One of the Best Selling Speakers OF ALL TIME! ... Must Be Bose. 

They no longer sell the Bose Acoustimass 5's. The closest thing I found is this Bose Acoustimass 6 system on Amazon. Bose Acoustimass 6 (5.1 channel system) amzn.to/3qSaRiq There are a few of the direct/reflect jewel cubes left if you're interested: Bose Jewel Cubes Direct/Reflect: amzn.to/3SziFl9 My Speaker Leaderboard: bit.ly/SpeakerLeaderboard Disclosure: The Affiliate links above earn me a commission if you purchase using those links. This is at no additional cost to you.

That’s the Acoustimass 3 series IV system actually, it only has the single cubes and the sub module only has a single dual coil driver. The 5 has double cubes and two single voice coil drivers. Both very impressive systems for their small size. Love the video, always nice to sip some coffee and watch some speaker videos!

I bought the Acoutimass 15 the latest version in 2005 and i still have. Still people when they come to my house still say what a nice speakers you have. The sound in my living room still sounds good for me and i still enjoy movie's.

"No highs..? No lows..? It's must be Bose..." 😂

Joe, I agree. I think some audiophiles tend to make the mistake differentiating between lifestyle and audiophile products. Some people don’t want to spend thousands for components. Especially, when they have limited space. it’s ok to prefer lifestyle no fuss products. Thank you for educating the viewers Joe.

These were the speakers I remember being used for my dad's surround sound setup around 20 years ago. I remember a bunch of family and friends having them as well. Dad said he got rid of his huge 80s Cerwin-Vegas and got these to save space. I know that these did the job for his surround sound very well, and he liked them for that, but I've never heard him wax nostalgically for their sound.

That is actually not a bad response (for a bookshelf) which you could be brought down with a simple treble control on amps which is usually centered at 10khz, since the rise is rather linear. The crucial 800 - 3khz area looks pretty smooth. Truth to be told, I was working for Bose way back in Malaysia in the KLCC showroom on the 3rd floor and I had my fare share of removing the 'large loudspeakers' to make everyone go wow. I was then transfered to the Bandar Sunway HQ for outdoor duties and I was handling outdoor events for a few years before I jumped shipped to another hifi shop called A&L Audio. I was impressed with that sound back then, and I wish I could hear all that again with the added knowledge I have now.

I have similar white 90’s jewel cubes wall 7:18 mounted from the previous owner and they hadn’t used them in years…. Hooked them up to a old Panasonic 5.1 system and used with the TV… The sound is absolutely amazing! Always loved older Bose products the quality is amazing and they still hold up almost 3 decades later! 💙

Absolutely, excellent content. So glad to see a modern day review of such an iconic/infamous product of the 90s. That's said, I was a poor audiophile college student in the 90s who remembers the Bose AM5s in the context of their day. $800 back then was a lot of money. That amount typically paid for a pair of bookshelf speakers AND a receiver. Paradigm's Mini Monitors or NHT's Super One's are great examples of 6.5" 2-ways that cost $350/pr and were better in everyway sonically, just less wife acceptance factor. You also had offerings from Kef, B&W, ADS, Celestion, etc in that $800 price range. I personally think Bose rightfully earned their infamous reputation.

My 20 year old purchased new series 6 is still going strong with a Pioneer VX 830 feeding it. I put on Audeze EL-8 headphones with PS Audio Sprout amp for my music pleasure. Thanks for sharing. It's still fun turning up the volume and visitors asking where the sound is coming from.

In my house are many media rooms and one listening room. My main media room is still rocking a surround set up (5.1) with the AM-5s (dual stack cubes) for the fronts, AM-3s for the rear and another set of AM-3s for the B channel placed at ear level on the side walls. My center is a Bose VCS 10. I run them all whenever my 3 year old 65” Sony is on…through a vintage Sony STR-D715 receiver. The Bose are all approx. 30 years old and the receiver is 20+ (I think) and not one hiccup with any of this equipment after all these years and 3 moves. For what I use them for, the Bose subs and cubes have been great. My listening room is a pair of Klipsch RP-160Ms mated to a vintage Carver AV100 , a Technics SL-1600 turntable and a JVC CD player….and a wire from my iPad to the Carver to stream my Apple Music library. I’m no audiophile but am pleased with all my musical toys. They all serve the purposes I use them for. My brother in law has a pair of vintage Klipsch LaScalas, a 10 watt tube amp and a $5k turntable and visiting him reminds me of the investment required to own very good equipment…lol! Btw in the ‘70s I bought a pair of Bose 901s and a Pioneer SX-1010. The Pioneer died about 10 years ago but I sold the 901s to a vintage audio dealer in Arizona 3 years ago on eBay…for $200 less than I paid for them in the ‘70s!!! Evidently someone out there still appreciates Bose.

Everything you’re saying is exactly true with the dip in the mids. I remember listening to certain music where it did sound like there was a slight hole in the mids. I used to have a set of the AM5 s2, dual cube version. It was what started my love affair with good sounding music/audio.

Wow, your assessment was accurate. I bought the Bose VCS-10 center channel and Bose 301 speakers to replace the front split cube LCR. I still have the rear split cubes and bass module and they sound pretty good in my living room. It's a simple 5.1 setup paired with a Denon AVR-889. The speakers are 20 years old and the AVR is about 15 years old. I forgot about that until you mentioned it. LOL 😆 Great video and cool idea. I never thought to run REW on my living room system. I was always focused on my multimedia area setup. Now I have to get the UMIK-2 and laptop and test those old Bose speakers, just for fun.

My wife's cousin had these when they first came on the market back then it was a new concept,it sounded good and bass out of nowhere(subwoofer)out of sight,to my ears sounded good.

Nice seeing someone appreciate all the work that Bose put into it and I have the Acoustimass 10 ii and it has 3 woofers and doesn’t sound bad for what is, fills my living room pretty well. Got a few other Acoustimass systems as well but feel like the 10 shined the most for me. Especially with the port facing a front corner.

Very cool review, Joe. There is a difference between consumer audio and high end. As in any human interest, there are practical things, and then there are items created to stretch concepts and what can be done. The AM5 is pleasant and aesthetically pleasing. If it hits the spot for the user, its not a bad unit.

Your reviews and information are excellent. Thank you.

I like Bose, I still have them and use them, I also have a Klipsch THX Ultra 2 system which also sounds amazing. I love both! Great video!

BOSE does what most manufacturers don't . They have continued through research to push the boundaries of physics... One great recent example is their newest bluetooth speaker the Bose SoundLink Flex... When I first heard it I like most tech reviewers wondered what kind of sorcery they were using to pruduce such great sound from such a small enclosure .. I hope other manufacturers will make the same kind of investment in their products

yeah I remember that frys, and that set up with the sub fill with that stuff... wish I could get one of those. great video...👍😉👏👏👏

great review, I remember getting these back in the day at my local Best Buy, tried at home, and returned the same day, there was no match with my JBL speakers paired with a 10inch sub.

Hi Joe, thanks for your videos, I always enjoy watching and appreciate your perspective.I think that the real no highs no lows are really attributed to the 901 series, I remember setting up a pair with the active crossover for a friend years ago as a young audio emphasis , those were really a disappointment to me , I thought I had set them up incorrectly as they lacked luster at the time, yes it was a new pair. Years later I heard the am5 system and yes heard the “hole “ in the frequency response, however, the highs and lows were much improved over what I remembered from the 901. Bose is a definitely a controversial brand and I agree with you, definitely a lifestyle product. Keep posting your videos, I always look forward to them. Best to you.

Excellent presentation

very well done enjoyed listening to your review one of the very best out there

These make for great wide, surround, or height/atmos speakers in small rooms/ room that reqiure WAF approval. In larger rooms I would use the double acoustimas cubes (the 7). Not separating or pivoting top and bottom even in surround situations. That version should be for 5.1 music not stereo as speakers can be very cumbersome in space. In my experience that I have, I used 2 pairs of acoustimas 5s, one set for left, the other for right. Thereby utilizing the L/R, the surrounds, and the 2 bass modules one on each side left and right. This gave me a little more bass separation (at times it can be noticeable). I used a center channel that it was of higher quality. This set up eventually wounded up being only used as my surrounds when I got a 7.1 system and was able to upgrade my LCR Channels. This was good for basic music needs and then eventually for when I wanted to watch a movie. That saved me a lot of headache with the significant other and I was able to achieve the results that I needed under the budget that I had. I recommend the 7 because most people might not have a theater set up and desire one but can't have 1 due to space limitations. Using this gives you better sound than a sound bar for the same price. With the 7 or 9 set up, you would be able to have the center channel and the rear surround channels with the extra speakers. The ones that Joe mentioned is nice but I moved on from that as soon as my situation changed and just used them as back surrounds, and the rest of speakers in the bedroom and kitchen using a wireless set up.

Great walk down memory lane. I had the Acoustimass 5’s , 301’s and 601’s in my earlier 20’s and I thought I was at the pinnacle of Audiophileness lol. This was in the early 90’s when CD’s and cd players were affordable and really taking off. I remember stores have full Bose areas. There should be some kinda of college course on Bose marketing because they were on fire!

I had some companion 20's for my PC, and the amount of volume and bass they put out was astounding, considering it's size

Thanks for a great review; I bought the original Bose Acoustimass AM5 four cube (2 x 2 stacked) system in the mid-80's. Powered by my Cambridge amp, yeah sure they have a huge gaping mid-range hole - nonetheless I still love them for what they offer, a perfectly acceptable audio experience for my ears. I'm not at all ashamed to admit the marketing and demo sucked me in, since they do exactly what they are designed for - to give a wide bright nice soundstage, minus the need for the space and footprint requirements of conventional speaker cabinets. I also have a far superior second 'modest' system (Acoustic Energy speakers, REL subwoofer, Yamaha amp), but I'll always love the AM5's for its very interesting and novel performance. Nowadays, their whole classic speaker line up (ie. 301, 501, 601, 901, Acoustimass etc.) is a bygone era, and it saddens me that it appears Bose put no effort in innovating their range to stay relevant in the passive home speaker market.

I own the Bose Am-5 produced in 1986 that included two 6.5"" bass drivers, I believe it was the first Acoustimass system that was originally developed. The sound is amazing for such a compact system, recently! I bought the YAQIN MC-13S tube stereo integrated amplifier that further improved the sound experience.

The Klipsch the Fives I have in my living room connected to a record player through Phono, a phone through BT, a computer through USB and a TV through HDMI are the least audiophile system I have owned since I was a teen. But they are so easy to live with, looks amazing with real wood faner and I dont need a sub because there actually is some base below 50 Hz. Once I could dial up the mids through the app they where as perfect as I can expect for the price and size. And sometimes the soundstage, even though they stand too close surprise me. Looks and convenience are just as important for most of us as long as the sound is good enough. 👌

Best explanation ever for some people getting good is good enough

Most audiophiles probably can't even hear the high frequency roll-off. It's most likely the sound of paper cones or directivity. I always found that Bose had more than enough "highs" and enough bass, though contoured a certain way

The Bose AM5 series were pretty awesome for the time. Bear in mind that there were a few versions - I think it's the 2nd or 3rd version that had the 8th order bandpass bass module. The first version used a 6th order bandpass module. And the last version I believe used an offset-transmission line arrangement, basically what you see used in the Bose AM6. Don't let moisture get anywhere near the cheap chipboard panels of the bass module.. 🙂. Your measured response of the 8th order bass module looks... unusual. It's certainly different to other measurements I've seen. Perhaps one of the drivers is damaged? I measured a similar wonky performance from another AM5II module, and it turned out that one of the bass drivers had a ripped surround. The drivers themselves have an Fs just under 60 Hz (at least, the ones that I measured did), and not much linear travel, so it's pretty amazing that Bose managed to squeeze bass down to the 40's from them. As for the summation notch at 230(?) Hz, the size of that notch would likely be very dependent on the positioning of the satellites and bass module wrt the listening position, and the room is going to have something to say about it as well. Mounting the bass module down on the floor and near a corner with the satellites a bit out in the room will likely eliminate that notch for example. The overall response of the AM5 system does resemble one of those old "loudness contours" a bit, which probably contributed to its popularity. Finally, the general 80 Hz "standard" for subwoofers I think is based on how much their output would be attenuated at 200 Hz, given a 12dB/octave LP filter @ that frequency, because it's around 200 Hz that localization of the subwoofer becomes easy. A steeper cutoff slope means a higher Fc can be used.

Would love for you to test the Cambridge Audio Minx MIN22 or even the MIN12. They are very similar to these Bose and would probably make for an amazing stealthy atmos setup. Just put 12 of those little things all around and aimed at you and they’ll be like no other setup.

I bought a whole series 5 surround set at the bose outlet store in the mid 90's for $250. They are still working and in my basement tv room.

I almost bought that system for a friend of mine from Russia by his request in the mid 90-s. I was looking for a best price and went to some speaker repair shop on Sunset Blvd. by downtown LA that was listed as an official Bose dealer. The owner of that place was very surprised and asked a tech to play me some Tannoy bookshelf speakers. I called the friend and stopped looking for a Bose that very day. Eventually, I have sent him 3 pairs of floorstanders to choose from: KEF Q-70, NHT 2.5 and B&W DM-630. Also I would definitely get him a pair of Mission 735, but couldn't get them at a discount price.

The AM5s (with the stacked cubes) where my intro to modern hifi when my father's Zenith Allegro system finally gave up the ghost. I remember being astounded at how much sound came out of this setup. When I started working at Circuit City I sold my share of Bose product although I hated it as I always tried to steer people towards the better hifi we sold but it was obviously hard to get someone to look at infinity Kappas or Cerwin Vegas when all they wanted was something that sounded good and didn't take much space.

thanks for the math and technicalities it was fun and enjoyable to listen. the system sounds pretty good. could you give me an example of a book shelf system that could out perform these

Joe , thanks for the great video , may I ask what amplifier compatible , 50 watts , 100 watts , 200 watts , 300 watts ...is it over kill 😅😉

Joe Thanks for the review and the trip down memory lane. I'd like to point out that the speaker you reviewed here is the AM-3, not the AM-5. The performance of these two speakers were quite a bit different in terms of bass repose and power handling. In addition the treble was mush smoother on the AM-5. The AM-3 used a single 5.25' woofer in the bass module, while the AM-5 used two 5.25' woofers in a larger cabinet. This helped to fill the frequency response gap at 250hz. As you also indicated in your great review, the use of two cubes smoothed out the mids and treble compared to the AM-3. In the end, I felt they were too expensive compared to the Cambridge Soundworks New Ensemble 2 (which I still own) Take care and thanks again 😊👍

Agreed, one of my setups consists of a Bose Soundbar paired with the Bose Bass Module 500 and my 20 year old acoustimass system paired with two Bose surround speakers on my other set up blows the soundbar away.

We got our Bose system at a garage sale14 years ago and have never ever had any problems and they sound great powered Sony STR-DE 435

I bought the Bose 5 lifestyle system new in 2000 .........23 yrs later and I still have it - the only thing I've done is to buy a digital converter to plug into the back of the TV so I can run the tv sound through it - the sound is amazing and I wouldn't swap it for the world.

I would love to see a comparison of the model you reviewed to the last series bose made. The series V. They have a fixed angle design with the satellites and different drivers.

Joe, Great video!I have the Bose Acoustamass 7. Do you still believe that this cubed system sound better than most soundbar systems? If so , where would you say is the cutoff in comparative quality.

Hi Joe it’s been awhile since I visit your channel. Nice video supporting Bose. I have a Bose lifestyle not sure which version (with a stack angle satellite speakers) being a audiophile I still love then for movie mainly because I have a really small place. With all respect not sure why I thought you dislike Bose maybe because of one of your old Bose video that you “commented” long ago keep popping up.

I used my dads old set of acoustimas 5’s, up until a couple of years ago. I upgraded to a modern 5.1 theater system, because I wanted true separated channel sound. My old Bose system upmixed 2 channel audio into its 5.1 speakers, so it was a big upgrade going to a true separated 5.1 system for home theater sound. Otherwise, I would still be using my old 28 year old Bose system. It sounds wayy better than built in TV audio, and sounds better than most sound bars.

I have an old Bose cinemate i got for 50% off upsell with a tv prolly 15 years ago. They still work flawlessly and sound pretty good imo (the speakers are prolly twice the size of the ones in this review and are quite heavy). I use them to compliment my tv audio. I have a soundbar with 2 wireless rears. I have it's 2 speakers as the front let and right to add a bit to the bubble and its bass module. I actually have to attached the tv using a small dac that has bass and treble controls through optical to dac and RCA to them. My main complaint with them is the bass module was so mildly tuned with no EQ to increase it which they added in the later models. This is what the DAC was for and completely fixed that and works well. The module is a lot more capable i thought it would be honestly and i'm not sure why they kept it so tame. Speakers often don't sound bar tweeters to push the dialog and clarity over them easily. Pretty solid 250 bux as I more than got my money worth over the years.

I still have a set and I use them as rear speakers in a 5.1 setup

My uncle is giving me his set. I had no idea it was a completely passive system (which I like). Gonna find a place for them in my bedroom or master bath.

Nice video with measurements and analysis seen for first time anyone doing it properly Full marks Joe 👏🏻👍🏻 Hope someone can suggest a good diy solution for a 2.1 like acoustimass with passive components nothing active I would like to drive a stereo amp so maybe we need a DVC sub and 2 FR

The Bose "Acoustimass Module" isn't a subwoofer and isn't claimed to be one. Think of this speaker set as a set of bookshelf speakers, but they took the low/mid frequency drivers out of the box and put them in a separate box from the high frequency drivers that you can stick someone more convenient.

Please do a review on the Bose 901s.

I've still got these and use them with my main TV today.

Another awesome video, I remember seeing this demo at the San Francisco Bose store years ago. I’m working on my RVs “theater” system as we speak and was considering some of these little cubes as there is already something similar but lower quality in the ceiling. Thanks for the flash back, measurements and review. I just ordered a polk magnifi mini to go with my lil pico projector but now I’m like 🤔.

Hello from Japan I have been using AM3 for 30 years. AM3 is not perfect. But it is a good enough system to integrate music into my daily life.

Thank u for this review Sir. Because of this video I just bought my Bose Acoustimas 5 S2 for 75USD.

I have them and i listen daily. Incredible and MIND BLOWING sound from such a small bass module and tiny speakers. DFX audio enhancer for windows and Boom audio for Mac is enough to boost Treble and punch. I am so IMPRESSED. Now I am buying Bose L1 Pro16. All negative videos on Bose are paid by their opponent to bash dear Bose. salute to Amar Bose and its team. Truth always comes out. And now they are shining! Respect and too much love...💌

I had heard it as "All high and all lows, must be Bose" I think refering to the fact you in essence have a sub and tweeters, and no mids.

Sir can i ask a question can bose acoustimass 6 module models can handle double cubes speaker? Hoping for response thanks

Please suggest a Bluetooth amplifier for Bose Accoustimas 5 Series III.

Great video, as usual. I see your wife has the S.M.S.L SA300, which I've been thinking about getting. What do you think of it? Edit: found your review of it.

That’s a very entertaining video! I don’t understand 90% of the audiophile terminology but it is very intricate! Great jokes by the way! 😅

Hey, im just curious, im currently using the bose am5, and there is no low and high on my pioneer av receiver vsx-531 is there any solution to improve the frequency responses?

I need some help. I can not decide between all the bose 2.1 systems. We have this model, we also have cinemate, and we also have 321 series. What model is the best ?

I always wanted them in 5.1 but they were too expensive for me. now that I know what sound can be and should be, no thank you...

I remember going in to buy them but the sales guy ended up talking me into the klipsh quintet 3 systems with a 10 inch sub

Had the AM5s about 25 years ago, they were great to me at the time, made better when paired with a mates Bose Interaudio 2000s which seemed to fill the midrange gaps the AM5s had. By todays standards these are seriously lacking, but they were great at the time. Current system of Krix Neuphonix and SVS Pb13 Ultra blows them out of the water.

hello, which Bose has more bass BOSE PS Subwoofer 18 series iii or BOSE PS Subwoofer 18 series ii

Haha love the throwback! These and the Waveradios were everywhere! Also, these were totally speaker A in your blind test!

Joe, a fun throwback review, nice work. However, docking you a point or two for not using period demo music from Vanilla, Brittany, Janet, Ricky, or Whitney 😁

they save money making loud but making cheap drivers but i have to say they did a great job visualizing there acoustic energy and transforming it into sound!

I believe these are the Acoustimass 3. The AM 5 use the double swivel cubes

Have you ever tested out the Bose Acoustimass 15?

Why did Bose discontinued with AM5/10? Wanted to acquire 1 new set but unlucky me :(

What's the song?

i have bose acoustimass 10 series but the subwoofer is not working anymore it just ok if i use another subwoofer like polk audio?

I think they sound beautiful

I’m a Bose guy. I’m not an audiophile and have been buying it my entire adult life. I wish they made car audio stuff where you could put those headphones on and get the sound optimized. I do understand why they don’t make car audio products other than what they put in some factory automobiles.

How do you place the sub in the corner to boost the sound? do you place the port in the front towards the wall or?

Memories. My first home theater system was bose cubes that I had for a long long time. Are they as good as what I have now? Fuck no but they introduced me to hi fi audio.

If you listen to these side by side with even average speakers, you definitely notice the lack of detail. I have some Elac bs41 and they sound way better than the Bose system. And the BS41s are rolled off on the top too. Maybe if you get the sub and match it with some small speakers with a tweeter, it might sound decent.

Actually this isn't really as bad as I thought. The high frequency extension isn't really that bad and not a lot of adults can hear much above 16khz, (I can hear up to 16.3khz test tones, although slightly attenuated), the rising response can be EQ'd. I would really liked to have seen some off-axis measurements to get an idea about the power response.

Hold these jewels in the palms of your hands. ... stawwp. 😂

These things annoyed me, but not as much as sound bars do nowadays. Everyone's always looking for the easy way out, although I guess I can understand it when it's for aesthetic reasons.

For that time it was a briljant product and also its marketingstrategy. When auditioning, separate stands/rooms, so no competition, lol. Enjoyed this one Joe, many thanks! 👌 And to be honest, it didn't sound bad at all (ref. to the sounddemo).

you know this video just caused me to subscribe im not a BOSE hater I'm a BOSE Congratulator

why dont u add the test song name in the infos what a act to find it -.- King Sis - Hiatus

I also remember being incredibly impressed by bose back in the day. But to be honest, the waf was through the roof and if set up well it can sound pretty decent :-) one has to remember that a lot of speakers looked like shit back in those days. Today we have a lot more clean looking lifestyle systems like sonos and soundbars to cater for this audience.

Bought today an Acoustimass 5 Series III in absolutely mint condition for 39.- 😮😅

My father owns this bose speakers system

Great review, Joe, congrats!! I just don't stand people reviewing and talkin' sh***t bout BOSE products, of course there are tons of hi end brands, however BOSE are very hi quality products ment for users thar like good quality sound right of the box, there are no complicated set ups or else. as Joe said, BOSE IS GOOD ENOUGH... and VERY good enough.

How to measure soundstage

That "subwoofer" stops at the point my subwoofer starts playing XD

Credit to BOSE for getting me into good audio. I disliked their sound so much that I researched better options and now I enjoy my hobby as headphone enthusiast. So in a weird way thanks BOSE for sucking so bad that I made a hobby out of NOT BOSE.

Well I love bose and honestly it's what got me in hifi/home cinema bose started the hole home cinema craze back in 90s that people could actually live with, obviously there not going to outperform massive speakers but the hole sub sat system is what we c today its all however subjective do apple make the best phones 🤣 or is just good marketing love or hate bose have made expressive systems that where ahead of there time in my opinion

No crossovers ?........Years back when I heard em they sounded boxy !

These were always better than most home theaters in a box, and always not as good as budget speakers and a receiver. It was all about the convenience and wife acceptance factor of little speakers. Never hated them, just never liked them much.

I bought the Denon system it was better and it had a subwoofer not a bass module.

I like how the main thumbnail and first image are not even the right system. Lol The AM5 were a cross between good engineering and a scam. However they are no less a scam than $10000 speakers using $50 vifa xt25 tweeters and $100 peerless woofers with mega mark-ups on a nice veneered mdf box.