SoundWare

Boston Acoustics' ultrasmall SoundWare XS speakers star in minimalist 2.1 system

LAS VEGAS--Boston Acoustics' SoundWare XS 5.1 system is about as small as you can make a 5.1 speaker system. Unless of course you ditched three of the speakers and the need for a separate AV receiver.

That's the thinking behind the new SoundWare XS Digital Cinema Surround Sound Speaker system, which features just two tiny SoundWare XS speakers, a compact subwoofer, and built-in amplification. It comes with a credit card-style remote and brackets for wall-mounting the front speakers.

The 100-watt system features both optical and analog inputs, as well as Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to stream … Read more

Boston Acoustics SoundWare speaker quick take

CNET reviewed the Boston Acoustics SoundWare speakers as part of the SoundWare XS 5.1 speaker system. While we didn't directly compare the SoundWare speakers to other speakers sold individually, the full 5.1 system sounded better than we expected, given their minuscule size. Also note that these speakers can be purchased individually to expand the SoundWare SX 5.1 system to a 7.1 system.

For more information on the Boston Acoustics SoundWare speakers, read CNET's full review of the Boston Acoustics SoundWare XS 5.1.

Three awesome-sounding under-$500 home theater speaker systems

How much room-shaking home theater power can you expect five minispeakers and a pipsqueak subwoofer to deliver? Technological advances have certainly changed my thinking on this matter, but my listening tests proved speaker size still matters when I compared the Boston Acoustics SoundWare XS 5.1, Energy Take Classic 5.1, and Pioneer SP-PK21BS subwoofer-satellite packages.

The Boston SoundWare XS cube satellites are incredibly tiny, just 4.43 inches wide, 4.25 inches high, and 4.43 deep. Each one weighs just 1 pound. The speaker's rear is faceted, so instead of being a six-sided cube, the SoundWare XS … Read more

Boston Acoustics SoundWare XS 5.1 review: Ultrasmall surround sound for $500

If you like to flaunt your home audio system, you're probably not going to buy the Boston SoundWare XS 5.1 speaker system. That's OK; it's not made for you. But lots of people who don't make home theater their hobby still appreciate a true surround-sound experience, and Boston's system delivers that at an incredible size and price. The SoundWare XS 5.1 sounds surprisingly good, and we say surprising because its five satellite speakers feel only a little larger than a baseball in your hand. Combined with its compact 100-watt subwoofer, it's one … Read more