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Class on your desk

T he satellites on the Bose Companion 5—hereon referred to as the BC 5—look like a prop from a Star Wars film set. However, the long subwoofer looks a little like a largish UPS. The matte-finished black and grey looks elegant, and the stylish satellites and classy control pod all add up to a killer designer-desk!

A word on the round control pod—a tap on the middle and the speakers switch on, another tap—off. The volume control operation is also ultra-slick. It also features a headphone jack and an auxiliary in (for portable media players, for example).

The BC 5 connects via USB and not a 3.5 mm jack. And this is the good and the bad part of this set (you decide which!). Good: you’ve got an inbuilt sound solution (no sound card required), which doesn’t even require a driver under Windows XP. This, coupled with the proprietary TrueSpace surround digital processing, gives you virtual surround sound from a stereo speaker set. Bad: if you have a good sound card capable of better sound.

We listened to a few of our favourite tunes and the mandatory test tracks on the BC 5 for a day. The first gripe is the subwoofer—the bass is “boomy,” too much so for our liking. Second, the bass doesn’t have that classy wooden feel to it. On a positive note, the satellites are definitely punchy, and will happily outdo the bundled bass unit if allowed to. The sound from the satellites is particularly mellow in the mids.

DVD movies will benefit from this kind of bass; audiophiles with their music will hate it. The sound really does seem to surround you; whatever acoustic technology Bose has put to work is evidently doing its job—though it’s not as good as a discrete 5.1 setup.
At Rs 21,000, the BC 5 is costly. You get indisputably great looks and sometimes disputably good sound. Bose builds lifestyle products for the flamboyant, who pay as much for the show as for the go. If you fit the bill, and can stomach it—buy the BC 5. If you’re not part of that minority, skip this one.

Specifications
Amplified 2.1 system; interface: USB; wired control pod unit; auxiliary in and headphone connects

RATINGS
Performance  3.5
Features    4
Build Quality    4
Value for Money  3
Overall  3.5

Contact: Bose Corporation India Pvt Ltd
Phone: 1-800-11-2673
E-mail: NA
Web site : www.boseindia.com     
Price : Rs 21,900