This is the moment you've all been waiting for (or at least Russ and Troy): the revealing of my rear surround speakers. Before the startling revelation, however, there first comes a story. It goes a little something like this:
junior year of highschool....
I didn't have a stereo or even a CD player for that matter. I used my computer with it's satellite/subwoofer speakers and my CD-ROM as my stereo. So, I decided it was time to upgrade. I found that I could take my dad's old Sony 100W amp and use my soundcard on my computer as the preamp. Now all I needed was speakers. I was already kinda sold on the satellite/subwoofer setup, but I shopped around and listened to a few bookshelf speakers, but wasn't impressed with the bass. I liked the one pair of Polk bookshelfs (RT5's I think), but I thought they were too large to put on my desk as computer speakers. Size was an issue, especially since I was going to college soon. I also didn't like the idea of buying a pair of bookshelf speakers, and then buying a seperate subwoofer. It seemed like an artificial way to make a speaker system. (showing my inexperience here) I wanted a system that was made to go together. I listened to a pair of Boston Acoustic Micro-90 satellite/subwoofer speakers, but found them too dull and lifeless (though the subwoofer was very good), especially for the $800 price tag. I listened to a pair of Polk RM series, but was underwhelmed by the passive sub. I also listened to a pair of Infinity Minute speakers, and thought they sounded decent. Lastly I listened to a pair of Bose AM-5 cubes, and thought they sounded as good or better (and boy were they pretty comparitively) than any of the other satellite/subwoofer speakers, but were quite a lot of money at $600.
So, as it turns out, I found a guy selling a used pair of Bose AM-5's for $350, and I took him up on the offer. I thought they sounded pretty good until I demoed them next to my dad's RT12's. Then I knew there was no comparison, but then again I paid half the price. The more I listened to them, the more I noticed their flaws. You see, the demo CD I was using at the time actually sounds pretty decent on the Bose. It hides most of the flaws and makes them sound pretty good.
So, there you have it! It looks like Troy won the bet! Actually the Bose speakers have worked out pretty well for me in the college scene. Freshman year I had no room for anything larger. For my sophomore year I bought my RT800, CS400, and PSW150 and deligated my Bose as the rears (where I had no room for anything larger). They were also small enough that I could wall mount them. This year in the house I'm renting I couldn't have mounted anything larger on the wall without making the landlord wet himself. They sound pretty decent as surround speakers, too. Anyway, the best part is that when I do sell them, I'll probably get most of my money back thanks to all of the brainwashed people on eBay! :)
Aaron
P.S. I'm going in a cave for a week or two until this whole thing blows over.


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