Missing The Point ... ?

I think some of you are missing the essential point of this system. BOSE does not advertise this as a 5.1 replacement system, but as an upgrade to television sound. Those who know sound quality will tell you TV speakers are horrible, and $500 for a sound upgrade is NOT expensive at all. This system is made for a bedroom type set-up ... not to replace a receiver and speaker surround set.

The whole point is that you have a TV, and one component (say a DVD player or TiVo) but don't have space or want to invest in a complete surround package (receiver, speakers, mounts, wiring ... etc).

The Bose CineMate system does a wonderful job of exactly what it is advertised to do: complement your TV in a simple way. Best Buy and Circuit City's demo's from Bose even state this exactly, it is a complement to your TV, without the technicalities of a full surround system. If these were perfect, or designed to replace surround systems, Bose would obviously not make their Lifestyle systems.

Think about it, it's not doing what you want it to do because you're expecting something other than what it is designed for. Simplicity.