I always thought that the Bose systems were overpriced, but that people were being way too hard on the quality of the sound--I just didn't think it was that bad. I also usually make it a point never to talk down someone else's equipment (as a general rule if you like it that is all that matters)--but because of a recent experience, I have to jump in on this one:

A few weeks ago I was visiting my inlaws, who had installed one of the Bose Acoustimass systems a couple years ago with a pioneer pro-logic receiver. They had just upgraded to a Yamaha v1000 receiver and were all excited to get dolby digital/dts surround sound. We fired it up with a few dvds, and I can honestly say that it was the single worst speaker performance I have ever heard. No mid-range at all, very weak bass, and with even minimal power applied, the things were clipping badly. I sent the inlaws out to get the Energy Take 5's (at less than half the cost of their Bose system)--suffice it to say that having now heard the Energys they won't be buying any more Bose speakers. My advice is to avoid the Bose Acoustimass--overpriced underperformers. Just my $.02.