Boston Acoustics SoundWare XS 5.1 Surround Speaker System

Balancing style, price, and sound quality can be tough when choosing loudspeakers. If you are looking for a compact loudspeaker system to complement your HDTV, DVD and/or Blu-ray Disc player, check out the stlyish, compact, great sounding, and affordable, Boston Acoustics SoundWare XS 5.1 Surround Speaker System. The system consists of 5 identical compact satellite speakers which can be set on a shelf or wall mounted (even in a corner wall space), and a compact 8-inch powered subwoofer. After reading this review, for additional perspective and closer look, also check out my Short Review and supplmentary Photo Gallery.

1. Frequency Response: 150 Hz - 20 kHz (average response range for compact speakers of this size).

2. Sensitivity: 85 dB (represents how loud the speaker is at a distance of one meter with an input of one watt).

3. Impedance: 8 ohms. (can be used with amplifiers that have 8 ohm speaker connections)

4. Drivers: Woofer/Midrange 2 1/2-inch (64mm), Tweeter 1/2-inch (13mm)

5. Surround Speakers - Power Handling: 10-100 watts RMS

6. Crossover Frequency: 5kHz (represents the point where signal higher than 5kHz are sent to the tweeter).

7. Weight (each satellite speaker): 1 lb (5kg).

8. Dimensions: 3 3/5 x 3 7/16 x 4 1/2-inches (94 x 87 x 113mm).

9. Mounting options: On counter, On Wall, In Corner (mounting hardware provided).

10. Finish Options: Black or White

1. Bass reflex design with 8-inch Driver and additional acoustically tuned port.

2. Frequency Response: 50Hz to 150Hz (LFE - Low Frequency Effects).

3. Power Output: 100 watts (250 watts peak).

4. Phase: Switchable to 0 or 180 degrees (synchronizes in-out motion of sub speaker with in-out motion of other speakers in system).

5. Crossover Frequency (frequencies below this point are passed to the subwoofer): 60 -180Hz, continuously variable.

6. Connections: RCA Line input (LFE), AC power receptacle.

7. Power On/Off: two-way toggle (off/standby).

8. Dimensions: 12 7/8" H x 11 3/16" W x 14 1/4" D (377x284x310mm).

9. Weight: 20 lbs (9kg).

10. Available Finishes: Black or White.

For a look at the speakers, subwoofer, and their connections and control options, check out my supplementary Boston Acoustics SoundWare XS 5.1 Surround Speaker System Photo Gallery.

Home Theater Receivers: Onkyo TX-SR705, Pioneer VSX-1019AH-K (on review loan from Pioneer). NOTE: Both receivers were used in 5.1 channel operating mode for this review.

Source Components: OPPO Digital BDP-83 and Pioneer BDP-320 (on review loan from Pioneer) Blu-ray Disc Players and OPPO DV-983H DVD Player. Note: The OPPO BDP-83 and DV-983H were also used to play SACD and DVD-Audio discs.

CD-only Player sources included: Technics SL-PD888 and Denon DCM-370 5-disc CD Changers.

Loudspeakers used in different setups included:

Loudspeaker System 1: 2 Klipsch F-2's, 2 Klipsch B-3s, Klipsch C-2 Center .

Loudspeaker System 2: 2 JBL Balboa 30's, JBL Balboa Center Channel, 2 JBL Venue Series 5-inch Monitor speakers.

Subwoofers: Klipsch Synergy Sub10 - System 1. Polk Audio PSW10 - System 2.

TV/Monitors: A Westinghouse Digital LVM-37w3 1080p LCD Monitor, and Syntax LT-32HV 720p LCD TV. Displays calibrated using SpyderTV Software.

Audio/Video connections made with Accell, Cobalt, and AR Interconnect cables. 16 Gauge Speaker Wire used.

Level checks made using a Radio Shack Sound Level Meter

Blu-ray Discs: 300, Across The Universe, Bolt, Hairspray, Iron Man, Night at the Museum, Quarantine, Rush Hour 3, Shakira - Oral Fixation Tour, The Dark Knight, Transformers, and Wall-E.

Standard DVDs: The Cave, Hero, House of the Flying Daggers, Kill Bill - Vol 1/2, Kingdom of Heaven (Director's Cut), Lord of Rings Trilogy, Master and Commander, Moulin Rouge, and U571.

CDs: Al Stewart - Sparks of Ancient Light and A Beach Full of Shells, Beatles - LOVE, Blue Man Group - The Complex, Joshua Bell - Bernstein - West Side Story Suite, Eric Kunzel - 1812 Overture, HEART - Dreamboat Annie, Lisa Loeb - Firecracker, Nora Jones - Come Away With Me.

DVD-Audio discs included: Queen - Night At The Opera/The Game, Eagles - Hotel California, and Medeski, Martin, and Wood - Uninvisible.

SACD discs used included: Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon, Steely Dan - Gaucho, The Who - Tommy.

Proceed to Page 2: Audio Performance, Pros/Cons, and Final Take.