I Was Wrong About the Bose 301 IV
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
- I was wrong about the Bose 301 IV in my last review called "The Secret Behind Bose Sound Revealed!" • The Secret Behind Bose...
I made the mistake of using them with toe-in like you would with normal speakers and measuring them head on instead of from an angle to get more of the sound from the front tweeter.
Also, as a follow up on Blind A/B Speaker Test #004
that was the same as Blind A/B Speaker Test #003 (Bose vs. SVS) except in the #004 version, the Bose was turned up +3dB over the SVS. I also removed the source file so that you couldn't use the source as a reference. I did this to prove a point which was that a louder speaker will typically score better than one of equal volume and the importance of having the source file to compare a speaker's accuracy.
28% of the people picked Bose (Blue) on Test #004 compared to only 8% on Test #003.
Blind A/B Speaker Test #003: • Blind A/B Speaker Test...
Blind A/B Speaker Test #004: • Blind A/B Speaker Test...
I also made sure to update my ranking on the Speaker Leaderboard.
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▶ Bose 301 IV on Amazon: amzn.to/3k3JLlV
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Takes a real man to admit his mistakes. Go Joe!
Yeah, why not! At least be honest right? If you're not making mistakes, you aren't trying. 😊 Earning trust is a top priority for me and this channel
I don't like channels that pretend to know all the answers, I like channels that take you along on their journey to discover them. Subscribed.
I appreciate that. It is a journey! You helped clarify the importance to make sure to engage you all...the audience.
I think the easiest way to put this into context is that Bose has chosen to design their speakers in a totally different concept vs other mainstream audiophile speakers. I was an anti-Bose audiophile but after watching your correction video, it brought back my very first experience with a Bose Acoustimass system in a music CD shop. I remember being very impressed with the sound. But negative reviews over the years turned me against Bose and I concluded then that it was an overpriced box of wood. Until your correction video.
The key difference between Bose and other speakers is that most other makers design their speakers to create a very specific, narrow sweet spot whereas Bose decided they would design their speakers to create a much larger sweet spot that sometimes covers the whole room. So wherever you are in that room, the audio sounds the same and you get the best of the speakers. Whereas with typical audiophile speakers, if you're outside the sweet spot, you just get average sound.
So if you've got a dedicated sound room with good acoustics for audio, you probably wanna go with good audiophile speakers. But if your room is "noisy" and "messy" or you tend to move around when listening to your music and want the sound to be good wherever you are in the room, then you might want to get a Bose system. It's not about purists vs non-purists. It's just a different design concept meant to cater to a different listening environment.
@@joentell
Thank you.
You are 100% correct.
Bose does indeed make some really good products. The trolls who bash bose all the time, have some serious psychiatric problems for sure.
I’ve had my pair of Bose 301 IVs since the late 90s. Ive used them as stereo listening in my bedroom, beaten the hell out of them at house parties with DJ setups, and now currently they’re my DJ monitors for my bedroom setup. Still sound great after all these years.
I'm in the same boat, I bought my 301 series 3 in 93 I still have them and love them!! I could easily upgrade but I dont see a reason to!!!
This makes so much more sense. I have a set of 301's in my home gym and they don't sound muddy at all.
I have to say that the 301s surprised me quite a lot
Also in this video I like their big sound stage and the bass of them
Of course they are nowhere near a real hifi speaker and I’d still probably choose the SVS over them if I could only pick one but they are very good for modern music and just the average speaker buyer
I own a pair of 301 II myself and I always take them out for parties as they seem to survive everything and get very very loud with good kick bass performance
Nice video as well, it’s no problem to make mistakes if you correct yourself with a video like this
I just noticed you're Speaker Toni. You have a channel too! What's up!!!
Yess:)
I just started watching your channel and I really like the videos here! I want to move into the hifi speaker world a bit more as well. At least if I manage to upload a bit more than just 1 vid per month haha.
Its not easy to find good stuff tho, the really hyped KEF Lsx which I just got rather disappointed me so far. @@joentell
Oh really! I can't say I'm too surprised about the LSX, but they're a 4" driver! What about them don't you like?
Joe N Tell the 4” driver definitely is an advantage as it lets the speaker play pretty loud but they still sound kinda lifeless to me.
I tried nearly all setting combinations in their app and it doesn’t get much better than now.
They have a big upper bass boost which makes them a bit boxy sounding and treble rolls of at around 12-14khz already which is quite disappointing for a 19mm tweeter.
The imaging was nice tho and the overall presentation of the product is great.
I did a blind comparison with the KEF and a self made 2 way speaker with just a 3” driver:
ua-cam.com/video/qkE9bTIWHUk/v-deo.html
You can have a quick listen with headphones and tell me which one you prefer.
I added it to my watch later playlist.
I think you have discover a new platform for audiophile community. This is much fun. To be able to learn and discuss. I have learned so much from this channel. Really this is a new platform that I really enjoy. Keep up the good work.
I hope so. This is a fun hobby.
Out of these two I‘d chose the Bose any day for the wider sound stage alone. I hate being forced into a narrow sweet spot - that‘s one of the biggest strengths of my HomePod IMO - it has great sound from any angle! I think it‘s right for Bose to focus on more mainstream needs. And it‘s also great that there are ”audiophile“ companies that make speakers for classic audiophiles who prefer to sit in a sweet spot to get the most neutral sound. Buy whatever fits your needs.
I am a musician (pianist) since I was 7 years old. So, I am so happy I didn’t become audiophile, but yes I am musicphilie and harmonyphilie.
As an apparent 'non-audiophile', I have enjoyed my 301s (Gen.?) since 2001.
Believe me, I hold the term "audiophile" in high regard. Lots of negative connotations. I consider my self an audio enthusiast, not an audiophile. I appreciate all things audio, even if it isn't my personal preference. I can see what they were going for and I respect it.
The thing you're giving up is imaging. Producers/engineers try to place different instruments in different places within the soundstage. With a good pair of speakers, you get to to hear all the instruments/performers coming from different locations. When you have speakers specifically designed to bounce sound around the room, you lose this effect.
Joe N Tell I have watched recently all the videos you done about Bose. The one where you explain the Bose secret and the both testing the 301
Good job! and thank you a lot about the clarification.
Only that I really would be appreciated that you just test the Acoustimass... that are in fact the most famous system.
I have one AM5 series 3, I am using it because of the AM module due my AV receiver has damaged the subwofer output.
After using the AM5 series 3 in that gear, I was happy with it, I bought a pair of Kef C55 and they are enough for this gear.
And I am using now the AM in my desk, as a 2.1 system and for this purpose it’s very good.
But I tested to change the AM satellites with a Vieta Neo 10 I have... and...it’s awasome. It’s crealy better becasue these Vieta Satellites has a double 3,5" woofer and a 10 mm tweeter and a frequency response 75 Hz - 20 kHz
That means yu can use different speakers together with the AM module, but I am also using the AM satellites substituying the ones in a small 2.1 computer speakers and they are also working great.
Thank you for your videos
bose is always bad...doesnt matter what youre editing. never seen a hifi professionell that says bose is good. never
I owned a pair of 302 series 2 speakers about ten years ago.
They are Very Good. I paid about $150.00usd.
The range is acceptable at 39hz-20khz and were powered by a Panasonic SA5800 with a Pioneer SG-9 12 band equilizer.
Probably one of the best little setups I have ever put together.
Yes my friend ! Bose are designes to be mounted on especific angles, when i bought my 301 v . I red the directions and Bose recomends to Locate the speakers in certain angle so you can really apréciate the sorround effect. So happy with them and sound really nice
This makes a big differences especially those speakers against the wall and within a good of the corner. The sound and bass really comes through.
My 301's have lasted for years because they're just so good at being all-around workers shoved into lousy rooms, in lousy places, and used for music-video-gaming. Lately I've been using early 90's tower speakers to get that authentic 80's/90's sound. I'm a believer in matching music to the speakers of their era.
Interesting thought about matching speakers to their era.
You're an idiot. The sound that amplifiers have changed is far. far, far less in the last 10/20/30 40 years than what speakers have. Holding on to vintage speakers is akin to not giving up on your old crack pipe just for nostalgia.
@@Roof_Pizza Those speakers are what the engineers mixed to. They are as much part of the sound as the instruments used. Nobody in pop/rock mixed to audiophile equipment. If I am an idiot, I'm a happy idiot, for now, until I get bored and change speakers again. I'm in this for my fun, not yours.
@Andreas Breslawski Yes, pretty much that. I'm not about accuracy, so beyond a point, all this modern awesomeness is wasted on me. It's your money. Make yourself happy. Everybody wins.
@@FrankiesMarket Great question. Like today's mixers, yesterday's engineers mixed on reference speakers then tested on consumer speakers. Did their mix sound on on AM? FM? Cars? Headphones? Towers? Bookshelves? Like engineering, mixing is the art of compromise. Then they tweaked and mixed again. I also figure that the speaker manufacturers made speakers that sounded good to the top selling music of the day. I figure that a pair of speakers is appropriate to +/- 10 years. For example, for a pair of early 80's speakers, you can bet that Fleetwood Mac and Pink Floyd would have been used as reference recordings. One of the reasons for remixing rereleases (among a large pile of reasons) is that listening technology has changed and the releases no longer sound as intended.
I can hear comb filtering from the bose on hi mids, that's normal since they project on walls. So what's cool with them is, by moving them closer or further from the wall, you can naturally Eq your sound too and you place them where you find it sounds the best. :)
Hey Joe: again great video. My anecdote is that in the early 80's the Bose 301 were the go to speakers of the young aspiring audiophiles. At that time, the 901's were about the ultimate speakers. Other brands in the entry level market were Advent, Sony, Realistic (Radio Shack), klipsh and Technics. Dome tweeters were not as common as they are now until the late 80's with Polk Audio SDA's and RTA's (at least in our market). But none of us would has entered the audio enthusiasts if it weren't for the 301's and 201's. I even had 2 subs made to place underneath using a passive Cerwin Vega cross over. Increased power handling and much more base.
I appreciate that insight Ismael!
When it came to vocals the SVS won hands down. The female vocals on the Bose sounded grainy. The jazz piano I really couldn't hear a difference, same with the Guitar. Where I heard the largest difference was the first sample, the midrange seemed to pop out and smack me in the face with the SVS. The Bose seemed more mellow, but overall, the SVS won out in 3/4 of the samples.
Very true, but if you don't want to sit directly in front of your perfectly angled speakers while listening to music, the Bose would win hands down. That's the entire point of their technology.
Bose 301s first hit the market in the early 70s and have really only changed in cabinet appearance since then. The use of paper cones in the woofer and tweeters give the speakers a more natural acoustic sound. Back then speakers were categorized as east coast (usually acoustic suspension) such as Advent, AR; and west coast (usually bass reflex) such as JBL. East coast speakers were generally more accurate but subdued while west coast speakers were brighter with accentuated upper bass. Bose kind of split the difference with its own sound maintaining the warmer east coast sound while using the room's acoustics to open it up. Then, as now, their sound was the source of disagreement among listeners. Back then it was not unusual to have a get-together at which the only source of entertainment was listening to music. Taste in music and speaker performance was often influenced by what the listener was drinking and/or smoking. I've owned two pairs of 301's--The original which I bought in the mid 70s and the Sonata 25th anniversary edition that I bought in 1998, I've always found them to be pleasant to listen to. As you say, they need to be set up right to sound right. As a senior, it's nice to find a younger person who actually cares how a speaker sounds. Keep up the good work.
SVS are still the clear winner, that details in the mids and the controled/neutral sound it offers reveal a lot more than the v-shaped Bose that shows only bass and treble. Bose has impressive design and engineering behind their products, but because they want to "normalized" a sound that is easy to listen for most people and combine it with their ease of use, their price can't be justified only by SQ.
He is using older Bose bookshelf speakers which was released in somewhere 1998-2004 and for SVS is a recent speakers. So u can't compared older version with the newer version. Both products should compared with the recent release.
@@NaushadAli-et3jo true, but I am speaking for Bose in general. With time out of the subject, Bose never claimed and never did make the best sounding speakers in the industries. They make ok sounding gear, and even comparing them to JBL, PSB, Paradigm or other serious brand from the same era, it's not even a close match.
Yup!
@@vb9766 JBL, Psb and Paradigm the outlook looks great but compare for Technology, component Bose are much better than these 3 speakers you had mention. As Bose component are made and assembled in Mexico not in China. Some of great speakers you mentioned are nowadays are from China,Taiwan and Thailand. But it's depends individual liking .I also like Bowers and Wilkins, Piega,Legacy to name few but for technology and research Bose are more advance and far ahead of them.Bose is not a speakers companies, they are a research company doing research not only in sound but on others systems as well.Thks
@@NaushadAli-et3jo Some quality control can be as good or better in China than other country, it all depends on the company quality standard. I don't think this is a good way to compare overall quality. Btw Paradigm speakers are made in Canada, and many more are assembled in the USA. Bose more advanced? Probably in enclosure making, but since their drivers and products don't sound near as good as other products the same price, are they really that "advanced"? They probably have fantastic professionnal telecommunication systems and pro products that are expensive as hell, but whatever one may say, their price/performance ratio in the consumers range of their products are not so good when sound is the only things that matter. Cheers!
I'm not a Bose fan boy, but they are not as bad as people think. Honestly, if they improve the quality of the speaker material, it may help the sound. The tweeters look like older paper cones and the woofer not much better.
Paul Tomaszewski Bose usually uses full range paper cones or paper cone tweeter and paper woofer. I don’t think they’ve ever changed from that :)
very witty @surfitlive
The drivers are made out of a mixture of fibers. Bose uses "paper" cones because doped fiber has a higher stiffness to mass ratio. I actually prefer the sound over using plastic cones. The drivers have a warm sound that is easy to listen to. They have a sound that reminds me of vintage tube gear.
Lots of people prefer older (well made) paper cone drivers for their smoother yet still present, highs. IE on the 301s in this video.
@@RennieAsh I was in the Bose shop today you are correct they never changed , and i told the Bose manager why are there so many people on youtube bagging the bose system his words were they cant afford one so they have to bag the best system we have been around for a long time so must be doing something right so have just brought a Full Bose surround sound including roof speakers 2 subwoofers
Wow, huge difference from the clips in your "Secret" vid (nice analysis btw). I was stunned to hear how weak the 301s sounded in that first run through. My impression totally flipped around hearing this side by side with the adjustment to the speaker placement and mic direction, thanks for this
They are really very different speakers. The SVS is oriented towards being a monitor with an analytical presentation, whereas the Bose has a more warm, exciting sound and is meant to fill a room with music.
I use Bose 301's for music and home theater (I just use a 2.1 setup with a Yamaha receiver) and I like the fiber cone woofer and twiddler design (instead of a conventional tweeter). I don't even really need a subwoofer with them as they provide plenty of bass when placed near a wall.
What I'm doing is probably totally "wrong" but I love the way it sounds. I have my 301's reversed (left/right), mounted near the ceiling on computer monitor arms, angled slightly down and in (which angles the full range in, and the tweeters on the outside, facing nearly forward), paired with an inexpensive powered subwoofer. The whole room sounds really good to me for such an inexpensive set of speakers.
It's good to experiment
Great job, I bought my 301 series 3 brand new about 30 years ago and still love them!!
I worked in home/car audio in the mid 90s, and the 201/301 were the only bose products I could sell with a clear conscience. FOR THE TIME, they were decent. They're not critical listening speakers, but they presented a "big sound", and were flexible to room placement. And NO ONE that's under SAF can place speakers where they need to be.
Anything by Henry Kloss sounded better. But they had a smaller listening spot and required proper placement. Bose was sloppy and sounded big. And for those what wanted big, they were a good fit.
I had a pair of the Prime bookshelves and I always felt they were thin, and quite frankly harsh. I would fatigue pretty quickly on normal volume levels and would actually wince with loud levels. I'm glad I sold them.
I sold audio gear (including Bose) for over ten years. We all knew we were not supposed to toe-in the 301's and we never did. Not once in ten years, however, did I have a customer say they thought the Bose speakers we sold sounded better than brands such as Boston Acoustics, KEF, NHT, M&K, and Monitor Audio after comparison listening (though MANY came in the store convinced through Bose marketing that Bose was the very best) -- and this was in spite of our strictly following Bose guidelines for demonstrating their products. The Bose speakers sold well, however, at stores such as Circuit City and (then) Best Buy (who has improved their product selection since that time). All of the salesmen I knew disliked the sound of the Bose speakers, even though they conceded they did have something of the "stereo everywhere" effect their representatives touted so highly. If one is ONLY seeking the novelty of a wider sweet spot they should choose Bose, but if they are seeking higher fidelity and greater listening enjoyment they should choose almost any other brand in the same price range or above (and some brands priced lower). Personally, I would rank Bose below Dayton and Monoprice (and both of those brands cost a fraction of what Bose charges).
So true. I do respect Bose for the marketing, nothing else.
I thank you for your honest re-assessment. I've heard the 301's but never owned them. I think Bose has been faithful to their target audience and created products, speakers, headphones, and entertainment consoles that give enjoyment and can be used in an everyday setting.
Audiophiles tend to want to squeeze the last nuance from a recording and often sit in the "sweet spot" focused on the music sometimes in a clinical way.
Bose on the other hand is an invite your friends over or do something around the room because there isn't a single sweet spot. It could be argued the 901's were the party speaker. They could take huge amounts of power and the sound was everywhere. Audiophiles or sound purists would almost by reflex take issue with that statement.
Thanks again for your time in reviewing these speakers.
Vocals come alive on the SVS. The Bose sound stage is fairly beefy sounding with the boosted low end response. Like many speakers, I still think it comes down to the source being played. Is it pop, instrumental, electronic? The Bose win the "party" contest in my opinion, but the SVS seems to take the cake when it comes to tightness and clarity. That being said, the guitar in the last track sounded very natural to me on the Bose. I was surprised by that.
Bose feel like a live music. Bose is different, for me is difficult to compare a direct/reflecting system with a direct system. I have a 301V and is very important the distances from the walls (rear and side walls), for two reasons, 1.- bass reflex 2.- reflecting tweeter. Probably in this test the reflecting tweeter is not recognised from the microphone, or not enough.
The SVS speakers sounds very good but for me the high freq. are little bit bother.
Thank you for the videos!
Nice to see the positive on Bose. What is not really addressed is a real home environment: different floors, walls, ceilings, rugs, furniture, etc, and where the listener is placed. The music is a big player, too. Some sounds better on one speaker system, others, not so much. Comparing different music in home environment, with different listening spots, all affects the quality of the sound. So, of course, many different opinions. Thanks.
While I'll never get a Bose product. (Maybe their noise canceling headphones, I hear they are great) I can see why people like them.
I took another pair of speakers, sat them on top of my main speakers, and fired it the opposite direction to the mains. While it's not an exact comparison, It did things to my brain and I liked it. But at the end of the day it's not what I really enjoy as it was too unfocused for my taste long term, but I can see that those Bose 301 do something similar and how people might like it.
Great video. Sometimes you have to look at things differently than the way you know. These aren't directed to most audio enthusiasts who have speakers like SVS and whatnot, so you can't really compare them the same way. They both are speakers, but throw the sound out in different ways, to do different things.
Thanks for you insight as always Josh!
Okay, there are a lot of incorrect point being made. Bose designs speakers to have what is called a flat power response. The power response is the average frequency response of the speaker at many different listening angles.
You need to measure the speaker at 0, 30, 60 degrees off axis to approximate the power response of the speaker. Designing a speaker for a flat power response excites the room uniformly and improves the musical perception of the speaker.
Audiophiles that have heard open baffle dipolar speakers by linkwitz lab will understand what I’m referring to.
I’d say you could use the polar response but that does not provide a summation of different “response”, instead it does provide the dispersion pattern of the speaker at different frequencies.
I suspected that they would optimize for power response. Not very many people understand what that means or even talks about that. I'm surprised and happy that you brought that up.
Do you have any data beyond just speculation that they are optimizing for the power response? I'm not disagreeing.
I did a follow-up video where I elude to the fact that they are not optimizing for dispersion the same way typical speakers do. If you haven't seen that, it's here: ua-cam.com/video/eMW1oPWrJkk/v-deo.html
Excellent channel, explanation and your review is very good. I’m a speaker engineer, although I mostly work as a software engineer. I like Bose and I actually rank these lower than other products from them; I also build my own speakers.
Anyway, you’ve got yourself a sub for life. Good work.
WHOA. The gap really closed up. Bose can compete with the SVS. Good show.
For me Bose is the best
Bose always âmzing and easy popular
This channel is becoming my go to for learning about audio basics. I really like how this material gets presented without any of that "i'm the big expert" attitude.
Thanks for that! I appreciate you saying that.
I bought my first pair of speakers while I was in the US Army back in the 70's. They were a pair of Bose 301's. I thought they sounded great at the time. A few years later I picked up a pair of Bose 501's and enjoyed the slightly deeper bass due to the larger 10" woofers. I ended up buying two more pairs of 301's until I realized that the foam speaker surrounds had disintegrated on the original 301 and 501 pairs. I bought a repair kit and replaced the foam surrounds, but then moved on to Definitive Technology BP2002 powered towers, which blow away the Bose any day of the week. I recently bought a small Blue Tooth amplifier and brought out the old 501's and use them in my bedroom now. They still have that Bose sound, which after all these years, isn't so bad after all.
Joe on the "I Was Wrong About the Bose 301 IV" video most speaker cloth is clear from a sonic perspective. The grill cloth is made to be left on it is a special weave so not just any cloth or foam will work.
I am an audiophile and yet NOT a Bose hater like so many are. To me the key weakness of the 301 is how they have a tough time with complex passages and get "muddy" in the midrange and treble. The Series IV and newer improved that, with the very popular Series II (and III) being worse at this. To the average listener, there is nothing wrong with Bose. The bass is there and deep enough. The treble is there too. They lack detail but are forgiving of lower grade electronics. To me their key weakness is when a person spends the time to set them up right and knows what they are doing - ultimately the Bose is more limited to how good the sound can be vs. better grade speakers.
BIG difference for sure and the Bose actually sound pretty decent here. I'm just like you... I can't STAND being wrong, but you weren't technically wrong.... your methods were flawed. :) Not that you were wrong about being wrong... ;) LOL
bose is always bad...doesnt matter what youre editing. never seen a hifi professionell that says bose is good. never
Back in 1974 a salesman tried to get me to buy a pair of 301’s tried and tried. The only thing was the altec lansing model 3 was a much much better speaker for just a little more $, had them for 24 years and sold them. I wish I still had them!
Admitting where you're wrong is true authenticity. there's nothing more valuable, to you and to us. we all get a chance to learn from your humanity. THANKS for having the Courage required to be vulnerable and transparent with us. that's real masculinity.
🙏
It is great that you make up on the comments about Bose Speakers, I am not a pro audiophile just an ordinary consumer but here are few things about Bose people commonly mistaken off;
1. Bose are not a “regular “speakers, it is a more of all in one sound box, that means it can not compare to a std left right speakers setting, more like a Apple compare to an orange.
2. Most of the Bose speak has build in audio enhancement circuits, it works in a very mysterious way that Bose will not disclose but they do tell you do not use any kind of eq on you audio system.
So over all I think Bose is trying to give novice audience with concerts like sounds experience without extra cost on the Hifi setup and almost dummy proof way of setting it up and have great sound.
Bose did make some good sounding speakers back in the day although I would have to go with svs I see what bose was trying to do by making the 301 more bass heavy to eliminate the need for more speakers or even a subwoofer. But when it comes down to it all speakers have there limits on what they can do no matter if u have floor speakers or bookshelf to get the deep down bass u will want to use a subwoofer just my opinion great video
My friend have bose accoustimas and onkyo reciever the sounds is pretty good!
I like your style of reviewing, measurement data and actual listening data, most channels just talk and show nothing
You are a stand up guy thanks for your honesty and your review..
Haven't heard 301's since the early '90s. Probably the 301 Version II, which I thought was respectable in doing exactly that, eliminating the sweet spot and throwing out a decent stereo everywhere sound. One of their better speakers, period for this since you can actually put these on a bookshelf and still get something from them. Better for background listening than the audiophile critical mania. But, let's be honest, a lot of us have the music on as we work or surf the net, etc. And it's quite pleasant.
Example, I recently upgraded from Micca MB42Xs as my desktop speaker to some REALLY old school, Pinnacle PN5+ bookies. Back in the late '80s early '90s these little guys took NY by storm for the fact that they sounded so BIG for such a small speaker (yeah they are bigger than Miccas, have a 5" driver, but they're running that near ubiquitous Audax polycarbonate tweeter from that time-which, images far better than it should. You find it on B.A. A40s, Baby Advents, Pinnacles, DCM CX series, etc.-it was everywhere. I believe even some smaller Infinities housed this tweeter. It could get a little taxing sometimes, but well implemented it was not bad! The Pinnacles blow out the smaller Miccas in the appearance of lower bass! It may be illusory or not, they claim a low end of 50Hz? For their size they are very hard to beat for computer, easy listening!
My (seaside and university) town has 1997 301s in both the Pier (pub, and nightclub booths "overpowered" by Crest Audio CA-series amps) and Student Union (main room, landing and basement for daytime radio). Both places (a steep hill apart from each other) were obviously done by the same company (even though owned/operated by different ones to each other) as they both also use RCF speakers and subs for the "main" installed sound reinforcement systems in the SU main room and Pier nightclub FOH, and two of the pub speakers are also big RCFs but wired in parallel with the 301s rather than their own system, also powered by the Crest Audio amps.
A friend had a set of those Bose speakers and they sounded pretty good. No sub needed. Produces enough bass by itself. But I felt the highs weren’t the best. I’m a fan of klipsch in wall speakers. I really enjoy the brightness of the horns. But I will my admit my klipsch in walls aren’t the best for music. I do have a 15” klipsch powered sub and the two go together well. But there’s something about those bose 301 speakers
I listen to music on some 301's and they don't require a sub. They also are very efficient and don't require alot of power.
To me, the 301s sound more like stage speakers, which isn't a bad thing considering Dr. Bose's goal was emulating live sound. I'm still a fan of Klipsch, but I wouldn't turn my nose up at any of the non-jewel-cube Bose speakers.
I have a pair of these that were on my bar in my house for 20 years before I took them down and put them in the correct position. For the 1st time, I heard the greatest surround (?) type of sound. It changed my mind on them for sure. So no more bar duty. Welcome to the master bedroom TV and music at night duty!
As a musician and an audio enthusiast after listening to these the SVS sounded much better and it wasn't even close.
Funny how the sounds is been cut off in the part of the "The jazz and piano, 12m02s till 13m16s", I listens to this demo thru my Sennheiser HD 650 Audiophile Open Dynamic Headphones, the difference between the Bose 301 and the SVS bookshelf is big, even with the adjustend mic settings. And just because Bose choose the be for the none audiophile, it is not my choice of sound system.
Clearity on sounds is key, you can't cut on corners there. But good to see you correct the mistakes and be honost about it.. that alone gives the respect.
I'ts the lack of a "sweet spot" (or is it a bigger sweet spot..??) that make Bose ideal in my situation, (a 10' x 12' room with a door in the corner)) none of the speakers can be properly placed and my seating position is all wrong too, I'm sorry audiophiles but my Bose setup works really really well..!! I do get why people hate them though, I can't help wondering what they'd sound like with some decent parts inside.....
(pasted from the last video) "I have identical 301's & 201's along with a VCS-10 centre speaker in a home theatre setup.
It's in a small and very cluttered room where it's impossible to place speakers in "Ideal" positions and they work really well. I could replace them with better sounding and cheaper units, all I'd have to do is throw out 50% of my furniture and move the left front when I use the door..!!"
Hey man, whatever works for you! My room is the same size, but everyone has very different use cases and can't always accommodate properly positioned speakers.
But we're all humans here, there will always be someone who knocks on your system. (even people with a 100k system, people always find something wrong with it, but if that person enjoys it, who cares what others think)
I made that mistake with the gemstone speakers for my 321 system. I tilted them in and it just didnt sound right. So after some research I found out also that you dont do that. Point them straight because the 2 speakers in each one are already on an angle in a V shape. Made a noticeable difference. Sounds pretty good without spending tons of cash.
Way to come back and make the corrections. I like that table top arcade, I’m looking to get one myself.
Do it!!!! It's fun to build.
Regarding Bose I can only recount an experience I had a few years ago. I had time to kill so I set foot in a Bose store in Orange County, CA. I was greeted by the manager and I told him that I was looking for a pair of speakers to use as rears in a, primarily, 2 channel system. He asked what equipment comprised my current system and, when I told him, he said "we're not going to have anything you'll like." I told him it was just to use as rears and he said "yea... not even as rears."
At least he was honest.
Another thing is that you have to consider when measuring SPL, is at which frequency band that you are testing. Speakers are not flat and like you have said in your test, the Bose sound signature has the bass in the 100 Hz to 200 Hz boosted. So If you are leveling at the bass region, because that is where most of the energy is, then the highs will be off. Our hearing is unlike a microphone, and is less sensitive to the lower frequency range, so what is flat to a microphone is not flat to our ears. To make it even more complex, most of our hearing abilities are different, so what sounds good to me does not necessary sound good to another person. So I commend you for including a sound clip in your review.
An audiophile's criteria is also different to the average music listener, they want the 3D sound stage, imaging, transparency, accuracy in sound reproduction, to hear the micro detail in the recording and emotive reproduction of the music. One of Bose's design criteria is to create a big sound stage and they have achieved that through the direct/reflecting principle which audiophiles claim that it is not real because it was not accurate to the recording. But if you want to be pedantic, adding reverb to a recording is also not real, but it make things like vocal sound better. The other reason why a lot of people like Bose, is its high SAF. It fits into most homes, does not require room treatment or have to be placed 5 feet from the from walls. Is it the best sound for your money? I would say no, but if you can get them at a discount, then it is well worth getting a pair just for its unique sound signature. I believe the 301 Series V are going to be the last ones going to be made and production has either stopped or is about to be terminated. So sometimes it is just good to have a piece of American memorabilia and I will not sell my 901 Series IV which I bought back in the early 80's
Well done. It’s just a theory but Bose’s target audience is more likely to listen to their music as an accompaniment to their activities. This would likely be done at lower levels and not in a specific listening spot. In that case the bump in bass and treble would compensate for the human ear’s reduced response at those frequencies. And the direct/reflecting design might contribute to a pleasing sound wherever in the room. It’s actually pretty smart if you ask me. I can see why then the audiophile would shun these for dedicated listening sessions. The problem there is that’s not necessarily good advice for non-audiophiles who still want to enjoy their music.
I have 4 each of the Bose 401s and the AM5 set. I've had these for over 30 years and they still work fine. The 401s lack the highs and are hard to drive (4 ohm speakers). The AM5s are OK but have been surpassed by many bookshelf speakers today. I enjoyed them in their day and have lugged them around for years. I still have them, but no longer use them. If nothing else, they are durable. I did really want the Bose 901s after I heard a demo in 1968 (in Hong Kong), but just couldn't justify spending the huge price premium demanded to own then. They did sound spectacular, but I had nothing to compare them to. I eventually bought the Pioneer CS63 DXs, which were great speakers at that time. I ended up blowing out one of the woofers on that set, so I no longer have them.
In listening to your audio samples, both in the first review and the amended version, the Bose 301s sound muted and lack detail. This is especially evident when compared to the SVS speaker system. I recently purchased the Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 speakers and the Q Acoustics 3030i and have set them up as A and B speaker zones with all speakers playing together. I would appreciate a review of the Diamond 12.2 speakers. You have the Diamond 12.1s rated highly, but I'm curious about your opinion of the more recent version.
The Wharfedales sound laid back to me and not as dynamic as the 3030i speakers, but the combo is just amazing. I have the Wharfedales closer to the center and the 3030is on the sides in a stereo setup. I have a wall of sound that surrounds me in a semi-circle. The lively 3030i speakers compensate for the laid back sound of the Diamond 12.2s and the result (lively but full sound) is really pleasing to the ear.
I won't be purchasing any Bose speakers in the future, especially after hearing how they sound in comparison to the speakers of today. They do make good headphones but there are so many good headphones today so I don't believe I'll be buying any made by Bose. They are still too pricey nowadays.
YOU DO A FANTASTIC JOB. KEEP UP THE QUALITY. What Would recommend as a cross between both of them?🤔Bose V?
Thank you so much!
Hi, nice video ! One thing : when you buy Bose speakers, it comes with a detailed plan on how to place your speakers, there are minimum distances between the speaker and the walls, the speaker with the other, etc... Place them wrongly, you will obtain an awful sound, for sure ! Place them well, and you will enjoy a nice sound, and please, use the bass/treble settings on you amplifier : less bass, more treble, sounds great ! An happy owner of a 205 model for rock, funk and electronic music (but happier on classical with Cabasse "Aviso" speakers !).
You got it wrong even the second time, you're supposed to be close to side walls and back walls for the tweeter reflections to actually come back to you.
I have a Pioneer SX-650 driving four 301's positioned in 4 top corners of a larger rectangular room. I've been pushing regular standard directional speakers over the years, but I could suggest, even with just two 301's, the others seem to lack the "everywhere" sound the reflectives provide. For projection speakers I position myself to hear their premium projections respectively, and yes, they sounded more optimal than 301's. Self analyzing sound using quality music is one thing, but I test also by listening to DVD movies, LP's, streamed movies, even UA-cam i.e. crappy PC sources...and ask myself, "will my irritated by anything discerning friends or family tolerate this noise? Does it feel good to them a.k.a. the General Population with just a flip of the switch and a spin on the volume? FWIW, either the 301x2 or 301x4, most laymen prefer the 301 setup. I believe it's more "encompassing". as if it comes from nowhere and yet is everywhere. I do have to employ a software equalizer on the Mac for the streaming sources. Audibly, we are able to easily make out the "actors voices" and enjoy the soundtrack and effects without feeling muddy or mixed with other sounds, yet still sound huge. Voices are heard clearly as is the the brushing of an eyelash in a thunderstorm from anywhere in the room, including leaving the room, such as going to the kitchen or bathroom. Nor is there the often irritating booming woofer sound coming out of the voices that I get with home theater wiring and box kits. The wall reflection (its designed for) seems to work - to the normal ears. The ears of the listeners that don't know the difference between a songbird or a truck horn. Another test is the vacuum test. With the 301 setup, I can actually clearly hear a movie or a song just the same even whilst vacuuming. I am always amazed by this and laugh tauntingly at the vacuum as it blares its unworldly screech at me and the cat. I don't miss a single lyric. Hmm, maybe I should test with a leaf blower. I simply like the everywhere sound that reflection speakers fill. Perhaps they don't sound as well as the Primes "technically", but the Primes don't hold up when it comes to working in an industrial environment like as in my house. Just my experience in one room. I like what the Bose's do for the price, because I can find them at bargains used as everyone sets them out on the curb free for the taking. Heck maybe I'll go 301x8, 4 corners top and floors --- so it sounds 8 times worse than everything else.
If you use omnidirectional microphone you can point the mic towards the ceiling and capture the direct reflect.
Great review, Joe. I have never cared for the 301 or any Bose product, but I am, by no means, a Bose hater.
The glaring problem here is marketing. In the 1990's, Bose spent a TON of money on telling everyone how amazing they were, and charging a premium for it. The reality is, there are a lot of companies who make premium products that outperform the purposely scooped soundstage that Bose brings at the front end. If you want scooped EQ out of the box, Bose might be your thing. If you want accuracy and tightness that you can EQ later out of reasons for pureness and honesty, I can think of 20 better options, some of them at half the price.
Hi, Joe.
Thanks for this second video.
My conclusion is the Boses win when it comes to unreal, synthetic sounds (there is no point of reference in the real world, and sound more "euphonic").
When natural sounds come into scene, the SVS are by far the winners, specially in the voice of the singer and in the piano jazz piece (here, nevertheless, there is a clear lack of presence of the double bass, wich the Boses reproduce with authority).
Finally (and you can easily check it), its a pity that the acoustic guitar tracks have the channels in opposition of phase, making the comparison quite unvalid.
Anyway, thanks a lot for your honesty and your efforts.
You're a UA-cam crack, my friend!
Euphonic...I like that term.
The speakers were always in-phase as I didn't change any settings between tracks there might have been some crosstalk between the two mics and two speakers which could possible cause cancellation, but that happens in-person also.
The Bose is good in terms of reflect sound to create an artifical surround; but SVS is more accurate and detailed with more groove.
I would go with SVS still.
Have a pair. Bose 301s. Have had them for 2o years. Nabbed at yard sale. But I also have four other pair. Bose 901s and pioneer HPM 100 and klipsch towers. When I moved south for the winter I took the little Bose 301s along because they were handy and smallish relative to others …..
I paired those speakers to a lovely vintage marantz receiver and BAM. They are now my favorite …. At least at low volume in a smaller carpeted room.
I was wrong too. I had no idea …. Even after owning them 2o years just what they could do paired with good electricity .
You can listen to these for a
Long time without getting sick of them
I friend of mine just gave me a set of Bose 301 MK4 to try out. I had MK1 way back when..Im 65 as of this past Saturday..Glad I found your channel..Im looking for to the new generation MK4 lol
That's awesome, Joe. Later the day of the other video, I was thinking "hey, the tweeters on those Bose weren't really measured properly." I thought that, if you put the mic in front of the speakers, the mics would miss a lot of the tweets. Anyway, I know how they sound, I've owned...well I own them now. lol I still prefer even the little Pioneers to these, and please, you owe it to yourself to try the Series V Bose 201....I have not yet heard a better sounding Bose speaker! :D Good Video Joe!!!
The reason I wasn't immediately tipped off after recording the sound demo, is that it can sound like the first recording if you are not between the two speakers. Like if you are seated directly in front of them or to the outside of them.
I remember running Audyssey EQ on my AVR and it changed the sound significantly for the better.
You weren't wrong - just a mistake. LOL! What a difference! Hated the Bose in first video but sound about equal now!
Having owned 301's since 1978, the problem that I have with the SVS Primes is that their sound is extremely narrow in targeting, aka: A very small sweet spot footprint. If only the more spacious sounding Bose 301's highs were as clear as the SVS Primes; issue is directly related to the 301's tweeters. Such a simple fix, yet I do not know Bose will not act on it; may have to do with keeping the Signal-to-Noise Ratio low.
I like the sounds of Bose 301......with bass ambient that makes music pleasant to hear.
I’ve had my bose Cinamate since 2012 and coming as a studio musician I’ve learned that for my Bose setup it’s all about where the speakers sit. Currently my base module is horizontal towards the back of the living room because that is where I have found the Bose system is most leveled in my room. The same way you would set up a microphone to record to get the sound you are looking for.
The Bose sound tighter for sure. Thanks for updating that video because I had Bose Speakers in the 90’s and they banged the party always. The SVS sound really good in some areas but the BOSE brings the sounds closer. I’m getting a pair ASAP.
I'm glad that you researched the Bose..
However, you can test both speakers in a larger room and put you measuring equipment in the center of the room and at the opposite side of the room and show the results..
This would be a more versatile and more accurate test.
It's really nice to admit a mistake! Bose wanted to make speakers that overcome bad accoustics in your living room with speakers for example aiming at the wall. Although I think it doesn't work in all living rooms, they can sound very nice. But for example buying a cupboard that you place close to one of the speakers can ruin the experience.
“Buyers are not audiophiles”: Most of the homes I visit with Bose stereo speakers are using them for ambient music; especially the little Wave Radio. That little box will fill a large home with very nice mid-range voices and lead instruments. It’s not for critical listening; just entertainment. Although, the 901’s are pretty good, with a surprising amount of bass detail.
Wow. They sound pretty close now! Bose did pitiful with female voices (probably due to mic placement) but other than sounding kinda dark in the mids, they seem pretty similar!
A lot of people say you can get better sound for less money than Bose and that's true in some cases but the Bose speakers can take a lot more punishment (high volume over longer periods) and not lose their composure where the less expensive speakers will start to distort and get muddy at higher volumes.
Bose pre equalize their speakers too. As long as you are aware go for it. I am a Crown/JBL person myself, totally different sound setup that Bose does not even compete with. No Bose in big shows or stadium type setups.
what about universal studios, kohls too it's in there, it's a question.
The vocals with the female are eye opening. The Bose are muffled and grainy the svs are full and detailed. The Bose overall sound hollow I guess is the word to me. I'm not an audiophile I'm more of a home theater guy so I could be way off.
First time i listened to some bose 302 was around 1992/93, i was in my girlfriends house and her dad put a enigma cd on and the base was fantastic, i was hooked on hifi after that, i was only 16 or 17 years old, i chased that warm base sound and had many speakers which didn't come close, i had to settle for the b&w 603 series 1. They were better in every way, but i could not believe the sound the bose speakers produced, i don't no how the later models of these speakers compare to the bose series 2, but the bose series 2 were great.
I have my 301's in the garage and I like the way they fill the space. The sound quality doesn't drop off much as I move about working on projects.
That makes sense
Most places in the UK that I saw 301s were in bars and pubs, restaurants, and other mid sized venues where the music wanted to not need a sweet spot for the customers. While the acoustimass were no doubt a home consumer system, I didn't find the 301 were as popular as a consumer speaker as they were a commercial speaker for exactly the reasons stated at the beginning of the video.
I found in the nineties Jamo and Bose were the two chav brands, but it's the same with their car audio, all about the sound pressure, not the sound quality!
I kinda consider myself an audiophile and I owned a pair of Bose 301 series III for at least 8 years. I thought they sound pretty good actually. They definitely have bass. I recently thought about getting another pair of Bose 301 series III to try an experiment on because there's no question that the drivers they put in those are pretty cheap and I wondered if they would sound better with higher-grade drivers installed and maybe tweak the crossovers a little but I looked at how much money they're bringing on eBay and it just isn't feasible. Bose, love them or hate them hold their value very well. I think I paid $200 for my series IIIs in 1995 and sold them approximately 10 years later for almost what I paid for them. Try that with most speakers or hi-fi equipment.
My first venture into home audio like many was Bose way back in the early 90's. I've come full circle and actually own the Bose Soundtouch 300 soundbar and matching sub for my living room. I really enjoy this combo for what it is and the simplicity of it and so does my family. Oh, and I was able to get both for $399/ea during last years black Friday sale at the local military PX. They will never replace my Buchardt s400 system in the basement but they were never intended too.
Full circle? lol. Just mentioning Bose and soundbar in the same sentence should omit you from voting for a president.
Nice bro, but Bose 301 sound better in my opinion. Thanks nice video bring such more sound related video.
Thanks bro
You're welcome!
I have to agree!😨🤤 At least in this sound clip using top shelf headphones!
Sorry bud but the SVS sound so much better than the Bose
Bose sounds balanced high and lows...SVS high on bass...but misses the sharpness....to me bose sounds great as I am getting all the levels balanced...
Thought about this a bit more and I don't agree you made a mistake. A microphone measures frequency response at a give point (the listener). This is a totally fair measurement. What your test shows is that the Bose (with its direct/reflected sound philosophy) clearly does not measure flat because the tweeters aren't facing the listener. This is reality. Now what your measurement does not measure and which some may like is the direct/reflected sound the Bose does produce. This may be better show with a live comparisons with real humans. Like I mentioned earlier, it can often be pleasing but I don't know how often I personally would pick it over a conventional speaker for most music. I'm not a Bose basher, I just try to be fair. I've owned and enjoyed plenty of Bose stuff. Its never been my "reference" stuff though.
The Bose will perform differently in every environment because it's all dependent on how many reflections find their way back to the listening position. The tweeters are cones, so they'll have limited dispersion compared to a dome meaning they'll have a beaming effect that actually goes against Bose's claims that they'll sound the same throughout the room.
It seems to me that the SVS is has more clarity and precision in the upper midrange and high frequencies whereas Bose is better in bass tones. Even though the SVS has less bass it seems a little tighter and better defined. I have lots of Bose speakers and do like them but have come to realize that for home theater you do get a little more precision and clarity from say Polk, JBL or even SVS speakers, but everyone's ears are different and what sounds true for one person sounds "too bright" to another. Bose does have a much wider sweet spot and more of a "sound everywhere" signature.
I have 301 series 3’s and my dad got them at a junk sale for $10! The cabs are in decent shape but the speakers sound beautiful! I just use them for bedroom surround speakers but they just sound so good. I have 2-10” subs backing them but honestly they are fine without. For what the resale price is I got a steal! There is a reason people get $150-350 a pair for these!
It happens man... I was wrong once, when i thought i was wrong but i was actually right all along
😂
Thanks for using different genres of music. I think that Alan Walker type would be better on the Bose, as the midrange on the SVS will fatigue my ear very quickly. The acoustic track at the end is way better on the SVS, simply because somewhere in the midrange information is not as prominent on the Bose. The jazz track sounded good on both, as did the vocal track. In the end I suspect what you listen to determines what you buy. Bose is definitely more classic rock, SVS is for the more acoustically inclined.
i have301s and 201s setup in a surround sound, they rock.
Great video. I love it when someone is a straight shooter - Joe, you're more interested in presenting correct info than you are looking good or being right. Major props.
this is a fair comparison, SVS output at 100 hz is much lower than 200Hz, while it is similar for Bose at 100 hz and 200Hz. So listeners impression for SVS is thin. At the price of $299 each for SVS vs $499 pair for Bose, Bose is better in this fair comparison.
Difference is pretty clear. It’s really to what you want. Bose sounds like it cuts out a lot of the peaking highs not for accuracy but for enjoyment. Basically they are trying to what I believe to be cut out any harshness even for sake of accuracy and the svs are just more livelier and accurate.
I miss a definition of what "level matched" actually means! At a specific frequency? Total dissipated power? Weighed for what (human ear, presumably)? And so on. It's not as simple as it might appear.
Also, the microphone used to record the speakers won't pick up the sound in the same way as a human head+ears.
one think to note is that the room is playing and important part in how the speakers sound as well.
Correct
Bose speakers aren't bad for casual listening, but for serious listening of both movies and music, Bose systems simply don't cut it. No crisp highs and the complete lack of infrasonic bass are deal breakers for me.
Bose are NOT stereo speakers people, Bose are acoustic speakers this means they designed to fill your room better than most speakers including your SVS and here is how you can really test them, set the Bose in the center of any room and walk around the room and see if the sound changes, the sound will not change because they are acoustic NOT stereo speakers, now do the same with your SVS, as soon as you move to their side you will loose sound image and forget it as you walk behind them. Bose are much better (designed) speakers but can't say the same on the materials they use,
people just don't know how to use them.