Yes - that's the problem - they've had a good name in the past and their high end (studio) gear was (is?) good.

Favourable comments about them are numerous - they have a 'lifestyle' image <shrug>

The negative comments are usually from people who know about decent sound and have reviewed them.

I've heard them and they sound great initially - but they have a very sharp sound with emphatic bass - critical listening suggests that they really aren't that good - and they are certainly overpriced - but then again people buy goods for 'image' reasons aswell as practical (heck, look at my car <grin> !!!)

This is one I think I recall being reasonably well presented http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html