Maybe it's the dual concentric drivers in small housings, or poor efficiency in the design, but like others here I have used, sold, installed and set-up client's own KEF eggs (1005, 2005) with what I know to be decent sounding stereo amps and receivers and never been particularly impressed. The description of singing behind a duvet probably sums it up. I found the speakers lacking treble and any sense of dynamics unless driven hard. The same is true for me about Tannoy Arenas; another dual concentric mini speaker.
By contrast, the first pair of really good home stereo speakers I heard were KEF
Concords and there was certainly no lack of treble sparkle from them. I have installed and set up systems using KEF's THX TDM home cinema speakers on several occasions (most recently last week), and installed T305's, Q700/Q100/Q200c and also heard Reference Model Twos on enough occasions to know that the "early egg" sound is not a true representation of what KEF can do. However, KEF's inceiling/inwall series share the egg sound and for that reason I won't use or recommend them.
IMO Bose home audio and home cinema products are the polar opposite of the sound of early KEF eggs.
I came to know Bose through specifying, supplying and installing commercial PA and large venue sound systems back in the late 80's/early 90's. Bose 802 and the Panaray column speakers sounded great, so I asked the rep if he could lend me something from the domestic range to try at home. It was something like the Acoustimass 3 or its equivalent from the time; two satellites and a bass module. Auditioned alone it sounded passable, but when A/B dem'ed against my Tannoys it became very obvious what was wrong. The treble was harsh, the strong bass was simply one dominant frequency, and the midrange just wasn't there.
In the last 25 years I have set up enough systems where clients already own Bose that I know my first experience wasn't an exception. Clients succumb to Bose's slick advertising and are seduced by the tiny cubes. It's only when they've lived with a system a while and then hear something with a more complete tonal balance that it dawns on them that there's something better. As an example, I demo'ed a pair of inceiling speakers to a client versus their Lifestyle 25 system. Bear in mind that the inceiling speakers were propped up by the skirting board, so not installed and not in their best position, yet they still sounded better than his Bose system. He was shocked to his core. His first comment to me was "But this (Bose) was a really expensive system"
Like KEF, I pick and choose which Bose systems I supply and install. I like their outdoor speakers. These come from the Bose commercial stable, and I feel it shows in the quality and performance. I'll also use Acoustimass systems for background music where it plays at low level so an excess of treble and bass is a positive advantage. What I won't do is recommend Bose domestic gear as a foreground music/movie solution. There are better sounding and equally small products out there. I was playing around with the Cambridge Audio Minx S225's a couple of weeks ago. They did a creditable job with movies on the end of a basic Yamaha AV amp.
