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Bose 301s Replaced with Polk ES20 - Thoughts and Input on Change?

badspell68

badspell68

Member
After years of using Bose 301s with a Yamaha CR-2040 (use it for Music and and Movies).

What I noticed - The Bose's filled the rooms completely with sound, but while watching films I had a hard time understanding words, but when putting on high quality headphones I could hear everything in detail. So, clearly it was not the Yamaha because everything sounded stunning though the headphones.

I decided to upgrade, bought Polk. I now experience great detail within the music and films! I can hear midrange and details I never knew were there. But, these speakers are VERY bright sounding, so much so, that I have to turn the "presence" and "treble", way down and still it's a bit much. They also are so directional the room is no longer filling with sound, more like I have to be in front of them when listening.

Are these the correct matching speakers for this receiver, or is there a compromise speaker out there that sounds amazing, but no so totally bright?
 
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I don't think this is a speakers matching receiver issue; most speakers are compatible with most receivers. I wonder if maybe you've gotten used to the rolled-off treble of the Bose speakers and now you're hearing your music as it was meant to be heard. The tweeter in the 301 is a cone, while Polks use domes or ring radiators, which generally have better high frequency extension. Additionally, the Bose tweeters are pointing off to the side (IIRC), which will further diminish the highs, while the Polk tweeters are pointing straight at you. Directionality (typically referred to as dispersion) is typical of most non-reflecting tweeters. It could also be that parts of your room are very reflective, which the Polks are bouncing off, and other parts are not, which the Bose were.

I suspect you might be happier with a higher end pair of Bose, maybe the original 601s. While I'm not a Bose guy (I don't have anything against them, I just never really owned a pair), I have heard a pair of 601s, and was quite impressed with their sound. Many other AKers have sung the praises of 601s over the years. Another option might be a decent equalizer or miniDSP that you can connect into the tape loop, but that won't fix the directionality issue.
 
I'm not too surprised with your assessment of the sound of the Bose and Polk speakers. They are complete opposites in terms of tone/timbre and dispersion. Certainly the Bose Trumps the Polk, and many other speakers in terms of dispersion.

It talks time for your ears to adapt to the sound of a new speaker. You might try listening to the Polk an hour or more for a few days from your normal listening position before assessing them. Feel free to make small adjustments to the tone controls. You might find once you have some time in with the Polk's that you like them better then the Bose. The Polk ES20's do get excellent reviews. I'm seriously considering the ES10 for my bedroom.
 
How long have you had the Polks? As mentioned above you may need more time to get used to the difference between the two.
Have you played with placement, made adjustments on the angle of the speakers, etc?
 
They do have significantly more detail and I do believe your advice on taking a bit of time to adjust to them is an excellent plan. I'm also taking a look at the 601 and 901s now as an interesting option, I was reading they have a more precise sound, especially the 901s. Any insight?
 
Going to toss this out there. Look for a pair of Mirage speakers with the flying saucer tweeter setup. They are reasonably priced, give very wide dispersion and will up the performance greatly over the 301s. But, allow yourself to adapt for a while first. If you set your Polks up correctly, they will provide a much better sense of true space and location. Worth a little time.
 
Play with speaker placement. Polk should have recs for distance from rear and side walls. Get them on stands that put tweeters at ear level when seated. I think they will grow on you after a while and you'll hear nuances in recordings you've never heard before.
 
Excellent input and much thanks! I think it's partly my setup, I do have them situated above my head because of location obstacles. But, even with that I can here a lot I could not with the 301s.
 
badspell68 said:
Anyone have some info on how a miniDSP would alter and improve the senerio?
Click to expand...
Like an equaliser, a DSP will alter, not necessarily improve the sound. It may be helpful to correct for irregularities in the room and to cut/raise frequencies more than just a bass and treble control. I think your experiencing the difference in a reflecting speaker compared to a new design. Your ears are used to a more muffled, indirect sound. Try the Polks for a while before you start adding stuff in the signal path. Get the tweeters positioned at ear level when you're seated.
 
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Thanks for all the input! SO GLAD now I bought the Polk's! Just took time to adjust to a Quality sound from Mono-ish Bose speakers.
 
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