15 out of 15 people found this review helpful.
The little sound system that did (for $1,000)
Date of Review: Sep 1, 2001
The Bottom Line: If you have $1,000 to shell out on a quality compact system, get this. However, if you have lots of space or want high-quality sound, get a 5-speaker system instead.
Having used the Bose Acoustic Wave System for almost 3 years now, I can honestly say that it is the best one-piece system that I have ever listened to. At a price of around $1,000 though, it is a considerable amount to pay for any system, and it is hard for me to justify it. However, for such a compact system to produce such good sound does help it to create a niche in the speaker/sound system market.
Features/Setup
* Bose acoustic wave system
* power cord
* remote control (mine was an older version that didn't include this)
* single CD player, AM/FM tuner with presets
* volume control (old versions had bass/treble slider controls, new versions do not)
Setup is incredibly easy, all you have to do is connect the power cord to the system and then to a power outlet, and that's it! Press the button to turn it on, and you instantly have the ability to listen to music or play a CD.
Sound Quality/size
The Acoustic Wave system sounds incredible considering it is a one piece system. Bose's infomercial claims the basic technology behind it is a long tube (around 10 feet, I forget exactly how long) that is coiled up within the system, and that the way it's coiled helps it to produce its sound. Its sound has incredible clarity, with voices coming out crystal clear. It also has a decent level of bass that will do enough to fill a regular room, but not necessarily anything that's earth-shattering. It handles all types of music extremely well, whether its classical, rap, pop music, rock, or others. Because it is a one-piece system it doesn't have the feel of a 5-speaker surround sound system, and I think that a good 5-speaker system gives more satisfying and louder sound than the Bose system. For such a compact system, however, it produces great sound that not many people would complain about, and I don't think other systems of its size match its sound quality and reproduction. With its relatively compact size it is extremely easy to pick it up and transport it without having to carry lots of cables or other extraneous objects, and this is one of the major pluses for the system.
Other details
There are some extras that you can purchase for the system, such as a powered microphone, a carrying pack that will hold batteries in the bottom for an extra source of power, a stand for extra inputs and the ability to switch sources quickly. They are all nice add-ons, but like any accessory cost quite a bit of money, I think $150 each. They are expensive, but if you need those types of extras they are at least available for those who need it.
Conclusion
The Bose Acoustic Wave music system is a very nice and small system that will fill a room with high-quality sound. It is terribly expensive at almost $1,000, but if you need a compact system that will fit just about anywhere and have the money to pay for it, this is the system to get. If you have space to hold a larger system with more pieces, then I'd suggest getting a different type of system, perhaps a 5-speaker surround sound system or something similar. This is a good system to have if you want an extra system around the house that you can put anywhere to have great sound.
