this system should require replacing all the furniture and wall coverings in the room so that aural perfection is retained. Oh yeah, and in today’s market, I would hope it would be able to play CDs and MP3’s, along with having an AM/FM tuner with radio station presets.
In The Box
Actually, in my case there was another box that contained the speaker stands, but I will get to that later.
Opening the box you find: the Acoustimass module (which is the woofer / subwoofer to produce the low frequency sounds you both hear and feel), the media center (that takes the place of a stereo receiver, DVD player, MP3 player, and amplifier), the 2 side speakers, a universal remote control (including batteries), an antenna stand for the AM and FM antennas, all the cables, the owners’ manual, a quick setup guide, and rubber feet for all the speakers. Oh, while I have never understood the logic behind a setup guide DVD in a DVD player, since you have to set it up before you can view it, there is one included to fine tune the system.
Set Up and Support
Part of the high cost of the Bose system is for their almost anal dedication to user friendly products. Both the quick setup guide and detailed owner’s manual provide true paint-by-numbers setup. You compare the pictures with what is in the box, match color-coded connecters, and the next thing you know you are doing what you spent all those hard earned high definition dollars for – you are enjoying the movie!
December 2008 Update
After a move and change in cable providers (and a number of cable service calls, and replacement of the cable box) I found that one channel was not working while viewing cable TV and listening to digital music. Even being over a month past the warranty period I called the Bose toll-free assistance number. Once again, a technically competent technician answered with an American English accent. Step by step we went through a logical troubleshooting tree. At the end we did isolate the problem to the cable company's provided DVR/Converter box.
At that point the technician let me know that even with an expired warranty Bose would have had no problem in covering any necessary repairs or replacements - as if the warranty was still binding. He said that customer satisfaction was that important to Bose.
One important difference with my new cable provider is that their DVR/Converter boxes have the capability to handle fiber optic audio, while my former provider's equipment did not. The Bose technician suggested I use a fiber optic connection, knowing that it would take time for the cable provider to exchange boxes a second time. Easily hooking up the connection and changing the audio source, I have been amazed at the improvement in the system's overall performance. Surround sound imaging from 5.1 encoded digital signals has become an even more lifelike and spacious experience. Their TrueSpace processing sure fools me every time! Once again, I cannot say enough for Bose Customer service, and am even more satisfied with my initial purchase selection.
One Reason For The High Price
I know that most all manufacturers provide pretty much the same level of printed and color-coded instructions for the setup of their products, so you have to wonder is that all there is? With that in mind, half way through the set up I realized that the pictures did not exactly match what I found on my digital cable box and my television. Pushing the test, 7:00 at night I pick up the phone and called the toll free support number. After only having to press " 1 " once and " 2 " twice I was rewarded with a human voice! That voice spoke friendly, flawless, accent free, American dialect English. That voice asked me to describe exactly what my television and cable box looked like, everything I had already plugged in, and if I wanted to hook anything else up to the system. Then I received very friendly step-by-step instructions on completing the setup. I was then told that they would be keeping a record of the call so that should I ever want to alter the configuration of my system, they would not have to cover old ground to provide assistance. Why would I bring this up in a product review? Well, if you have ever needed technical support while hooking up a Linksys router you will understand my joy.
Why Not A 5 Speaker System?
Being a former professional musician, both serious and popular music, sound is important to me. Understanding that, it did not take a long time living with my new Hitachi P50T501 plasma 50 inch television until wistfully wished for sound near the quality of the picture. But with that background came over 20 years dealing with speaker and microphone wires, connectors, broken speaker wires and connectors, mismatched speaker wires and connectors, stringing and rolling up those wires, and everybody tripping over the wrong wire at the wrong time. I had made my living dealing with those problems and did not want them intruding into my relaxation time. I am also thinking about moving, so the thought of hard wiring speakers for the next owner of this house, when he might not even want them, left me cold. So wired rear speakers were immediately crossed off my list. Then after having been left with a rather bad taste in my mouth from dealing with the “who knows what version of English” spoken by the technical support offered by some consumer electronics manufacturers, I wanted to know where my telephone would be answered should I need that support.
Use – What You Really Wanted To Know
It does help to both read the manual and watch the setup DVD. As with any Bose system, speaker placement is critical! Changing the angle of the side speakers so that they better reflect off side walls will make a dramatic difference in system performance. Moving the subwoofer either closer to the wall behind it is just as dramatic. Rather than the more expensive three foot high stands, Bose does offer a 5 inch stand that can be place on a pedestal with the television. Since I am not an acoustic engineer, I found that when I finally spent about a half an hour “playing with” speaker placement the performance went from barely lackluster to more than acceptable.
Earlier versions of the 3-2-1 systems were actually designed for use in a 12 foot by 12 foot room. This is one of the reasons why owners rave about how good it is in the bedroom, and shy away from comments about why it is not in their family rooms. The GS Series II has been improved by, I have been told, doubling the power output so that the sound can fill a larger room. I have been able to sit in every chair in my family room while still being able to enjoy “voice displacement free” (sounds appeared to come from where they should in the picture) viewing of HD movies and sports broadcasts. To get the full effect of some movies I have had to turn the volume up pretty high, but never to where the neighbors complained. Of note, even at the very high levels, and all the Bose claims of enhanced 5.1 decoding, do not expect to fully duplicate your experience in a movie theater or that “glass demonstration room” in the electronics store. It is close, but no cigar.
The system had no problem playing back rental DVD, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, or MP3 disks. In fact, the performance of my HD set when playing back progressive scan DVD made me glad I had paid the extra money for a 1080i capable set. It does not play Blu-Ray disks.
AM radio performance was easily equal to the Pioneer receiver I have since moved to another room, and FM performance (including signal lock and stereo separation) was adequate for my needs.
There are: 3 audio inputs (3 analog, 3 coaxial digital, 1 optical digital), 2 video pass-through inputs (composite and S-video), and video output for TV (composite, S-video, and component) on the back of the media center. Optional Bose link wireless interface product will expand the system for wireless rear speakers and sound throughout your house.
The Remote
I still do not understand how products in this price range can come with remotes that is not backlit. Watching a movie is not the time to turn on a room light so that the buttons are visible. Other than that, I did find the universal remote able to take the place of remotes for both my full featured television and my digital cable box. The only function I was not able to use was the split screen picture-in-picture. But then, I am not all that competent with it when using the remote that came with the set either.
Bose
Bose is like Coke or Pepsi within their market. I do not believe I have ever seen a product line in consumer electronics that is as polarized. People either love or hate their products. Part of this could be because of their use of the concepts of direct reflective sound and the aural processing by the human brain in their designs. Maybe it is snake oil to some, or not invented here to others, or whatever, but prepared yourself for those reactions. Myself, I like the pleasant way their products perform. You may not, so please make sure to try before you buy.
Warranty
3-2-1 systems enjoy a 30 day full refund policy along with a one year limited warranty from the purchase date for electronic products, systems, and powered speaker components, and five years for speaker components that are not self-powered (amplified). Powered component speakers have a one-year Limited Warranty term for the electronics and five years for the speakers.
On Balance
The Bose 3-2-1 GS Series II Home Theater System is a simple to set up and use, everything in one box, home theater system, with unparalleled customer support. While there are technically better performing and lower cost systems available from the likes of Sony and Denon, the complete “package” still is an overall best value in my mind. I have no buyer regrets!
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