Bose Companion II 2.1 Speakers..Almost Like Being There!

Having recently purchased a new Mac, I knew immediately that I would opt for the Bose Companion III 2.1, having purchased a set of the first generation Companion III’s, I had prior experience with them. In fact it was so nice that it somehow ended up at my son’s place as a gift; money well spent.

In the box:

• Twin Speakers & stands – stands can be used at your option
• Rubber feet – that can be attached to speaker modules or stands
• Audio Input Cable
• AC power cord
• Control Pod – user interface with a minimalist yet novel approach to controls
• Acoustimass Subwoofer – An old standard to be sure that brings unit to life
• English/Spanish/French Manual – Comprehensive though the unit is user friendly.

Impressions

The one thing that was so apparent on this system was the absolute clarity and punch that is so much a part of the Bose sound and quite a prevalent part of the equation on the Bose Companion III 2.1. Bose never reveals power ratings but I can personally attest they are loud. My son enjoys his music at concert levels and has never had a complaint on the first generation Companion III’s. The Bose Companion III 2.1 appear to have a little more punch and output. They don’t clip easily and can handle significant low and high end with good dispersion. The speakers are shielded for close placement to your monitor and media and come with the option to raise them off the desk with stands that raise them 3.5 inches; personally, I prefer the stands.

Bose Satellite Speakers

Bose has long established their satellites as a high end speaker worthy of the best audio, home theater and computer systems. While they are not for everyone, and keeping in mind that audio preferences are a subjective thing, they are brighter than flatter. Not having the capability to control the EQ is perhaps the one recurring complaint I hear about a lot of Bose products but in spite of it, most users will find it pleasing. Perhaps one of the compelling reasons to buy the Bose satellite systems are the diminutive footprint. Measuring 2 1/2"H x 2 3/4"W x 2 1/2"D, the Bose Companion III 2.1 can fit into the background or on your desktop stealthily making it’s presence known when needed.

Acoustimass Module

Perhaps the single most noteworthy feature of this system is the Acoustimass subwoofer and power module. The now infamous Acoustimass is the heart of the system where connections and controls include:

• Speaker Jack Inputs
• Computer Audio Input jack
• Control Pod
• AC Power Cable
• Bass Compensation Dial
• Power Switch

The Acoustimass really brings the system to life and is the one component that needs to be used judiciously as it can easily get muddy sounding if the rotary bass compensation dial (Bass eq) control is taken past 2 o clock, which in itself is significant. Weighing in at just under 15 lbs, The Acoustimass module stands 8.5 inches high and 6 ¾” wide and 13 ¾” deep making it a natural for under desk installation. The remarkable thing about this little sub is that it suffers a Napoleon Complex and performs far greater than its footprint. Bass clarity is superb and punchy with smooth complexity making it a good choice for all genres. I have played everything from Pink Floyd, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Tower Of Power, Miles Davis, Earth Wind & Fire, Steve Tyrell, James Taylor and have seen a nice selection of movies on the computer with no loss of audio presence

Control Pod

The Control pod provides a convenient user interface with a soft rubber surround grip from which you can control, volume, mute/un-mute, headphone jack, and convenient input for an external music device as a MP3 or CD player. The palm sized disk stays put on the desk with a bottom mounted soft neoprene pad. A simple tap to the top of the control pod trigger mutes your system confirmed by an amber led indicator, which turns green when volume is restored. The pod is a comfortable way to control your system and always garners attention when people walk into my office.

In Summary

Granted $250.00 is a little pricey for a compute speaker system but I use my computer for so much more than work that it just made sense to get it right the first time, and the Bose Companion III 2.1 is just that, the right choice. Bose proprietary Truspace stereo signal processing make it a good choice for movies. As a computer speaker system, the Bose Companion III 2.1 is hard to beat.
Now if I can just keep these away from my Daughter!