These updated classics offer an extraordinary but affordable stereo listening experience. They're voice-matched for seamless integration with other Bose models in home theater applications. Learn more about Bose products and proprietary technologies in our Bose Store.
Average Customer Rating:
4.8 out of 5(13 Reviews)
Rating Breakdown
(13 reviews)
5 stars
(11)
4 stars
(2)
3 stars
(0)
2 stars
(0)
1 star
(0)
13 of 13 (100%) customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Bose® 201® Series V Direct/Reflecting® Speaker System - Black
Review 1 for Bose® 201® Series V Direct/Reflecting® Speaker System - Black
Customer Rating
5.05
awesome speakers.01/23/2010
By psychokillerfrom nebraska
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: sound great, easy on space
"These speakers have completely fullfilled my needs at this time. I've wanted to try Bose and am not disappointed."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 2 for Bose® 201® Series V Direct/Reflecting® Speaker System - Black
Customer Rating
5.05
Sound Better Than Klipsch or Polks!10/18/2009
By Mike9237from Annapolis, MD
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: Price, Performance, Appearance What's not so great: Size, no Pre-Set Mounting Screw Holes
"I have been researching speakers for my 5.1 surround setup for the past two weeks online (I have a Panasonic HTB that I paid very good money for about 7 years ago). My focus has been the front main speakers, so I was thinking along the lines of a floor speaker. My research drew me to Klipsch and Polk for top quality speakers at fairly good price points. I'm a value shopper, but this time around, I was willing to spend more for a quality component setup I expect to have for 5 or more years. As to listening preferences, I like my music to have crisp highs in the foreground, not buried and mumbling into the bass, and my bass to be slightly boomy but set in the background, where it belongs.
After long hours of online research I decided to just go out and listen to various brands of speakers at Best Buy. Week nights are a great time to do this, as the staff are more attentive and very accommadating to letting you play with the speaker selectors. And you can crank the volume without disturbing many shoppers.
I started out listening to the floor speakers in the "affordable" section. I listend to the Sony 3-Way SSF5000s, Polk TSI300s, TSI500s, and a set of a Klipsch Icon 2-Way VF-35 speakers. Unfortunately, or fortunately, the Best Buy sample CD was filled with wretched heavy metal rock that just didn't do anything for me. But I listened anyway to form an objective opinion. The Polks seemed just okay, the Klipsch nice and crisp, as expected, and the dirt cheap Sony's didn't sound so bad either.
Then I went over to the bookshelf section just to play around, not expecting to find anything there, and that's where I met up with the Bose 201s. I listened to a pair of Klipsch Icon VB-15s, Polk OWM3s, Bose 201s and 301s. I was really amazed at the full range and crisp sound of the 201s and the sound dispersion was very good no matter what angle I was listening from. And they projected well even at low volume levels. The Polks were a very close second, but didn't seem to display the full range of sound the 201s have. And the Klipsch? Well, I just don't think they delivered that well. The Klipsch and 301s seemed a bit on the muddy side. You had to push the volume on both to get them to "sing", but even so, the highs were not well separated from the lows. And they did not project very well.
I decided to take the 201s home and hook them to my Panasonic 100 watt receiver, which also has a Klipsch Sub 12 hooked up (just bought the same evening as a great scratch and dent deal). For music, I have played Rush, Boston, orchestral and jazz. For movies, I have played Black Hawk Down (constant shooting action) and Perfect Storm. And I pushed the volume, looking for weak points. Let me tell you, I haven't found any. Whether the volume is low, medium or high, you will hear a crisp full range of audio from these speakers. They're a bit wide for a frontal setup, but they are attractive and I love the sound so much, that is where they will stay.
To sum it up, Bose was not even on my radar as a result of my online research. Many reviewers just seem to think they can't stand up to the likes of Polk, Klipsch and other relatively high priced brands. But, when I let my ears have their say, the story became very different. I still have a lot of respect for Polk and Klipsch (I love the Sub 12, it shakes the house if you want it to) and will likely incorporate one or the other into my remaining 5.1 setup."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 3 for Bose® 201® Series V Direct/Reflecting® Speaker System - Black
Top 500 Contributor
Customer Rating
5.05
Fantastic Speakers04/20/2009
By oldman53from California
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Appearance
5.05
Power
5.05
What's great about it: Sound quality, size, easy hook up What's not so great: Not A Thing
"The speakers I have are way too big for my bedroom so I looked at the Bookshelf type and listened to all of them. These had the better sound and are better made. My big speakers are Altec Lansing with a slate top so the Bose 201 are a perfect pair for my room. The soud quality is great, the frequency response is excellent and they are easy to plug speaker wire into. I have a Pioneer VSX-918 and after making adjustments, you can hear these things from a low volume to a high volume and still sound clear."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 4 for Bose® 201® Series V Direct/Reflecting® Speaker System - Black
Customer Rating
5.05
All I can say is WOW!10/31/2008
By ras57from Pacific North West
Value for Price
5.05
What's great about it: price, preformance, and the size What's not so great: no complaints here
"We picked up a 50 inch Plasma TV a few weeks ago, and wanted to upgrade our older Sony entertainment surrond sound system we are using with it. We looked at a set of Polks and similar speakers, but we did not quite feel like shelling out $1,000 for a pair of speakers. We researched and found that the Bose although smaller and able to fit on a bookshelf. Should fit the bill for us. With the way they bounce the sound around we thought they should work well for us. We wanted the 301's but since they were not in stock so we opted for the 201's. We were not disapointed. WOW. These are matched up with my older Sony system, and with a DVD like Iron Man playing you will blow your socks off. We have sound everywhere just like hearing a THX system in a movie. I will likely pick up a smaller set of Bose for the back speakers now, and ditch the cheapo Sony spekers my old system came with. These are well worth the money. Go Ahead!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 5 for Bose® 201® Series V Direct/Reflecting® Speaker System - Black
Customer Rating
5.05
Very clear sound08/07/2008
By Khollfrom Bakersfield
What's great about it: Everything about them is great What's not so great: No easy way to mount them. Its very easy to turn them up too loud and the wife doesnt like that :(
"Just bought 4 of these last night along with a Bose VCS-10 center channel and Klipsch - 10" 420W Powered Subwoofer. They are powered by Yamaha 7.1 RX-V661. Watching Casino Royale on Blue Ray was almost better then watching it at the theater. The sound surrounds you making the movie experience that much better. Putting on an old CD that you have heard a thousand times is like listing to it again for the first time because of how crisp and clear it is."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 6 for Bose® 201® Series V Direct/Reflecting® Speaker System - Black
Customer Rating
5.05
Great sounding speaker-Bose 20108/06/2008
By flashgordon59from Pueblo, CO
What's great about it: The best never rests What's not so great: are none
"I have had some different speakers over the years and none of them can compare to the Bose series. I've had the old Altecs, Boston Acoustics, Polk Audio and in my surround sound system, only one speaker sounds so very crisp, the Bose 201. I will now purchase the 301's for my other room, thats a little bigger, so I can crank the stero up a bit and enjoy every minute of it while working around the house. Can't wait for that best buy!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 7 for Bose® 201® Series V Direct/Reflecting® Speaker System - Black
Customer Rating
4.05
worth the price04/27/2008
By Soundsgoodfrom Lake Delton, WI
What's great about it: small enough for any room What's not so great: could have a little more bass
"This product is an excellent choice if your looking for large sound in a small space. The BOSE 201 set is best used as rear surround if using a 5.1 channel receiver or better. The 201s compliment the BOSE 301s very well. I would not recommend using the 201s as main speakers or loud speakers only because of the limited amount of bass and power they produce unless you are using a powered subwoofer. I do recommend this product if used correctly."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 8 for Bose® 201® Series V Direct/Reflecting® Speaker System - Black
Customer Rating
4.05
Overall Good speakers02/23/2008
By Dalviefrom NJ
What's great about it: Good overall performance What's not so great: Poor connecting terminals and mountability
"I was looking for a 2.1 stereo setup for a Panasonic receiver. Finally I had to choose between Bose 201 and Definitive promonitor 1000. At best buy they do not keep these speakers side by side to compare and take a decision which is better. So I had to buy both Bose and definitive to test them at home and keep only one which I like. What I noticed is that the highs and mids are better in definitive where as the base is better in Bose. Also I wanted to check out the fatigue levels of long time listening. At the same treble settling the definitive is sharper, that means that you can lower the treble to match the softness of bose 201. The mids are much better in definitive at the same volume levels. Since I was looking for a speakers which can deliver good highs and mids at very low volumes. I choose to keep the definitive speakers."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 9 for Bose® 201® Series V Direct/Reflecting® Speaker System - Black
Customer Rating
5.05
Pleasantly suprised12/31/2007
By temptingfrom rhode island
What's great about it: cost,ease of set up, warranty What's not so great: none at this time
"Very pleased with these speakers, I was apprehensive about buying at first and almost bought the Klipsch speakers. I've heard good and bad things about Bose speakers and I have to say these speakers are very very good. Plenty of bass that you can hear and feel,but not overpowering....not boom boom! i would recomend these to anyone."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 10 for Bose® 201® Series V Direct/Reflecting® Speaker System - Black
Top 500 Contributor
Customer Rating
5.05
Must buy!!!!12/13/2007
By peterp718from Brooklyn, NY
What's great about it: Excellent sound, great bass, mids and lows are perfect What's not so great: none
"I had this speakers for over a year now and still going strong. I have them set up in my bedroom where i sometimes listen to classical to relaxation music and the sound is excellent its almost like listening to live music. The higher the volume the clearer the sound. They are perfect. I had them as my front speakers on my surround sound system before i got the Accoustimass and they did a perfect job. The price is not bad for the quality you getting. Best buy has a great return policy so if you want try them but im sure you will keep them."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 11 for Bose® 201® Series V Direct/Reflecting® Speaker System - Black
Customer Rating
5.05
great value, knocked my socks off10/14/2007
By merlin967from Michigan
What's great about it: Got em on sale about 9 months ago, wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! What's not so great: none whatsoever
"You get what you pay for..These speakers sound fantastic...I use the=m as side speakers in a 7.1 setup. Like the other reviews, crank them up, and they perform. Crisp clear and accurate. A great buy"
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 12 for Bose® 201® Series V Direct/Reflecting® Speaker System - Black
Customer Rating
5.05
Great purchase10/07/2007
By Romerfrom Tulsa, OK
What's great about it: great sound quality, good looks, awesome imaging What's not so great: none so far
"I've had these speakers for about 8 months now and they seem to be a great purchase. They let my music sounds spacious while still sounding direct to my ears. These speakers can take quite a beating as well, sometimes I turn my Yamaha sound receiver up to +10dB (110 watts RMS per channel) when jamming out when nobody else is home and I can't even hear myself scream. The best part about it is there's no distortion introduced either. A big plus! I would deffinately recommend these speakers."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 13 for Bose® 201® Series V Direct/Reflecting® Speaker System - Black
Customer Rating
5.05
Amazing Speakers09/13/2007
By TheJerzyKidfrom New Jersey
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"Bose has floored me again. To make it short and sweet you will not be disappointed. These 2 compact speakers produce major bass and crystal clear mids and highs. Low volume or high, these speakers are amazing!!!"
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