Bose 2.1 home entertainment systems

This is a list of Bose 2.1 home theater systems. Starting in the early 1990s Bose released complete stereo systems called the Lifestyle systems. They came with Music Centers that played CDs, AM/FM radio and had analog inputs. Since then Bose has released a variety of 2.1 systems, some with built-in DVD players, like the 321 systems, others like the Cinemates that are designed with only a single input for a TV's audio out. On September 28, 2010 Bose released a 2.1 system with a Bose-designed receiver with multiple video and audio connections.

Timeline of Bose 2.1 systems

Lifestyle CD Systems

Starting in 1990 Bose released a wide variety of Stereo & Surround sound CD based Lifestyle systems. Each systems came with a music center that had the ability to play radio and CDs. Some systems came with a CD magazine that allowed it to play up to 6 CDs at a time. The music centers each came with a couple of analog RCA connectors.

Speakers

The speakers used ranged from directional speakers, direct/reflect speakers, and jewel cubes all requiring to be connected to a bass. Bose even created a Lifestyle 901 system, using its famous 901 speakers.

Expansion

Each system came with an RF remote and the system could expand up to one other room with A/B or Zone 2 technology. A/B expansion allows the system to play the same source in one or two different locations. Zone 2 expansion allows the system to play the same source or a different source in two locations. The Lifestyle 40 came with a touch screen RF remote and were Bose's only systems that had 4 zone technology (allowing up to 4 different sources being played in 4 different rooms).

321 DVD Systems

3-2-1 series I

The Bose Corporation first introduced the 3-2-1 series in 2001 with the 3-2-1^[2]. It has the ability to simulate surround sound from two speakers. The first series had a CD-DVD player, AM-FM radio, two Articulated Array speakers, and an Acoustimass module for bass.^[3]

Later the 3-2-1 GS was introduced with improved speakers called the Gemstones.^[4]

TrueSpace

This is technology built into the system that simulates surround sound from stereo or surround sound sources.

321 series II

In 2004, Bose redesigned the 3-2-1 series and released the 321 Series II with two versions: one with the original Articulated Array speakers and another with the Gemstone speakers. The Series II systems add progressive DVD playback, a universal remote, BoseLink (so BoseLinked-enabled Lifestyle systems can send audio directly to them), and improved acoustics. In addition to that, the amplifier is now located in the bass module, allowing the media center to be smaller and requiring the speakers to connect directly to the Acoustimass module.

The 321 GS Series II included the Gemstone speakers achieves higher volume levels, more clarity and better surround sound.^[5][6]

BoseLink In

Boselink in allows you to connect to a Main Boselink Out system, either wired or wireless. Once connected to the main system listeners use a local radio frequency remote to communicated back to the main system thus allowing it to control the volume and to select the audio source for that room.

uMusic

Bose also added the 321GSX in 2005, which uses the Gemstone speakers and adds uMusic, giving it the ability to store 200 hours of music. uMusic is called an intelligent playback system because it ranks the music stored on the system by ones listing habits by +/- buttons, and if a person listens to a song all the way through. Through these steps it is supposed to learn ones musical tastes.^[7]. On November 2007 bose released the 321GSXL in Europe that has the ability to store 340 hours of music. It has music already pre-loaded with 3 presets created called party, hits and relax .^[8][9].

321 series III

On July 31, 2008 Bose released the series III version with an HDMI connection and 1080p output, making it an upscaling DVD player.^[10][11][12] The 321 GSXL III was discontinued in July 2009 and the 321GSX III was discontinued on September 2010.

Speaker package

Freestyle

In 2002 the Freestyle system was introduced. Using the same Articulated Array speakers as the 3-2-1 it did not have a media center but a IR receiver with 3 different audio inputs one RCA (labeled Video), one Digital Coax (labeled Aux), and one Fiber optic (labeled Game). It also came with a credit card remote with power, volume controls and source buttons correlating to the audio input.^[13]

CineMate series I

In 2005 Bose added a new speaker system called the CineMate. It used the same Articulated Array speakers as the 321II and much like the previous FreeStyle system it did not have the media center but a IR receiver. But this time the CineMate had only the single RCA audio connection and a universal remote control. The idea of this system was for people to connect all their video/audio sources to their TV and use the TV's RCA audio out into the CineMate.^[14]

CineMate series II

On October 27, 2009 Bose updated their CineMate series. Probably because more HDTV's are starting to have only digital audio outputs (no analog out) the CineMate Series II now has a fiber optic input and a RCA input on the back of the IR receiver. Also a bass knob was added to the subwoofer to allow the users to increase or decrease the bass.

Now there are two different versions of the CineMate; The CineMate series II using the Articulated Array speakers and a simple 4 button remote (power, volume +/- & mute) and The CineMate GS series II which uses the Gemstone speakers and a universal remote.

Lifestyle 235

Bose released the Bose Lifestyle 235 on September 28, 2010 this system includes a Bose designed receiver, subwoofer, iPod dock and speaker arrays. The Bose Lifestyle 235 speaker arrays (called the Gemstone ES) have three drivers each, two pointing forward and one pointing to the side, allowing sound to be pushed out and directed around the room.^[15]

The system has four HDMI 1.4a,^[16][17] two component and three composite inputs. There is one HDMI 1.4a video output that scales input video up to 1080p output resolution. It supports three non-HDMI audio inputs: optical, coax and RCA. The AV35 receiver decodes DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-MA (core) and uncompressed multi-channel PCM (aka LPCM). The included iPod dock is compatible with all iPods/iPhones (with the exception of the iPod Shuffle), it has two USB jacks for firmware updates and to view pictures & extra RCA inputs to support BoseLink expansion.

This system also has Unify, Bose software for setting up new devices, and AdaptiQ, which analyses the room’s acoustics and calibrates the sound accordingly to get the best out of your system.^[18]

VideoStage 5

VideoStage 5 is a technology Bose includes to convert any stereo or mono source into surround sound.

AdaptIQ

The key feature of the system is the ADAPTiQ audio calibration system which allows for the system to adapt to the owner's personal living room environment. The system plays tones through each speaker and listens with a microphone headset worn by the user, and based on what it hears the media center will calibrate and equalize each speaker to compensate for any acoustic abnormalities in the room.

BoseLink Out

Boselink allows the system to expand to 14 additional listening areas and can connect to any other Boselink device, there is also a wireless expansion option. Listeners use a local radio frequency remote to communicated back to the main system thus allowing it to control the volume and to select the audio source for that room.

Unify

This system guides users through installation of any products connect to the system through an on-screen wizard. It uses a reverse lookup to recognize the remote of 3rd party products to program its own universal remote. Which means source devices such as Blu-ray or set top boxes can be connected to the Bose Lifestyle 235 remote to control everything from one place.

Awards

• 2003 Red Dot Award for product design for 321 series 1
• 2005 Potentials Magazine one of the "Best Products of 2005" - 321GSII

See also

• Official Bose 321 site
• 321 Series I review
• 321GS series I review
• 321 Series II review
• 321GS series II review
• 321GS series II review
• 321GSX review

References