BassJump 2 or total sound system?

[Nielsenius]

I'm looking to improving the sound performance of my Mac setup. I currently don't have any speakers and rely on the audio from my Cinema Display. The sound it puts out is pretty good (better than my MacBook Pro), but I'm sure I could get better. I listen to a lot of hip-hop/rap and club/party music, so I'd like to improve the bass quality.

One of my first thoughts was to buy a BassJump from Twelve South (http://twelvesouth.com/products/bassjump/). It's a portable, good looking subwoofer. I've heard nothing but good reviews.

But, I'd like to hear what other users have to say. Should I get the BassJump (it's only $70) or buy a complete sound system? I'm not an audiophile and I don't do any professional sound production, just casual listening.

 

[jmoore5196]

I'm a recovering audiophile, but I admit I quite like the Bassjump2. I paired it with my 24" ACD and was blown away by the improved sound quality. Compared to all the other space-intensive options, and given the $70 price, I don't think you could go wrong.

 

[Nielsenius]

I'm a recovering audiophile, but I admit I quite like the Bassjump2. I paired it with my 24" ACD and was blown away by the improved sound quality. Compared to all the other space-intensive options, and given the $70 price, I don't think you could go wrong.

Thanks for the opinion. I'm glad to hear that you were satisfied with the system. To me, it seems like the Cinema Display doesn't have the widest range of sound. I'm not dissatisfied, but I'm looking for a bit more depth. Would you say that the BassJump delivers on the promise of "dramatically improved MacBook sound performance"?

 

[Talon Six]

Sorry for the necropost, but I didn't want to start a new thread. I recently bought a Thunderbolt Display. While the sound isn't terrible by any stretch, I wanted to give some extra oomph to the low end, so I naturally gravitated to the BassJump.

It arrived yesterday and I must admit that I while I was extremely impressed with the construction quality and packaging, I was not impressed at all by the performance. As I played a variety of music over the course of an hour, the unit seemed to fade in and out. I tried playing a YouTube video and there was no sound at all until I disabled the BassJump. It just didn't have the power to deliver what I was expecting and the software, while pretty, didn't seem to work as well as I wanted.

I called Twelve South customer service, and Bridget there explained that the BassJump wasn't really intended for the Thunderbolt Display. They gave me an RMA and it'll be headed back to South Carolina this morning.

 

[takeshi74]

But, I'd like to hear what other users have to say. Should I get the BassJump (it's only $70) or buy a complete sound system? I'm not an audiophile and I don't do any professional sound production, just casual listening.

Audio's a very subjective matter. Have you listened to the BassJump for yourself to assess it?

 

[marzer]

Sorry to hear it wasn't working well with the TB display.

It does work well with my iMac however, providing improved depth and field. I wouldn't recommend it for someone looking for a hi-def solution. But for someone like me who doesn't want an external speaker system sitting on the desk it was a very good compliment to the internal speakers.

 

[rpg51]

Options with Thunderbolt Display

Talon Six - I have MacBook Air and TBD. Looking at ways to beef up sound which I find "OK" but nothing to write home about. What did you end up doing after you returned the BJ2?