Kenwood takes a note from Bose with DTS Surround Sensation CD system
By Darren Murph 
posted Feb 23rd 2009 8:26AM
posted Feb 23rd 2009 8:26AM
If you weren't well versed on logos (and you were illiterate, too), you'd probably assume that the music system pictured above was just another overpriced Bose that could be yours for nine low payments of $49.99. In fact, it's a new Kenwood-branded CD system that will purportedly be able to simulate surround sound from just two speakers. The system will include the DTS Surround Sensation technology, a slot for audio CDs and a rather vanilla display. Beyond that, we're left to simply wonder, as Kenwood is remaining mum on critical details like pricing, release date, RMS, driver size, frequency range and input / output options. Wow, that kind of dodgy secretiveness reeks of some other company we know of... but we're sure it's not intentional. (Right?)
[Via Impress]
It even looks better than a Bose. No doubt it sounds better.
I hear no highs
I feel no lows
It sounds like junk
It mus be Bose
Oh shut up. No one can top Bose. Ever. I'm a musician and I know sound. Bose is the best. Anyone who thinks otherwise doesn't know what good sound is like.
Haha, glad to see that people are still riding the Bose train. Their stuff sounds terrible, the bass is totally blown out and it's all research and no development.
@scarse3
I disagree. While I have seen (or I guess heard) some great products form Bose, I have also seen some that aren't so great. I'll use my Bose Tri-Port headphones as an example. I thought they sounded pretty good with my iPod - maybe a little trebly. Then I got a set of less-expensive Icemats following the recommendation of a friend. The sound was night-and-day better than the Bose phones.
About a year ago in a Circuit City I compared a set of Bose bookshelf speakers to a pair of Sonys. The ones from Sony were vastly superior and only cost 1/3 as much as the Bose. Fuller, richer base. Greater clarity in the upper bands. Looking at the specs, what I thought I heard was verified - the Sony speakers had a wider frequency response. I bought them.
Ooh, you're a musician, so you know sound, eh?
Listen, just because you use Bose speakers to play rock band, don't act like you're the authority on sound fidelity.
While some Bose products are nice, and some have great parlor tricks of simulating surround sound with fewer speakers, there are better things.
Kenwood is a name I haven't heard from in ages, but I'll tell you this; my parents had a stereo system that was almost as old as I am. For as long as I can remember, the sound from the speakers has been superb. So much so that we got rid of the system a while back, and kept the speakers.
Bose is what you buy when you want to say how much you paid for your shitty equipment, but are too pretentious to draw the price on with a sharpie.
Anyone who is a musician knows monitors have FLAT response curves... Bose over exaggerates bass around 100Hz, kills mids, and has a steady roll off on the treble above 9,000Hz. Not to mention, the porting that increases bass in the 100Hz range results in massive resonance harmonics (the sound re-sonnates every octave above and below the actual frequency rolling off slowly) I dunno about you, but I use microphone tuned amplifiers that re'eq to attempt a mostly flat response from 20-25,000Hz, you can't do that on a Bose, its already been artificially EQ'd by its crossover network, and if you mic tuned a Bose, you would get something pretty horrible.
I can only hope that you were being sarcastic
Jesus, you guys wouldn't know a troll if one jumped on you under a bridge.
Then again, I guess using a troll as a straw man is a popular sport here on Engadget.
kenwoood, no matter what happens, you wont beat BOSE
BOSE = Beginners Only Stereo Equipment
+1
Let's not mess around, Bose are masters at one thing:
Product Marketing.
And that's all.
Protip: If you think that Bose are actually good, you don't know anything about sound, sorry.
I'm gonna assume that all the fanboish Bose comments here are sarcastic.
Who listens to CDs anymore? Or terrestrial radio for that matter? This thing IS just like a Bose - they're both about a decade behind the times.
CD's are usually cheaper than downloading albums, can be ripped at higher quality than downloads and you have a hard copy should your hard drive fail/you want to listen with a standalone CD player.
What's not to like?
Until downloads are lossless, cheaper and easily recoverable, CD's are the way to go if you like to listen to albums rather than odd tracks.
I wasn't passing judgement on which media was superior, I was noting the current trend in how people listen to audio. Less and less people are buying CDs (as evident by the double-digit year-to-year plunge in CD sales), so why make a unit that doesn't feature an integrated Ipod dock and internet radio capability?
im sorry but who's bose? (seriously...)
I might buy it for one easy payment of $49.99, but no more.
"RMS"? That means "root-mean-square". You clearly don't know what the hell you're talking about, Engadget writer. "Power" or "wattage" would have been the correct choice.
Wow those are some amazing specs for a clock radio!
Speaking of Bose, I should probably get in touch with them. I have created a new advanced system to simulate surround sound. Let me tell you about it, and see what you guys think!!
It builds on proven technology by implementing a metal alloy drivers in a two-way dual-driver configuration. The audio signal transmission system is built from multi-threaded 21st century machine-spun fibers. Simple to set up and deployable in any sized room or enclosure - you can take this portable simulated audio surround sound system with you anywhere!!
By employing FOUR tin cans and two separate strings to transmit different sounds from each can input into each of your ears, I believe I will make kabillions of dollarses.
Face it, if you could make 2 speakers sound like 5.1 speakers, THEN NOBODY WOULD BUY 6 SPEAKERS. Duh. Clock Radio + Marketing = Bullshit.
Actually, anything + Marketing = Bullshit. Anyone who works in Marketing should do as the great Bill Hicks once advised: kill yourself.
LOL @ the above comments...
I didn't know such avid BOSE defenders still existed in today's world where you would think most people would know how overhyped BOSE stuff really is...
BOSE sucks, I am a Sound Engineer, Sound Operator, Electronic Repair Man, etc. Those little satellite speakers they use with the Life Style series that cost thousands of dollars but $35 for speaker it self to replace. Next they never tell you the frequency response on their BOSE WAVE Radio there are no treble or bass controls. Horrible sound quality period. I have tested most of their speakers and bass modules, it was hilarious to see the specs on this products I don't recommend them to anyone.
Sure you have ... 1st off you cant just get the lifestyle speakers and base modules by them self. And second.. There not satelilte speakers. Also i bet you cant even name the material that makes the jewel cube speakers. And which speakers did you test? Names please.. Would love to hear. Also how many bass moduels was that again? Another Bose hater... God i love em.