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OK, here goes. A little background first. I had a pair of 901s Series I (one) back in the day. I even sat through a Bose demo at an LA audio show using the "Super Bose" configuration (2 pairs) and the, then new, Bose 1801 powerhouse amp. It wasn't long before I moved on and learned more about panel loudspeakers and hi-fi in general. Today my favorite loudspeakers are large electrostatics, the Infinity RS-1Bs, and the larger Magnepan models.
Anyway, I have a small TV room in my vacation house and I wanted to set-up a music system for that room but it's not big enough for panels and I wanted something on the smaller side. So I ordered some 901s and stands. I gave some thought to some kind of small monitors but the goal was not to create another critical music system but have a fun time and put together a "play anything/juke box" but not the same old thing.
So before you guys start all the Bose bashing, give me some time and I'll write up a good review (well, as best I can) and I'll describe exactly what I'm hearing, or not hearing. I have not read anything since the original Stereophile report that truly describes the sound of the newer 901s. I wont sugar coat it or say things like the 901s really rocked out. Instead I'll give an accurate description so that you can get a good idea what you can expect out of this system. I'll edit this post after I get some listening time. Anybody interested?Edit1: I will be using my AV-8 Wave tube amps and a Tube Head pre-amp in my little room. I will also be using a small Hsu sub, as I know they need a little help on the very bottom.
Later I will move them to the big room and give them some juice. I have a Parasound A21 and an Audio Research pre-amp in the other room. I'm familiar with the sound of all this gear so I'll be able to get a good idea how the speakers sound with each set-up.Edit2: All packages in house.
Edit3: Change in direction. I got to thinking about my little tube mono blocks and although I'm sure they would work, I was worried about having extra power, just in case. Thinking more about that gear I also realized that the TubeHead pre-amp is a little short on top end performance and maybe not a fair test device. So...I bought a Creek integrated amp. At 80 wpc that should be enough power in that room. That should be here in two days.
Edit4: Well I got the system set-up. I ran into a snag. There are about three ways you can hook up the equalizer on my Creek integrated. But for whatever reason the equalizer has a bit too much idle hiss. When connected through the tape monitor, the hiss is way too loud, and easily heard from the listening chair. I ended up hooking the box straight through the CD player and that dropped the level quite a bit. It's listenable but still not 100% right. I'll have to send the box back to Bose. So stay tuned.
Edit5: OK got my Equalizer back from Bose. It included a form letter that stated a bunch of stuff, like; "Cleaned your disc drive if applicable." But no information about what they found with my unit. So the unit came back the same way it went out as far as I can see. There was no change to the noise level. So far Bose has been no help. Their suggestions have been, 1. Buy a line filter. 2. Try better interconnect cables. 3. Sent it in for repair. 4. "Well, all systems have a certain amount of noise."
So I was on my own. The problem is a gain mismatch with the equalizer. So I put a 10db attenuator on the line going into the equalizer. That did the trick, it's absolutely dead quiet now. So I can start the evaluation process.
I played with some cables and got a good working baseline. I'll need a week to play some discs and see what I get. More coming.
Edit6: OK, that took a little longer than I thought. I hooked up some AudioQuest Type 4 cables in an effort to get a little more out of the system. I am having a little trouble getting a handle on the sound. I think it might just be best to just list some highlights because a detailed description is not going to tell you much because many areas were lacking. First the weak points. The main weakness beside bandwidth was the inability to define the front and back soundstage. The for and aft image is blurred and is throw onto the back wall. No amount of tweaking helped that issue. The next issue would be the lack of air on the top end, we kind of expected that but with the missing depth imaging it really stood out. I think some measurements would be helpful there. The mid range was there but not in a coherent presentation. Some vocals sounded almost acceptable and others were a mix if being present, then dropping out as the frequency shifted. I even noticed some honk on male vocals at one particular frequency. The low band was OK but not particularly low or tight but it did keep the room energized and added a good foundation to the music.
The good points: Regrettably, not many. The thing that they do well is provide a good left and right image. Location of the listener is not important and everyone gets the full effect no mater where you sit. They really worked best as a TV/home theater sound system. The voices were clear and the sound effects dramatic. The only music that was listenable was music that worked well when spread across the wall. Classical or electronic was interesting but not particularly good enough for the critical listener.
I'll keep the summary short because there are no nuances to talk about, the system was lacking in serious ways. At this point, I'm going to say that the system is not high fidelity and the performance can be bettered by most loudspeakers, even some very inexpensive ones. On the other hand, I though as a home theater loudspeaker they provided a fun presentation and lots of excitement but as a music system, I cannot recommend them. Price was/is not a consideration, the speakers just didn't deliver.
Edits: 08/10/12 08/10/12 08/14/12 08/23/12 08/23/12 10/23/12 11/25/12Follow Ups:
Russ69,
the 901 is a great speaker. Its caveat is that each 901 requires 8 feet of wall in order to properly spread out its sound. I have heard these speakers set-up properly (correct room dimensions) and not so properly (small room).
BOSE only claim to fame was offering the listener a room/space filled with sound. This company is a marketing genius because its products does deliver as advertised, nothing more, nothing less. Are BOSE products true Audiophile gear?- no. Do BOSE products offer a great bang for the buck?- yes.
I love the retro-look of the 901's (and it makes me think of the pair as seen in the Dudley Moore movie "Arthur")
The "classic Bose sound" (Not the current satellite/sub but the 201's, 301's, etc. all the way to the 901's) is a fun presentation.Don't feel bad - we all have those sorts of things lurking from our pre-audiophile days!
"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad"
Edits: 08/26/12 08/26/12
I would politely suggest that more people have developed an interest in better-than-Kraco audio systems over the years from listening to Bose audio equipment than have from listening to Wilson or that amplifier brand whose name sounds like a type of tea. Or Tech-Flex ensconced speaker cables the size of garden hoses...
Plus, I don't remember Bose ever trying to claim some kind of "absolute sound" or special kind of accuracy. They were about "sound everywhere" and from what I remember, they accomplished that with the 901s.
New edit in post one.
bump. see edits in post one.
Bump. See edits in post one.
Bump for edit.
Well that was a total waste of time. Not the Bose, posting here. Not even a cool story bro....
I don't understand what it is that you expected here.
Mine are in the basement with an old Pioneer receiver. Got them for free but had to refoam them. The EQ III was noisy so I replaced with a new Series 6 eq. Sold the old eq (full disclosure of course}. Sounds pretty good!
Total investment of a couple hundered bucks. Not as good as my ML Vantage, Cary, Classe', Marantz set up but about $14,800 less!
They get very loud without distorting. I would say they open up more at loud levels but are still enjoyable at reasonable levels.
Equalizers need to be matched to the series. A series III does not match a series VI EQ. EQs match by pairs: I and II, III and IV, V and VI. I'm not sure of the differences, but that is the theory anyway.
The old ones can be noisy. The six series eq works just fine with my III series speakers. Sounded the same as the old one only much more quiet.
Edits: 08/11/12
Here's a recent review review you may be interested in.
http://www.tonepublications.com/review/we-review-the-bose-901/
Beau,
I have read the tone publication review. I don't know the reviewer but his placement location was way out of sync with my experience, he had them way out into the room and near the corners. That's not their best placement from what I remember. The Bose recommendations are pretty close. I had mine about 6 or 7 feet apart and 12 inches from the rear wall. Anyway, his placement made me question his review but I'll optimize placement as I go along.
The stands showed up today, speaker wire came in yesterday and the speakers should be here by the end of the day. Then I have to trek them to the vacation house.
As party loudspeakers, I think they are a go!
Mount them high on the wall -- you have to figure out how yourself -- they are much more user friendly, or let's say, party friendly -- no knocked over or spilled upon loudspeakers. And they sound good that way.
I bet they would make good A/V loudspeakers as well, but I don't know about the matching sides and center. That would be a problem and undirectional dialogue.
.
You know what would be cool, add a tweeter and a woofer on the front side.
Better yet, rip out the whole front, and replace it with a Tannoy 12" co-ax, and don't tell anybody.
No, wait, do this... get a whole bunch of 4" 'full-range' drivers, and put one on the front and 8 on the back. Then, find an equalizer to boost the heck out of the highs and the lows. THAT would be killer!
"I'll edit this post after I get some listening time. Anybody interested?"
I'm not interested. Do you intend to go forward anyway?
you.
Sure. I had some shop made Bose 901s way back. In the right setting, they sound great. Sometimes you really do want to spread the music out on the walls. Amplified live music often sounds that way. Tell us what you find out.
I remember a Bose 901 fan named Gary Eickmeier, back in the rec.audio days, who thought it was the end-all in home loudspeakers........ I don't think he was trying to troll the readers, he really thought highly of the Bose.
Link is a 2006 write-up- He apparently is still a fan.............
Must say, I never laughed at him the way I did another gent who often posted with great vigor stating the Legacy Audio Focus was the best thing on the planet - and it was later revealed taht he had his pair of Focii each positioned in a different (adjoining) room such that they fired towards each other.
He used to post on Audio Review, didn't he? Funny, even though I've never heard a pair, I really learned to hate Legacy loudspeakers because of his constant drooling.
Yes, I'd be very interested in your opinions as I too was a 901 owner (series II). My two cents at this point is I hope your room is large enough to contain an appropriate wall to spread the 901 sound out. Previous/current owners know what I mean when I say this. Assuming that, I think they're a great choice!
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