Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two review: Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two

Editors' note: The rating of the Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two has been changed since publication to better reflect its value compared to competing home theater systems.

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.