Verdict: 5.1 surround sound without the speakers and cables? Not quite.
If something sounds too good to be true then it probably is - simple but effective advice that's rarely proved wrong. The Companion 5 speakers from Bose claim to provide a 5.1 surround-sound experience from just three speakers: two satellites and a subwoofer (or Acoustimass module, as Bose likes to call it). With only two satellites to connect, the set should be neater than even a wireless surround-sound system. Can this really be true?
The main speakers are well designed, if a little dated, and reassuringly heavy. The sub is, as all subwoofers are, a large oblong box that weighs a ton and lacks any semblance of aesthetic appeal. Also supplied with the speakers is a desktop controller, which is akin to the jog-shuttle dials you used to see on VCRs. The outer ring controls the volume and a quick tap of the centre mutes the speakers. We found ourselves using it surprisingly regularly, although the volume ring is a touch oversensitive, and it's easy to mute the speakers rather than raise the volume. Like the Griffin PowerMate, it's a beautiful accoutrement to your desk. And it has 'Bose' emblazoned on it. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack and a 3.5mm input for an MP3 player or a similar device.
That paragraph should segue quite nicely into a paragraph about the various audio inputs of the sub and, for a £300 system, we'd expect to see plenty of options. However, apart from the 3.5mm jack on the desktop controller, the only way to get audio in is via USB. No coaxial or optical S/PDIF in, conventional surround-sound 3.5mm inputs or even standard phono inputs grace this unit. We'd like to say that Bose isn't only saving us the hassle of setting up the speakers properly, but also preserving the clarity and the quality audio architecture that it so painstakingly created. However, it strikes us as being a little cheap.
As you can imagine, with just the one input, it's simple to set up the Companion 5 system. Just arrange the speakers as per the instructions, connect all the colour-coded cables to the corresponding ports and set your audio preferences to 5.1 in the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties control panel. This means that if you've spent money on a separate sound card, it's now redundant, as all the signal processing is handled in the Acoustimass subwoofer module. Bad luck, X-Fi owners.
However, there's a reason for Bose insisting on the Companion 5 performing the audio processing work. Crank up the volume and your ears will immediately appreciate your £300 investment. Basic stereo audio is superb, with a wide-ranging sound that fills the room. Even in a confined space where you're sitting close to the speakers, the audio is clear and impressive. You can turn up the volume to neighbourhood-annoying levels and the speakers will continue to perform.
With such rich and powerful audio, the Companion 5 had us ducking for cover as machine guns strafed at us across the screen. If your penchant is more petrol-head than shot-in-the-head then you won't be disappointed either. The growl of a mid-engine V12 from these speakers forces you to suspend your disbelief and imagine you might just be driving a supercar.
Movies also sounded impressive and the Companion 5 should receive a special mention for how it handles voice. It's easy to forget in the midst of all the action sequences and background music that dialogue is just as important as a realistic explosion that rocks the room. Again, this set of speakers proved to be excellent for pure sound production.
Here we halt heaping praise onto Bose and turn to the claim that three speakers can equal 5.1. An Acoustimass module with two satellites and TrueSpace surround-sound digital processing circuitry is no substitute for having more physical speakers. We'd like to say that these speakers immerse you in a sound that zips from left to right, front to back, enveloping you and assaulting your ears from all directions, but they don't. Sometimes, with an ear cocked in the air, you can pick out a moment when it seems like a car speeds past or a bullet ricochets off the wall behind you. Only if you really listen hard does the Companion 5 really pull off the surround-sound-from-three-speakers magic.
A good surround-sound system should blend into the background, so that you almost forget it's there. The Companion 5 speakers demand your full attention; strain to listen for the surround-sound effects and you might just hear them.
Conclusion
The Bose Companion 5 sounds very good but, realistically, it's lacking too much to be appealing. The lack of audio inputs is an oversight for a system that costs so much. And the faux-surround sound only works sporadically, and only if you're in exactly the right position at all times. Even then it's probably your wallet willing you to hear the effects. If Bose had added three extra satellite speakers, and made a proper 5.1 system, then it would score much more highly. And if Bose dropped its pointless claims that the Companion 5 speakers could create magic from thin air, and simply concentrated on the very good audio quality then it would have a really impressive, if expensive, set of speakers.
As it is, the Companion 5 system tries to offer more than it can deliver, and at a cost that can't be justified. After all, there's no point in paying so much for a surround-sound speaker system if you can't hear true surround sound.
