Not just for computers- these speakers were a great impulse buy!
Written: Apr 11 '05 (Updated Apr 11 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Versatile, put out great sound, relatively inexpensive.
Cons: Boxy, volume controls can be hard to maneuver.
The Bottom Line: I speak for my husband when I say that sometimes it's smart to impulse buy!
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| knotheadusc's Full Review: Bose MediaMate® 2 Speakers |
This past weekend, my husband Bill and I were at the Fort Belvoir post exchange (PX). I had a bad case of cabin fever and desperately wanted to get out of the house. I needed a new watch, a new CD wallet to accommodate my expanding karaoke CDG collection and Bill wanted to look at DVDs. I got what I needed and while Bill was looking at CDs and DVDs, I wandered over to the computer section. While I was over there, I spotted several sets of computer speakers.
I'll admit that I wasn't at the PX to buy computer speakers. In fact, I have a set on my trusty PC that works perfectly fine. However, our larger television set, located in our great room, is a less than state of the art model. The sound on the TV without speakers is not that great. I use that television for my karaoke system too, and I had noticed that the sound for certain CDs and CDGs (compact disc with graphics) was less than stellar. I had often admired the Bose speakers that are used in the Officer's Club at Fort Belvoir and among the computer speakers at the PX were Bose MediaMate Computer Speakers. I picked up the box and looked for any indication that they would work with our television set. I saw none; however, I noticed that most of the other computer speakers had notations on their boxes that they would work on a television set. Then I noticed the price on the Bose speakers... they were $89, which I thought was a very reasonable price. I figured that if they didn't work on our TV, I could use them on my computer.
The next thing I had to do was convince Bill to purchase them. I carried the Bose MediaMate Computer Speakers to my husband. He looked at the box and asked me how much the speakers cost. He cringed when I said $89-- it was an expenditure that he hadn't been planning to make that day. But I guess he was won over by my pleading eyes, because he agreed to buy them. Now that we have successfully hooked them up to our television and the sound has improved 100%, he agrees that my impulse was right on!
When we got home, I immediate got to work setting up our new Bose MediaMate Computer Speakers. The box contained two small, rather boxy looking speakers. I've read other reviews for these speakers that indicated that they come in a variety of colors. Our speakers are black; I didn't see any other color choices. Since our television is also black, this is not a problem (not that my house is exactly full of designer decor). The directions for setting up the speakers were simple. The speakers come with "rubber feet", which are nothing more than little rubber discs with adhesive on one side. I stuck the discs on the bottoms of my two speakers, then used the speaker cable to attach the two speakers together. Next, I found the AC power pack that came with the speakers and plugged it into the speakers and an electrical outlet. I was a little afraid that the package would include software, but luckily it didn't. The Bose MediaMate Computer Speakers are plug and play all the way!
The speakers come with two sets of audio input cables. If I wanted to, I could use the second set of audio input cables to plug my speakers into another sound source. My husband and I found that we didn't need the second audio input cable, but since we have a dog who loves to chew on things, I have a feeling that second set of cables will come in handy someday. Another thing that I noticed was that the powered speaker (the one that plugs directly into the sound source) has two dials one it, one that controls the volume and one that controls the way the two speakers mix. I have yet to find an on/off button or dial, but that's not important to me. The dials can be a little hard to maneuver because they are flush with the speakers themselves. The fact that the dials are flat is a drawback in my mind, although the speakers that I use with my computer don't even have an external volume control. I consider it a plus that the Bose MediaMate Computer Speakers do at least allow users to control the volume without using a mouse (impossible to do on our television set). The Bose MediaMate Computer Speakers also include a headphone jack, although headphones are not included.
It took about ten minutes to hook our new speakers up to our TV. I was very eager to find out how they sounded, so I put one of my karaoke discs into the machine. My husband and I were immediately impressed by the big sound put out by our new little speakers. Bill laughed and said, "That was a great impulse buy!" Before I talked Bill into buying the Bose MediaMate Computer Speakers, we were considering getting a new TV and stereo. It was a lot easier and less expensive to purchase the speakers. My karaoke machine plays DVDs, CDs, and CDGs, so the new speakers have vastly improved the way Bill and I watch television and listen to music. We will, of course, eventually upgrade our system, but for the time being these speakers have made a huge positive difference for under $100.
I don't pretend to know a whole lot about speakers or audio equipment, but I do know what I like. The Bose MediaMate Computer Speakers were easy to set up, relatively inexpensive, and they put out great sound, especially for being "entry level". I can't help but recommend them.
Technical information-- for those that care- taken from the very well written Owner's Manual
Features:
Bose patented signal processing technology
Built-in amplification
Ported enclosure
Spaciousness enhancer
Driver complement:
One magnetically shielded 2.5" (6.4 cm) full-range driver per enclosure
Power pack rating:
USA/Canada: 120 VAC-60 Hz 20 VA
Europe: 230 VAC-50Hz 20 VA
Australia: 240 VAC-50Hz 20 VA
Japan: 100VAC-50/60 Hz 20 VA
Speaker Inputs:
Input power: 12 VAC-1.2 A
Input signal: 3 V maximum input
Finish:
Computer gray, thermo-plastic alloy (note: our speakers are black)
Dimensions:
7 3/8"H x 3 1/4"W x 8 3/8"D (top rear to bottom front) (18.8 x 8.2 x 21.3 cm)
Weight:
Per speaker, unpacked: 2.21 lb (.96kg)
Per pair, packed for shipping: 6.75 lb (3kg)
Warranty period:
Bose MediaMate Computer Speakers are covered by a limited 1 year transferable warranty.
Bose's official website: http://www.bose.com/?perfsourceid=k40132&src=k40132
Recommended:
Yes
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