Bose 901

Adarsh · « **on:** 18 Jul 2007, 09:58 am »

Hello there,

I was wondering if anybody can give some short but objective information on the Bose 901 speakers with the active equalizers.

I came across some very negative comments about the system when I initially searched on the internet and thought you guys might be able to give some information about it.

Thanks for any input you may have.

-A

macrojack · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 Jul 2007, 12:05 pm »

My first pair of speakers 34 years ago.

The design is positively silly. 9 little TV speakers in a box. The front is parallel to the front wall of your room and the two sides are perpendicular to the front. The rear of the speaker is two panels joined at about 120 degree angle. All of the drivers are identical at about 4 inches in diameter. One driver is off center in the front panel firing forward and four drivers are mounted in a square pattern in each of the rear panels. All of these fire at the back wall. This is the basis for Bose's direct/reflecting "technology".
Because those little drivers can provide no low bass and no extreme high frequency, an active equalizer is employed to boost the hell out of both ends. There remains no real HF extension but a boomy, thuddy artificial bass is created. They don't image at all well. The mids are muddy and muted and the fun is to be found only in fireworks. In those days all I wanted was earbleed R&R so I was unaware that anything better could be had. If you are now like I was then, they are worth playing with. If you have learned to listen to audiophile products you will be very disappointed by these hoaxes.

ctviggen · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 Jul 2007, 12:08 pm »

I remember Bose 901s and Carver amps being at the top of my lust-after list. Thankfully, they were out of style when I got really into audio.

Thebiker · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 Jul 2007, 12:25 pm »

Ah yes.....no highs, no lows....must be Bose

.

But they do have the world's best marketing

, so they are a "household name!

flintstone · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Jul 2007, 02:35 pm »

I had a pair back in the 70's...I had a lot of fun with them. In those days I was always in the "party mode" (in my 20's)...they were great speakers for that.

I moved from the 901's to Dahlquist DQ-10's after hearing a pair of Quads....the DQ-10's could play loud like the Bose...and, sounded nearly as clear as the Quads....a good trade off for me at that time.

Dave

Papajin · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Jul 2007, 05:16 pm »

Quote from: Thebiker on 18 Jul 2007, 12:25 pm

Ah yes.....no highs, no lows....must be Bose .

But they do have the world's best marketing , so they are a "household name!

Wonder who came up with that particular moniker for Bose... In my experience it's exactly opposite...

All highs and lows, must be Bose...

Then again the lows aren't that low so maybe it should be all highs, but that doesn't really rhyme with Bose in any way.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 Jul 2007, 05:24 pm »

They were Neil Diamond's choice.......

"....the ultimate in theater music reproduction"

mcullinan · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 Jul 2007, 05:54 pm »

Arent Bose the worst speakers ever invented by man or beast?
Bose does partly rhyme with throws... up...
M

flintstone · « **Reply #8 on:** 18 Jul 2007, 06:35 pm »

I'd rate them, as only half as bad, as some people claim...and on the flip side....only half as good, as some people (Bose marketing) claim.

So....If I were you, I'd pass on the Bose, and buy something that "is" as good as people claim....lots of those.

Dave

PeteG · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 Jul 2007, 07:25 pm »

I had a pair of 901’s in 1980 with bose equalizer and a 400w+ Pioneer receiver.
I didn’t give a damn about sound as long as it was loud

.

SET Man · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 02:04 am »

Hey!

Bose 901? They have been around longer than I am.

So, they must be world's best speaker ever! NOT!!!!

Well, not sound wise but marketing wise I would say.

And you know what? I could bet you that 20 years from now the 901 will still be in production

BTW... I'm proud to say that I've never own a any Bose speaker in my life. When I bought my first pair of speaker, Bose was there on the store shelf but I walked out with something else

Take care,
Buddy

tdangelo · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 02:21 am »

I had a pair in 1985 - V III if I remember right - had them hooked up to a Dynaco 420 or something like that. They were a great party speaker

I sold them and bought some Acoustat 1+1's. Kept the stats for 17 years - they Bose lasted less than a year

Tony

macrojack · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 02:53 am »

Looks like Bose is taking a whipping here. That's fine with me. I believe they are the undisputed most successful hoax in audio history. Even today the average American thinks they are saying Rolls Royce when they announce that they own Bose. It's stupefying when you think about all the wonderful companies with viable products that have fallen by the wayside during Bose's exponential rise to the top.

Is there anything else that makes Americans look as stupid?

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 02:58 am »

Quote from: macrojack on 19 Jul 2007, 02:53 am

Looks like Bose is taking a whipping here. That's fine with me. I believe they are the undisputed most successful hoax in audio history. Even today the average American thinks they are saying Rolls Royce when they announce that they own Bose. It's stupefying when you think about all the wonderful companies with viable products that have fallen by the wayside during Bose's exponential rise to the top.

Is there anything else that makes Americans look as stupid?

To their credit....it's good marketing, and they've been doing it for such a long time....that's why everyone and their grandmother knows the name...

macrojack · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 03:04 am »

Is there anything else that makes Americans look as stupid? Harley Davidson? The Grateful Dead? Bush?
Paris Hilton? SUVs?
That's a few of my nominees. Did I miss any?

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 03:07 am »

Quote from: macrojack on 19 Jul 2007, 03:04 am

Is there anything else that makes Americans look as stupid? Harley Davidson? The Grateful Dead? Bush?
Paris Hilton? SUVs?
That's a few of my nominees. Did I miss any?

You forgot a few "dumb" tv shows......

macrojack · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 03:13 am »

I'm proud to announce that I don't watch them. If pressed, however, I imagine I could name some. Is Survivor still on?

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #17 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 03:24 am »

Quote from: macrojack on 19 Jul 2007, 03:13 am

I'm proud to announce that I don't watch them. If pressed, however, I imagine I could name some. Is Survivor still on?

Beats me....

....I do know that the news and weather comes on at 11PM...

mcullinan · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 03:38 am »

I take offense to the Grateful Dead comment... I love the Dead... one of the best bands ever...
just another opinion...like so many...
M

macrojack · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 Jul 2007, 03:53 pm »

Somebody out there has probably taken offense at the Bose comments. You're both in the same boat.

The best band ever comment is very difficult to support. If you were to say they had the most loyal following ever, I think you would not find an argument anywhere. Their vocals make Neil Young sound like Pavoratti. If it weren't for drugs and the mass euphoria that permeated their concert venues, they wouldn't have become known outside of SanFran. Mostly just a right place/right time phenomena.

I used to have a Deadhead living at my house back in the 80s and he would actually receive calls on my phone in the middle of the night alerting him to a detailed reading of the playlist from a concert someone had just attended in another part of the country. Ridiculous obsession. Religious zealotry. Nonsense. News from the front. These guys were in their 30s. Basically another marketing triumph. Inferior product with unwarranted adulation. Highest paid cover band in history.