Bose Companion 2 Series II Multimedia Speaker System

If you're considering Bose, you're probably doing so because you have an ear for accurate sound reproduction. Otherwise, if you're looking for just pure "thumping" bass or to simply blast loud music, from your PC, you'd be better off with other (and cheaper) 3 pc (with sub) systems out there.Don't get me wrong, if like me you've stuck with Bose (901s, 802s, etc.) over the years, well, keep in mind these speakers are the "low end" of the PC line - you can get the $300+ Bose computer speakers. At less than $100, you get an excellent pair of desktop speakers - of course depending on what you use your desktop PC for and what systems/resources you have that match what it is you do.In other words, if your desktop PC doubles as your home theater, these speakers won't do (obviously). If you create music on your desktop PC, you should be looking at using that optical output to connect to larger systems. Match your system with what your intentions are.Going back to this unit.Sound reproduction is excellent. Some quotable quotes here say "bass is muddy" - I'd probably point to the sound source/recording and/or the sound output settings in your PC. If you were using "lesser" computer speakers in the past and tried to compensate by setting your PC EQs and "sound/bass boost" or some other "sound enhancement" setting offered by your sound card, I think you should start from scratch when upgrading/switching to the Bose C2 SII.I currently have all these "extra" sound settings turned off - in other words, *nothing* is distorting/manipulating the sound source being reproduced (aka "flat" setting) by the Bose C2 SII. Voila! Crisp highs, clear mids, clean lows - and I don't mean I "feel" the lows (you need a sub for that, period), I hear it.No, I'm not saying I have a home theater experience in front of my desktop PC...if I wanted that, I'd go to the living room and enjoy...although watching movies on my desktop is just fine as well.At this price, the Bose C2 SII will satisfy a specific type of listener.Its probably too expensive if you're just looking to hear some sound from your PC.Gamer? Maybe - but I think you should get 3 pc systems for most popular games - if you're just into Angry Birds however, these would do just fine :)Home theater - no, go for a home theater setup, or at least a 3pc system.But if you're looking for accurate, clean sound reproduction from your desktop PC, if you want to "hear" (not feel) sound, for under $100? Yup, the Bose C2 SII will do.

got these speakers because i didnt have much room on or around my computer desk for speakers.... i liked the way they looked (although they are bigger- tall and deep- than i expected) but had a clean look to it. then i went to test the sound - and all i can say is the sound was decent - not great - not bad... until i started cranking the volume a little-... then the sound started fading in and out- it was like somebody would take the volume button and turn it down and then turn it back up. so i googled if anyone else had this problem with these speakers...and found some instances on the web. i called the bose guy to see if i had maybe done something wrong or if he had a suggestion... he said he never heard of a system doing that- return it and he would send me some more...very nice about it. but im gonna return to amazon and choose another set of speakers... bose had their chance.

Just got these b/c my dog chewed the wires to my last stereo (basic ihome), to me this was a blessing in disguise because I now have an awesome set of Bose.To kick off the review I want to say that I am by no means an audiophile, I am just a casual music lover/listener. Nor do I listen to music that requires high quality equipment to really enjoy (i.e. orchestra or opera). I listen mostly to rock, classic rock, and occasionally I like to play nature sounds to help me relax and meditate/sleep.I have these set on my bookshelf and hooked up to apple's airport so I can stream music from my iphone and computer. It's in a fairly small space cuz I live in an NYC apartment. For my purposes, it's absolutely perfect. The sound is rich and bounces off the walls, it sounds like I am surrounded in my music even though the speakers are located in a corner of the room. The bass is not too much, which is a plus for me because sometimes too much bass gives me a headache. The volume goes up pretty loud, for the most part I turn it less than halfway and it's more than enough for me. However, I am in a very small space, so this may not be the same for other people.When I have friends over, they comment on how great the sounds are, and I tell them it's computer speakers, and they're all surprised.To give you an idea of how great and 'realistic' the sound is...one night I was playing a recording of a thunderstorm to help me fall asleep, and my gf woke up and said to me 'wow it's really raining out'!A lot of people are saying you can get a lot better for your money, and theres also the Bose haters who thinks they're overpriced and the products are shoddy. I personally think these are great and I am really getting my money's worth. These are actually intended to be computer speakers, which in my opinion is an overkill. I think they work awesome as a mini home stereo system.

I bought these to replace/enhance the internal speakers on my 27" iMac. I work from home on this computer and listen to music via the mp3, pandora, etc. I also watch DVDs and streaming video through hulu. I've been known to play some games now and again.I initially balked at the seemingly high price for desktop computer speakers. But I'm happy to say that they're worth the price. While they're not professional quality monitors, they are amazing little workhorses. You get the quality you expect from Bose, including a nice look next to my aluminum iMac. They perform well listening to music, playing video, and gaming. A great upgrade to the built-in speakers: a much fuller soundscape and range. Nice stereo feeling; had to get used it it after the flatness of the built-in speakers. The headphone port is a convenient addition.The only negative I would say is that the wires are very thick. Perhaps they could have been trimmed down a bit, but perhaps Bose needed thicker wires with more insulation for better results.