[Doug McCall]

I owned a pair of Series IV 901's for about five minutes back in the late
seventies and have since gone through pairs of ESS amt-1b's, Klipsch
Cornwalls, Amrita Reference Standards, Klipschorns, B&W 703's and now, a
5-channel set-up of a/d/s/ HT400's / HT300's and a pair of Dayton Titanic
III 10" subs. So...why am I scouring ebay for a clean pair of Bose 901
Series VI speakers? I know they are not p.c. in audiophile circles, but my
gaaawsh, I just feel like the prodigal son of good sound, thinking if I
could just go back to that chest-pounding, almost scary bass, that life-like
spaciousness, and even the sparkling detail I heard from a pair of Series
VI's a few years ago at the Bose outlet store in Osage Beach, MO (yes,
DETAIL!). So, have I come full circle? Is the 901 truly the holy grail of
speakers even though only Amar Bose and his merry marketers dare say so
publicly? Or am I in need of a 12-step program?

[Steven Sullivan]

Doug McCall wrote:
I owned a pair of Series IV 901's for about five minutes back in the late
seventies and have since gone through pairs of ESS amt-1b's, Klipsch
Cornwalls, Amrita Reference Standards, Klipschorns, B&W 703's and now, a
5-channel set-up of a/d/s/ HT400's / HT300's and a pair of Dayton Titanic
III 10" subs. So...why am I scouring ebay for a clean pair of Bose 901
Series VI speakers? I know they are not p.c. in audiophile circles, but my
gaaawsh, I just feel like the prodigal son of good sound, thinking if I
could just go back to that chest-pounding, almost scary bass, that life-like
spaciousness, and even the sparkling detail I heard from a pair of Series
VI's a few years ago at the Bose outlet store in Osage Beach, MO (yes,
DETAIL!). So, have I come full circle? Is the 901 truly the holy grail of
speakers even though only Amar Bose and his merry marketers dare say so
publicly? Or am I in need of a 12-step program?

No one says you HAVE to like speakers that measure well -- or hate
ones that don't get reviewed or bench-tesed for fear of *lawsuits*. ;

I'm just not sure what advantage 901's will give in this day and age of
*real* surround. I suspect you've just got a bad case of 'upgradeitis'
and are desperate for something different. You may end up being disappointed
when your new 901s don't sound like they did in that showroom. (Room acoustics
and all that -- and heaven knows what EQ settings)

(Also I don't remember *detail* being the strong point of 901's, when I owned
a pair.)

___
-S
"As human beings, we understand the world through simile, analogy,
metaphor, narrative and, sometimes, claymation." - B. Mason

[record hunter]

Steven Sullivan wrote:
Doug McCall wrote:
I owned a pair of Series IV 901's for about five minutes back in the late
seventies and have since gone through pairs of ESS amt-1b's, Klipsch
Cornwalls, Amrita Reference Standards, Klipschorns, B&W 703's and now, a
5-channel set-up of a/d/s/ HT400's / HT300's and a pair of Dayton Titanic
III 10" subs. So...why am I scouring ebay for a clean pair of Bose 901
Series VI speakers? I know they are not p.c. in audiophile circles, but my
gaaawsh, I just feel like the prodigal son of good sound, thinking if I
could just go back to that chest-pounding, almost scary bass, that life-like
spaciousness, and even the sparkling detail I heard from a pair of Series
VI's a few years ago at the Bose outlet store in Osage Beach, MO (yes,
DETAIL!). So, have I come full circle? Is the 901 truly the holy grail of
speakers even though only Amar Bose and his merry marketers dare say so
publicly? Or am I in need of a 12-step program?

No one says you HAVE to like speakers that measure well -- or hate
ones that don't get reviewed or bench-tesed for fear of *lawsuits*. ;

I'm just not sure what advantage 901's will give in this day and age of
*real* surround. I suspect you've just got a bad case of 'upgradeitis'
and are desperate for something different. You may end up being disappointed
when your new 901s don't sound like they did in that showroom. (Room acoustics
and all that -- and heaven knows what EQ settings)

(Also I don't remember *detail* being the strong point of 901's, when I owned
a pair.)


The 901s are most useful if your decorating style includes the Saarinen
tulip table.

http://www.dwr.com/productdetail.cfm?id=10517

[mike]

Doug McCall wrote:
I owned a pair of Series IV 901's for about five minutes back in the late
seventies and have since gone through pairs of ESS amt-1b's, Klipsch
Cornwalls, Amrita Reference Standards, Klipschorns, B&W 703's and now, a
5-channel set-up of a/d/s/ HT400's / HT300's and a pair of Dayton Titanic
III 10" subs. So...why am I scouring ebay for a clean pair of Bose 901
Series VI speakers? I know they are not p.c. in audiophile circles, but my
gaaawsh, I just feel like the prodigal son of good sound, thinking if I
could just go back to that chest-pounding, almost scary bass, that life-like
spaciousness, and even the sparkling detail I heard from a pair of Series
VI's a few years ago at the Bose outlet store in Osage Beach, MO (yes,
DETAIL!). So, have I come full circle? Is the 901 truly the holy grail of
speakers even though only Amar Bose and his merry marketers dare say so
publicly? Or am I in need of a 12-step program?
The most amazing thing about Bose is that no matter when or where I hear
them, they always fill the room with sound. Granted its very heavy on
the low end and muddled middles. But they do fill any room with sound.
I almost got lulled into buying a set after hearing them in my neighbors
house. I then listened to them and realized that as good as they did at
filling his living room with sound, nothing sounded real.
Mike Mueller

[Kalman Rubinson]

On 29 Nov 2006 23:25:10 GMT, "Doug McCall"
wrote:

I owned a pair of Series IV 901's for about five minutes back in the late
seventies and have since gone through pairs of ESS amt-1b's, Klipsch
Cornwalls, Amrita Reference Standards, Klipschorns, B&W 703's and now, a
5-channel set-up of a/d/s/ HT400's / HT300's and a pair of Dayton Titanic
III 10" subs. So...why am I scouring ebay for a clean pair of Bose 901
Series VI speakers? I know they are not p.c. in audiophile circles, but my
gaaawsh, I just feel like the prodigal son of good sound, thinking if I
could just go back to that chest-pounding, almost scary bass, that life-like
spaciousness, and even the sparkling detail I heard from a pair of Series
VI's a few years ago at the Bose outlet store in Osage Beach, MO (yes,
DETAIL!). So, have I come full circle? Is the 901 truly the holy grail of
speakers even though only Amar Bose and his merry marketers dare say so
publicly? Or am I in need of a 12-step program?

I often get nostalgic for old stuff I once lusted after (or once
owned) and it's often easy to assuage that lust at flea markets these
days. It's fun but the audio performance rarely lives up to
expectation.

Kal

[[email protected]]

Doug McCall wrote:

So, have I come full circle? Is the 901 truly the holy
grail of speakers even though only Amar Bose and his merry marketers dare
say so publicly? Or am I in need of a 12-step program?

When I started to get in to hi-fi there were 3 mainstream "top of the line"
speakers most people considered: the AR3, the JBL 100, and the Bose. Each
had a distinctive sound. Then, for a few there was the Quad. Given the
limitations of 1975 sound technology, I would be inclined to go for a set
of Quads; IF I had to buy an old speaker. Things have changed so much it
is difficult for me to believe that the current 901 is competitive with a
more modern speaker design. At the same time, I wouldn't even know where
to go to audition a 901, today. Maybe Bose has a deal like the WaveRadio
where they will send you a set so you can try them out in your home for a
week or two before you buy?

mp

[Peter Wieck]

Doug McCall wrote:
So, have I come full circle? Is the 901 truly the holy grail of
speakers even though only Amar Bose and his merry marketers dare say so
publicly? Or am I in need of a 12-step program?

With respect, the latter.

Looking at the various speakers you have gone through over the years,
not one of them (to me) is anything at all worth raving over. Of all of
them, including the Bose, I would give the Bose the ability to produce
noise head-and-shoulders above the others. But in audio *and* with
speakers, quantity should never be mistaken for quality.

I am going to make a perhaps-heretical suggestion that may address your
wish for nostalgia _and_ actually give you a shot at quality sound at a
reasonable cost and based on those speakers you have used in the past.

1. Obtain a decent power-amp, something on the order of 100wpc/rms or
better. Ideally, something on the brute-force end of the spectrum. Such
include but are not limited to:

Dynaco 416, HK Citation 16 & 17, Hafler DH200 & 500 and so forth. Avoid
Crown. Look for Audio Research if you can afford it. If you are into
tubes, a pair of Dynaco Mk IIIs, a Scott LK150 or some other
PP6550-based amp.

Obtain in no particular order (try to audition before plunking down
bucks, if possible):

AR9, AR90, 10pi, 11, LST or LST2, or 3a speakers (11, 10pi or 3a in
restricted space)
Dynaco A30 or A35 speakers (A25 if your space is restricted)
Large Advent speakers

Set this up per common sense and manufacturer's suggestions.

Check the results.

You may be quite pleased.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

[Art Landy]

I fully understand your love for the Bose 901s. I have the original 901s
that I bought when they first came out. I still use them and love them,
though the equalizer doesn't work anymore. They still provide a spacious
sound. have great bass and are very pleasurable to listen to. Forget all
the critics. What you enjoy hearing is what you should insist on. I also
own Martin Logan Electrostats and a speaker system by the name of Essence 8a
( a 4 way transmission line system with KEF drivers). Each is in a
different room and each provides a different kind of listening experience.
I prefer each system depending on the type of music I want to hear. I could
not honestly say that one is any better than the other - they are just
different in various ways. And each has its own strengths and weaknesses.
One of the great things about the Bose speakers is that they do not lose the
highs and lows when played at a low volume, and to my ears they have plenty
of detail. Hope this helps!

[[email protected]]

Art Landy wrote:
I fully understand your love for the Bose 901s. I have the original 901s
that I bought when they first came out. I still use them and love them,
though the equalizer doesn't work anymore. They still provide a spacious
sound. have great bass and are very pleasurable to listen to. Forget all
the critics. What you enjoy hearing is what you should insist on. I also
own Martin Logan Electrostats and a speaker system by the name of Essence 8a
( a 4 way transmission line system with KEF drivers). Each is in a
different room and each provides a different kind of listening experience.
I prefer each system depending on the type of music I want to hear. I could
not honestly say that one is any better than the other - they are just
different in various ways. And each has its own strengths and weaknesses.
One of the great things about the Bose speakers is that they do not lose the
highs and lows when played at a low volume, and to my ears they have plenty
of detail. Hope this helps!

I agree with your comments about the Bose 901. Back in the day (late
60s to late 80s) I was an impovirished audiophile who spent a lot of
time auditioning speakers that I could not afford. These included the
901s, AR3as, AR LSTs, several large Altecs (Barcelona and VOTTH),
J-bells, large Rectilinears,and in the late 80s, Fulton J-modulars (my
candidate for the best speaker system of all time) and the ML
Hartley/Quad/Decca system. Except fot the last 2, what I heard from the
Bose equalled or bested them all.

I requested a copy of their testimonial booklet and was shocked to see
what speakers people were trading in for the Bose 901. Everything from
Klipschorns to KLH 9s, in fact most of the big names of the day were
"embarrassed" in the booklet. Ok! It was advertising hyperbole,
especially when Bose told you to place the 901 on top of the biggest,
most expensive speaker that you could find and compare! Around that
time Bose had a hell of a lot of immitators. I always suspected that my
beloved AR LSTS was born out of the Bose emphasized need to have a
widely spread source of sound.

This said, the 901 (in all versions) does sound different from those
others. It has a huge sound, especially considering its size and
unbeliveable clarity and spaciousness. I have read criticisms that
complained it has no lows and no highs. I don't know what speakers
those critics heard but no lows would be the very last thing to be said
about the 901. Listen to the Zubin Mehta "Also Sprach Zaruthustra" on
London Decca. The opening organ pedal note is reproduced with a power
and authority that could make you wet your pants. Same for the heart
beats on the opening cut of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon". Now I
know that there are subwoofeer systems that can reproduce a blue
whale's belch at the level of a nuclear air burst, and this is fine for
those who derive their greatest pleasure from listening to blue whale's
belches. But if you want to hear deep, deep, powerful, bass from
musical instruments especially electric bass, organ or timpani, the 901
would give it to you.

When I could afford top quality speakers, room restrictions for the 901
caused me to look elsewhere. AR LSTs were followed by KEF 105.2s and
finally an ESL 63/Gradient system. By the time I got the 63s I had a
room that allowed more space at the rear and sides than even the Bose
demanded and the sound beguiled me away from any others on the market.
All of these speaker systems I currently have in my house.

No the Bose 901 is not the world's best speaker (BTW I do not consider
those mega buck systems from Wilson Audio and other insanely designed,
engineered and priced efforts as part of normal audiophile activity),
and yes I believe for most music, the Quad electrostactics and a few
others of their ilk outshine 901s. But the hard edged sometimes vicious
disparagement of the 901s that you often read is uncalled for. Bose put
out a speaker around 1968 that has stood the test of time and was
imitated by many.

ESTG/ A 60 year old, 40 year audiophile.

"...what in me is dark illumine; what is low raise
and support; That to the height of this great
argument, I may assert Eternal Providence,
And justify the ways of God to men."
John Milton " Paradise
Lost"

[BEAR]

Doug McCall wrote:
I owned a pair of Series IV 901's for about five minutes back in the late
seventies and have since gone through pairs of ESS amt-1b's, Klipsch
Cornwalls, Amrita Reference Standards, Klipschorns, B&W 703's and now, a
5-channel set-up of a/d/s/ HT400's / HT300's and a pair of Dayton Titanic
III 10" subs. So...why am I scouring ebay for a clean pair of Bose 901
Series VI speakers? I know they are not p.c. in audiophile circles, but my
gaaawsh, I just feel like the prodigal son of good sound, thinking if I
could just go back to that chest-pounding, almost scary bass, that life-like
spaciousness, and even the sparkling detail I heard from a pair of Series
VI's a few years ago at the Bose outlet store in Osage Beach, MO (yes,
DETAIL!). So, have I come full circle? Is the 901 truly the holy grail of
speakers even though only Amar Bose and his merry marketers dare say so
publicly? Or am I in need of a 12-step program?

What you /need/ with a pair of Bose 901s is a flat real plaster and
lathe wall, free of all obstructions, dead floor (wood with carpet/rug
is best), and some degree of absorption and diffusion on the remaining
surfaces. Soft plush chair.

That and a Phase Linear 700.

THEN what is needed is a good TT and cartridge combo (not a Shure,
Stanton or similar).

FINALLY, you need pristine copies of early LED ZEP albums!!

Nothing sounds better!

_-_-bear

[Steven Sullivan]

BEAR wrote:
Doug McCall wrote:
I owned a pair of Series IV 901's for about five minutes back in the late
seventies and have since gone through pairs of ESS amt-1b's, Klipsch
Cornwalls, Amrita Reference Standards, Klipschorns, B&W 703's and now, a
5-channel set-up of a/d/s/ HT400's / HT300's and a pair of Dayton Titanic
III 10" subs. So...why am I scouring ebay for a clean pair of Bose 901
Series VI speakers? I know they are not p.c. in audiophile circles, but my
gaaawsh, I just feel like the prodigal son of good sound, thinking if I
could just go back to that chest-pounding, almost scary bass, that life-like
spaciousness, and even the sparkling detail I heard from a pair of Series
VI's a few years ago at the Bose outlet store in Osage Beach, MO (yes,
DETAIL!). So, have I come full circle? Is the 901 truly the holy grail of
speakers even though only Amar Bose and his merry marketers dare say so
publicly? Or am I in need of a 12-step program?

What you /need/ with a pair of Bose 901s is a flat real plaster and
lathe wall, free of all obstructions, dead floor (wood with carpet/rug
is best), and some degree of absorption and diffusion on the remaining
surfaces. Soft plush chair.

That and a Phase Linear 700.

THEN what is needed is a good TT and cartridge combo (not a Shure,
Stanton or similar).

FINALLY, you need pristine copies of early LED ZEP albums!!

Nothing sounds better!

It would also help to be transported back in time to 1975.

___
-S
"As human beings, we understand the world through simile, analogy,
metaphor, narrative and, sometimes, claymation." - B. Mason

[digital]

.


Bose 901s Kick Ass - Grab a pair of the most recently released VIs off eBay or even CAM:

( http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/detai...41-bose_901_vi )

...and crank it up!

I run Maggies, JBLs, Sound Dynamics, Paradigms and mini Bose in various rooms / offices around the property as well as old-school Cerwin Vega HED Series in the workshop. I wouldn't shy away from a pair of 901's if they crossed my path at a low enough price (anyone have 901 - Series VI's for $500.00 Cdn?)...

Go for it - life is (far) too short to limit yourself to less than 10 sets of loudspeakers! :-)

Andrew D.
cdnav.com
.

PS: Not sure whats with the double-post below, nor can I delete or edit it...?

[digital]

[image: http://www.dreamtheatres.com/product...ose%20901.jpg]

Bose 901s Kick Ass - Grab a pair of the most recently released VIs off
eBay or even CAM:

( http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/detai...41-bose_901_vi )

....and crank it up!

I run Maggies, JBLs, Sound Dynamics, Paradigms and mini Bose in various
rooms / offices around the property as well as old-school Cerwin Vega
HED Series in the workshop. I wouldn't shy away from a pair of 901's
if they crossed my path at a low enough price (anyone have 901 - Series
VI's for $500.00 Cdn?)...

Go for it - life is (far) too short to limit yourself to less than 10
sets of loudspeakers! :-)

Andrew D.
'cdnav.com' (http://www.cdnav.com)
..

--
digital

[Doug McCall]

"BEAR" wrote in message
...
What you /need/ with a pair of Bose 901s is a flat real plaster and lathe
wall, free of all obstructions, dead floor (wood with carpet/rug is best),
and some degree of absorption and diffusion on the remaining surfaces.
Soft plush chair.

That and a Phase Linear 700.

THEN what is needed is a good TT and cartridge combo (not a Shure, Stanton
or similar).

FINALLY, you need pristine copies of early LED ZEP albums!!

Nothing sounds better!

_-_-bear

You're getting to the heart of the issue now! How well I remember hearing
901 III's at "The Stereo Buff" in Springfield, MO in the late 70's! They had
them set up in what was probably an ideal arrangement: suspended from the
ceiling across one short wall. I have never heard a pair of speakers that
sounded more like a live concert! True, you don't get the hyper-imaging of
more directional speakers, but I find you don't get it in live sound either.
Which is not to say one is right and the other wrong, but just in at least
that parameter, the 901 is more accurate.

One aspect of the 901's performance I have always taken issue with though,
is image height. It seems to me that, hung from the ceiling, it's too high;
but on 18" stands, it's too low. Maybe 24-30" stands would work better, but
I don't know if that would weaken the bass too much or not. Then again, Bose
probaly knows best. I'm sure the stands they sell are 18" tall for a good
reasson.

I guess the 2-channel rig I'm imagining would consist of a pair of 901 VI
speakers driven by a pair of bridged mono amps putting out around 400-500W,
with the front end being a good 2-channel receiver functioning as a
pre-amp/tuner and a Slim Devices Squeezebox as the primary source, running
only losslessly coded files. Throw in a good but inexpensive universal disc
player and I'd be good to go.

I could also re-imagine the speakers as maybe some big Cerwin Vegas, but I
have to wonder if there's any quality there at the prices they are working
with. How do they make a profit selling 80-pound three-ways with 15" woofers
for around $300 a pop in todays economy? Are they pure crap or what? I
remember C-V's afrom the seventies as being rugged rock and rollers. Maybe
a bit thick in the mids, but rugged and dynamic with stout bass. I wonder if
they are still any good.

Another factor: Surely Bose is preparing a 901 Series VII, maybe in time for
the 40th anniversary. Ya s'pose?

[Ron]

Doug McCall wrote:
I owned a pair of Series IV 901's for about five minutes back in the late
seventies and have since gone through pairs of ESS amt-1b's, Klipsch
Cornwalls, Amrita Reference Standards, Klipschorns, B&W 703's and now, a
5-channel set-up of a/d/s/ HT400's / HT300's and a pair of Dayton Titanic
III 10" subs. So...why am I scouring ebay for a clean pair of Bose 901
Series VI speakers? I know they are not p.c. in audiophile circles, but my
gaaawsh, I just feel like the prodigal son of good sound, thinking if I
could just go back to that chest-pounding, almost scary bass, that life-like
spaciousness, and even the sparkling detail I heard from a pair of Series
VI's a few years ago at the Bose outlet store in Osage Beach, MO (yes,
DETAIL!). So, have I come full circle? Is the 901 truly the holy grail of
speakers even though only Amar Bose and his merry marketers dare say so
publicly? Or am I in need of a 12-step program?

If you are seriously considering buying a pair, I would strongly
suggest that you get the seller (if buying on-line) to let you see a
GOOD picture of the drivers on both speakers. The 901's had serious
foam rot issues.

About 4 yrs ago my father was at an estate sale and bought a pair, with
stands, for $20.00!!!! (no EQ) Only problem was, all of the drivers
needed new foam. Still a great deal if you have the time and patience
to re-foam them. He bought the foam kits but never messed with them.

Now they are just sitting in a storage trailer with all of the other
"stuff" he has bought over the yrs.

[Doug McCall]

"Ron" wrote in message
...
Doug McCall wrote:
I owned a pair of Series IV 901's for about five minutes back in the late
seventies and have since gone through pairs of ESS amt-1b's, Klipsch
Cornwalls, Amrita Reference Standards, Klipschorns, B&W 703's and now, a
5-channel set-up of a/d/s/ HT400's / HT300's and a pair of Dayton Titanic
III 10" subs. So...why am I scouring ebay for a clean pair of Bose 901
Series VI speakers? I know they are not p.c. in audiophile circles, but
my
gaaawsh, I just feel like the prodigal son of good sound, thinking if I
could just go back to that chest-pounding, almost scary bass, that
life-like
spaciousness, and even the sparkling detail I heard from a pair of Series
VI's a few years ago at the Bose outlet store in Osage Beach, MO (yes,
DETAIL!). So, have I come full circle? Is the 901 truly the holy grail of
speakers even though only Amar Bose and his merry marketers dare say so
publicly? Or am I in need of a 12-step program?

If you are seriously considering buying a pair, I would strongly
suggest that you get the seller (if buying on-line) to let you see a
GOOD picture of the drivers on both speakers. The 901's had serious
foam rot issues.

About 4 yrs ago my father was at an estate sale and bought a pair, with
stands, for $20.00!!!! (no EQ) Only problem was, all of the drivers
needed new foam. Still a great deal if you have the time and patience
to re-foam them. He bought the foam kits but never messed with them.

Now they are just sitting in a storage trailer with all of the other
"stuff" he has bought over the yrs.

Yeah, I good friend of mine bought the pair from me I had bought new back in
70's (Series III's). He had to have them refoamed (free) by Bose a few years
ago. Thanks for the advice.

[Jeffrae]

Doug McCall wrote:
I owned a pair of Series IV 901's for about five minutes back in the late
seventies and have since gone through pairs of ESS amt-1b's, Klipsch
Cornwalls, Amrita Reference Standards, Klipschorns, B&W 703's and now, a
5-channel set-up of a/d/s/ HT400's / HT300's and a pair of Dayton Titanic
III 10" subs. So...why am I scouring ebay for a clean pair of Bose 901
Series VI speakers? I know they are not p.c. in audiophile circles, but my
gaaawsh, I just feel like the prodigal son of good sound, thinking if I
could just go back to that chest-pounding, almost scary bass, that life-like
spaciousness, and even the sparkling detail I heard from a pair of Series
VI's a few years ago at the Bose outlet store in Osage Beach, MO (yes,
DETAIL!). So, have I come full circle? Is the 901 truly the holy grail of
speakers even though only Amar Bose and his merry marketers dare say so
publicly? Or am I in need of a 12-step program?

I have wanted to buy a pair of these used for the right pice just to
play around with them.