Let's talk about Bose

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Tyler, May 13, 2003.

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  1. Ken_McAlinden

    Ken_McAlinden MichiGort Staff

    Location:
    Livonia, MI
    I sat in on one of the in-store demos at the Birch Run store that Rudy mentioned. I have no idea how their system is supposed to sound since I can't imagine any engineer intended cranking the subwoofer like that :eek:. On the other hand, it was very hot that day, my wife was shopping with my in-laws and they had their A/C cranking.

    To preserve my marriage, I was told that I would have to get a sat-sub system for the HT in my family room, and wound up getting a Polk RM6500 set 3-4 years ago. It cost $300-$400 less than the "comparable" Acoustimass system, and sounded a lot better to me. I was also considering getting a set of Gallos with a passive sub, but I didn't know where to go to audition them in the area, so I stuck with what I could hear.

    I guess the only thing I would tell my relatives if they were looking at Bose stuff is that they could get something that sounds better for a whole lot less money. If they want to take Herbie Hancock's word over mine, I can live with that. :)

    Regards,
     
  2. JohnT

    JohnT Senior Member

    Location:
    PA & FL gulf coast
    For a good sounding cheaper clock radio I use a Tivoli Model one combined with an Intermatic DT17C. The model one accepts a CD player too.

    Back to Bose though. My car came with a Bose head unit that I can't bash. It's a 6 changer unit combined with an 8 speaker setup that is good stuff. Actually, I read somewhere it is a Clarion but I'm not sure about that.
     
  3. MITBeta

    MITBeta New Member

    Location:
    Plymouth, MA
    I know this is a relatively old thread, but I'll comment anyway:

    When I was in college I could buy Bose stuff for 40% off MSRP. I was poor. So I went to one of their stores and tried out EVERYTHING. I ended up with a pair of 701 MkI Loudspeakers (not Acoutimass), a VCS-10 center channel speaker, and some 301s for the rear.

    The 701s sound MUCH MUCH better than the Acoustimass (they do, indeed, have a midrange) and I generally like them. Does anyone have any direct experience with them and opinions on how they compare to other speakers that are out there?
     
  4. krabapple

    krabapple New Member

    Location:
    Washington DC



    Easily..they both cater to a market that values looks/marketing over performance. (Audiophiles aren't immune ot this either, they just tend to flock to different names)

    B&O and Bose stuff is OK, but way overpriced for the performance you're buying. That's waht I tell friends who consider buying them. They trust me because I used to own a pair of 901 series IVs


    :laugh:
     
  5. Taurus

    Taurus Senior Member

    Location:
    Houston, Texas
  6. SamS

    SamS Forum Legend

    Location:
    Texas
    Although I wouldn't consider them "good", I actually found myself surprised at the sound from some of their $1500 "Lifestyle" cube systems. It was no where near HiFi or anything I would enjoy listening to, but to Mr. and Mrs. Joe Average, it probably appeases them fine.

    Let me describe it like this...if you were to walk past a room with some of the better Bose systems playing it in, you probably wouldn't stick your head in and say "That is the worst reproduction of recorded music ever!" It's not quite that bad. If you were to actually sit in that room, you also wouldn't likely run to the counter and buy them if you've heard similarly-priced gear.

    I personally would never buy any of their products, they are definitely over-priced and never discounted. Not a bash, per se, just MHO.
     
  7. b&w

    b&w Forum Resident

    Well let me try to actually address your specific question. At the same time let’s not give Bose more free press sense they already do such a bang up job at advertising there product that it’s practically the first thing most people think of when you say home theater system. At any rate, I think it's important to differentiate exactly what Bose you’re talking about. Most likely you’re talking about one of their home theater systems that is possibly the full-blown unit with a control center (receiver) and all. Just as an aside the cube and woofer system was really nothing from Bose before modern home theater took over and helped them make some real money. As someone who installs systems the Bose acoustimass systems though I don’t sell them, I am often asked if I think they sound good. Well good sound is a subjective word. I often turn the question around and ask them what they listened to and what they thought of the Bose sound. More often then not I will hear that the sound was good enough, but that wasn’t necessarily the best sounding of what the customer had heard, but their were other issues the Bose satisfied and that was why the system was purchased. Here are the other issues:

    1. Design issues of how the speakers “look” and fit in with the room and how they “look” to the significant others.
    2. Hovered at some preset price point the customer had in mind
    3. Offered good "enough" sound

    Now I list these in order of what I have come to feel are the most important things to these customers in their choice of Bose systems. Notice where sound quality ranks. Now of course I am saying most of the customers I deal with feel this way, not all of them. Indeed there are some that are as concerned about sound quality above the other issues. That isn’t a typical Bose customer however if they do. I think a fact that audiophiles miss is that often the sound quality of what is popular, which in this case is Bose, happens to be good "enough" for the majority of people who buy it. “Good” enough because it satisfy other issues and it still provides sound for them.

    So knowing those facts how are you going to make whomever it is choice something other then Bose? Well it involves satisfying those issues I named above first. It doesn’t involve trying to make them see how crappy Bose sounds or how there are so many other better sounding systems in the world. There is no doubt there are plenty of other manufactures making much better sounding speaker/sub systems out there. If you want them to go look at some of your suggestions you’re going to have to satisfy the design issue, and the price issue. Those issues have to be satisfied BEFORE they even listen to something else. You have to be sure what your going to show the person is going to “look” good/correct/nice/easy on the eye in their room/environment. Then you have to be sure what your showing them also fits within whatever budget it is they were going to spend on the Bose system. If you satisfy those two requirements then you can get to the fact that what your showing them sound better then the Bose. Of course if you get them to the point of listening then you get them to listen to some music they love and the differences between the sound qualities will be easily heard and that will satisfy that factor also.

    As for specific recommendations…ain't going to do it. Other then to say don’t rule out in wall speakers and good luck on saving someone from bad sound.
     
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