Bose MediaMate - PC multimedia speakers - graphite
From BOSE
Connect MediaMate speakers to your computer or personal player to enjoy quality sound from your CDs, streaming audio, MP3s and DVDs. These small, sleek speakers incorporate Bose technology for a surprisingly wide soundstage. Dual inputs let you connect a second media player, and the volume control feature and headphone jack provide greater convenience and flexibility.MediaMate speakers make the most of today's rich audio content, enhancing your computer's audio performance with high-quality sound. Full-range drivers produce rich sound you might not expect from such small speakers. Proprietary Bose circuitry casts the sound in a wide pattern, over a larger area than you thought possible. These stylish speakers are small enough to fit into home or office workspaces and magnetically shielded to prevent monitor interference.Dual inputs let you plug in your MP3 or CD player, so you can enjoy additional sources of music while your MediaMate speakers are connected to the computer. The control dial on the face of the speaker lets you adjust the balance of sound between the computer and your second listening source. You can listen to music from the computer, switch to the second source or even mix the two together.MediaMate speakers can also help when others around you need quiet. They include a convenient volume control to adjust the sound and a headphone jack for times when you'd rather listen privately.
Connect the Bose MediaMate® speakers to your computer or personal player to enjoy quality stereo sound from your CDs, streaming audio, MP3s, and DVDs. These small, sleek speakers incorporate Bose digital signal processing technology to convey a surprisingly wide soundstage, even when closely spaced, as on either side of a computer keyboard.
Dual audio inputs let you connect a second media player, while a control dial on the face of the speaker lets you adjust the balance of sound between the computer and your second listening source. You can listen to music from the computer, switch to the second source, or even mix the two together.
The speakers' 2.5-inch, Stereo Targeting® drivers produce the kind of rich sound you might not expect from such small speakers. And the MediaMate speakers can also help when others around you need quiet. They include a convenient volume control to adjust the sound and a .125-inch headphone jack for times when you'd rather listen privately (headphones not included).
Magnetic shielding protects your monitor from interference, even with the speakers placed directly against your computer. Patented Bose signal-processing technology ensures full, rich sound at low volumes and when using headphones. The spaciousness enhancer actually improves the sound from mono sources.
What's in the Box
One powered speaker, an accessory speaker, speaker cable (attached to the accessory speaker), an audio input cable with RCA plugs, an audio input cable with stereo mini plug, a detachable AC power pack, 10 adhesive-backed rubber feet, a user's manual, and warranty information.
Best sound for the money
I bought these speakers to replace some Harmon Kardons that died on me. I wanted something with good sound since I listen to a lot of music while I am working. (Programming can get REALLY boring...)
These speakers are all I could have wanted and more. The sound is clear as a bell and the speakers do not distort even at high volumes. Highs are clear and these two little speakers can put out some wicked thumping bass. Everyone in the office popped in to my cube to find out where that great sound was coming from.
I have home theater system that does not even come close to sounding as good as these two little speakers! It is making me seriously consider buying a new home theatre system from Bose, or at least building one from Bose components. My Boston Acoustics computer sound system at home (a good system) can't hold a candle to this product either.
Bose is bottom line the best audio equipment in the world, and these speakers are no exception to that rule. If you want to sample Bose quality at a lower price, buy these speakers. If you want great sound but don't want to have one of those computer speaker systems with the huge woofer and all those tiny speakers, buy these Bose speakers!
This product will probably sound better than that stuff anyway.
The speakers have a headphone jack in the front, and are also capable of dual input sound. I don't have a need for dual input but it is nice to know that the capability is there.
My only wish is that these speakers were about 30 bucks cheaper. Can't have it all...
There speakers are EXACTLY what I wanted!
I've had these speakers for about a week now and have to say I'm totally impressed. They more than adequately fill my home office. When looking at reviews from different sources I noticed that some weren't happy with the sound. I need to add that having a reasonable sound card is important. If you hook these (or any speakers) up to an onboard sound connection on your motherboard you will be disappointed. I was reasonably happy with using just a Soundblaster Live card and yesterday I upgraded to a Soundblaster 5.1. I won't be making any other mods to my pc for improving sound quality. On a scale of 1 to 10 these speakers perform at a 10 for all the music I listen to and games that I play. I couldn't be happier and highly endorse these speakers!!
Seminars & Portable Speakers: These do good, & a secret...
First off, those who complain about these speakers need to look at the price tag and what these are meant for. If you want the best studio sound, buy the Yamaha MSP5A's at $500 a pair. But pick them up and travel the world with them, you'll wish you had these instead.
I've been traveling doing seminars for over 15 years. USA and abroad. I hauled the Fender Passport P150's for 2 years in a hard shell Samsonite. They took the beating, but size and weight (30 lbs+) was a real witch. Then comes 9/11 and a lower airline luggage allowance. I went through a half dozen speakers, none of them held up to traveling. Before the P150's, a dozen different other computer speakers bit the dust. Computer speakers are not meant to travel thousands of miles.
Then I found these. $100 was cheaper than many that went in the trash. Perfect sound, no. Decent sound, absolutely. But my use was rooms of various sizes for Powerpoint presentations. The topics included a lot of music. I wasn't playing them in a sound studio to listen to high quality. I had the Yamaha MSP5A's at home for that. I was playing to an audience of 20-500, under all kinds of acoustic challenges. My 1 complaint was these were not loud enough for the bigger rooms and groups. Go figure.
Here's the secret. Not for quality, but for volume. These 2 little speakers handled it, and continue to handle it, clearly and no problems. I bought a AA battery operated amplifier called a Boosteroo for $20. It's made for DVD and CD listening on airplanes. It doubles the speaker volume output. Depending on the room's acoustics, they now can be heard clearly by about 300 people. So I bought a second set of these, another boosteroo, and added a Linksys wireless transmitter/receiver for audio.
Two of these in front, 2 in the back. 500 people in a big room can hear just fine if they keep the talk down. During presentations, everyone hears clearly what comes out of the speakers, without distortion.
And, I added a wireless microphone. These speakers have a second input, and the ability to adjust the output level from each source.
Yes, I carry 4 speakers and a bunch of wiring. Under 10 minutes to set it all up for a fast and intense seminar. I have yet to find an easier, smaller, lighter, clearer, durable, and functional speaker setup that travels in one small carry-on bag. I would have paid $1000 easily, still would. But none match these. And I keep looking and trying.
Back in the hotel room, 2 of these with my laptop do pretty good. Not perfect, but pretty darn good. For $100, they are well worth it.
The on/off switch is the little power cable in the back of the speaker. The plastic knobs are not loose, operate smoothly, and the volume is equal to the distance they are turned. Even after heavy traveling and use. Comparing these to a home stereo system is a bit of a stretch. Hi's, low's, base are ok, especially with the Boosteroo's. Not like having a subwoofer, but also without the weight of a subwoofer.
One thing that is a small nuisance is the small sound cable that is permanently installed in the one speaker, vs detachable. I suspect Bose wanted to limit the distance between the 2 speakers, given one is amplified and one is passive pulling sound from the other. For a computer, this cable should be a couple feet longer and better shielded. And detachable. Other than this, the positives far outweigh the negatives.
