First, please don't suggest "Replace your sucky Bose system" because that doesn't really help.

On my Acousitmass system, all the speakers plug into the woofer, then go out of the woofer into the back of the receiver. My question is, do the speakers really need to go though the woofer? Or can I wire the speakers directly to the receiver? Since it is not a powered woofer, I can't imagine that anything is going on inside, other a loop connecting the input & outputs.
Part of the reason I am asking is that I am considering replacing the woofer (because it does, in fact, suck), but will keep the speakers.

I'm not 100% certain about the Bose system you have, but many sub/sat systems include a crossover in the base module to limit the low frequency signals presented to the satellites. If this is the case, then you could damage the satellites if you connect them directly. You might check on the Bose site (or email them) to find out if your system is configured this way.

The acoustimass bass module does indeed contain crossovers, keeping the low frequencies from the cubes. If you were to hook the speakers directly up to the receiver, make sure your speaker setting is for "small" on the receiver. Even this may be too much bass for the speakers without a crossover due to their smallish size. If I am not mistaken, Bose also does not publish information such as frequency response (nor will they give it to you if requested) further adding to the ambiguity.

Because the woofer is passive, and gets its power from the receiver anyway, I would recommend keeping it in your system to add a little bass extension for the front speakers then hooking a powered subwoofer to the sub out on your receiver. This way your speakers will be protected and you will get some bass response from your front stage which is common is alot of films today, not to mention this should improve music listening as well.

J

The Bose sub does have a crossover network for the sattelites and setting your reciever to "small" fronts will not keep them safe. If you want to have your sattelites seperately you will have to put a passive crossover in line with them and it will have to be rather high in frequency. It has been quite some time since I have actually played with a Bose set, but if memory serves correctly, even alot of lower midrange goes through the bass module (sorry I can't even refer to it as a subwoofer from my past experiences with the system). The cubes only have dual cone 3.5" and the bass module is either a 5.25 or a 6.5 so it would be better to keep them together as they wouldnt function very well as seperate entities.

Master J is correct! Do NOT connect the cubes directly to the receiver!

The Acoustimass Module produces Bass & the low-end midrange. The cubes produce the remaining midrange & upper-end frequencies. The module not only contains the crossover, but a protection circuit for each of the cubes as well. You will still benefit from the use of a Subwoofer, just connect one to the LFE or Subwoofer output.

Which system do you have? Acoustimass 3, 5, 7, 6, 10 or 15? If you'll post, I'll tell you the approx. cutoff frequency to set the sub.


Sonic

I think you have answered your own question. The cubes must go through the woofer module because of the crossovers.

Therefore you are faced with a choice, keep the whole thing or replace the whole thing. With all due respect one of the worst aspects of Bose is this very situation here.

Thanks for your help, guys. And to think I was so close to wiring them straight to the receiver just to try it out. I don't know why I never thought of simply adding a 'real' woofer in addition to the existing one directly from the receiver.. Sounds like a good possibility, except for the added floor space required. I suppose I could stack the Bose on top of the 'real' one, though it may look a bit tacky. Now the hard part - getting the wife to let me buy the equipment!

Well, let me add a little clarification to all the input.

The Bass Module does house the crossovers for the cubes, so do not plug them into the receiver directly (as already mentioned). As what you have described, I am sure you have an Acoustimass 10. This system, remember, does not have a sub woofer. The bass module is simply a sperate housing of the woofers that would normally be found in your left and right front speakers. Do they "suck" as woofers? No. Do they suck as sub woofers? Yes. Simply because they are not sub woofers. You would not "replace" your bass module with a powered sub just as you wouldn't take out the woofers in a tower to add a sub.

You can easily add a sub to your system. I highly recommend this since if you are running digital, you are not even hearing 5.1, but 5.0! A sub will give you the full sound you are looking for. If you do this though, you might try repositioning your Bass Module to face up if the sub is side firing.

I hope this helps. BTW. The Acoustimass 10 houses three 5 1/4" woofers: two side firing, one top firing.

-Jeff