Everyone loves Bose speakers, except audiophiles...
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- Опубліковано 8 кві 2019
- I was mistaken about the original 901’s price, it was (as far as I can tell) $476 per pair.
My vlog on my Bose 501, • How Bose speakers (eve...
Here’s a link to a Sound & Vision piece on the original Bose 901, www.soundandvision.com/conten...
I loved my 901 series 6 speakers. I remember well why I loved them. For one thing, you could hear every single instrument and place it, no matter the volume. As important, even at low volumes you could feel the kick of the bass drum, yet the bass didn’t overpower. The bass stayed present, but not didn’t overpower at high volumes.
Why don't you still have them? What do you have now?
My first set of decent speakers were 301 series 2. As a 13 year old living in a small apartment bedroom that was never able to turn them up real loud I thought they gave a great sound at low/moderate volume, very natural and full. So did everyone that listened to them. I have of course owned much better systems since, but they certainly put a smile on my face at the time.
As a former audiophile that owned 901s, the big Altec Lansing Theater speakers and on up to the Wilson Audio Puppys with Martin Logan Amps and Pre-Amps who also worked selling high end audio back in the 70s I have to disagree with some of the comments about the 901s. One of the wholly grails back then was to recreate the image of a live performance and to fool the ears into thinking it was hearing a live performance. Speaker placement, expensive cables, high end amplifiers/pre amps and turn tables and careful acoustic measurement of the room all to create an illusion. I recall back then one of the tests being to have the speakers behind a curtain and to see if a person could tell whether it was a live performer or speakers. And, yes, the Wilson Audio system could create depth and breath with sounds of individual instruments in their respective space. However all required sitting in the sweet spot and a lot of money for the equipment. The funny thing is (for those old enough to remember) it was not uncommon for various stores and bars to hang 901s from the ceilings on chains and have them playing. More than once I recall walking into a place and hearing the music and thinking I was hearing a live performance and looking for where the musicians were. All done with no sweet spot sitting and relative to the Wilson system low cost. I think I paid something like $10K each for the Wilson speakers. That was a lot of money back then. To create the illusion of a live performance without having to be seated in the sweet spot the 901s were hard to beat. They were not as critical of the acoustic environment either. In many real live performance venues (not a symphony hall or music hall), the room acoustics are horrible. Highs are absorbed or highly reflected, there are lots of people standing and listening and speakers with flat acoustic curves sound horrible. If there was any place the 901s would sound inferior it would be reproducing a symphony orchestra but the vast majority of people don't listen to symphony music. They listen to popular performers, small groups and the like. Here, the 901s excelled.
Wow! This could classify as a dissertation!
Disagree. I have a huge classical collection. These 901s are perfect for the shit-kickers like Bruckner or Wagner, Beethoven, etc. I just don't want anything to do with BOSE anymore.
@@millerforester6237 I would probably tend to agree with you that for symphony music, the 901s are not a good choice. I was involved with the high end audio store in Miami (back then) that used to record the New World Symphony and recreating the sound of a live performance with the weight, placement, feel of a live performance required some very large Wilson Audio WAMM speakers and a lot of power in amps, etc. All of that is for naught if you don't have a large enough room with the right acoustics to start with. Anything much less is not going to reproduce a symphony that even comes close to matching how it sounds live. However, for small groups, combos, bands, etc. the 901s did a credible job.
@@rahuldoes I was an engineer/lawyer, the worst of both worlds so we tend to be verbose. :)
John Griffith- WOW. You could design a faulty electrical system then sue yourself. Then hire yourself as an expert witness at the trial... (JK!!)
I bought a pair around 1980 after I got back to the states from deployment and I remember paying in the vicinity of $900. Still listening to them today.
My first true multi channel listening experience was with four 901s (original sealed enclosures) with playback from a 4ch Teac deck and a factory discreet 4ch recording of Santan's Caravanserai. All four 901s were set up properly with each pair facing the other. Stoned out of our minds our group of 6 gathered in the center of the room with only a single candle burning as our host (a major in the US Army btw. Viet Nam era. What can I say) hit the play button. I still get chills remembering hearing the crickets/cicadas on the opening track. I was 19.
Nice
Song of the wind, best Santana instrumental ever, especially stoned.
Circa 2006 - Had a pair of 901 SIII given to me. Excellent shape. Put them in my living room with a Kenwood KR4010 and the original Bose EQ unit. The room was 20x10 with standard carpet, drywall and had couches and fabric comfy chairs. The stereo set was on one end, the 901s properly set near the corners to reflect off the walls. Alas, the room was so soft the 901s sounded muddy and muted. I was bummed!
Fast forward two years - Our family lake house cabin needed a stereo, I bought the same gear up to the cabin. 16’ ceilings paneled with knotty pine, same on the walls, hard wood floors, big room about 30’x40’ with well spaced furniture. HOLY COW DID THAT SYSTEM ROCK! It was night and day compared to our urban setting. The 901s could exercise, and sounded so good with well balanced range.
With the 901s, you must feed them some power, let them have space to exercise, and give them hard walls to bounce off of!
Yes, they like power and ideally suspended from the ceiling so the sound does not get trapped by furniture. Can be a very musical experience just not an audiophile music experience. Owned a pair since the late 70's powered with a 500 watt Soundcraftmen amp. They have been replaced with KEF LS50s.
Uh yea that’s what the manual says. Hey there’s a lot of Bose 901 haters. I’m glad you didn’t listen once and get rid of them. They are a good unique speaker. If given the right power and space the sound good for the money. I love mine. In any room to be honest.
Yes, some have read it a thousand times but "muddy and muted" was a common 901 complaint when they weren't in a proper location. And, no amount of fiddling with the BOSE EQ nor the tone controls on your amplification would correct that. The side wall seems of particular importance and if they are too close (say a foot or so away), they sound pretty lame. Once located: Smooth Midrange, Tight Bass and clear (not etchy) highs. I've had several pair of 901s over the last 30 years and still use them today.
You brought back some great memories when you mentioned Freid speakers. I started with the Q's, then got the R's. A friend bought the W's and eventually I got the M's. I still miss the M's which sounded like they had built in subwoofers (1977)! I love the way you are helping the entry level audiophiles. Great work!!!
When I worked at United Audio we used to say "Better sound through advertising"
I sold the odd 901`s in the early 80`s and hated them, in the UK they were about £900 with equalizer. Also sold awful Altec Lansing, KLH and Gale. The only US brands I liked then were Infinity, JBL and Acoustic Research.
@@xxxyyy9544 Back in the old days, you couldn't go wrong with JBLs if you listened to rock, pop and soul. That is, until Harman started attaching the name to cheap, crappy products.
@@timholstpetersen79 State in what way they are moronic and see if your arguments stand up to scrutiny.
@@timholstpetersen79 I'm a lowly normal person who got better quality speakers at a power price every time I decided not to buy Bose.
@@timholstpetersen79 Actually the 901s are very similar to the idiot and his silicone queen- Distorted science with plastic drivers. And a following of 'simple folk'... enjoy.
The first Bose speakers I ever heard was a friends 501s. We were in college and his dorm room had cinder block walls. He put on some electronic music and I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. They sounded that good. Speaker placement/room acoustics is critical, but in the right place in the right room, the Bose direct-reflecting line of speakers was fantastic.
Bose has a fantastic marketing department.
Its the only thing that they did well.
Hello Steve! I am 48 years old an I am an electronics technician for almost my entire life... I works abroad for almost 16 years...I love audio & I love audiophile! I knew audio companies secrets... The designs, the materials, the way they built... Some good & some sucks. It is proud to review when u hear it & u saw what is inside! Thank u Steve!
I had a pair of 902s for live concerts and loved them. They flew with me all over the world and worked for audiences of 25 to 2,000 beautifully. They had a case that closed up and could be put on a plane trip easily. Miss them!
How did you place the 901’s for the concerts? Where they placed backwards where the 8 speakers faced the audience? I have seen them used this way many times.
I own quite a few Bose speakers and I love every single one. I understand what’s out there and the differences, but they do exactly what I need them to do and they make me happy - all that matters to me anyway
And really that’s all that matters. No shame, you like what you like. IMO there shouldn’t be so much brand judgment!
nate grover well said
I agree this has always been and is a great sounding speaker. They certainly do justice to the Blue's and Rock music I've jammed to for 50+ years...
If you like em & they work well for you, nobody else's opinion matters.
In a room arranged for them they deliver a great experience. In a less optimal environment their delivery is more fragile than the standard design. Eyes shut almost anywhere in a room setup for Bose direct/reflecting it's easy to imagine the band, the orchestra on stage, or in the studio before you. Some of the best concerts I've been to were in seats where the sound wasn't perfect. Maybe they should start distributing "audiophile" memberships so people who really appreciate the experience get the best seats at average prices because they're better. (The seats and the attendees.)
The best thing about Bose is their marketing department.
sean seely The PA systems sound surprisingly good, but that’s about it
@@millmoormichael6630 I don't like their Soundbar approach and the tiny cubes in the latest revision of the AM ain't much better than what they had in 1987. Their Pro stuff is excellent if EQ'd properly. If not, then they can get nasty real quick. Same goes for their outdoor speakers (which I'm using indoors).
"You can't fool all the people all the time" - Steve Guttenberg. Bose cannot just survive by marketing alone so far and so long... Maybe you re missing something?
No, their marketing is just okay. Best thing about Bose is their noise-canceling headphones (for noise cancelling, not for music playback). And their Wave radio is still one of the finest table radios out there. Sounds very good, well made, and sports a well-thought-out user-friendly interface.
@@millmoormichael6630 Really? You must have used a different PA
I still have a pair of Bose 901 series 2 I bought used in 1978 (they have fabric surrounds that don’t deteriorate like later foam surrounds) and built a pair of Southwest Technical’s 250W Tigersaurus amps to drive them. I’ve had to rebuild the amps but the speakers and active equalizer still work well. It helps to replace the thick original grill cloth with thin fabric to improve the treble. My 901’s have suffered various utilities over the years, ceiling hung main speakers, outdoor party speakers and I even used them as subwoofers for my home theatre! Now that I’m retired I have a 10’ x 18’ sound room I took great pains to soundproof and have the Bose set up 4 feet from one end for classical music and nostalgic rock (eg. Iron Butterfly) They sound warm and spacious and if you sit in the “sweet spot” they image quite well. They’re not everyone’s cup of tea (I also have a tube driven setup for critical listening) but I like them!
Sometimes people just want to listen to music and not overthink it. That's why Bose do well. Pretty much every audiophile watching this vlog is not entirely happy with what they have now. That's the pleasure and pain of being an audiophile.
I love music, not overpriced junk. There is no pleasure in being economically defrauded.
Funny you should put it that way because I see the 901 as overpriced junk. There are MUCH better options for that price point. @@barney6888
As a former high end audio salesman “no highs, no lows, must be Bose”
FYI. I’m not talking about 901’s. They did through an interesting sound stage for 9 4 inch speakers. I’m just not a fan of anything else in the line including their headphones
We used to say the same, except adding "must be BLose! "
Well... Not quite true. Bose has alot of systems with good lows and highs but lacks the mids.
Depends the speakers/system you are looking at :P But regardless.. They ALL have a lack of freq response in some area.
I agree that Bose is a little over rated but their earbuds are very good
@@Andrew-cu3xd True.. But that's also the only thing they make I could consider buying IF there was not any better plugs and headsetts on the market than Bose for the same or lower price..
Rarely does pretension reach the heights anywhere else that it does with high end audio salesman.
I used an 802 PA system for years and absolutely loved it. It was great for small to mid sized venues and for solo, duo and band applications. Note that the drums were not mic ed in band situations.
Just a couple days ago, I re-foamed the drivers and fired up the system!
I also have a set of 901's which I bought new from "Audio Associates" when I was a teenager. That system came with a Harmon Kardon 930 receiver, which I also still own. :)
ditto. played in a club in NewOrleans 1978, with 802's and a bose board. vocals, sax, only thru PA. sounded great,clear and loud enough for a 5 piece band. fast forward to 2010 played in a 6 piece band with 2 ,bose PAS model II's.miced the entire band..loved them...also played thru PAS model II system with acoustic guitars,bass and 3 vox. monster sound....
I worked for both an independent audio company for over 10 years and Bose Corporation for about 8 years. I personally own a variety of speakers from PSB Stratus Silver bookshelves, Martin Logan Montage towers, PSB LSi in walls, MB Quarts to a Bose Lifestyle System with the Acoustimass Speakers. Most of my customers that purchased Bose speakers or systems like myself had other high to midline equipment in other rooms but wanted a system in their main living space that the family could easily use without calling to ask what input the CD player was in or how do I just listen to another source. The typical customer that ordered 901 speakers or purchased 301 or 201 speakers really enjoyed the sound that could be driven by a reasonable priced Sony, Onkyo or Denon receiver. I was able to articulate to audiophiles that Bose was not trying to replace your audiophile gear, it was a nice addition to music with simplicity in your life. The bass reproduced by their technology is representative of the natural acoustic instruments.
Bought my 901s in 1996, blown away by the spatial sound and enamored by the story of Amar Bose at MIT. I still love the sound but agree they have limits.
I have two pair of Bose 901, first series. I got them new and set them up in our rather large living room. (I read that Herbie Handcock did the same thing; good company.) They were powered with a Phase Linear 400 (in series), a Crown pre-amp, and a B&O 2002 turntable - pretty much vintage heaven. They were remarkable to the point that friends would bring over records to hear them on my system. We’ve moved and my equipment has been up-dated so they are in storage now, but they can still perform.
Thank you is set up properly they will sound awesome.
Over many, many years, I’ve ploughed a lot of time, energy, research, money, listening hours and experimentation into building a sound system which reproduces music the way I like to hear it. It doesn’t include any Bose equipment. However, in my bedroom I’m proud to have a Bose Wave player. It does exactly what Bose designed it to do, and it does it beautifully. Producing a room filling, full range, pleasing musical reproduction. Is it nutral? No, not really! But it papers over the cracks in substandard recordings, allowing me to enjoy music I would never entertain playing on the system in my normal listening environment! On my desk at work, sat either side of my work station I have a pair of Bose Companion active speakers, which, perform much like my bedroom set up, only with better stereo separation and a deceptively wide soundstage and I luv them! Bose are very good at making small units with a room filling and easy on the ear audio reproduction. Bose make the claim that when you adjust the volume, the only thing that changes is the volume, and this pretty much holds true. Which is why I found these products ideal for the bedroom or office!
Ditto for my Bose BT-III portable. It's heft, which may be a fishing weight glued to the chassis, at least feels substantial, it has been rock solid over the years in spite of a fair amount of physical abuse, and it actually sounds, well, listenable. Plus, it is made by our friends and neighbors to the south in Mexico, not the good folks that brought us Covid, the PR(C)C.
had a class in college on arts appreciation. they played Debussy's "Prelude de Faun", on a portable bose speaker, and just melted - and learned about impressionism. I still remember that moment, hearing what felt clear and light and beautiful in those hard school chairs.
To this day, i'll never forget being blown away by the sound of Bose 901's back in the early 90's. I've listened to, and owned many expensive systems since then, and i'll never forget hearing 901's at this audiophile's living room. At that time, I was helping my brother landscape, and I got into a conversation with the homeowner, who was into Hi-Fi. I was invited into his home, and he played music thru his 901's for about half an hour. I don't know how he had them setup, nor do I remember the electronics sources, but they were extremely pleasing to the ears!
I never owned the 901's, but I did have some Pioneer HPM 60's which I can relate to what you are saying, sure they would be frowned upon nowadays by audiophiles, but at the time, god I was in heaven. Think people forget, like if we hadn't had the experiences we have had with certain products in the past, we probably wouldn't have been so interested in audio these days. Really most audiophiles owe a lot to what may now seem not so great. Unless most are growing up in a household where their parents have £50000 speakers to start with. Certainly wasn't the case here, we had a all in one record player by Pye, and in the early 90's I remember the excitement at the black plastic system we got, also by Pye.😂 Thing would creak adjusting the volume, but it had a 3 band EQ, which didn't seem to do much but remember being in awe of the thing.😂
201s aren't that bad themselves!😊
Rose coloured lenses, I'm sure.
Love my 901’s. Driven by a McIntosh 2105 power amp.
It is all about matching the speakers to your amp to your room space. I have had a pair of Bose 601’s and after Yamaha, Nytech, Luxman amp’s, I am now amazed how good they sound with a Fisher 500B. Just mix and match to get the best out of them.
I once had a 20 watt Night kit tube amp with one 8 inch Utah driver in a home made cabinet using a design from Electronics Illustrated and one Fishers 12 inch store bought speaker. It sounded good to me but when I moved into a crappy house that had a living room that was wide and narrow it sounded great. This was in 1973 and I was in the USAF and therfore poor.
My dad cousin purchased for him While he was in the navy in 1968 He got my dad 4 of The 1st series of the bose 901, marrantz stereo, reel to reel, and a record player in Vietnam . I remember my dad playing that as loud as he can be for blocks on blocks he would have parties . I wish I still have that equipment or I wish it was given to me rest and peace Dad
I remember the 901s from college in the 70's. They were the goto speaker for parties - lots of bass and extremely efficient.
They were very popular with the audio nuts in my battalion in the early-mid 70's.
Do what..efficient...yeah right..lmao
Worked in an audio store as a tech during my college days in the early 80s and once fixed a Bose 301 speaker. Abysmal build quality--less than mid-fi.
I'd rather spend a thousand dollars on a pair of 901's than an after market power cord with imaginary super powers.
Love this - I consider myself an audiophile with sanity, as the late great Ed Koch would say. I doubt there is a hobby that has more total BS products associated with it. By the the way, anyone looking for some magic green maker pens to treat the edges of your CD’s 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I hope after all this time you've gotten over your ignorance of cabling.
Cables do matter
@@analogguy5548 Marker not maker. Additionally science proves it works.
@@carlosoliveira-rc2xt “Marker” 😁 - Would you be interested in a slightly used Tice TPT Clock 🤣🤣🤣🤣
I remember vividly, the first time I heard 901’s. I was In a band (1970’s) and we were playing on a university campus in a large metropolitan city. After a successful evening, we packed up the gear and were invited to our agents home for pizza and drinks. After taking the elevator up to his apartment, we were ushered into the living room, with a wall of windows looking out over the city. There was a sofa, two chairs, a coffee table and a pair of Bose 901’s and a stereo at the end wall. He put on a Stevie Wonder album, cranked it up and.....I thought I was in audio heaven. I remember hearing the drummers high hat, sounding like it was playing behind my right shoulder.....which up until that moment was impossible on ordinary front facing speakers. Loved Bose ever since. No I’m not an audiophile.......I just know what I like.
You like poop 💩 lol. Its not live its not memorex its paper thin tweeters you can now use to wipe your ass with. Because it's pooh pooh
@@briangraham9646 You're a funk n child.
@@briangraham9646 If it sounds good it sounds good man
@@amritjanardhanan I stand corrected yes to a wide range of people it is like candy to there ears. Mine are adjusted to a different sound. Though my music variety is large and like a bit of everything. 🎉😊
@@briangraham9646 ... I once met a guy just like you ... He had learned along the way to call Bose names like a 5th grader and thought it made him look smart. He bragged about how he was an "audiophile" and Bose just wasn't good enough, even though he had never owned a pair or heard a pair set up and powered properly. He was so proud to show me his expensive system and had me sit in this perfect sweet spot necessary for the "full experience" ... He then proceeded to play MP3s over Bluetooth 😳😳😳🤦♂️🤦🏽♂️🤦🏾♂️.
I was blessed to have my 901’s turned on today during flood recovery work. Any task is so much better hearing the sweet sound of the music you love:). I’ve had 901’s since the 80’s’. :)
When I was a kid in the mid-to-late 70s with some entry-level Technics gear (and proud of it), BOSE was something to aspire to. But like so many other good things, they became a “brand” instead of a quality product.
Just like Apple ;n;
rip jobs
fak off tim cook
Bose portable bluetooth speakers are definitely top grade in their own category, at very least in the size to sound ratio. I’ve been using the first Soundlink Mini and from the first moment I heard it I could not believe how much bass and volume it produced, currently I also have added Soundlink Micro and it is a really great little thing I use around house and hikes or tiny hangouts. Really wish they would update the Soundlink Mini again;
As a young record store employee back in the 60s I made quite a few friends with some slightly older young adults with their own places and systems. I would spend quite a bit of time listening to their equipment with my records. One of my closest friends had Bose equipment with Dynakits that they put together themselves. He built a base cabinet too and they had all Herman Miller furniture it was quite the experience and gave me quite the ear for better equipment and cool place to hang out.
I first heard them at Finders Records in Findlay OH. The striking thing was the ability to fill the room. I was so impressed after hoarding a few paychecks I went to the store across the street and bought a pair of Series Two along with a Phase Linear amp and preamp, later to be replaced with a Carver/McIntosh combination. After about ten years I replaced them with the Series IV with the Bose receiver with the cool touch sensitive logo for a power button. For me the most annoying thing with most stereos is being limited to a chair in a sweet spot between the speakers so you can hear the imaging or even just the information from both channels. With the 901’s, the soundstage envelopes the whole house. If you give them some power you can hear everything in every room in the house, upstairs or in the basement. Amazingly useful if you do laundry or cook or go to the bathroom. Especially useful parties where they can even be fairly loud but in most areas, since you’re not in the direct blast of the speaker you can have conversations easily. Of course if you’re in a band you can even pack them up and use them for a PA and the power handling ability is obscene, about 270 watts per speaker and no tweeters to blow. Overall I had them for about 25 years and only sold them out of financial hardship. Right now if I had the square footage, I’d get another pair. Now I’ve downsized to a Sony receiver and a pair of BS22’s.
If one doesn't care about imaging on can turn any speaker to face the side walls. Additionally Bipolar speakers like the Mirage M1s fill the room and no matter where you sat, they still had imaging and clarity and emotion and good real low frequencies. There was never a good excuse to like Bose 901s unless one didn't really like music.
I love the Bose Companion 20s pc speakers. I bought another brand and even though I really like the other brand, I keep coming back to the Bose. Also purchased a Bose Wave Soundtouch IV Music System for Christmas this year, and I love it. Sound quality is good and the way they reproduce the sound through the speakers, their wave length technology works in this unit.
I know people with Bose, who never listen to music. I know people who have high end stuff who never listen as well. It's high end furniture. I also know people who are music mad, and they'll listen on a phonograph. The world is inexplicable.👍👍👍
Wait, what's wrong with a record player?
I knew a successful musician whose home 'system' was a RadioShack all in one that he'd take on the road. Very few musicians are audiophiles.
@@rhwinner I'd agree and add that the work of the recording engineers often makes the audio better than the original instruments. Fender Strats, for example, hum. Some hum like crazy.
How very odd, and also revealing! I'm glad you commented on this topic, Steven Homan. For a very long time I had the opinion, that I believed was close to fact, that wealthy audiophiles were mostly fanatics, and finicky about what, and how they heard music. However, I suppose there are a few, very rare music fans, audiophiles who have bought very expensive hi fi components, as well. Actually, there is a fellow on UA-cam that had a Rega Planar 1, and now has, and has demonstrated his Rega Planar 8! That's right, a Rega P8, it is a very expensive turntable; in my opinion, anyway. He appears to be middle class.
@@georgeanastasopoulos5865 if you have put together a system that is clean & gives you goose bumps when you fire it up then you have succeeded.
You have no need to satisfy others. Peace in music bro!
(& the obvious)!
I had my first set used in 1975 in san diego. My friend in nj is still using them today. They were power hungry. I hung mine in the corners. Fantastic live sound
When I graduated college I purchased my Bose 901 ser II - ab out $950 (still have the receipt). I have loved them over the years but for the past few decades they had been mothballed - you need a nice space to play them in. Recently we have re-hung them in a nice high ceilinged room and am remembering why I bought them and am enjoying them. As a lapsed audiophile, cannot compare to today's latest and greatest but considering they are sounding good 48 years down the road, really cannot complain.
Years ago, when I was a teen my older brother had a pair of Dynaco A-25s that he sold me for $50 when he bought a pair of 901s. Even then I could tell that if you didn't have the right room for them, they were going to be compromised. (He didn't).
Fast forward to today, I still have the Dynaco's (which are still great little speakers) and I have a Bose Companion 3 Series II (cubes and a sub) that I got for free mated up with them on the output channel of my Onkyo amp. They help augment the highs and lows that the A-25s roll off. They have their own independent volume control so I can fine tune it depending on what I listen to. I built a nice pair of hardwood speaker stands for the A-25s so the tweeters are at ear level, and the cubes are on top and at 45' angles facing in for good sound separation.
I'm not am audiophile, and I don't listen to stuff loud enough to bother my neighbors across the street, so when I listen to Love Over Gold with a glass of Red Breast whiskey on a Saturday night, it's all good.
I'm going to update this post: The little Bose Companions are now my computer speakers off in the office; which I believe this was their original intent with these speakers, and they're fine in that roll. In their place out on the main system are a pair of Polk RTi28's for my rear channel speakers and a Yamaha subwoofer. Much much better solution. Especially since the Onkyo lets me tune tune and sync them together through their MMAC EQ and speaker timing system. :)
My recollection of the introduction and auditioning of the original 901's is that they were exceptionally power hungry to get good sound out of them. In fact, I think that phenomenon spawned Bob Carver and the Phase Linear 700 & 1000. And, truthfully, the combo of the 901's (in the right environment) powered by the a Phase Linear 1000 could be pretty awesome...not because they were louder...but because the details seemed to come forth. I'm a classical listener (some folk back then, some original cast broadway music...but mostly classical). Much of this happened while I was getting my MBA. After that I went to work for Hewlett-Packard (when they were still an instrument company nobody had ever heard of) in Loveland, Colorado. In the lab was an amiable young engineer who had just come there from MIT. While at MIT he studied with and did lab work for Dr. Amar Bose. As part of that legacy, he had original (pre-manufacturing) final plans for what became the 901. He and a group of audiophiles in the HP lab came up with sourcing for all the components required to make those speakers...and many did...including the little set-top box that shaped the sound for the speakers. This was very serious stuff and they used a lot of HP Sources & Analyzer instruments to test their outcome. The Bose of today is really Bose in name only and the innovation of Dr. Bose has long-since departed. But it was fun while it lasted.
I bought my first bose speakers, 901 series IV in 1979. I was stationed overseas at the time and it took me a better part of a month to make up my mind of which speaker to choose. I'd visit the audio room about 2 or 3 times a week just to listen to the different speakers on display. The Air Force Exchange Store had the top major popular brands on hand to be sampled. Personally, I loved the 901 speakers. For my ears it was perfect. There's a lot of trashers out there and I can understand it. You're entitled to your own opinion, freedom of choice. Everyone has their own taste in different things like in food, clothing and even sound. I don't pretend to be an expert on the perfect sound from any speaker, but my ears enjoy the sound from the bose 901. To the bose engineers who spent years of research just to make a good speaker, I salute you. Thanks for your product. It gave me many years of listening pleasure.
Back in the 70’s I drooled over 901’s at the local stereo shop. They had a spatial sound no other speaker could match.
My father bought a pair of 901s when they came out. Drove all the way from Montana to Minneapolis to get them. The equalizer was a pain. But the sound did fill the room. It wasn't until Dolby surround 5.1 that you could get the same effect.
By the time I was old enough to afford high end audio equipment, my hearing had suffered the normal age-related deterioration that rendered the expense pointless. Youngsters with perfect hearing generally have neither the money nor the musical appreciation to go for anything other than mp3. And of course, in their world, they are right. Some of my favourite musical expriences have been mono at 45rpm with the sound of frying chips before the first note.
Someday people will be raving about emotional tonality that only 64 kbps mp3 can provide.
Nonsense.
That is just the treble.
There is vast detail in albums that is below 9000hz.
Room echo, soundstage, instrument tonal accuracy - I can hear that at 60 with hearing to 12k.
The sound of the frying chips is just as important as the song.
"...with the sound of frying chips before the first note."
Thank you! This makes my day! 🙂
I had the 501s with a Sansui 7 and Pioneer Pl12D turntable & was thrilled with them .
Now at 70 , I have Sansui 771 with B&W 602series2 speakers and an old Benjamin Miracord Elac turntable and I'm still happy .
I saw the Bee Gees live in 1976 at the Grand Old Opry house in Nashville. They were using Bose 802's which basically are 901's without the fancy wood finish for their FOH system. They had about 20 of them on each side of the stage stacked on subwoofers and to this day it's one of the best sounding concerts I have ever heard. Their "Here at Last" live album was recorded on the same tour and is widely considered to be one of the best sounding live albums of it's era. I wouldn't go near a Bose speaker today but I can't deny that they sounded amazing in that application. I believe the multi driver side of the 802's are designed to be forward facing.
I once saw Boz Scaggs back when he released Silk Degrees, play at the Oakland Auditorium. Mid 1970's ish) Generally that was the place to see a symphony because it was built for sound. This particular concert was done with only 2 speakers for vocals. Bose 901's. All of the vocals ran through those. The power amp was a McIntosh 2100. It was one of the first times I was impressed by the amount of clean audio emanating from such a small package. Sort of cool. Now days nothing surprises me. I have a pair of wired Shure earbuds that are astonishing. But the Bose 901's were and still are usable speakers. They need sufficient power though. Otherwise they do not deliver enough movement to the air. The designers I think just stumbled onto that design.
they were more likely the professional 802 model.. and my 901 manual said 10 watt minimum which i would agree with. the 901 WAS efficient.. and NO the physicist Amar Bose definitely did NOT just stumble onto anything.. geez man get it correct
I have a pair of 901s in my 'mancave' (where all of my instruments and my good stereo is) atop a pair of Klipsch Bellas, with a Technics SL-B350 and a Sansui G7500. They sound absolutely fantastic. I have studio monitors if I want to hear every glottal stop and string squeak, for just drinking beer and listening to music in between jams they're perfect. I'm probably not what you'd refer to as an audiophile, but I know good equipment.
And large quantities of beer, I am certain.
@@machtschnell7452 You calling him drunk to help your ignorant ass sleep at night, I'm guessing? No, I am certain. You make zero haste to grow a brain, that's for sure. True reason no real person can stand shit-headed "audio snobs" like you - you make intelligent ones look bad, then again they're not quite snobs.
@@machtschnell7452 Gotta love the sheer "self re-assurance" some of these audiophiles try and do. You just see it in their writing - that's obvious. Sorry, "I am certain."
Fell in love with 901’s in 1973 while in college in Boston. Use to go to Cramer Electronics on Boylston St to listen as they were hung from the ceiling. Loved the spacial “surround” sound! Got my series I’s used for $350 in 1975 and still have them today all be them in my basement facing the “wrong” way - playing in shop. Have graduated to a way more serious setup in my main listening room. Now I let the electronics handle the surround sound. :)
I think Bose for many opened the door into the audiophile world. I was a kid interested in audio was drew in further by Bose. After it peaked my interest, I listened to other high end equipment and my interest into the audiophile world was greatly increased.
I’m not made of a bunch of 💰... but, I do love “audiophile” interests, jargon and so on. Apparently, my grandfather was a bit of audiophile for his time. He had speakers out the ying yang!! Old Sansui’s with front & UPFIRING tweeters, reel to reel, a CD player (he passed away in 1987) and a bunch of other interesting shit I’m sure we didn’t ever get back a hold of (My family and I didn’t receive any of these until my grandfather’s second wife was passing away). When we got this cache, the pair that stuck out and visually appealed to me the most as a teenager was the Bose 901s. I still have them today. Series IV. Replaced the rotted foam surrounds. Had the equalizer cleaned, repaired and even upgraded electronically. Need a beast of amp though. They are in storage now. The thing is, they were my grandfather’s. Despite the fact they are not the best loudspeaker by any means... they have character and they’re FAR better than audio out of the television. I have Klipsch speakers and a Denon AVR running 5.2.4 upstairs thanks to what these speakers started lol. I have no disillusionment about what the Bose 901s actually are. However, I want them in a setup and they’re awesome conversation pieces. I have also recovered the grills with a purple tweed cloth and intend to put them on custom made stands (by me) and also at a more appropriate height for the room. Audio should be and is fun! Just enjoy, right?!?!?
I purchased a pair of Bose 901 Continentals in the early 1970s. At the time I was a young, married man in my early 20s with 2 babies. My wife was very upset when I came home with the 901s and a pair of the chrome tulip stands. You were right. At around $900 that was a butt load of money in the '70s. Probably equivalent to $5,000 today. I powered them with a Pioneer SX 1010 receiver. Everyone who came to our house and heard them were amazed.....and I was very pleased with my decision. My wife even learned to take pride in them. Then in the early 1990s her brother bought a pair of Ohm F2s and I was crushed. The Ohms were simply amazing. Absolutely no comparison. By 1995 I boxed the 901s and stored them on a shelf in the basement.
While cleaning the basement 2 years ago I came across them and decided to get rid of them. I advertised them on EBay for $300 and they sold immediately, even though I disclosed in the description that the foam speaker surrounds were rotted away on all 18 drivers, there were stains on the tops of both speakers and the chrome stands were pitted with oxidation. The Bose equalizer was the only thing that looked and worked perfectly.
The eBay buyer, a collector of vintage audio equipment, bought them and even volunteered to pay the shipping from Ohio to Arizona. So my Bose experience didn't end up leaving a bad in my mouth. I would have never guessed those old dust collectors would have been worth anything after 45 years of ownership and 20 years sitting on a shelf in the basement.
About 10 years ago a friend of mine who had bought a pair of 901s around the same time I did, in the '70s, sent them to Bose to be re-foamed. They called him after receiving them and offered to send him a new pair of the current version for the price they were charging him to re-foam his drivers! He took them up on the offer and is still listening to them. They are being driven by a 40+ year old Marantz receiver whose display has gone dark and a couple of switches are missing, but to these old ears they don't sound bad. IMO Bose is a stand up company. They may not produce audiophile quality speakers but they take care of their customers.
Yes. The Ohm concept was amazing. As for 're-foaming,' I installed new surrounds in my JBL subwoofer (Lincoln Towncar) and a pair of AR28's. The AR's were also stripped of their vinyl covering and the high density 'wood' sanded and refinished into a Piano Black. My next job is refoaming an old pair of Dahlquists. My current speakers are Quart S Reference Series Towers . . .
I have to agree...they did have THE BEST Customer Service and support. They took my 901 Lifestyles System back without any issues.
@absoftitanium really good long-lasting foam technology was not around in the 1970s. I owned quite a few JBL professional drivers which were really 'cost-No-Object' drivers and all the foam surrounds rotted away on those as well. The replacement surrounds from JBL were constructed of a different type of foam which was not available when the originals were made
I've never owned the 901, but I owned a lot of PA systems and performed in nightclubs a lot. When I setup a pair of 801 PA speakers (like aiming the 901 back 8 speakers towards the audience) in small nightclubs where I needed a big sound at a low volume, I couldn't believe how smoothly they filled the room without blasting the people sitting very close to the stage or dancers right in front of the speakers. If you needed a lot of volume (these were the days when 100-250 watts was a huge amp) they weren't efficient enough to use - but for dinner/night clubs they were terrific!
In 1973 I was at a after school party and he just bought the 901’s. Four of them as he had a marantz quadraphonic receiver with 100 watts per channel. A semi dark room, pizza and Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Wall. We were kids and did not know any better. But I remember it sounded really cool. Not much bass though. When the virus issue is over and safe for get togethers we are doing this listen in again as he bought big mag spam speakers with subwoofers. Cannot wait to hear this! I’m just a regular working man so I have no fancy electronics. But I could afford on Bowers & Wilkins bookshelf speakers with subwoofer and I liked how the sounded to my ears. Love all kinds of music but just discovered Rammstein and Nightwish. Keep up the great work, Steve! You remind me of Julian Hirsch from back in the day.
I heard Bose 901s in the early 70s when I was just beginning to explore HiFi equipment. To a novice they sounded good. But I also heard the JBL Paragon system soon thereafter and forgot about the Bose. I had decided that I had to get the best JBL speakers I could someday afford and about 4 years later I bought the L100A speakers. They're still going strong 46 years later. I've learned a lot about sound and speakers over the years and the L100As aren't my main speakers anymore. I'm not a snob but I know what I like and none of the Bose speakers could deliver it for me.
First of all, I am the outlier of the audiofile industry because I like some Bose products. Especially the 901s. When I found out that the 1st & 2nd series of Bose uses Silicone & Cloth surrounds, I thought that was genius & the way to go. Using foam surrounds is classic thinking of an improvement of a product that wasn't an improvement. (going from that to petroleum foam). The cloth/silicone will never rot out.
So I have a mid-life crisis in the late 90s remembering my youth with all those rich kids who could afford them. I wanted a set of Series 2 model which I did accomplish for
That's a well thought out bit of commentry. I'll admit now that I've never been a Bose fan. I have heard a pair of the early version and with the EQ switched out and they sounded very thin, - like a radio with a small speaker. They sounded much better with the EQ back in but I still wasn't impressed. Hi-FI choice in the UK did a listening and lab test on a pair many years ago and they were surprised how much distortion the lab test showed up, - even more than almost any budget hi-fi speaker. I agree with you that speakers should ideally have a flat response rather than 'sounds nice' response. My own speakers are very flat and that's the only type of response I'm happy with. I used to work with Pete Thomas at the BBC (he founded PMC speakers) and he has often said that simply low distortion in all respects, but particularly harmonic distortion, should be a major aim in the design of any high end speaker. It almost sounds old fashioned to talk about these days but many forget that speakers introduce far more distortion into the audio chain than anything else. The ideal speaker should sound as if it's not there at all in terms of any modification to the sound in relation to the signal being fed to it.
You nailed it on the 901’s. You’ve got the same issues with them that I’ve had. And the same strengths. Speaker placement is absolutely crucial when using 901’s.
I used to sell the pro-audio version of the 901. Can't remember what it was called, but for live performance in the disco era of the very late 70s, we sold a ton of 'em to local bands. They were mounted on big stands that lifted them up to about 8' high. We paired them typically with Tapco amps and mixers. That was the best combination we found. Amazingly clean and clear reproduction of vocals even at high SPL.
They were the Bose 802 speakers. I used them extensively when I played music for a living. -Great, portable sound systems! I have the matching power mixer and just a few days ago "re-foamed" the speakers and fired up the amp.
I used to really like my 301s. I had a pair of series 2 and later a pair of 3s, as I could not afford 901s, or even the in-between. I thought that they sounded good, especially when I used a subwoofer, until I found a pair of small Grundig bookshelf speakers at a Savers for $20. I felt like I hit the lottery that day, after hooking those up. The clarity, definition, and soundstage cured me of my Bose problem. We can get so used things sounding a certain way, that we don't even realize it. Funny story as a side note, a friend purchased a pair of 901 series 3s, forgot that he had to push the tape monitor button to put the eq in the loop(there was no other way to install it with his receiver) , and he was wondering why it sounded so crappy. I pushed the button and laughed when I saw his face.
I bought my 901’s in October 1982. Still work and sound fantastic.
I got a pair in 1986. Still have them and still love them. Just hope the receiver I have never dies or I'm doomed.
I purchased my first pair in 1996, I added an additional pair in 1999, I swear by them, I run them through a Yamaha DSP A1
Just sold my 901 Series 1, lots of interest in them
I'm a typical audio-visual enthusiast, and I love bose.
I bought 901's in 1977 , series 2, as a teenager. they were my pride and joy. My friends loved them, I powered them with two Carver M400 amps and could literally dim the lights in the house. I do remember having to push the limits on the preamp settings to boost high's and lows but those were fun days!
I’m no audiophile but I love Bose. I have their surround sound and it’s amazing. I also have their Soundlink 2 and sport earbuds and love them both. I was always confused when complaints are made against their use. I’m a 10 yr user now and so far have never been disappointed.
The sound link is an absolutely amazing speaker.
Back in '97, I saved up and bought a 901 Lifestyles system. This was the receiver/CD changer w/ 901 speakers. That system was STUPID expensive for a 20 year old kid making $10.00 per hour right outta school, but per the BOSE sales department, was going to forever change my perception of Hi-Fidelity. I went to my local Bose dealer, went into the Bose trailer (remember seeing those back in the day at your local Circuit City) for the demo and yeah, it sounded really, really good. I plopped down my very hard earned money, loaded the system into my car, and went home...
I spent about 2 hours setting everything up exactly as Bose had instructed in their manual...proper placement of the speakers...the whole 9 yards. loaded the CD magazine, plopped down in my carefully placed easy chair and hit PLAY...the first disk started and...Wait, What the &$%#...where's the mid-range??? It sounded like Bullfrogs and Crickets. I went through everything over and over to make sure it was all hooked up and setup up right, still nothing.
I called my local dealer where I bought the system and explained the issue. I still remember it to this day, he goes, "Do you have carpet in that room...How about a large window on one wall?" I responded, "Yes, it's a living room," and he tells me "go ahead and pack it all up and bring it back because it's not going to perform as it did in the Demo if you have it setup in a room with deep pile carpet and a large window"... Why the BLEEP didn't they mention any of this when I was buying the system??? Also, the manual didn't say anything about that.
Needless to say, I ended up buying a Technics Rack system, the upper end one with a nice micro processor controlled Turntable, DSP unit, top end Single Cassette deck and the really, really nice single disk player and BIG speakers for the same amount I paid for that little Bose system. I had that thing for about 20 years and it sounded FANTASTIC...Even when I bought higher end gear, I still kept that Technics rack system around...just got rid of it about a year or so ago.
Yeah, not a Bose fan at all :-(
Great explanation, thanks.
901 is a failed experiment compared to the klipschorn which came around around 1950 and still the standard today. Unlimited power handling and more sensitive than you can imagine. Concert level with 15 wsttd
Wow you were lucky back then to have a dealer so willing to let you return everything.
@@charlesmcgehee3227 Circuit City back in the 90's was AWESOME. They had a Satisfaction Guaranty PLUS a price matching policy. I liked them a lot back in the 90's...
James Barrick did you just mention Klipschcorns? Have you ever priced those. They are not even close to the price range of the 901s. Compare the Hersey if anything.
I had Bose 802''s for stage speakers. Super clear, good projection and so easy to transport. Loved them but still needed my two W-bin subs.
I am not personally a Bose home speaker fan, and have never owned them, but to dismiss them as hype totally misses the point of their products.
Bose long term success in home speakers has been based upon there focus on how people perceive sound, (psychoacoustics), and a focus on creating lifestyle products that fit into peoples homes, that did not require a dedicated listening rooms (or a single sweet spot listening position).
Bose was the first to popularize 2.1 and 5.1 channel sub/sat systems (starting with the AM-5 in abt 1987) and lead in establishing the premium "lifestyle" products category that now dominates the home speaker market. For every critical listener who is wowed by state of the art audiophile designs, there are probably 10 average Joes who are more impressed that you can seem to get all of that bass out of tiny satellite speakers that fit well in your living room, and that you can hear both channels of sound anywhere in the room, not just dead center.
Lifestyle products (smart speakers, Bluetooth, soundbars, etc). now dominate the home speaker market based on fitting customers desires rather than ultimate fidelity. Bose was well ahead of this curve.
wrong they are hype! there is no subjective objective conversation...they just do not sound good unless you follow their instructions to turn bass treble and volume up all the way!!!!!!!!! And they still do not sound good!
If you want to own Bose fine and Have a TV over a fireplace fine...but I think those that do that are stupid. If I walk into a party(do you remember that folks Covid 19 etc>) And I hear Bose speakers and see a baseball game even if I love baseball playing on a TV above a fireplace I leave because these people are obviously morons. There I said it.... that's what I really think.....put the TV in another room surround the fireplace with nice speakers lay back and dig the day if you have taste and actually read books!
@@carlfuggiasco7495 You must toss and turn at night
This is pretty much the nail on the heads in many respects, and to achieve the level of sound they do consistently without fail - literally, their products are built to last decades, and rarely ever fail or break down - takes massive amounts of engineering, R&D and product testing. To piggy-back on this Bose has released a video, several in fact over the years describing and detailing their sheer insane amount of abuse they put their drivers through before hitting final products. 7 years, they put their drivers through. The first drivers you saw used long-term were in fact being tested WAY before they hit store shelves.
They use "paper" - it's very high quality construct similar to Peerless, not the same level on all levels, but Peerless uses the same material design principles. They (Bose) use high density treated foam surrounds for *dampening* factors - NOT cost "savings." They build their own amps, drivers and boxes ALL in house, by their own workers in Mexico and the US in their own, wholly owned factories and, above all? They kick the shit out of every other company when it comes to customer service. Giving me, and others I know for example and brand new one year warranty on an eBay system that was defective an paid for shipping to have it refurbished in one fell swoop? *THAT COSTS MONEY* - The fuse just needed to be replaced, but they went it and gave it a full cleaning.
It's insane. They do NOT have a competitor in that field, full stop. To many, that's priceless. To me, that's almost uncanny. Their particle board, btw, isn't CHEAP - It's not particle board I the typical sense either, but resin impregnated and of a composite type material - even says so on their spec sheets where they DO post frequency response graphs, numbers, and the like for their professional products - the FreeSpace 3, for example - which is literally an acoustimass 3/5 - they don't hide numbers, they just don't bother the consumer who's already getting a high-quality system with what competing company's lie about already; numbers. So many systems don't hit what they claim, and numbers don't mean sound quality, at all. a $20 system can claim FR to 30Hz - 22Khz, doesn't mean it'll sound any better than a tin can.
Anyways. Marketing isn't their game, it's a byproduct of a good product. Plain and simple. (btw every company worth their salt has a quality marketing department to get their name out, in some ways... not marketing like Bose is competing company X or Z's spin on it, in a simplified sense).
Boom.
Excellent comment. I just left a somewhat similar comment but yours is much mire eloquently stated. Bose is a great average homeowner “lifestyle” brand. They are reliable, easy to operate, and well built. It’s only the audiophiles that bash it. I’m too young to know, but maybe Bose actually did market themselves as a high end audiophile brand in the past and that’s why people still have a bad taste in their mouth. That’s not what they market themselves as now. But what they do now is perfectly fine for average home owner in need of basic audio equipment for their living room, kitchen, outdoor patio, Bluetooth, etc. they’re great for that stuff in my opinion. I wouldn’t buy Bose for a high end audiophile dedicated vinyl room setup. Yet those are the guys that seem to have negative things to say funnily enough.
Early on, they sounded better than most of the competition. I preferred acoustic suspension AR-3/AR-11.
First heard them as a teenager at a friend's house. Blew me away and I love the look. Not an audiophile, so not hugely choosy. Had Klipsch Heresy's for many years with a Macintosh 2505 and got used to that sound. Then went without a good system for almost 15 years. Now putting together a system for my 1960 Mid-Century Modern home. Went back to my youth, so found a pair of Bose Series V 901's with their equalizer. I replaced the foam and plugged them in to my friend's Hafler P230 and played some CD's on a very simple cd player. Sounds great. Now it's time to find a vintage 1070's receiver with at least 150W per channel and a great turntable to finish the system. Simple, not too expensive, but good, clean sound!
You need to find a period component system that used vacuum tubes, reel to reel tapes and folded horn speakers.
I still use a pair of Bose 6.2's for my home theater L & R overhead front speakers.
They have such a warm full sound that helps to immerse you completely in whatever you're watching.
I bought a pair of 901's twenty years ago...and was never really satisfied with them. They just ...sat around. I moved to a new house, and they came with me. I set them up again...ho hum...again. So, they sat in my woodshop for 15 years...not hooked up...sat there in shame. Finally last month, I felt guilty... set them up again in a different room. Wow..big difference. Added a sub to it.. wow again...now it was cooking. I think the main problem with the 901's is room placement. Most folks are probably like me...they set them up the way it seems they should be like other systems. Ummm...no. Once you get the right room, and the right placement...they sparkle...truly sparkle. Next up is a few super tweeters...but right now... by having a sub and taking the strain off of the 901's to create bass...they have come into their own. Btw... after 15 years of being ignored...in high humidity and sawdust environment... not a single thing wrong with them...not a single speaker has shown any wear and tear. They hold up.
YES!!!!, I've been preaching my head off for years with this addition (adding a subwoofer) also you must have the right matching equalizer and proper space behind the speaker to hear its reflective qualities. Once, you pull or put this together with the right equalization (cut-frequencies) for each component they'll sound pretty amazing...I think the thing that turned so many off from Bose originally was price, meaning back in the day paying up to or over $1000.00 for a set of speakers was considered as wasteful, while still needing extra components was foolish.
I have a pair of series VI 901s and recently added a sub. You’re spot on about room placement; even the material of the wall behind them plays a role
I been running the same pair of 901's since 1986 or so. New drivers in the 90's... warranty... and I purchased a Green Dot EQ recently to update it. I use a EQ AFTER the BOSE EQ to tweak the sound. A good quality EQ will add gain these speakers sorely need to reproduce music of these times. Believe me when ya get them dialed in with a HUGE amp and EQ the shiznit out of them ya need no subwoofer or tweeters. Get a good pro level EQ and have some fun adjusting them to their peak. 901's can handle a tremendous amount of power BUT the design begins to falter at a certain point in the low frequency's. The PORTING could use some help LOL..... Them little ports they dont seem to help much in regards to extreme low frequency reproduction. BUT to a certain degree..... sounds like an ORCHESTRA in my parlor here.... everywhere I have lived. Love my BOSE 901's.
I have a pair of BOSE 901 vi. I LOVE IT. (I do own other Audiophile gears... B&W, Magnepan, Klipsch, ProAC).
You have to kindda set it up right, but it sounds good.
I like the XOVER-less design.
The EQ box was as bad as a crossover. Listen carefully compared to the Magnepans.
The first time I heard the Bose 901s was at a party in like 1976. I was 16, and my "hi-fi" reference standard loudspeakers were homemade bookshelf "Frankensteins", made with parts and drivers scavenged from my parents' dying Grundig console. Admittedly, the party libations may have contributed, but I thought I was hearing angels from above, listening to those 901s. Hard rock'n, Steve Marriott angels. They made quite the impression.
Now I'm sure many, if not all, of the negative comments from the Bose/901 detractors have some basis in truth, but listening to those speakers that night changed my idea of what was sonically possible. I don't own the 901s, never did, but I still smile whenever I see them. I would be proud to have a set in my listening room, next to my La Scalas.
I was in the Navy in the mid '70s and had friends that owned 901 series 2 and I wasn't that impressed but when the Series 3s came out they rocked my world. They sounded fantastic and when setup right the whole wall behind them came alive with music. The bass was fantastic, about the best I'd ever heard (because of the multiple small drivers) as each fundamental tone was clear and distinct instead of the thump you got out of most woofers. I loved them but moved a few times and couldn't always get them setup in the room for the best sound so was disappointed. In the end I planned to bi-amp my system and only use the 901s for subwoofers but never got all that together.
One of the things that really made a difference is that the 901 Series 3 (and up) were almost totally transparent with no coloration. Most other popular speakers at that time like the JBL and AR and others had their own "sound" that was colored to what their fans liked. JBL and Altec were the aggressive "West Coast Sound" and AR and Bose were the more natural "East Coast".
Flash back, 1970, tiny college dorm room, Led Zeppelin II, AR turntable, 901s suspended from the ceiling, everone had hair like Steve and music was the social media. Ramble On
I was still in Diapers
@@rajugsw The ironic thing is, if you live long enough, you'll be in diapers again. Not as soon as some of us, but, well, there it is.
@@homerjones3291 I'll be 50 this year. Why is it every time I have a big meal, I have to shit within a half hour...LOL !
They were groundbreaking for me and my buddies. Chicago's CTA album? For a teenager? World changing.
Stephen Grass I'm not from Chicago, but I've been living in this awesome city for almost five years now. What is this Chicago CTA album you mention?
I was at a goodwill in orange, va and found a set of Bose 901s. A bit torn up, but you can’t beat 20 bucks for both.
Did they come w/ the eq box too?
@@JMCrookston hey, they didn’t unfortunately. They sound good, just added them to my home stereo system.
Also, if u are wondering about my stereo set up, the stereo is a Sansui 4000, with a Bang and Olufsen Beogram TX record player, and a Nakamichi LX-5 cassette player. Pretty cool setup. My speakers (besides the Bose 901s) are a set of Bose 301 Series IIs, two NHT SuperZero 2.0s, and a huge Sansui 7-way speaker, with a 15” driver ( I use that as my subwoofer).
@@jefflaughary4038 I got the series IV. But dang, you have an incredibly strong opinion.
@@jefflaughary4038 I don't know what version I have but I agree. I absolutely have to have that box on. I mean, that is part of the whole package. @Lee Murray you should see if you can grab a box somewhere. So much better.
I have a pair of 1977 bose model 501 direct/reflecting speakers. Absolutely love them. They sound way better then most name brand speakers. Just love the hell out of them
In the late 80’s to mid 90’s I was a DJ. we played in local clubs, high school gyms or cafeterias, 4-H club buildings, skating rinks etc. We were playing one time and we had Cerwin Vega 18” Earthquake subs, and the highs were handled by a pair of Cerwin Vega V35’s with a 15” woofer, a 12”horn mid range, and two super tweeters. Well one night one of the V35’s went out and I thought we would have to shut down because of the equipment issue. A friend of one of the guys in our group, told us he had a speaker in his trunk we could try out if we wanted to. Turns out he had found a Bose 901 speaker, sitting at the end of someone’s driveway for trash collection and he stopped and picked it up. He didn’t even know if it worked or not. So he brought it in, and we sat it on top of the 18” Earthquake bass bin and hooked the speaker wires from a Peavy 800 amp to it. That thing was awesome. Not only did it play the rest of the evening, you couldn’t even tell the original 15” Cerwin Vega with the 12” horn and two super tweeters wasn’t playing. But that side of the venue had better sound than the side with both Vegas playing. I was totally impressed with the sound (without the Bose EQ ) and the power handling of that old Peavy 800 amp.
Maybe you have the answer, "that's where it all started", you said. I have a restored pair of 901's and there's a nostalgic feeling of having them, kinda like owning a vintage Rolls Royce.
I own a pair of bose 901 IV combined with NAD C320BEE. They are placed in a large space and they fill the room like none other speakers I tried.
I honestly think they sound great! I don't love the idea of the equalizer affecting the sound but they have rich bass, I can feel them in my gut much more than some 3 ways speakers I tried. They have very precise on hights as well as clear voice. For instance, listening Money by the Floyds, Lady Writer by D.S or some Blues tracks I genuinely think they do a very good job.
I'd like to go for a new, more modern HI-FI project (maybe Sonus Faber + Naim electronics) but definitely not because I think they don't do a good job.
What do you kind about Bang Olufsen? I often see/hear criticizing about Bose and not about B&O but I think they do some similar things.
Love your channel BTW, thanks for the contents!!
I bought mine in 1978 and they still sound good (had to do a refoam job on them) still today. I hung mine it made them safe from people setting drinks or knocking them over when I had company. Some liked them and went and bought a pair to own. Another bought 2 pairs and set them up in their bar .
In the mid 70s I was in college and bought a set of 301s . At the time, one of my roommate's dad was an exec at Bose and so my roommate had a set of 901s. My other roommate has a set of Jubal L65s ( I would have liked a set of those but they were out of my price range). I still have the 301s (refoamed) and actually bought a second pair at a thrift store and also bought a set of 501s at a garage sale. A friend commented that the highs were no good. After running a frequency generator app on my phone, I realized I don't hear anything about about 8000 Hz anymore(probably the result of a particularly loud Blue Oyster Cult/REO Speedwagon concert and a lot of loud stereo listening back then) so maybe I'm okay with them. Still thinking about upgrading to a new amp or receiver and better speakers, so I'll keep watching your reviews. I also had a set of Altec Santanas for a while and am kinda sorry I sold them.
As an old guy, I remember 901's when they first came out. They rocked at least in my group of friends with a mid-range receiver, okay turntable and you had a stereo that was capable of fairly loud play without a lot of fuss that was so needed for 70's rock. Later we moved to Klipsch Corner Horns (I can hear the adults running for cover already) driven with dirty Phase Linear 400 power and SAE preamp, and we thought that was the best it could get. Today I'm happy with an AM radio in the car. Still liked the 901's for their size, sound and value.
and again it takes 300 watts to make them rock. The 901s were an improvement on the treble end
Not impressed with Bose speakers for high end listening, but I LOVE my Bose Noise-Canceling headphones, my Bose Wave radio and SOME Bose car audio systems. Very good stuff.
ditto on that
Richard , so obviously you’re pretty impressed by Bose
Leon Hall Lol, SOME Bose. My Wave radio and the noise-cancelling headphones are really excellent. In cars? I’ve found most Bose automobile audio systems leave much to be desired. (That said, the Bose in my new Mazda MX-5 sounds wonderful! I’m blown away. Who’d have thought??) On the other hand, my Bose Acoustimass-10 home speaker system - while conveniently compact for a small space - just didn’t cut it for high-end, serious, music listening. I guess my point is that, despite popular opinion, not all Bose is bad. Some is quite good. Have to judge on a component-by-component basis.
Sounds like you’re a fan. Lol and that’s perfectly fine. Bose is good.
@@Saboda53
100% correct.
I've heard shitty JBL'S.
Shitty Sony.
etc....
I am a 51 year old Music listener. I saved up in the early 90s for a pair of series 5 901s. I ran them with 2 carver tfm 45s and a Carver preamp. My friend I work with told me how crappy my speakers were he had a pair of magnepan with the ribbon tweeters. He made me an old single ended tube amp the ones you pulled out of the old consoles. The day he bought it in my apartment, he fell in love with the Carver amps. We hooked up the tube amp to the 901s, and I fell in love with the tube amp. He told me he had a pair of dynaco mk3 with a curio upgrade and if I wanted to trade. I was like, ok. I listened to countless hours of those 901s with those 60-watt tube amps, and I once never regretted it. Eventually, I sold the 901s, and I had speakers that all had issues. I. I've had Altec vot, Jbls, Vandersteen, Dahlquist, Acoustat,infinity rs 9, infinity rs 2b, infinity rs 2.5, Ohm walsh,Shahinian Obelisk, Dcm time windows, Klipsch , Speakerlabs Khorn clones, Frazier, Bozak, well over 150 pairs of speakers within 25 years. I went from listening to music when I had the 901s to listening to equipment. Long story short, I have a pair of 901s again, and I'm listening to music. I love the people who buy Klipsch just to replace all the parts with crite because according to them it sounds better. No it sounds different. We all hear things differently. I believe what some may like I may not it can irritate my ears where it makes it uncomfortable to listen to music. Does that mean my 901s are the best. No, by no means are it just the speakers I prefer for my ears. Just like the speakers, everyone else listen too. It's your choice by remember the moment you stop listening to music you forgot what the hobby was all about. Have a great day, and enjoy your tunes.
I'll never forget end of the 80's at a hi-fi store owned by a friend where on fridays we would meet, sit in to adjacent chairs, bickering if one was more centered than the other, listening to a playlist of records and cd's on e few amps and a wall of frequently changing speakers. That's how I got to get my Castle Acoustics Tyne and Warwicks and Audio Gem Opal's, (who I still listen to once in a while) and others. And so we came to a pair of Boses (don't recall the model) with an intriguing (bass boost) lever on the side. After we made several audio passes along the wall and the Boses we couldn't help noticing, in comparison to other speakers, that they Boses were truly lacking dynamics and freedom. So we got out the crowbar and hammer and opened up one BOSE. We were flabbergasted. The "boost" lever was physical tube restriction choke of the bass tube. At normal it was closed and choked and turning it up to "full expectation mode of boost" the restriction was removed. So if that is the idea of "overdriving" the potential quality of their product, we were little mad of an unsupressable feeling of deceipt. It felt crooked. So he never ever ordered Bose to sell. Never wanted to sell them again and I have since never ever even considered Bose as one of my future dearest objects, high quality speakers. This is our experience. This no rant. If you like Bose, please do so and cash in. But the disappointment is very much remembered until today.
They are nice party speakers set up in the right room.
I've had a pair of Bose 901 series II and thoroughly enjoyed them for years till the foam surrounds gave out. Then bought a pair of used Bose 901 series V that are still hanging on chains in my living room powered by a vintage Sansui QRX-8001 quadraphonic amp. As front channel speakers they sound exceptional though they do require the requisite Bose EQ and paired with an active sub-woofer I'm very pleased with this configuration. Still looking for some modern design speakers to replace the custom 12" back quad channel speakers. I've learned to ignore all the pitchfork wielding Bose haters and blathering audiophile snobs and simply enjoy my audio system as it is. No plans on ever selling my 901's.
I had four channel as well and loved it. In the Seventies this was our 5.1.
Don't worry about it. I'll own and use my 501's until they just give out. They might not be the "best" sound but I've used them for so long, nothing else sounds "right".
I agree. Now go eat some fat.
I have 901 Series IIs and they do not have the problematic foam surrounds. I believe the foam speakers came out with the series IIIs.
I have a pair of 901 series V that I got in the early 80's. I replaced all of the drivers due to the foam issue more than 25 years ago and they still sound good. I have them hanging from a bar on my ceiling using 2 pieces of the old style 3 piece floor stands, a bit hard to come by these days. Series VI was the last of the 901's. I thought they would have made a limited edition 50th anniversary model, but it never happened.
My dad had those in the 80/90 and he is still into Bose.
He loves the looks. Has the radio on a glass display.
Wow! Fascinating! And these guys knew good music!
My friend just gave me a pair of 601 Series II . I love them . Fantastic speaker .
I had a pair of 601III’s, and sounded astonishing, for their day, but like most “audiophiles” graduated to better things...or do we really? It’s all trial and error. I found a 601 III’s pair cheap on Craigslist the other day and out of nostalgia, heck for the price- why not, take them home. When I played them again, I kept my mind open and without comparisons, I was thrown back to my early years doing this. I realized I missed their sound. Today, I have better quality/ sounding speakers, but they do not do these Bose did! They are a spare room keeper!
Yeah why don't the 601 get more respect. They have good bass with twin ported 8s. I always thought the high and mids were fine. The sound stage and transition was the strong point. Always thought the 901s were overrated and overpriced.
I had a pair of 601’s in the 90’s and I loved them
Back in 1971 a friend had a pair of 901's in his "pad" we'd hang out listening to Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, good time. At the time the 901's were were awesome
Tim, they sounded awesome in ‘71 because you smoked weed. They always sounded like crap since inception.
I paid $800 for a pair of mint black series vi 901s with their eq, a Rotel rc-1070, rb--1080, and the matching tuner. I honestly love the speakers and I’m often amazed at the soundstage, even when using it for Netflix.
They’re definitely special in their own way and when setup properly, sound awesome for a bunch of small drivers.
I owned a pair of 301 series III and a pair of 501 V. Those 301’s were the first goosebump-inducing speakers I ever owned and set me on my road to great sound. The 501’s, not so much. I realized at some point they were just a pair of acoustimass tweets and some junk woofer in a larger enclosure.
But I still look fondly on those 301’s.
I had a friend who for over a year tell me how much he wanted the Bose 901s. He finally got them. Then all I heard from him was how he should have went with JBL.
Sorry but in my 50+ years of hard listening, JBLs can't and don't compare to Bose...
I have owned 901's from 1974. Series 2, 4 and now 6. I just last month found a pristine like new set of 901 VI. They have from the ceiling in my "pub" at home. I drive them with a Yamaha R900 vintage receiver that has a switch to allow the equalizer to be connected between the pre amp and amp. I know something about sound having worked at Industrial Acoustics Company and have worked in environmental acoustics since 1982. So, why do I love Bose? Listening to Led Zeppelin, Allman Bros, Rolling Stones, Cream (you get it by now) they sound right. I can drive them at low volume or at concert level sound pressure and they don't quit. The reflected ambiance fills the room as if the walls were lined with reflected phase grating. I understand your critique, but for me, this is the sound I grew up with and these speakers have evolved with me. The series VI is the best version I think because of the improvements in the equalizer matched to the speakers. I'm happy with them. I have a second set of 901 VI in a glass walled sunroom where the hard walls and resonance enhance the bass so well that it would surprise you. In that room the speakers are 30 ft apart and it is concert like sound with the very wide sound stage and reverberant space. Turn it up!
You could have distilled it down to "WHEN WRONG SOUNDS RIGHT"
Yeah, public PA systems are so precise.
@@brucegelman5582 I would say that in order to have "right" sound, i.e., accurate sound reproduction, requires consideration of the room, listening position, etc. Recording engineers know what that is. Probably not many others. But recognizing that what we want is to have fun with the music, to party, to dance, and not to be listening critically, these 901's are well suited to that end.
I have the original 901 II's since '76..Modified and reversed ( on end with the 8 drivers facing listener and equalization to suit my ears..) driven by Mcintosh C28 pre amp and 2100 amp..) so far so good..both classical and jazz..at 84 I still have fussy ears..Monkey with the original 901's and they might surprise you..Thanks for your efforts.
I remember going to our local hifi store in Baltimore with my dad and hearing the Bose 901D’s. They were setup in one of the listening rooms suspended from the ceiling, not on pedestals. As a teenager I was blown away by the cool look and the direct reflect design. I remember the sales guy playing an Earth Wind and Fire LP for us and just being disappointed by the lack of bass and highs from the speakers. Very cool look but limited y the type of music you listen to.
Like a lot of speakers they need a sub woofer for bottom. Eletrostatics for instance.
I'm a DIY "audiophile"... and love the 901&501. At 62 yrs old, still love certain Bose; using the 123587 open back cone tweeters... In a 3-way active crossover system. They work great with certain 4.5", 5.25", 6.5", and 8" midwoofers.