With TruSpace® digital processing circuitry, this multimedia speaker system delivers 5.1 multichannel audio from just 2 speakers and the compact Acoustimass® module, providing an immersive movie-watching or game-playing experience on your PC. Take a closer look at the Bose Companion® 5 speakers. (Flash demo)
Average Customer Rating:
4.5 out of 5(51 Reviews)
Rating Breakdown
(51 reviews)
5 stars
(40)
4 stars
(6)
3 stars
(1)
2 stars
(1)
1 star
(3)
45 of 51 (88%) customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Review 1 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
5.05
Simply Wow'd03/11/2010
By Tigerhawkfrom West Des Moines, Iowa
Value for Price
4.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
5.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: Ease of setup, nonintrusive speakers, USB setup is an automatic breeze What's not so great: Price, of course
"So, after about a year and a half of talking myself out of buying these things due to the price, I finally broke down and bought them five days prior to this writing and I've since had these speakers operational for about three days. While I haven't put them through every audio test I can think of just yet, I've tried a few DVDs and a good range of my own mp3 files.
Before I installed these, I had a Logitech Z2300 system paired with a SoundBlaster X-Fi card...the second such card in 14 months time; it seems for some reason that my computer is getting a little too anxious about blowing digital decoder chipsets on soundcards, which was another reason I finally talked myself into buying them.
Now don't get me wrong, I quite enjoyed the previous setup and stand by my earlier review of the Logitech system.
But...wow. I'm absolutely blown away by these things. I've had no problems thus far and am amazed by the range that these do, indeed, seem to have. Maybe it's just my ear, but the lack of mid that some reviewers have had issues with is something I see as it's how a live performance is supposed to sound. Sure, if you want everything PERFECTED, then you probably want something else. But actually, to me, that's the hidden beauty of these speakers: They don't "lie". You'll get great response in some ranges, softer tones in others. Nothing really seems to be overly jacked up; it's the suttle tones that I'm noticing, not the overt blasting of those tones, and to me that just makes the sound more "truthful".
I listen to soundtracks a lot, and I love hearing every sound I can out of an orchestra...the more finely recreated the better. I am not ashamed to say that, while listening to the John Williams composition of "Duel of the Fates" from the Star Wars Episode I soundtrack, I was left in tears.
Tears.
Because it sounded so grandly beautiful to a level I've never felt before. The London Voices' echoes were present where I hadn't heard that much definition on them before, the orchestra was so crisply reproduced that I couldn't help but be completely immersed and lost in the tune.
This is the third Bose product that I've owned in my life (the original Acoustic Wave, which I still have and is still going strong almost 20 years later and, more recently, the Over The Ear headphones), and I am continually amazed as how great Bose sound is. Yes, of course they're very likely overpriced, but quite simply I am not at all regretful of shelling out the extra money for any of these three products, period.
By the way, the owners manual says that you should only have them 24" apart for optimum sound quality. I have dual widescreen monitors and this doesn't seem to have any negative consequences in having them further apart.
Very highly recommended, with the only lower-than-5-Star rating going towards price because, as another reviewer said, these are definitely a pocket monster. Otherwise, I have nothing but praise for them and unless they somehow short out (and even at max volume they handle the sound brilliantly) these things will never see the inside of a Best Buy store again."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 2 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
3.05
A bit disappointed for Bose and the price!03/09/2010
By MJRnnr1from Lehigh Valley, PA
Value for Price
1.05
Sound Quality
3.05
Compatibility
3.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: Appearance, set up, volume control.....then sound. What's not so great: PRICE-Broke me. Accessibility to bass volume.
"Set up was quick and easy...no worries "some assembly required"! Once I turned it on I expected (for $350) to be WOWed! Sound was great BUT not worth the price. Even after several weeks of owning I am second guessing my decision to purchase. Some cracking at higher volumes, too much "high" and not enough "mid". I had my eye on the Klipsch Companion for less than 1/2 the price...regrets? Yes. Perhaps the Bose 3 would have been a better deal. I have ALWAYS contended (and I have 25 years in mobile sound business) that Bose is over-priced. If these speakers were under $200 the rating for price would be higher. Sorry Bose...lower your prices!!!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:No
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Review 3 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
5.05
Excellent Buy!03/01/2010
By Zurcfrom CT
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
5.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: Great Sound What's not so great: Price
"I can’t say enough about these speakers. I recently purchased these puppies for my father in law. It makes watching clips on you tube, like you were in the movies theater. These speakers sound just as good as my 3000 surround sound system. The speakers are very small, and they sit high on a stand, allowing for an aesthetically pleasing view. The sub woofer is small, but it packs a lot of power. This unit also has minimal cables, which allows for a quick and easy set up. Windows 7 and Vista will pick up the drivers immediately, so basically no driver installation is needed. The manual controller is also a nice add on. This allows for someone to quickly adjust the volume, hook up a MP3, and an easy on and off button. This unit even sounds amazing when it is on low. Watching movies with this unit is quite a pleasure."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 4 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
5.05
Bose Series 5 are the best02/05/2010
By BIGRichardfrom Garland, Tx
Value for Price
4.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
5.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: Bose sound Quality What's not so great: Price
"I absolutely LOVE my Bose Companion 5, PC speakers! I have had other similar speaker systems and have just been blown away by the sound that comes out of these little speakers. When I watch a movie at home, I pop the DVD into my PC and hook the PC to the TV and its like being at the theater. I have had mine for 3 years now and have never had a problem, knock on wood, so the review below; me I don't know what their problem was but I do know, that like everything in this world that is electronic, its MAN MADE so some items are gonna be bad or go bad quicker than others like cars. Bose is real good about fixing their stuff or replacing it. I have the Bose headphones and love them, so does a buddy and he bought his second hand off of ebay (headphones only no case). 3 months after he had them they broke. He sent them to Bose and not only did they fix them for free they gave him a new case and accessories, all for free! As far as the usb port problem (next review), I use a hub, and I touch the power/vol control pad minutes before use, usually when i'm powering up my PC, so thats just a habit change. My only problem is: if they're not plugged in prior to PC power up, they do not connect and the PC must be restarted but that's also an easy work around. The price is a little steep but your paying for the name, the reputation and above all else: the sound. Price: like exotic sports cars etc. Bose makes a great stereo speaker and yes, there are better stereo speakers made but much, much more money. These speakers have incredible sound for their size and turn up the volume baby, very little distortion, its amazing!!! Heck some people pay $200 or more for dinner for 2 but $400 for speakers with near surround sound capablilties that could last a life time, not just one night??? come on now.... I would have been happier had they been atleast $100 less, but I am happy with them nonetheless! In my humble opinion, you can't go wrong! I'm off to buy the Companion 2's for work so I can rock when no one is around!!! Go to Bestbuy and have listen for yourself, listen to the others that are there, I plug them in to my phone and play my music, I'd settle for a less pricy system, but not for sound, I want both!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 5 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
5.05
bose companion 501/31/2010
By vikinesfrom Denver Colorado
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
5.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: great sound and easy to set up What's not so great: nothing
"I just love my companion 5 from Bose,in fact i may be getting another set for my lop top"
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 6 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
5.05
exceptional speakers01/12/2010
By lindy3997from Medina, Ohio
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
5.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: completes the look of husbands office, easy to set up What's not so great: nothing yet
"Purchased speakers for xmas present for husband after he looked at them extensively. He thought I might purchase the mid priced ones and I surprised him with the best as the price was well worth it. He was very excited to receive them and I am pleased with the overall purchase online thru Bestbuy. Have not encountered any product defects. Absolute best sound I have heard to date!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 7 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
4.05
Good speakers, but not perfect.10/07/2009
By AKjaxfrom Missoula, MT
Value for Price
4.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
4.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: Sound, looks, size What's not so great: power saving mode, uses USB
"I got these speakers when I moved because I didn't want to pack/wanted to upgrade from my companion 3's. First off, the good. These sound fantastic. If you had your eyes closed you'd probably think there were 4 speakers. Bose is always the best when it comes to great sound in a compact package. These are great for small desks and rooms, because they take up so little space and have a lot of sound.
Now, the bad. The companion 3's had a 3.5mm input jack on the back of the sub, and a 2nd on the corded control. The 5's have a USB input on the sub, and a 3.5mm on the control. Now, in many cases I can see the USB being fantastic. It's probably better quality, and on a desktop computer, you have a million USB ports on the back of your tower. I, however, am using a desktop replacement laptop, and one thing no laptop has in spades is USB ports, I have 4. Also, I find the whole setting up of the USB control overly difficult, I like just plugging in the 3.5mm jack. So that's what I did, but now my remote has two cords coming out of it (the control/power cord and the 3.5mm cord to my computer) which is kind of a bother. My biggest problem though, is the power saving mode. My companion 3's had two settings, off and standby. If you wanted to listen to something, you tapped the control, and the light changed from yellow to green, and instantly you had sound. When you're done, you tap it again, and they're on standby. On the 5's, that still applies, BUT, if you go long enough without having sound (ie, I'm just browsing the internet) they go into a power saving mode (light turns red) and you have to tap it again to turn them on. The kicker is that it takes about 5 seconds for the sound to come on. This wouldn't be so bad if the power saving mode didn't kick in WAY too fast (roughly 3 minutes). I tend to browse the internet a lot, and I come across a video, watch it, then go onto other stuff, find another video, watch it, and low and behold, no sound! I hit the control, the light goes green, but by the time the sound actually comes ON, I really have to restart the video. It sounds like I'm nitpicking, but it's annoying. They also get a knock on the value for price part.. you pay a lot, and you get a really good product, but it's not what I'd call a real deal or bargain. It's kind of like buying a BMW or Audi. You get something great, but you pay for it in full. My last problem with these speakers is the corded control. It's basically a thick disk, with an outer rubber ring you turn to change the volume, an a pressure sensitive topside that you tap to turn the speakers off and on. It also has a headphone jack and a audio in jack. My problems are these: 1, the pressure sensitive top is very sensitive, and if you have a messy desk and something happens to touch it, well, you get the idea. 2, the subwoofer volume controls are on the back of the sub. This is something I like to adjust as I live in a dorm, and there's hours of the day it's acceptable to have some bass, and then some where it isn't. Same goes for anyone living in an apartment, etc. I like to have the (rather large) subwoofer out of the way, which means that control is out of the way as well. I wish it was on the controller, after all, that's what the controller is for.
Don't get me wrong though. As much as I complain, these are very fantastic speakers. My pros section is much shorter than the cons, but the pro section contains the most important part, the sound quality. I love these speakers and wouldn't go back to my 3's or any other speaker system I've owned. There are things that are much better value, I'm sure you could get an almost as good set of speakers for $200, but the key word there is almost. These are among, if not the best, desktop speakers you can find that are reasonably sized."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 8 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
1.05
You would think: Boss how could I go wrong;HOW???09/20/2009
By nobleseedfrom Chicago, IL
Value for Price
1.05
Sound Quality
1.05
Compatibility
1.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: Looks: but their deceiving!! What's not so great: Sound disappeared in mid air! For $399.99 that's a problem!!!
"I wanna save as many as I can from this product. Boss is a great company; I heard. This was my first Boss item ever; loved it and hated it so much I had to return it. The sound was awesome; when it played; the look was killer! On our first date she cut herself off while Maxwell was playing live unpluged (This womans work) I love the song but Boss said "Not tonight maybe some other time." She has problems and if you listen closely you want miss them when you read the good reviews. Misery loves company when the 1year warranty runs out; you will have a pretty system without sound;what good is that??? I recommend you return this product before walking out the door of bestbuy with a badbuy!!! Go Klipsch you want lose a beat; you'll save 65% of your money. Klipsch rocks with my creative sound card 10 stars!!!!!!!!!! Without the sound card bestbuy five stars!!!!! Klipsch 2.1 pro rocks for $[149.99] you could now afford to throw some for the creative sound card [$59.99] a bestbuy it's still less than half of the Boss companion5 and 25% less the companion3 with card; far less without!!!!!!!!! KLIPSCH WARRANTY IS 5YEARS; UNBELIEV.......ABLE!!!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:No
0 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Review 9 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
5.05
WOW!!!! These speakers overwhelming09/04/2009
By Ernest33from miami, FL
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
5.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: the surround sound experience What's not so great: nothing all good
"Guys don’t believe the negative things, all I can say is WOW!!! These speakers are awsome !!!!! They are worth every last cent. BOSE did a great job!!!!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 10 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
5.05
Great Item, best speakers around07/19/2009
By Nick2127from LA, Cali
Value for Price
4.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
5.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: Easy to set up, looks good What's not so great: Sometimes stops unexpectadly
"These are the best computer speakers around, no question about it. I use them with my laptop and the sound quality is perfect for music and movies. The only negative is that sometimes the music just stops (probably because I have it plugged into a laptop and not a desktop), but all i need to do is unplug the device and then plug it back in and it works perfectly again."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 11 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
4.05
Good Speakers07/10/2009
By VKZ09from Los Angeles, California
Value for Price
3.05
Sound Quality
4.05
Compatibility
4.05
Appearance
4.05
What's great about it: The system is good. What's not so great: It needs more bass.
"I like the system but the speakers start to mess up when you go to loud, after 1 hour of listening to music it starts to echo, like fade in and fade out to much.
Also when i turn up the sound on the system the bass fades, that needs to be fixed people would appreciate it if they can get more bass with it also being loud.
Another problem is after half a year of having the system, the circle thing that you turn the volume up with goes orange ( meaning it's on mute ) without me putting it on mute...
What i recommend it for Bose to come out with a Bose Companion 7 Multimedia Speaker System. Bigger Bass and Reliability is basically what the customers need."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 12 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
5.05
BEST COMPUTER SPEAKERS07/03/2009
By TLScottfrom Jacksonville, NC
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
5.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: EASY SET UP, GREAT PRICE What's not so great: NOTHING
"- Great Bose Sound, zero distortion. - Easy set up - Would recommend this for anyone who is looking for excellent sound. - Acoustimass module is compact and easily hidden from view. - Thunderous bass.."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 13 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
5.05
the most amazing speakers avilable06/18/2009
By violentjay103from milwaukee, WI
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
5.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: no wirering for surround sound and crystal sound kiiller for gaming and videos What's not so great: $400
"these speakers are the most amazing speakers avible, they are awsomefor gaming, music, and video. Sure they're $400, but they're woth it and you have to consider that they are surround sound which is not a bad price. seeing how it is only two speakers you dont have to wire spreakers around your room. their sound is very clear and can get extremly loud"
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 14 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
4.05
GOOD PRODUCT04/06/2009
By blunt29from Lancaster, CA
Value for Price
3.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
5.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: THE SOUND CD'S SOUND GREAT What's not so great: THE PRICE IS TO HIGH, IT SOUNDS GOOD I JUST WISH IT WAS LOUDER
"THIS IS A GOOD PRODUCT NOT A GREAT PRODUCT. I THINK THE REASON WHY THIS SELLS FOR SO MUCH IS BECAUSE OF THE NAME ON THE BOX. IF THIS WAS ABOUT $250 I THINK IT WOULD BE WORTH IT. SINCE IT IS NOT, UNLESS YOU HAVE A LOT OF PAPER (MONEY) TO SPEND I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:No
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 15 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
1.05
Poor ..For the priice I expected much more.04/01/2009
By Mherron111from Atlanta
Value for Price
1.05
Sound Quality
2.05
Compatibility
1.05
Appearance
2.05
What's great about it: Nothing....they power went dead after a monty.. I couldn't use them anymore. What's not so great: They cost too darn much!!! They are definitely not worth the price
"I purchased my speakers from best buy last february. They ran well for about 3 months. The bass was great , the middle range not so great, and the upper range great. They are definitely not worth 400 dollars. After 3 months the power went out and I could no longer use them. I had all kinds of problems reach customer service , and to this day they are still in a box in the basement. I would definitely not purchase a bose product again. The inflated price is definitely not work it."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:No
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Review 16 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
5.05
More than your companion... maybe your lover :)02/26/2009
By Vinny1218from Bakersfield, CA
Value for Price
4.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
5.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: Simulated 5.1 from a 2.1 / Easy connection/ Quality What's not so great: Price.... these are a pocket monster
"This 2.1 setup is simply amazing! While elegant on the outside, there is a beast within. These speakers purr and roar all at the same time! The range of these speakers are dynamic and clear, maintaining quality and tonal Characteristic at all levels. I tested them against the Razer Mako speakers and these simply make the Razer mako system sound adolescent. In all three categories, movies, music and Games the Bose came up on top. In the music categories Angels and Airwaves and Coldplay never sounded so heavenly. When I tested the gaming range of these speakers.. All I can say is WOW! They Rock! Fear 2 was almost two scary too play! When it came to movies... The Village was so clear and satisfying.I also watched John Mayer " where the light is" and this was epic! All in all these speakers are great!!! You will feel immersed in your media from games to movies! They are a bit pricey... but worth it. You will be completely satisfied and then some! Enjoy!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
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Review 17 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
5.05
WOW, my PC woke up and so did I02/21/2009
By PowerFoolfrom Lakewood, CO
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
5.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: fantastic room-filling sound, cool design What's not so great: mute on controller
"I'm simply amazed by how great things sound on my computer! Who knew? Apparently Bose did. Everyone who has heard it is blown away. And, all that sound from a standard sound card built into my computer's motherboard. I shied away from it at first wondering just how good it could possibly be without an actual sound card. Need not have worried. WOW! I wonder what would happen if I invested in a high-end sound card?
I had also worried if this would work okay on my VIsta 64-bit system. Not to worry. And, it found the Bose driver automatically, I did not have to do a thing to have it working at its amazing best right from the get-go.
The only issue I could even find is it appears when the computer first comes up, the controller unit defaults to mute. It would be great if it would "wake up" once the PC is up and running.
BTW, where it asks would I recommend this to a friend? Absolutely, and can only add, already have.....
This has done to my PC what my Bose surround sound system did to my Television. A-mazing!
Don't wait....wake up your computer, turn on your iTunes and ENJOY!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 18 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
5.05
It is what it is...BOSE!02/16/2009
By afrycanqueenfrom Parrish, FL
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
5.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: The sound is so amazing it makes garbage sound incredible What's not so great: nothing at all
"The sleek design of the the speakers blends in perfectly on my desk and does not take up much space. The subwoofer hides below out of site. You work and listen to music and the quality of the sound just relaxes you. It can be loud but it does not sound like shouting. It doesn't hurt your ears. The power control is so sleek you turn it on with just a a mere gentle tap with your finger and experience the standard and quality of the sound that is recognized as BOSE. I upgraded my computer from XP to vista and my speakers wouldn't work because of driver issues. I called BOSE with the number listed in the manual, didn't get a recording but a very nice gentleman who answered right away, didn't ask about when I bought it or any of those warranty questions but stayed on the line and researched a patch that he found for the problem and walked me through it step by step. I am a Bose customer for life. You only get what you pay for and with customer service like that I don't mind paying a little extra."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 19 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
5.05
This is the BEST Quality Speaker System for a PC02/10/2009
By Hear2Winfrom California
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
5.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: Easy set up, Stealthy for the sound it delivers, Reliable, and a fair price for being "BOSE" What's not so great: The letters that read BOSE in front of the satelite speakers come off in time which is not a big deal
"I purchased the Companion 5 in 2007 for twice the price as it states now. This is a great price for such a superb product. Before I owned the Companion 5 I was running a Logi**** 6 speaker surround system on my PC which had a 15in. sub. When I replaced my PC surround system and had friends come over they didn't even realize where the sound was coming from because it fills the whole room up with State of the Art Technology."
Would you recommend this product to a friend?:Yes
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 20 for Bose® Companion® 5 Multimedia Speaker System (3-Piece)
Customer Rating
5.05
Amazing set of speakers02/04/2009
By russhfrom Cut and Shoot, TX
Value for Price
5.05
Sound Quality
5.05
Compatibility
5.05
Appearance
5.05
What's great about it: The best sound I have ever heard from a set of computer speakers. What's not so great: No Cons at all
"I tried a set of Logitech Z-5500 and these are far superior in music and movies. I am very impressed with these and won't be buying any more for years to come."
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