Small size, big sound, small price.

Midrange sounds aren't as strong as traditional speakers.

Wow! Read the reviews here and elsewhere and decided to try it out. This was my first home theater purchase. The reviews are on the money. The overall sound is light and has great depth, with fantastic bass. I purchased it as a package deal along with a JVC RX6010 receiver and a Cambridge Soundworks DVD-106E for $519. It's an unbelievable deal. For less than the cost of Bose Acoustimass speakers you get the whole package. Movie sound is fantastic, CD sound is excellent, and FM sound is great. I couldn't be more pleased and would recommend it to anyone.

great price, performance

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These are excellent speakers for the price. If you're new to home theater and looking for your first set of HT speakers, look no further. In fact, I demand that you go get these!

I suppose the sub may not be powerful enough for some higher end listeners, but these can certainly shake my entire house from a medium size room. I doubt you'd need any bigger.

Performance is not quite as impressive for just music, but still very good. For the money, you can't beat 'em. Enjoy!!!

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bose

The price!
The performance!
10-year warranty for parts and labor

For $400, this is an absolute bargain. For Cambridge Soundworks, low price definitely doesn't mean lower quality - au contraire, this speaker package is phenomenal! With five satellites and a powered (yes with a built-in amp) bass cube 8 (8" woofer), this set packs a punch, especially for home theater.

Basically, and much to my amazement, I completed a complete dolby digital system for under 1,000 bucks. CSW offers a package with MW408+Onkyo 474 for ONLY $599! That's a high-quality, hi-current (70w RMS X 5), high-performance (12-lb power transformer, discrete circuitry, dual-cast aluminum heat sinks, etc. etc.) receiver for $160 off!!! Onkyo makes some of the finest hi-fidelity components in the world and is a perfect combination with these outstanding CSW speakers.

Again, that's $599! Seriously, this deal is too sweet to pass up; the BC 8 sells for $250 individually, the sats cost $50 apiece, and the receiver $360. So in all, you're saving $260!

For $300, a purchased a Sony DVP330 and now basking in the glory of a great performing, very-low costing home theater set. Isn't that what it's all about?

The ensemble iv speakers (the satellites) are beautifully designed with a long-throw 3" midrange woofer and the typical high-quality construction Kloss has stood by for 40+ years. By the way, Kloss the founder of CSW also founded Advent, KLH, and Acoustic Research. The guy is a legend in the a/v industry. The bass cube 8 has all the features you want in a powered sub: will reach the 35-39 Hz range, has auto on-off, knobs for frequency crossovers as well as subwoofer output level, and different ways of connection (via RCA cable or speaker wire).

Plus, the customer service (CSW has 9 retail stores in the Bay Area, CA and 22 in New England area) was superb: courteous, knowledgeable, honest, and above all, helpful!

I highly recommend this package!

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Bose

Very good sound for the price compared to other 5.1 systems

First, I would like to thank all the reviewers for making my task of selecting a system for under $1,000 a whole lot easier. I was looking at the Bose systems but saw the reviews posted here and looked further. I was trying to get the Energy Take5 but couldn't get my total system cost under the $1,000 (a category for "best system" for different price ranges would be a great addition to the site!)
I finally decided on the Cambridge 408 due to the good deal at Hi-Fi.com. I could not find any place near me to hear the speakers so had to take it on faith of the reviewers as well as Cambridges' reputation (a 45 day return policy didn't hurt either) --- I wasn't disappointed! For the cost ($399) they are excellent, especially when compared to the Bose. I'm not an audiophile but do appreciate good sound and the 408's are as good or better than any comparable system I auditioned. I have not noticed the loss of bass reported in some reviews (my room is about 14 x 20 feet). The center channel sound is not as crisp to me as the Take 5 but that was heard on a high end receiver and the Take 5 was $200 more.
Hi-Fi.com also offered the 408 with a Sony STR-DE935 along with a free Samsung DVD player which came to $799 including shipping!
My wife's and kid's eyes and ears lit up when we watched Disney's Tarzan (DVD) -- my wife exclaimed it was like being in a theater!
I rate their value and overall rating a 5 although I did hear better but more expensive systems.

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Compared to Bose, Sony and KLH

Seems like they're priced $500 too low! Crisp sound, LOUD, great bass.

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These are THE home theater speakers to get. I've been a fan of CSW since I bought their 4Pt Surround spakers for my PC. The MovieWorks 408's produce about the most clean and crisp sound I've ever heard from a mini system. HiFi.com has the best deals on these (got mine for $374). What are you waiting for? GO GET 'EM! :)

Great value, small size, sound quality

I wanted to set a reasonably priced home theater for a small room. I went with these speakers hooked to a Onkyo 474. I was amazed by the sound these little speakers can produce. Made my old KEFs sound like crap. Much cleaner then the Bose AM and at half the price. Fills a 13x15 room very nice. The active subwoofer is very nice as well. Do not skimp and go for the ensemble IV (Passive subwoofer). I was a little concerned with the sound for regular music but I have played everyting from Arrested Devlopment to Vivaldi and can no problem. BTW - I have the cut out on the sub turned all the way to 160hz. For the money I don't think you can do much better for 5 satelites and the active sub.

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KEF, Technics, Sony

SMALL SIZE , GOOD SOUND , AFFORDABLE , HOME THEATER PERFORMANCE

MUSIC CAPABILITY , BASS PRECISION

I HAVE USED THIS SET UP FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW AND I CAN EASILY RECOMMEND THEM TO ANYONE.THEY ARE NOT THE BEST HOME THEATER SPEAKER SET BUT FOR A PERSON ON A TIGHT BUDGET THEY WHOOP UP 0N THE ALTERNATIVES.NO THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO EVERTHING PERFECT SO EXPECT TO SACRIFICE MUSIC PERFORMANCE.FOR A THEATER SPEAKER THEY ARE GREAT!!

DEALING WITH HIFI.COM IS VERY EASY AND THEY NORMALLY RUN SPECIALS AND REFURBS CAN BE FOUND ON EBAY FOR EVEN BETTER DEALS.IF YOU ARE READING THESE REVIEWS AS I DO IN HOPES OF GETTING GOOD ADVISE FOR MAKING A DECISION REST ASSURED FOR A SMALL ROOM THEATER YOU WILL BE SATISFIED.IF YOU HAVE A LARGER ROOM SPEND SOME MORE $$ AND GET A BETTER SYSTEM LIKE THE OFFERINGS FROM ENERGY (ENCORE AND TAKE 5.2).

PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND DO NOT BUY THE HOME THEATER IN A BOX SYSTEMS.ALMOST ALWAYS YOU WILL NOT BE HAPPY AND UPGRADES WILL BE NECESSARY OR AT LEAST DESIRED.I AM SURE THERE ARE EXEPTIONS BUT IN GENERAL THE COMPONENTS ARE JUNK.

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ENERGY (PERFECT BUT MORE $$$) , BOSE (GOOD BUT WAY OVERPRICED) , KLIPSCH , JBL , HARMAN KARDON , AND LOTS OF HOME THEATER IN A BOX SYSTEMS (PLEASE DON'T BUY!)

price, power, warranty

i just picked the MovieWorks 408 up this weekend for $199...what a price. they were advertising the sale through this saturday. then i also got hte onkyo 484 reciever for $256. it's priced at $299, i told him i could get it refurbed at his outlet store 5 miles away for $240 and he said $256 and brandnew it's yours...i have 3 words for you... SOLD...so te lessen, Cambridge is giving these badboys away to make room for their new "newton" series which are basically no different other than a contoured casing. save the cash. oh yah, i also replaced one speaker with the centerstage II centerchannel for an extra 35 bones.. i definately suggest you do this as it makes voices sound much better. bottom line is for the same price you could get some sony/jvc piece of junk or this true quality product...

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bose 2.01?? i think..

DVD movies kick some butt!

CD sound quality is surprisingly much worse than DVDs.

I have to admit that I'm a bit disappointed.

I have this hooked up to a Sony STR-DE875 receiver. For DVD's its everything its cracked up to be. Sounds are crisp and clear and the base is booming (Gladiator has to be the best movie to come out in years!!!)

Its playing CD's where they fall short. I've tried these speakers with everything from Mozart to Rage Against the Machine and all I can say is that the sounds is ...well... flat. This highs aren't crisp and the base seems muffled. Which really confuses me - how can one sound so much better than the other?

Overall for the price the speakers are great for DVD and just average for CD. If I had to do it all again, I'd probably spend the extra money and grab a Bose system.

sound clarity, looks, size, price, loud!

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these speakers have amazing bang for the buck...i bought these refurbished from ubid.com...they sound great with my harmon/kardon 110 and toshiba 2700 dvd/cd player...though small, the get loud, with no hiss...they are also built very solid (they're heavy for their size)! the subwoofer is plenty loud for my medium sized living room...excellent product.

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