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- Review count3
- Helpfulness votes35
- First reviewNovember 28, 2008
- Last reviewMarch 11, 2010
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating5
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- First answerNovember 28, 2008
- Last answerNovember 28, 2008
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Tigerhawk's Reviews
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 computer.2px 17px;margin:
Customer Rating
5
Simply Wow'd
on March 11, 2010
Posted by: Tigerhawk
from West Des Moines, Iowa
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.
What's great about it: Ease of setup, nonintrusive speakers, USB setup is an automatic breeze
What's not so great: Price, of course
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
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+25points
31of 37voted this as helpful.
![Star Trek: Original Motion Picture Collection [7 Discs] [Blu-ray]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/9295/9295372_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Very Nicely Done
on May 28, 2009
Posted by: Tigerhawk
from West Des Moines, Iowa
This is no simple upconversion, as some have written. To test this out for myself, I had the BD and most recent DVD release copies of II and VI running at the same time, (the DVD copy running about 15 seconds behind the BD copy for instant comparison), switching from one input to the other to compare picture and sound quality. For this test and to give an idea, my equipment is as follows:
TV: Sharp Aquos 1080p 32" LCD w/3 HDMI ports
BD: Sony's PlayStation 3
DVD: Sony's 1080p Upconvert model DVP NS-700H
Input/Transfer cables: Two Rocketfish HDMI cables (identical cables used for all of my HDMI attachments)
Sound System: Bose's first generation Acoustic Wave (looks like the Wave Radio, but about three times as tall and with four speakers instead of two), which likely translates to only a 2.0 sound system. Volume level was set exactly the same for each copy, as my TV remembers volumes set for each input independently.
BD: Sony's PlayStation 3
DVD: Sony's 1080p Upconvert model DVP NS-700H
Input/Transfer cables: Two Rocketfish HDMI cables (identical cables used for all of my HDMI attachments)
Sound System: Bose's first generation Acoustic Wave (looks like the Wave Radio, but about three times as tall and with four speakers instead of two), which likely translates to only a 2.0 sound system. Volume level was set exactly the same for each copy, as my TV remembers volumes set for each input independently.
The TV has a Flashback button on the remote, allowing me to switch between the two most recent functions used; for fast comparison, I switched between the two HDMI ports that carried the signals from the PS3 and the upconvert DVD player. (I've written a review on the model of DVD player if interested in the type). If one looks closely enough, the picture from the BD copies is sharper, more colorful and flows just a little more smoothly. The sound, however, is immediately distinguishable and FAR superior to the DVD track. While playing ST II, for example, I eventually came upon the scene where the Reliant attacks the Enterprise for the first time. In the seconds that the Reliant's phasers hit the Enterprise, the DVD track was moderate in sound. The BD track, however, was so booming that it made my cat jump out of her skin and run full bore from the living room into the back bedroom.
The video and audio was just as impressive watching ST VI. My only complaint on this disc is that you must find the proper English subtitles channel (#6 on my PS3) to see the Klingon translations while not having to also read every line uttered regularly...I had to search through my menu to enable that little detail.
It is true that both II and VI (which are the only two I have watched on this set so far) have extra scenes that were not included in the BD release...the most recent DVD releases have these extra scenes, but the BD releases were theatrical only. I enjoy more scenes, especially if they help make the storyline make a little more sense (and in ST II's case, a little more detail to Spock and McCoy's classic argument about Genesis), but this is a small gripe.
This re-release onto BD makes watching the already-enjoyable classic movies even more enjoyable. The sound on my old but still very excellent sounding Bose unit is extremely impressive, and I can only imagine what the 7.1 surround would sound like on such a system.
Definitely recommended!
What's great about it: Breathes new life into the movies
What's not so great: Having to select certain English tracks to see Klingon translations
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+3points
4of 5voted this as helpful.
Add rich THX-certified audio to your PC and console gaming sessions with this computer speaker system that features two 2" polished aluminum satellite speakers and an 8" bass reflex subwoofer for balanced, expressive highs and punchy lows.
Customer Rating
5
Just like heaven in computer audio
on November 28, 2008
Posted by: Tigerhawk
from West Des Moines, Iowa
I'd read a lot of review on products while upgrading my dinosaur (read: 3 year old) computer. I'd grabbed this system based on the reviews coupled with a SoundBlaster X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity sound card to replace my SB Audigy SE that had blown an audio decoder. Now, I used to have a speaker system that looked like (but certainly didn't sound like) the Bose Lifestyle speaker system, the cube-shaped ones. It was a good speaker system that served me well over the last three years, but since I needed a new sound card, I figured I'd make the Best Buy/HHB credit card combo happy and spend a little more money on new speakers.
Oh. My. God. This setup is beautiful. While it doesn't have a treble knob on the "remote" that sits on your desktop (which I quite like, considering the old system I had required me to reach under my computer desk to adjust the volume), the bass adjustment knob coupled with the SB's audio adjustment software compensate for that and really isn't a big deal.
These speakers are a dream. I've heard things through this setup that I've never heard before in my mp3 music that I normally listen to while doing homework for my graduate courses. This is the most crisp, impressive set of computer speakers I've ever owned. The music is incredibly brilliant. I would highly recommend using these speakers combined with a Creative SB X-FI-type quality sound card or above because you can't have a good combination without both parts being equally impressive.
HIGHLY recommended.
What's great about it: Small cross-section, speakers aren't huge
What's not so great: Bulky subwoofer can double as my footrest
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
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Tigerhawk's Answers
Can you record TV programs on Blu-ray player
Unfortunately, you can't. To my knowledge, the only way you can currently record shows is on a DVR, on a DVD Recorder or a computer with an equipped TV card which will record files to your computers hard drive.
If you're looking to record TV to a possible DVD Recorder though, watch out: If your shows are broadcast in HD, you won't have a lot of time before your DVD gets full. I haven't seen a lot of recorders that have the capability to record on DVD DL (dual layer) discs, and this is the type that you'd need in order to record at least a few hours' worth of HD programming onto a DVD. As I'd been told once by a Best Buy associate, if you try to record HD programming onto a regular DVD (one that doesn't have DL capacity), you'll only get about 20 minutes onto that disc before it runs out of space.
If you're looking to record TV to a possible DVD Recorder though, watch out: If your shows are broadcast in HD, you won't have a lot of time before your DVD gets full. I haven't seen a lot of recorders that have the capability to record on DVD DL (dual layer) discs, and this is the type that you'd need in order to record at least a few hours' worth of HD programming onto a DVD. As I'd been told once by a Best Buy associate, if you try to record HD programming onto a regular DVD (one that doesn't have DL capacity), you'll only get about 20 minutes onto that disc before it runs out of space.
15 years, 4 months ago
by
Tigerhawk
West Des Moines, Iowa
What exactly is an upconvert DVD player?
An Upconvert DVD player takes the original video resolution (480i or 480p) and basically jacks up the picture quality to 1080i or 1080p (considered HD) depending on your type of connection and the highest-capable resolution of your HDTV, if you have one. For example, if you have HD on DirecTV, they broadcast that HD signal in 1080i versus the standard TV broadcasts that go in 480i. The difference is picture quality: The higher the numbers, the better the picture resolution.
You have to have an HDTV in order to upconvert, so if you don't currently own one or if you don't plan to upgrade to any type of HDTV, then an upconvert player would be a waste of money for you. If you do have an HDTV however, and one that supports 720p, 1080i or 1080p resolution, I'd highly recommend checking out an upconvert DVD player...you'll definitely be able to tell the picture quality difference should you decide to pick one up.
You have to have an HDTV in order to upconvert, so if you don't currently own one or if you don't plan to upgrade to any type of HDTV, then an upconvert player would be a waste of money for you. If you do have an HDTV however, and one that supports 720p, 1080i or 1080p resolution, I'd highly recommend checking out an upconvert DVD player...you'll definitely be able to tell the picture quality difference should you decide to pick one up.
15 years, 4 months ago
by
Tigerhawk
West Des Moines, Iowa
what is the difference between 1080p and 1080i?
What's the difference between 1080i and 1080p? Not a whole lot, to tell you the truth, at least to my eye. I think the main difference where the layman is concerned is 1080p is a little smoother, a litttle more polished and a little more responsive in fast-motion scenes. So at least in my general opinion, I like 1080p simply because it's just a little bit better, but then again, I look for the detail in things. If you're more of an "overall picture" kind of person, 1080i may certainly suffice.
Hope it helps, at least somewhat!
Hope it helps, at least somewhat!
15 years, 4 months ago
by
Tigerhawk
West Des Moines, Iowa