Boston Acoustics Dolby Digital Mediatheater Spkrs $78 plus shipping

[Groch]

Computergeeks has just reduced the price of their BA Dolby Digital Mediatheater speakers from a not so great deal $199 to a steal at $78 plus shipping. If you are looking for a 2+1 system I don't think you can find a better set. Very loud, clean, and balenced on music or videos. They weigh 30 pounds so shipping is a little stiff. The reviews sited on the web site are for a slightly different version. This model is identical but has an SPDF digital input and decode "virtual dolby digital" not just Prologic. They also have connections for 2 surround speakers not just oneLINK They were originally made just for Gateway.

 

[gwbaker]

Not familiar with this line, but I have a set of Boston Acoustic high end speakers and I can tell you that they ARE quality speakers. They used to only make speakers for theater houses. Go to any good electronics store (HI-FI Buys) and check them out. I originally went to get BOSE, and was sold on Boston's for $100 less for the set I bought.

 

[Souka]

They're ok. My dad has them from when he got his Gateway(barf) computer.

I prefer my Yamaha YST15(?) 2.1...plenty of bass. Both sub and speakers shutoff when using the headphone jack on the right speaker.....this is mainly why I bought these units.

My two pesos...

 

[luckydragon]

the boston acoustics speakers Groch is talking about also has the shut off feature when using the headphone jack on the right speaker

 

[sleepdragon]

Souka...Gateway's Boston Acoustics Speakers are the low end one...
it's BA735...which is the model between their cheapest model BA635
and MicroMeida (discontiuned, and replaced by BA790)...If you want
to get Boston Acoustics MultiMedia speakers, you have to get at least
the BA790 system, which sound a lot better than the 2 low end one...

HOWEVER, THIS SPEAKER, MediaTheather, might very well be the best 2.1
speaker there is..and for $78..it's a steal..you are paying less than
half of what it worth...

 

[PrisonRapist]

I have a set of these speakers. They are amazing. I was thinking about getting a stereo system, but with these speakers and winamp who needs one? Gateway used to sell this set with their systems, but later switched over to the cheapo set... No idea if the other set is any good, but this set is phenomenal.

-Edit-
Now I have two sets.

 

[John P]

Do I need a special cable to hook these up to my SBLive Value card?? I read about the optional surround sound speaker for this system. It's not included right? Where is it available?

 

[Groch]

You do not need any cables. It comes with the mini plug to mini plug stereo cable you neeed. I don't know where you can get the surround speaker, but think you could probably use just about any 8 ohm small speaker.

 

[John P]

Cool, I've been wanting some decent speakers. Thanks!!

 

[Groch]

I see that my original post was wrong about the surround on these. This is an updated version of the MediaTheater, and has both Prologic and Dolby Digital Processing. See this description As such, it has connections for 2 not just one surround speaker. They were sold briefly by Gateway, and with virtual Dolby digital surround are even a better deal.

 

[zeafido]

this is an awesome speakers for the price of $78.00, you couldn't find any cheaper than this....

i ordered mine yesterday, but till now my order still underprocess... man, they are taking too long!! ;P (too anxious waiting for my new speakers !)

 

[ProppaT]

Just a warning to all who're thinking about these speakers...

These speakers have an issue with overheating. I've done tech support dealing with these before...most of the calls entailed unplugging the speakers from the outlet for 30mins to an hour and trying again.

The sounds decent...if comp geeks still has the Altec 495's, they're probabbly a better choise. I have refurbed 495's (they're Dell 305's) and they sound great for around the same price as the Boston's.

 

[John P]

I received my speakers and they sound great, thanks a lot for the post!! I need to ask a stupid question though, what's the difference between the digital input and analog input jacks on the back of the subwoofer? (Sorry, I'm not a big audiophile) Do I hook up my sound blaster live-value to the digital or analog input?? I have it currently hooked to the analog input.

 

[Groch]

John, I'm glad you like em. I have a set of the analog only version and am a bit jealous. I do not believe the soundblaster live value has a digital out, so analog is the right way to go.

The Digital input would have the biggest benefit for those who watch DVD movies and have added surround speakers. It will give you 2 separate channels in the surrounds instead of one, and a little better localization of sounds.

In your case you would need a different sound card, or use the Digital Audio out from a hardware DVD decoder card like the Hollywood. My guess is there would not be much difference, but if anyone has tried it I would like to hear.

 

[John P]

Hmmmmm, I have a Hollywood+. What's the proper way to hook all this up?? I guess I need to look at the manuals

 

[Ranger X]

I don't think Hollywood Plus can take in any other inputs. I have that decoder card and I only see an output to the monitor itself and another for your video card.

 

[Groch]

I don't have a hollywood plus, but the one the Geeks have HERE says it has an SP/DIF Digital output. The SP/DIF output on my Soundblaster Live MP3 is a mini plug out, so it would require a cable with Mini on one side and RCA on the other to work on my home system. You may need an adaptor as well.

Sorry, but you may have to read the manual

 

[MontyBurns]

Just adding to the praise here... I have these speakers, and they're amazing. No overheating problems with mine, as someone here mentioned, and I run them pretty much constantly. Honestly, these are the best-sounding computer speakers I've heard.

 

[zeafido]

GREAT !!! nice to hear that,... getting more and more anxious now !! I'll get mine on Monday !
actually before this, I have been considering on Altec Lansing ADA880 and ADA885.... but many people having trouble in setting up them and ADA885 has some problems like no bass from sub.... then, I make up my mind not to get a surround system, a plain 2:1 set will be good enough.... then i came across BA mediatheater, reviews on this speakers really attracts me....

 

[MisterMac9]

I got mine today and like them so far - only auditioned one CD so far. Lots of volume and strong bass with the volume and bass controls only half open. Thanks go to the original poster, Groch, for this deal.

Question - has anyone heard these with and without the optional rear surround speakers? Is it worth buying the rears? (I don't plan to play DVD's or games thru them so would the rears be of any use for CD's and general PC sounds?)

A company is selling the rears under the Gateway label on e-*ay, but is selling them one speaker at a time. They tend to go for about $15 winning bid but the shipping charge is $12.95. That would mean two shipping charges to get a pair for $56 shipped. Are there any other cheap sources?

 

[giant96]

Hey mistermac...you only need to win one speaker from egay...there is one input on the back of the sub right? The one speaker acts as 2 as you can tell by the way it is separated.When you plug the speaker in the system automatically switcheds to ProLogic. It sold for $99 a while ago. I just bid on one and won it for $17...my set is on the way from compgeeks also...let me know if i am wrong...thanks

UPDATE:
Boston Acoustics also offers an optional surround sound speaker which retails for $99. A typical home theater unit uses two separate (but mono) surround speakers. To make more efficient use of space the Media Theater's surround unit is designed with speakers on both sides of a single unit rather than two separate units. This unit is optimally placed in the rear center of a room.

I was right Mistermac...go get one from Egay now! He's got one up on there ends 10/25

 

[MisterMac9]

giant96, you are right that the sub has only one input for the rears. However the manual says that you should use two rear speakers. The manual instructions for the surrounds discuss a y-cable to combine the two rears into one. It reads like the speakers normally come as a set of two with the y-cable and a cable for each speaker because it talks about the color coding of the cable ends. But I imagine it would work fine with one rear also. I would think that using the Y cable would have to result in the same sound out of each speaker - thus two mono speakers. One would seem to work fine under that circumstance - placed in the rear center as you suggest.

 

[Groch]

The original non-digital Mediatheaters I own use only one surround speaker (they are just Pro-Logic). The digital version you folks have is set up with a single STEREO mini plug designed for 2 separate rear speakers. They each output different information, which is one of the benefits of Dolby Digital. What I am not sure of is if you need powered or unpowered speakers. This LinK seems to indicate the originals were powered but your manual should clear that up.

 

[Gef0rce]

I bought a set in Feb. 2000-sold with system last month, I paid 199.95 for these at Comp USA on sale, I ordered again-Thanks

 

[sleepdragon]

you should use the same satellite speakers for the rear...call BA and find out if they still sells them...that's for digital media theater...
but you need to make sure your sound card has digital/spdif out and your dvdrom is connected to sound card via spdif cable...

Groch, do you have the surrounding speaker?? I heard they have 2 speakers, 1 on each side...can you confirm this???