Bose Companion 3 vs. Klipsch ProMedia?
Buying a new set of computer speakers and I haven't heard these speakers yet, but I like them. I'm not really an audiophile but I care about sound quality. I know many say Bose blose and is overprices but I was wondering maybe if it is just they can't afford it? Or maybe they are still really good just a little marked up on their price tag. I know Klipsch has a very well branded name too. I own a pair of Bose In-Ear headphones and Klipsch Image X5 and I think they both sound great. So for me, if price isn't a factor, which one is a better sounding system? And please don't give me any other suggestions.
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
I have a Klipsch ProMedia set, and have listened carefully to the Bose Companion 3. I have about 7 sets of speakers at home and have had a recording studio, so, while I don't consider myself an audiophile (I'm not that fussy) the quality of speakers is important to me.
What I've observed:
Although both sound good in a casual hearing, the Bose suffers from a missing mid-range. They're bassy and bright, and they're pleasing to the ear (many people crank up the highs and bass on their stereos for this reason) but they don't accurately represent the music. The Klipsch, because they include a mid-range driver, don't have this problem. They're not as accurate as studio monitors, but they sound quite good. The Klipsch are also very good at reproducing movie and TV soundtracks, and can fill a surprisingly large space. The Bose could work though, if you want an very unobtrusive appearance in a small or mid sized room.
Bose are quality products and are top of the line. I have owned Bose and many other speakers and the Bose always seemed to have a better sound quality, and they last long. I have a pair of Bose speakers for well over 15 years and they still sound great and can blow many of the new speakers out of the water. I have to be honest I have never had Klipsch, but I have heard they are good. People complain about bose because they are high priced! If you wanted something but could not afford it and someone else had it, you too would look for something to say about it most likely - its just what people do to make them self feel better or make what they have seem better.
Bose Companion 3
In my experience with Bose you are paying for the name. Similar quality systems made by other manufacturers cost considerably less. I am not saying that the quality is not good, but is not as good as it should be for the price you pay. I would equate a Bose system with a mid range quality Klipsch speaker system. With the Klipsch having a little bit better high and low end sound quality. But audio is a subjective experience, the best bet is to not go by word of mouth and sales hype but to go listen for yourself and see which you believe preforms better.
Both are very capable. Personally, I'm a Bose man and I prefer very old models. I have a pair of 6.2 bookshelf speakers that sound great. I recently found a pair of 601s on e-bay, built in 1982, that I would match against any speaker of comparable size being made today or for that matter, ever.
Don't listen to Char Char. Bose = higher price for less quality. Many of their products are basically junk. I'd go with Jake's answer and get the
Klipsch. People do not insult Bose because they're jealous, they insult Bose because they're overpriced, underperforming pieces of crap.