I picked up the lifestyle 28 system about a year ago, before I knew much, if anything about audio and speakers; I really should have shopped around. This system looked OK in the store, although I was still skeptical, as in the Bose stores, there is no place to try out the systems in quiet, with your own music, as everyone should do when buying speakers. I got home with the system, and set it up; I have to give them credit for one thing-the setup is relatively easy. Unfortunately, to use component video, one needs to use the adapter. I am using the adapter, but the use of component video doesn’t help all that much over s-video, as the DVD player is a cheap, non progressive scan player. If you spent the money on a high definition television, as I did, to get progressive scan dvd, one needs to buy an extra dvd player. Also, there is only one video input, and it has to be the same format as the output (i.e. both component, both s-video, etc). Any other system in this price range has multiple video inputs. This means that if you have a vcr, and want to switch from your vcr to the dvd player, you would have to change the bose system to dvd, and change you tv to the bose input. If your tv doesn’t have multiple inputs, you would have to either buy an a/v switch, or physically switch the cables. I do give bose credit for including coax digital input for all audio channels, but there is only one toslink optical in. That shouldn’t be a huge problem, unless you have lots of external audio components, which most people buying this system will not. One other problem I’ve encountered is that the bass module is not a subwoofer, just some more midrange drivers designed to output lower frequencies, and they don’t accomplish this very well.The bose system is not terrible if you don’t need any of the extra features of non-bose systems, and you only use it for video games and movies. With music, no feature like “range compression,” as bose calls it, or any other equalization on the system can make it sound real. The goal of reproduction of music is to make one feel like they actually there, and the bose system just doesn’t accomplish this. The sound from the system does not do a very good job of filling any relatively large room; the directions that bose gives you for placement of speakers is exactly what any audiophile will tell you not to do-you don’t want first order reflections in your home theater. (you can google search for better tips on placement). When the volume on the system is turned up over about 60% (which is usually needs to be at, since the amp is not very powerful) there is noise in the system. It goes “click-click-beep, click-click-beep.” This is not noticeable if you have something player through the speakers, unless you listen very carefully. I first thought this might be a result of unclean power going to the unit, but I have a monster brand surge protector that does a pretty good job of providing clean power. It is evident that the bass response is lumpy, possibly because bose sugests that you place the bass module on a wall, which is known to create standing waves. The soundstage is rather large, but sound noticably drops off in certain places around the room.Good luck in your search for a good system, and the best advice anyone could give is this: go listen to the systems, with your own material, and compare! Make sure you shop around. There are endless possibilities in home theater now.
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