The Boston Acoustics Horizon Series MCS100 home theater speaker system is perfect for those on a budget looking to fill a smaller room with a nice sound. There are better options, but this one is pretty good for the price.

The MCS100 system features four identical main speakers, a dedicated center channel and an 8-inch powered subwoofer. The main channels (left, right, and stereo surrounds) each have a 3-inch mi-bass driver with phase plug and a 0.75-inch soft dome tweeter. The center channel doubles up on the 3-inch drivers and the subwoofer features a 100-watt amplifier.

Each speaker has a matte dark gray, almost black finish with a removable deep black grill that can be replaced with optional colored grills (Chili Red, Glacier, or Rose Bud). The speakers are also available in White. The tweeters are mounted extremely close to the mid-bass drivers, a feature that minimizes lobing effects where the tweeter and mid-frequencies don't combine correctly. Both drivers are mounted behind the front facia, allowing for a smooth dispersion of sound from the drivers.

Each speaker can handle up to 100 watts of peak power and each is video shielded for use with older CRT-based displays. The mains have a  frequency response that only extend to 120Hz, so finding a good crossover point may be difficult. We'd recommend 150Hz to start, however that means that you will likely be able to localize your subwoofer which can detract from the movie and music experience and make the subwoofer "stick out" more in your system.

The molded body of the speakers made them extremely easy to mount, and they come with an adjustable "foot" that allows the speakers to stand vertical unassisted. A standard keyhole-style mount is present on the back for wall-mounting (we prefer the threaded style).

Boston Acoustics had a company-wide makeover about a year ago and the line has changed somewhat from what people were used to. Now, the Boston brand has taken on a more design focus - almost like the Ikea of home entertainment, with redesigned cabinets and flexible products that appeal as much to the aesthetics of listeners as they do the sound.
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For a system priced this low we had low expectations -- and was pleasantly surprised. While we would not characterize the sound as "big," the system did have a natural sound that didn't seem to distort easily (which we find all too often in home theater-in-a-box speaker systems). When playing back midrange-heavy music or tracks with lots of brass instrumentation, we felt the system fall somewhat apart. The 3-inch drivers didn't have enough to deliver a full, rich sound in these situations. Vocals sounded fairly natural, however and overall the experience was very pleasant and enjoyable.

The 8-inch subwoofer felt solid and, though it certainly didn't fill our medium-sized room, it contributed mightily to the system. It played respectably low, but we did hear a bunch of "one-notey" bass, which we've come to expect from lower-priced systems. Subwoofers pretty closely follow the adage: "You get what you pay for."  

We would recommend the Boston Horizon MCS100 system for those looking to acquire a consistent, small system that provides plenty of placement options. Overall it does a good job, and those with smaller rooms will benefit from its clean sound. For those looking for a more expansive system we'd suggest something with larger mid-bass drivers and a more capable subwoofer.

Pros: Customizable, inexpensive 5.1 system
Cons: Average subwoofer quality, midrange deficiency

Warranty
5 years