Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two (black/onyx)

Manufacturer: Boston Acoustics Inc. Part number: BSA TVEEM2B

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$288.99 - $399.99 at 11 online stores

CNET Editor rating:
3.5 stars Very good
Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 10 reviews

More product information:: Editors' review; User reviews; Specifications; Product series; Manufacturer info

Bottom Line:: If you're not looking for the virtual surround effects found on more elaborate (and expensive) single-speaker audio systems, the affordable Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two sounds swell, looks good, and includes a cool wireless subwoofer.

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CNET editors' review

Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two (black/onyx)

price range: $288.99 - $399.99

Reviewed by: Steve Guttenberg
Edited by: John P. Falcone
Reviewed on: 11/27/2007
Released on: 09/15/2007

The good: Stereo TV soundbar with wireless 6-inch subwoofer; four 2.5-inch midrange drivers; two 0.5-inch tweeters; super easy setup.

The bad: Only one input; limited dynamic oomph; while spacious, sound makes no claims to "virtual surround" status; only designed to replace your TV speakers, not take the place of a full surround system.

The bottom line: If you're not looking for the virtual surround effects found on more elaborate (and expensive) single-speaker audio systems, the affordable Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two sounds swell, looks good, and includes a cool wireless subwoofer.

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It may be blasphemy in the home-theater world, but the fact is that the large majority of people will never get a surround speaker system. And even those who have a decent stereo system usually won't connect it to their video equipment. That leaves most people listening to all of their video-based devices (DVD players, cable/satellite boxes, game consoles, and the like) through the TV's speakers--which are rarely notable for their high fidelity, loudness, or dynamic range. It's no surprise, then, that a cottage industry has sprung up for dedicated TV speakers. Following in the successful footsteps of a trio of Zvox models is the Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two ($400).

Boston, of course, is no stranger to high-end sound, but the Model Two isn't designed as a home theater in a box or an iPod speaker or virtual surround speaker system. No, the TVee Model Two's mission is to simply produce better TV sound. And thanks to the system's wireless subwoofer, it sounds bigger and weightier than we thought it would. Yes, you still have to plug the wireless sub into an AC wall outlet, but that's the extent of its wiring requirements. The soundbar hooks up to your cable box or directly to your TV's audio outputs. The TVee's prime directive is simplicity and it succeeds on that front.

As stated, the Model Two is a two-part system--speaker "soundbar" and a small wireless subwoofer. The product is available in two colors: midnight with onyx grille (otherwise known as gray/black) and mist with silver grille (iPod-style white/silver). Boston also offers six additional optional color grilles to "customize" the look of your TVee. The slender soundbar is one of the more unobtrusive single-speaker sound systems we've seen. It's 31 inches wide, 3.75 inches high, and 4 inches deep, so it will look great partnered with most flat-panel displays.

The review sample's grey plastic cabinet feels sturdy, and the backside's keyhole slots facilitate wall mounting. The front top edge of the speaker has Power, Mute, and volume Up/Down buttons; a small green LED flashes as you raise or lower the volume (though there's no visual indication of the volume level). The speaker doesn't come with a remote control, but it can be programmed to work with your TV or cable box's remote, as well as any standard universal remote control. Don't worry, programming the device to work with another remote is a snap to set up and took us under 5 minutes. We used a Samsung TV's remote to control the TVee Model Two's volume.

Controls are basic, and it's easy to program your existing remote to control the TVee Model Two.

When we removed the grille, we spotted four 2.5-inch midrange drivers and two 0.5-inch tweeters spaced at the ends of the speaker. The subwoofer has a down-firing 6-inch woofer and the total system power is specified at 100 watts.

Your connectivity options are limited to a pair of analog RCA stereo inputs on the backside of the speaker, keeping in line with the idea that this is strictly an external TV speaker. You can connect a single device--such as a cable box--to the single audio input, or--if your TV has multiple audio inputs and a line level output, you can connect the Boston's input to the TV's audio output, so it will substitute for the television's internal speakers no matter which attached device you're watching. Otherwise, you'll need a switcher of some sort, such as an AV receiver.

The TVee Model Two subwoofer is also pretty compact--just 9.5 inches high and 11.5 wide and deep. Maybe it was the molded grey plastic shape, but we think it looks like an overturned waste-paper basket. Still, it's unobtrusive enough, and the fact that it's wireless means it can be tucked away in a corner of the room--only an AC power source is needed. You can fine-tune the speaker/sub bass balance with the sub's volume control.

It may not be terribly attractive, but the TVee's subwoofer is fairly small and (except for the power cord) wireless.

Boston claims that the TVee Model Two is a stereo speaker, but we found that it sounded as spacious as many "virtual" surround speaker systems we've tested here at CNET. Sound was projected a few feet out from the left and right ends of the speaker, and forward of it, as well. But the source is still 2-channel stereo, so don't expect any elaborate surround effects.

Our DVDs' sound was detailed and the little subwoofer surprised us with its power. Boston claims the wireless sub can be placed "anywhere throughout the room." However while we experimented with placements, we found the speaker/subwoofer blend was best when the sub was within 6 feet of the speaker. We also spent a little time adjusting the sub's volume control. Set too high, the sub sounded boomy; set too low, the speaker sounded lightweight and ineffective. Our setup with the subwoofer in the 1 o'clock position sounded best.

With that squared away, we popped on The Fifth Element DVD, and by the time Bruce Willis was zooming around in his flying taxi, we were totally immersed in the film--which says a lot about the TVee's sound. Being critics, we had to pay attention to the sound and noticed the dialogue sometimes sounded slightly sibilant. It also suffered too low of a level compared with the music and sound effects. Moving on to action flicks, the TVee's power limitations were even more obvious. Turning the volume down helped restore the sound quality, which leads us to believe that the TVee Model Two will probably work best in smaller rooms--bedrooms, dorms, or midsize rec rooms.

It was certainly obvious that the TVee was branded as such when we tried out some music with the unit. Rock and roll is definitely not its forte. Sure, it'll do fine turned down to background level, but you won't want to have it as the center of attention when playing music.

We didn't have the opportunity to do a direct comparison with any of the single-speaker competitors in the TVee's price class--most notably, the Zvox 325 ($350, no subwoofer), the Yamaha Air Surround YAS-70 ($500, with wired sub), and the Soundmatters MainstageHD ($400, faux surround capability, but no sub). While we'd have preferred the Boston TVee to offer some more robust connectivity and better dynamic range, though, it's safe to say that it delivers on its promise of offering a far better alternative to your TV speakers. Toss in the wireless subwoofer and dead-simple setup and operation, and you've got a successful TV sound system.

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Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 10 reviews
My rating: 0 stars

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9 stars

Good addition

by eric_l on November 6, 2007

Pros: Easy to set up

Cons: Not much too say about this

Summary: I was in the market for a step up for the sound provided by my TV (Samsung HT-5054)speakers. The BA Tvee looks great and sounds good with movies and ...

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Summary: I was in the market for a step up for the sound provided by my TV (Samsung HT-5054)speakers. The BA Tvee looks great and sounds good with movies and music. The wireless subwoofer was placed about 10' away from the unit with no interferace. This unit was very easy to set-up. My only issue is that when I use the unit at low levels it seems to shut down until I move the TV volume up. I will contact BA to discuss this as there is nothing in the manaul. Over all I am very happy with this unit and would take it over my first choice the Bose CineMate speakers.

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4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
1 stars

Bad remote comands

by mpaasux on January 23, 2008

Pros: E-Z programing with original remote

Cons: Wont program volume with DTV remote's.

Summary: Ez to program with original tv remotes But if your using DTV remote look for other sound systems. Spent 2HR trying to make the TVee understand the Direct tv remote ...

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Summary: Ez to program with original tv remotes But if your using DTV remote look for other sound systems. Spent 2HR trying to make the TVee understand the Direct tv remote but no luck using volume up/down. it will program with original remote but wont respond to universal remote. Unit also wont work if remote is more then 7' from sound bar. $100 mabe but $300+ just save your time and Money and get a hardwire system that has better sound quality & Speekers .

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1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
4 stars

Wireless Subwoofer is nice but lack of remote is a showstopper!

by joleary on November 30, 2007

Pros: Easy hookup with L-R audio to TV

Cons: Home Theater Master MX-600 remote did not learn to control this device

Summary: Product comes without a remote and the IR learning remote MX-600 from Universal could not learn to control the TVee speaker so I returned it.

Summary: Product comes without a remote and the IR learning remote MX-600 from Universal could not learn to control the TVee speaker so I returned it.

1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
7 stars

Good Sound for the price.

by APanar on September 9, 2008

Pros: Easy set up, great sound without having to run a bunch of wires.

Cons: Background music sometimes overpowers voice and it's hard to understand. Sometimes not all the time.

Summary: When I first hooked this speaker system up it had an echo during some TV commericals. Very annoyaning to say the least. After playing around with the TVs audio controls ...

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Summary: When I first hooked this speaker system up it had an echo during some TV commericals. Very annoyaning to say the least. After playing around with the TVs audio controls for a week I was able to stop the echo. I swtiched from Stereo to Mono and that solved the problem. It didn't provide that good stereo separation anyhow and didn't matter. My TV manual said that stereo was only available during anolog broadcasts, so since I only view digial broadcasts it didn't matter. I was going to return the unit if I couldn't fix the problem.

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9 stars

Very nice for what it is

by ac5aa on August 17, 2008

Pros: Great movie and normal TV programming sound

Cons: Only fair for music

Summary: I was looking for a 2-speaker and subwoofer setup within a $500 budget to go with my new 46" Samsung flat panel - it has a wonderful picture and tubey ...

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Summary: I was looking for a 2-speaker and subwoofer setup within a $500 budget to go with my new 46" Samsung flat panel - it has a wonderful picture and tubey sound. This one really fits the bill. If you're looking for a 5.1 surround sound system, this isn't it. If you don't plan to try to place speakers around the room, but want something which makes your movies and TV shows sound a lot better, at a reasonable price, this is it. I really like the wireless subwoofer - no wires makes it very easy to place, however you must be hear enough to a power outlet to plug it in! My TV has internally generated SRS surround sound, which does a somewhat believable job, but thanks to these speakers it sounds a lot better. Once again, Boston impresses me. I compared to the Bose Cinemate, and it was pretty thin sounding by comparison, and $150 more in price. I like the fact that the TVee Two doesn't have its own remote - we have enough of these already, don't you think? This one learns your TV remote signals, and then responds just as your TV would have if the speakers were on. So, I give it a 9 for the product category it is - extended, improved TV speakers. Good job, Boston Acoustics.

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9 stars

Very good sound for "average: home user.

by Everett Francis on August 4, 2008

Pros: Easy to get going. And noticably better than TV sound and as close to theatre sound as I want in my living room.

Cons: Confusing directions re setting up remote to control sound

Summary: Sent help request to Boston Acoustics. Had helpful response within minutes. The TV must be off when teaching the TVee to respond to the master TV remote. We are very ...

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Summary: Sent help request to Boston Acoustics. Had helpful response within minutes. The TV must be off when teaching the TVee to respond to the master TV remote. We are very pleased with it. Does excellent sound for our taste.

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5 stars

Read reviews before you buy.

by madmo4 on July 7, 2008

Pros: Looks great and easy to install

Cons: Sound difficult to control

Summary: Works fine for TV and games but for digital sound movies it's terrible. It does not have the capabilities to control sound therefore, background music and loud sounds make ...

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Summary: Works fine for TV and games but for digital sound movies it's terrible. It does not have the capabilities to control sound therefore, background music and loud sounds make it difficult to hear dialogue. When you turn it up to hear the dialogue, the background sounds are way too loud. We've spent more time playing with the volume on our remote than ever before. It's quite frustrating. Do not mistake this unit for surround sound.

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2 stars

remote control doesn't work properly. lack of distance.

by sly_36 on April 8, 2008

Pros: look good under the TV

Cons: try 3 different remote control - from TV Sharp - cable box or HD DVD Samsung. max distance response from the remote is less then 6 feet

Summary: lack of distance using remote control. lack service from company rep.

Summary: lack of distance using remote control. lack service from company rep.
8 stars

Good Sounding Speaker System

by low070 on February 21, 2008

Pros: Ease of setup

Cons: Not a "true" surround sound system

Summary: If you are looking to replace the regular TV speaker setup, this is a very good replacement. Just bought one recently and was a breeze to setup. Took me about ...

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Summary: If you are looking to replace the regular TV speaker setup, this is a very good replacement. Just bought one recently and was a breeze to setup. Took me about 10 minutes and I was ready to go. Has a "learning" function which allows you to program the volume control on to your existing remote. It's not true surround sound but it much better than the stock television speakers. Wireless subwoofer was bigger than I expected. Compared to other soundbar/sound projectors it costs a lot less too!

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8 stars

This product is fantastic. It obviates the need for any receiver headaches, good sound.

by hologramrose on January 15, 2008

Pros: Mids and highs are very nice. Big, detailed sound. No remote is a PLUS, it works as advertised.

Cons: Bass is a little muddy, lack of stereo effect.

Summary: Definitely a better option than other stereo systems out there i.e. Bose Cinemate. I programmed it in two minutes to work with my remote. It's easy to balance ...

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Summary: Definitely a better option than other stereo systems out there i.e. Bose Cinemate. I programmed it in two minutes to work with my remote. It's easy to balance the sound (I like the eleven o'clock position for the woofer in my small room). I got this cheap open box but well worth the full price of admission. Mids and highs are well-detailed. I tested this watching Apocalypto on Blu-Ray.

The bass is a bit boomy for my taste, so I dialed down the bass. I wish it was a bit wider to help create more of a stereo imaging effect. The lack of inputs doesn't bother me since this is essentially a one-trick pony. One nitpick, the constant green indicator light is in the line of sight and is annoying when watching in a dark room.

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Specifications

Manufacturer: Boston Acoustics Inc.
Part number: BSA TVEEM2B
Description: Add Boston to the parade of brands offering a single-speaker audio solution. Instead of a virtual surround solution offered by the likes of more expensive models the modestly priced TVee (Television Entertainment Enhancement System) is an improved speaker for your TV. The added twist is the included wireless subwoofer that minimizes the cable hookups on the TVee Model Two's main speaker unit to one stereo connector (from the TV) and a power cord.

General
Product Type Speaker system
Speaker System
System Components Subwoofer, 1 speaker
Speaker Type Active
Nominal Output Power (Total) 100 Watt

Speaker System Details
Speakers Included Speaker - Wired, Subwoofer - Wireless
Driver Details Subwoofer : 1 x Subwoofer driver - 6"

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Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two (black/onyx)

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