BOSE lifestyle 28 - alternatives

[pikey]

I noted from the other thread that there's a bit of 'BOSE-basing' around and I wondered what alternatives there are. Taking a Lifestyle 28 system as a comparison what else should a prospective buyer consider?

Must haves are:

• Great quality sound (ok, this is going to be subject to opinion as Audiophiles are going to say it's not.. but lets go with 'equal quality'.)
• Discreet speakers
• Discreet, small, single unit on display
• Has similar basic functionality of amp/tuner/CD/DVD
• Budget of £2,500

Personally I have a LS25 and am quite happy with it. I'm just surprised that everytime the word BOSE is mentioned people pop up with how expensive it is, but without suggestions of alternatives that are as discreet and have similar quality sound.

Interested..

[headcase]

plotloss already answered the question in the other thread

[pikey]

He didn't, he suggested some better speakers but for the main system said "add a decent amp"

[Plotloss]

You asked for alternatives not equivalent one box solutions.

The alternative is superior to the Bose, with significantly nicer looking speakers that you see even less of.

Job done.

[pikey]

Plotloss said:

You asked for alternatives not equivalent one box solutions.

The requirements above clearly describe a one box solution.

[Plotloss]

One box solutions are toys though, not deserving of a seat at the cinema sound reproduction table, much less a £2500 price tag.

You can get a good sub for that.

[pikey]

I understand what you're saying, but I think the demographic of people who buy BOSE just want a really good stereo in a really neat box with some great marketing to explain why it's good.

However you do appear to be concluding that if one wants a 'one box solution' there is no directly comparable alternative?

[E31Shrew]

Forget the LS28 and go for either the LS18 [if you really want a built in disc player] or if I were you go for the V Class. The V10 will be the one

[pikey]

Woosh!

[E31Shrew]

The Lifestyle 18 has all that the 28 has but single cubes and not double. No great difference. However the new V series basically has an input box that lets you plug any of your other kit in. So if you have a BLu Ray player already then you wont need to buy the full system. Have a search on the bose site

[Plotloss]

pikey said:

However you do appear to be concluding that if one wants a 'one box solution' there is no directly comparable alternative?

No no, theres a few, Pioneer make one as do Sony. The Sony one with the inbuilt bluray is actually very good and the speakers are tiny.

They're lifestyle products though, as you say, they fill a need for people that just want something. I suspect the big price tag makes them feel superior or something.

[tdm34ds]

Plotloss said:

pikey said:

However you do appear to be concluding that if one wants a 'one box solution' there is no directly comparable alternative?

No no, theres a few, Pioneer make one as do Sony. The Sony one with the inbuilt bluray is actually very good and the speakers are tiny.

They're lifestyle products though, as you say, they fill a need for people that just want something. I suspect the big price tag makes them feel superior or something.

As Plotters says
You do know what B.O.S.E. stands for don't you?

Buy Other Sound Equipment!!!

[pikey]

Plotloss said:

pikey said:

However you do appear to be concluding that if one wants a 'one box solution' there is no directly comparable alternative?

No no, theres a few, Pioneer make one as do Sony. The Sony one with the inbuilt bluray is actually very good and the speakers are tiny.

Couldn't find anything that came near to the quality 4 years ago, but I suspect technology has moved on. Could you link to the Sony & Pioneer?

Plotloss said:

I suspect the big price tag makes them feel superior.

Now that's just trolling for a reaction!

[headcase]

Ive got an old Panasonic system SAHT07, discontiued now but was avaiable when the series IV lifestyles came out, basically very similar sound quality but with tall boy speakers, the AV box has scart connectivity aswell as the poor quality composite that you get with the bose, i also have 2 optical inputs and 2 coaxial inputs (more than the bose) AND it came with a DMRE85 (HDD/DVD recorder) for about half the price of a Lifestyle 18.

Im not too sure what is avaialble right now, i have seen the sony system with HDMI connectivity and very small speakers and sounds very nice and i bet there are plenty of other 'high end retail' one box systems about.

AS for the V series Bose, they look very good and sound the same as the Lifestyles, the idea of them was a good one but fall into the usual (bose seem to use last years technology at best) catagory, the original ones used on the demo courses had a Blueray source button but the retail ones you get have a DVD source button instead presumably because they dont support the later HDMI standards, and up until a recent software upgrade were totaly incompatible with the later Sky HD boxes. You also have to be EXTREMELY carefull with the display connector, we have had several returned with broken pins, customers say it was already like that but its more likely because its soo easy to plug it in incorrectly. Apart from that they are a nice little box albeit a bit expensive

[pikey]

headcase said:

Panasonic system SAHT07

Speakers aren't what you'd call discreet

[Not Ideal]

Ive got the lifestyle 28 at home.

I like it because its a one box system with disceet speakers.

I don't like it as the sound is distinctly average when compared to other make up systems for similar money. I also want to hook it up to a blu-ray player but i've now found out I have to buy an adaptor box thingy from bose for £190...not ideal!

[E31Shrew]

Not Ideal said:

Ive got the lifestyle 28 at home.

I like it because its a one box system with disceet speakers.

I don't like it as the sound is distinctly average when compared to other make up systems for similar money. I also want to hook it up to a blu-ray player but i've now found out I have to buy an adaptor box thingy from bose for £190...not ideal!

Instead of buying a VS2 just take the HDMI from your Blu Ray player to your screen and optical out from your Blu Ray player to the LS28.

I would expect , as with all manufacturers , that its pretty difficult to future proof each and every product they produce...As we'll soon find out , DAB and Freeview HD will cause us no end of issues in the future!

[Not Ideal]

E31Shrew said:

Not Ideal said:

Ive got the lifestyle 28 at home.

I like it because its a one box system with disceet speakers.

I don't like it as the sound is distinctly average when compared to other make up systems for similar money. I also want to hook it up to a blu-ray player but i've now found out I have to buy an adaptor box thingy from bose for £190...not ideal!

Instead of buying a VS2 just take the HDMI from your Blu Ray player to your screen and optical out from your Blu Ray player to the LS28.

I would expect , as with all manufacturers , that its pretty difficult to future proof each and every product they produce...As we'll soon find out , DAB and Freeview HD will cause us no end of issues in the future!

Cool shrew - cheers for the heads up on that

[headcase]

The only downside is the Lifestyle 28 only has 1 optical input, the other one is an output, so if your already using it you need to get some little converter boxes so you can use the coaxial inputs instead. (unless of course you have coaxial ouput on your device)

[headcase]

pikey said:

headcase said:

Panasonic system SAHT07

Speakers aren't what you'd call discreet

Deffo not, but they are a little better off the stands and on the wall