It works for me

I love audio stuff but I am not an expert. Plus, I don't have a big budget. My system is mix-and-match. I never owned any Bose home audio product and I was skeptical that it was only a hype. When I was looking for center speaker, I did some research and read what people said. The opinion on this product varies a lot. I saw it at Circuit City ($179) and I bought it mostly for its size. They didn't even hook it up with a complete system there so I had no way to evaluate. I bought it with the thought in mind that i could return it if I didn't like it. Once I hooked it up to my system, I really liked it. It is clear and natural, and not overwhelming. It blends well with my home system (may be it's just luck that the combo works) and also it fits well physically and visually with the other components and furnitures. I don't want a big long box in front of my plasma. I heard that some people said it was weak. To me, it's just right (and I am sure I can make it even louder if I want to). I don't want an overwhelming center speaker that makes you think everything is coming from the middle (if i want it that way, I can just use my TV's speakers). I have two big front floor speakers, and I don't need the center to do all the heavy lifting. This Bose center speaker upgrades the whole sound with details and gives me what I need for movies and music. That $179 is well spent to me, and I am happy about it. It works for my setup and environment.