Poor old Bose. (Aka, the trials and tribulations of YouTube.)

[Artie]

I hope this is the right place to post this. It's less about Bose than YT, or maybe even audio in general. I've never been a Bose fan. Never liked 901's. But I'm about to score a pair of 901 Series IV's, with the active EQ, and a Bose Spatial Control Receiver, as part of a larger package deal. It'll be a few weeks before I actually take possession, so I thought I'd peruse some YouTube vid's of 901's to remind myself what they're all about.

OMG! Poor old Bose! The best of the vid's have them, sorta set up properly, but recorded with the mono mic built in to someone's cellphone. Complete with the sound altering as people walk around the speakers. The worst of the vid's have them sitting on the floor, or pointing into corners, or both. Many have both of those conditions and have them turned around backwards. Many without the active EQ. Some have them stacked and backwards. All have them recorded with the cellphone mic.

Poor old Bose. Can't get an even shake. When I get mine, I'm going to try to make a really good vid/recording. Complete with decent mics and preamps and the works. Anyway . . . as I said: Poor old Bose. (And I don't even like them.)

 

[Dave_1962]

Well, thanks for the warning_LOL.

 

[OMGCat!]

I don't think I've seen any speaker reviews where they used more than a camera mic. I'm sure they are out there but even if they were close miked and the recording was good, YouTube would then compress it anyway.

 

[Artie]

But they're are some decent music videos. So, at least they have the ability to do a passable audio experience. Not like the transistor radio in the bottom of a Cracker Jack box.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Bose 901 speakers are very inefficient, very critical placement, and the EQ is important for any chance of good sound. The Spatial Control receiver has the EQ built in, and place them with lots of space around them for best results. While the speaker is not my cup of tea, I have heard good ones and bad ones, my advice gets you the 901 at the best they can perform.

 

[ev13wt]

I just made a bad recording of my system. Same effect, moving around gives one all those different responses

I will retry later, with 2 mics - 3 feet in front of each speaker

 

[Bodyblue]

901s are stunning: set up wrong they can be stunningly bad, but set up right they are just so amazing. I would wager most who bash 901s have never heard them in a well set up room with the right amp. Another thing about them is just how freaking LOUD they can get and not distort. My buddy has a set of 901s that he has had for years and it took a looooong time getting them set right. But when I hear them at his place it is like being inside the music. Nothing I have ever heard is quite like it. I dont have the right room size or shape for them but I sure respect them.

 

[mikeybc]

I've heard 802's set up in a mall once, they surprised me with their output and bass capability. I'd certainly give the 901's a chance if I had the opportunity

 

[teal'c]

You obviously don't look at speaker vids on youtube often. Plenty of other people posting cell phone recordings of plenty of other brands besides Bose. Does it really matter? I doubt the representation of your speakers heard through my speakers will be an accurate representation of your speakers.

 

[Bodyblue]

You obviously don't look at speaker vids on youtube often. Plenty of other people posting cell phone recordings of plenty of other brands besides Bose. Does it really matter? I doubt the representation of your speakers heard through my speakers will be an accurate representation of your speakers.

There is an active thread on AK asking for videos of users systems. A well intentioned thread but it makes no sense to me. The best sounding system will sound like crap on a cell phone speaker that it is being watched on.

 

[Artie]

Actually, I watch many 'tube vids of both audio and guitar equipment. All of them, that record with cellphone, are funny. I was taking a light-hearted stab at Bose simply because I'm about to acquire a pair, and they seem especially susceptible to placement oddities.

 

[dshoaf]

To our OP's original questions on the 901s and Spatial Receiver, please open the 901s and confirm that the foam surrounds are intact. If not, do not use them until that's been dealt with. Replacement surrounds are available. Discount the speakers accordingly.

Assuming the receiver and speakers were purchased together, the speakers will be either the Series III or IV. The built-in 901 EQ in the receiver is optimized for those series.

Lastly, the receiver is _big_ and there's a bit of switching involved to get it set up properly so please pay attention to getting them set properly if you intend to evaluate the system before purchase. Specifically, pay attention to the 4-8 ohm and EQ switches beside the speaker connectors - they're critical to getting the speakers to operate properly.

Cheers,

David

 

[toxcrusadr]

I never could understand why anyone would record a stereo system with a cell phone and actually think it represents what the system sounds like.

 

[Roboturner91]

My first experience with Bose was one of the Acoustimass systems with the tiny cubes and the passive woofer. So terrible.

However, after hearing a pair of the 501 series IV a while back, I was intrigued. They sounded nice. I've also listened to a pair of Interaudio speakers by Bose that sounded pretty good, these were just conventional looking 2-way bookshelf-type speakers.

 

[harman/kardon]

I have Bose 205; 301/I, 501/II, 601/I, 901/II and 901/III and I love them all (and repect people who do not). I also had the Spatial Control Receiver with the eq in it. This very rare powerful receiver had been constructed for running FOUR Bose 901/III/IV speakers.

High quality vintage Hifi by Bose like the gear above will overcome youtube videos for sure...

 

[Artie]

To our OP's original questions on the 901s and Spatial Receiver, please open the 901s and confirm that the foam surrounds are intact. If not, do not use them until that's been dealt with. Replacement surrounds are available. Discount the speakers accordingly.

Assuming the receiver and speakers were purchased together, the speakers will be either the Series III or IV. The built-in 901 EQ in the receiver is optimized for those series.

Lastly, the receiver is _big_ and there's a bit of switching involved to get it set up properly so please pay attention to getting them set properly if you intend to evaluate the system before purchase. Specifically, pay attention to the 4-8 ohm and EQ switches beside the speaker connectors - they're critical to getting the speakers to operate properly.

Cheers,

David

Thanks Dave. I've already made the purchase, so to speak. The Bose system is part of a small room full of equipment that was bought as an "all-or-nothing" package deal. The guy is a friend of mine who'e trimming his collection. Everything is in excellent to like-new condition. Most with original manuals. I've seen everything, but haven't popped the grills off yet. I'll definitely check that out before powering them up. They are Series IV for sure. The system also includes a pair of 201 II's.

One question I have about the receiver is, if I connect the 901's, using the 3-wire method, and then connect the 201's to the "B" terminals, (with the switch set to "other"), will that kill the active EQ on the "inner" group of drivers on the 901's? In other words, how can the amp have active EQ on one speaker set, and not the other, simultaneously? Make sense?

 

[Artie]

Let me expand on that: The SCR has four discrete amplifiers. If you connect the 901's in the 3-wire "spatial" configuration, (and that's the whole point of this system), then amps 1 & 4 drive the front driver and outside four drivers of the 901's. Amps 2 & 3 drive the inner four drivers of both 901's. The problem is, 2 & 3 are also the amps for the "B" speakers. Thus, the question of whether or not you can run "spatial" mode while simultaneously operating non-901 "B" speakers.

 

[toxcrusadr]

Hmm, I don't know, but I'm thinking it would be good for you to find an owners manual for the SCR.

 

[E-Stat]

I would wager most who bash 901s have never heard them in a well set up room with the right amp.

They are coherent using "full range" drivers, but still suffer from fundamental design issues:

1. No top end air from the 4" midrange drivers. Equalizing the bejesus out of drivers (30 db!) will do nothing to fix their inherently high mass while reproducing one inch wavelengths.
2. Image may be *fun* with some recordings, but spraying the signal across the back wall does not deliver a natural sounding image

A well intentioned thread but it makes no sense to me. The best sounding system will sound like crap on a cell phone speaker that it is being watched on.

As for me, I use the decent sounding office system which can give you a notion of sound quality. Especially midrange articulation. Similarly, I don't post using my iPhone either since it is awkward at best.

 

[dshoaf]

Running the 901s with the full Spatial effect engaged does, indeed, require all 4 channels. This arrangement will exclude any other speakers from being connected for 2 reasons:

- They will be subjected to the equalized signals that the 901s enjoy. You'll know that immediately and, if run for any period of time that way, will likely take out the tweeters in the 2nd set of speakers.

- You'll subject 2 of the channels to about 2 ohms impedance. Here's the math on that - 1/2 of the 901's drivers (4 actually for the inner 2 channels) are each 0.9 ohms each x 4 = 3.6 ohms. Then, the additional speaker set at 8 ohms means you have 3.6 ohms in parallel with 8.0 ohms = 2.48 ohms. (For those interested, do the calculation yourself here.) This would stress those 2 amps a bit trying to drive the load.

Frankly, my recommendation is to hook up the 901s and play around with the Spatial effect. Then, switch the amp back to running the 901s in their normal, 2-wire mode. I'll bet you'll leave it alone after that.

Hope that gives you pause for adding the other set of speakers. Post some pics of the receiver and the whole haul when you can.

Cheers,

David