Review
Neat speakers (November 19, 2011)
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(5/5.0) |
| Value |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Leroy Van Allen - Sidney, OH
These small compact speakers for a 7.1 home theater system were used as replacement for usual small 3 in with tweeter front box speakers. Wanted front speakers with wider angle of coverage which these Bose 161 provide with two 2 & one-half in speakers angled slightly in different directions. They provide cleaner, crisper sound than old speakers and are much better built with solid molded plastic housing with front port.
Review
Nice surround speakers (April 11, 2011)
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(5/5.0) |
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(4/5.0) |
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(4/5.0) |
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(4/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Bob L. - St. Louis, MO
Cant comment on them for use as the main sound source, but I cant imagine they wouldnt be great to help a flat screen in the bedroom or office. We replaced a pair of Infinitys that had been retired into surround duty behind the couch on the floor. The brackets included are very nice if your arrangement is fixed and you dont mind attaching to the wall. I put them on small stands so the arrangement can change if necessary. We use them with 301s in the front and a VCS10 center channel and a Cerwin-Vega sub for our entertainment area. Nothing mind-blowing, but very nicely balanced and the pieces look good. They are small enough you can place them more effectively and yet have enough sound to really experience the sourround effect.
Review
Nice speakers (February 01, 2011)
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(5/5.0) |
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(4/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Einstein - Nashville, TN
I use this to connect to my old Pioneer receiver and they sound very good. Very crisp, clear and true.
Review
Great Speakers (January 10, 2011)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: sean b. - San Diego, CA
These speakers did exatly what i needed them for. Due to thin walls in my room my roomate was complaing about the base from my speakers so i wanted to get a nice pair with just enough base and acoustic.
Review
Great for surround speakers, but still no highs, no lows. (August 30, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(3/5.0) |
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(3/5.0) |
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(4/5.0) |
Reviewed By: HT N. - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
I bought these speakers for the Front Height L & R channels of a 9.1 surround setup. I recently got a new receiver with 9.1 capabilities, so I needed a pair of speakers with the following criteria ceiling mount brackets, Stereo Everywhere sound, can handle 100 watts each, and ascetically pleasing. These fit the bill perfectly, and they sounded very good for the given application.
That being said, the night I brought these speakers home, my wife was sitting on the sofa across from a Stereo with a pair of JBL 3 way cabinet speakers. I promptly disconnected the JBLs, and connected the Bose for a quick audition.
I put on a CD with classical music, and turned up the volume. The wife said Hey, that sounds really good, very alive with an almost 3D presence . After listening to the CD, I reconnected the JBLs and replayed the CD at the same volume level.
With eye brows raised the wife exclaimed Wow, I can hear so much more details now, where was the Bass and Treble with the Bose? My sentiments exactly. Bose even includes a disclaimer with the speakers, which attempts to excuse their lack of Bass & Treble.
IMO Bose has always made a high quality product, but what can you expect from a one way speaker. According to my understanding of physics, you cannot reproduce the entire audio spectrum from a single driver, you need at least two, and three with a good crossover is even better. Each one specialized for a different part of the audio spectrum.
Therefore, for surround sound applications, these speakers are perfect, but as stand alone speakers they leave a lot to be desired.
Review
Big Sound, Little Speakers (June 24, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
| Value |
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(5/5.0) |
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(4/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Mary I. - New Port Richey, FL
I needed an unobtrusive pair of speakers that would also give me good sound. Im no audiophile but, I didnt want junk, either. These are exactly the match for me. Clean looks and sound. And a great price, too.
Review
Bose 161 Speakers (March 12, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Al F. - Wilmette, IL
A quality Bose product as usual. I purchased them for use as surround speakers and they work great. Great audio response and they look terrific.
Review
Not audiophile, but you knew that (March 10, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(4/5.0) |
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(2/5.0) |
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(3/5.0) |
Reviewed By: tom w. - new hope, PA
These things sound OK for what they are. I am a tiny bit disappointed, having expected pretty great things from Bose. When i started looking for something small that I could wall mount, I went straight to Bose. I might have searched a little longer in hindsight. They are surprisingly flat-sounding - I thought the highs were do-able with small format speakers, I expected a lack of bass to be the problem - and have an undeniable hollow, plastic-y sound to them. They are able to generate better bass than I had expected, and somehow must have traded off the crisp highs for deeper lows, I suspect. On the positive side, their design does give you a lot of options in terms of trying to distribute the sound evenly, even in awkward spaces. Theyre fine for movies - unless you focus on them, but not worthy for serious music listening at all.
Review
Bose Speakers 161 BK (March 10, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(4/5.0) |
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(4/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Ross B. - New York, NY
great sound - perfect description.
thanks guys.
Review
Bose 161 speakers (March 08, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Clay G. - Fox Point, WI
I had very narrow space limitations so I selected these speakers based upon their footprint as well as the Bose reputation for sound quality. I was not disappointed. The sound is far in excess for what you would expect from a compact speaker. Very pleased with my purchase.
Review
Great Speakers (February 16, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Wendy - Louisville, KY
These are great speakers at a great price!! Shipping took about 2 weeks which is a little longer than I expected and I didnt get any communication from Vanns in the process. Overall a good experience and great speakers!
Review
Love My Bose (February 16, 2010)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: John P. - Philadelphia, PA
The sound is outstanding, the price was right and the delivery to my home was done in three days.
I love my bose and Vann youre all that you said you were.
John
Review
Bose 161 Speakers (February 13, 2010)
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(3/5.0) |
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(4/5.0) |
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(4/5.0) |
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(4/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Ross M. - San Francisco, CA
Im using these speakers as my rear speakers in a 5.1 setup. As it is, it can be difficult to gauge their sound quality and performance.
As for the installation, the biggest challenge was in mounting them. I did the standard horizontal mount. The problem was with the teeth of the gear-like structure that the mount uses to allow you to angle the speakers. The teeth are too small and narrow to compensate for the weight of the speaker. I was eventually able to make it work -- it just required a lot of pressure on the screw which secures the gears on the mount.
Review
GREAT STEREO SPEAKERS!!! (January 17, 2008)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Dennis - NY, NY
THE BOSE 161 MAKE GREAT BACKGROUND MUSIC SPEAKERS THAT TRUELY COME ALIVE WHEN USED WITH A SUBWOOFER. PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS SOUND EXCELLENT ASWELL DOES VOCALS AND ELECTRIC INSTRUMENTS. I WOULD RECOMMEND TO FRIENDS AND STRANGERS.
Review
Bose 161 (March 09, 2007)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Eric Willis - Phoenix, Az
I purchased the speakers as an upgrade for my home entertainment surround system. These two speakers are all I need for surround sound. This was my first purchase with Vanns. I had no problems from ordering to receiving.
Review
Bose 161 bookshelf speakers (June 23, 2004)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Carol Sue Somrak - San Mateo, California
I wanted the shelf space that my big old speakers were using. Knowing that Bose was a good brand, I went shopping. I am a 68 year old lady with a tin ear but I can really tell the difference with these tiny Bose speakers.
Review
Bose 161 (June 06, 2004)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: David S. Gusti - Richmond, Virginia
I purchased the speakers as an upgrade for my home entertainment surround system and I LOVE THEM! I use them for my front channels and now I feel like I really am at the movies! Nobody beats BOSE for sound and nobody beats VANNS for great deals!
Review
The Bose 161's are the perfect choice for rear channel information. (March 06, 2004)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Alan R. - Denver, Colorado
I have found the Bose 161's to be the perfect choice for rear channel information in my home theater. My home theater is somewhat typical in that the main seating is on a couch pushed up against the rear wall. In this environment it is very difficult to find a rear channel speaker that you can place directly behind the listeners, because most speakers are very directional and sonically draw attention to themselves. The Bose 161's are perfect in this situation, because their sound is very diffuse and non-directional. Despite the fact that these speakers are mounted on the wall only 1 foot from the listener's ears, they never draw attention to themselves either sonically or aesthetically which is exactly what you want in a rear channel. With a choice of either white or black you can match any decor and still have a great sounding home theater without building a seperate room in your home.
Review
White Bose 161 speakers (November 29, 2003)
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(5/5.0) |
| Value |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Larry B. - Eau Claire, WI
A pair of Bose 161 speakers were used to provide music to a 15 x 32 room with a 23 foot ceiling. These speakers FILL the room with beautiful base, treble and instrumental sounds. Great speakers in a small package!
Review
Bose 161 Speakers (November 18, 2003)
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(5/5.0) |
| Value |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Kathy T. - Danvers, MA
I purchased these speakers as a gift for my fiance who lives aboard his 60 ft. motor yacht.
His entertainment system was severely lacking when it came to the sound system.
We mounted the speakers in the main salon and the effect was perfect.
The sound was clear and it made the experience when watching movies and listening to our favorite music a much more enjoyable experience for ourselves and our guests.
Review
Bose quality surround sound speakers (April 10, 2003)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Josef M. - Clearwater, FL
Excellent design make those speakers blend in nicely in my living room. They do come with wall mounting hardware for easy installation.
Review
Bose 161 (April 02, 2003)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Don A. - Palos Hills, IL
These are great as surround speakers and in small areas they can be used as primarys for lite music reproduction. I like the fact of the brackets, no need to spend 49.00 extra. They are included. I am also very very pleased with Vanns.com just great people and easy website and I love the free UPS shipping!!!
Review
Bose 161 (December 31, 2002)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Brian - Highland Heights, Ohio
The Bose 161 speakers provide an excellent option for those who demand good sound, at a reasonable price, but need the speakers out-of-the-way. Instead of getting an under-the-counter CD player/radio, we installed these smallish speakers in our kitchen. The sound is better than I'd imagined it could be. The only thing lacking is the deep bass, which you shouldn't expect without a subwoofer or bass module.
Review
Bose 161 Speakers - Great Value (June 05, 2002)
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: P. P. - Chicago, IL
Bought the Bose 161 speakers to add sound to a newly remodeled kitchen. They're great - low profile amkes them unobtrusive, yet delivers full sound for a bargain price. Very happy with this purchase.
Review
Bose 161 (October 02, 2001)
| Ease of Use |
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(5/5.0) |
| Value |
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(5/5.0) |
| Performance |
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(5/5.0) |
| Overall Rating |
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(5/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Matthew H. - Ogden, Utah
Pick up these speakers and you will experience the ultimate listening journey. You will be absolutely pleased with the concise and clear sounds these speakers produce. Your favorite bands will sound even better.
