Advice on 1st generation Bose AM-5's

[JimC.]

bought them in '87, and they've done the job over the years but now the kids are gone and we moved into a new house with open living dining area, lots of bare floor.

I thought they were great until I heard my neighbour's Mordant Short (sp?) speakers. Cool looking pointy spears that support them on pennies on each corner. The sound is wonderful, his home is similar in open, bare space.

So can I tune the Bose back to OK or better, or has this generation gone and I need to replace them? The base seems too strong and flat, and the standard complaint of the 200-400 MHz range missing is really apparent.

Help out an old guy if you can?

TIA, Jim

[Woochifer]

If you're interested in upgrading, you got so many options to go with it's sick. Finding something that will improve upon the Bose AM-5 series 1 will not be difficult. It's up to you as to how much of an upgrade you're interested in, what your budget is, and what you want your system to do for you. For one thing, in 1987 all of your sources were still two-channel, now you got full range discrete surround sound, something that in 87 you could only experience if you lived close to select showcase movie theaters.

I would go to some specialty audio stores (which is where the Mordant Short types of speakers would be sold) and do some listening. If you go home and can still live with the AM-5s, then you should keep them. But, if your first instinct is to toss them, they by all means do.

[JimC.]

that's sort of what I expected. The receiver I bought I made sure was at least good to top quality, and while not surround sound, it does have "4 channel matrix" or claims to, I'll have to check the manual. It's an Onkyo, about 55 watts or so if I recall correctly. It's only for audio, not a big screen so I should be OK I think.

Picking speakers has always been a challenge, but you're right, now it's sick!

Anyhow thanks, you confirmed what I thought...time to hit the good stores.

Jim

[Bryan]

It all starts with the budget. Keep your eyes and ears open. Do not forget the myriad of factory direct dealers out there either. Names such as Axiom, Onix, Magnepan, ACI, etc. Ask around and see if anyone in your area has those speakers and is willing to let you audition them. The sub does not need to be the same brand as the speakers.

[hifimaster]

"4 channel matrix" huh? That's basically the same as the old Quadrophonic sound. I had a JVC receiver from 1977 with this feature. There should be a single RCA input to connect an outboard decoder for this matrixing. It was supposed to be quadrophonics for the radio. Your receiver must be from at most the early 80's. Probably sounds great for music, but not through the Bose though. I see Bose as "anti-music".