Bose 601 "owner" opinions please

[Copa1934]

HAHA, zombie THREAD!!!

So, I've been enjoying my Bose 601 series II's I restored for awhile now. I refoamed, scrubbed and washed all the plastic bits and grills, filled in the slight scratch on cabs, and replaced the resistors, which had broken and pulled loose from the housing.

I saw poly caps, so I did NOT recap.

Was this a mistake? I remember reading the woofer naturally rolls off, and didn't figure poly caps would need replacing.

Anyone able to chime in with some experience on this??

And for anyone who says Bose sucks, I disagree. These are very enjoyable, if atypical speakers.

The caps should be for the other drivers. Usually a coil (attenuator) is used with woofers to trim off the higher frequencies. Of the poly caps I've actually tested, all checked out fine, in fact they were within +/- 1% (all were actually less than 1%). So, while I don't believe you've made an error, unless you test you won't know if one or more have been damaged due to misuse or abuse.

If the speakers sound as good as you would "expect" them too, which is not the same as saying as excellent/bad as others would say, then you likely have good caps.

If you feel the difference, compared to other speakers you own, is only subtle, again the caps likely are good.

Are these the speakers you gave me the option of taking off your hands? If so, very glad they are meeting with your approval. I'm still keeping an eye out for a pair closer to home. Very difficult to come by.

 

[onwardjames]

Thanks, Copa, these are indeed those. How I stumbled upon these is still a mystery. Great gear ends up coming from the most unlikely places.

I didn't measure the caps, but everything sounds just lovely. I pulled all the fuses, so perhaps the tweets are a little hotter than stock, since there is NO resistance, but then again, I don't put more than 20 watts TOPS to them.

All in all, a very fun speaker. Along with my Epicure 20's, they're speakers that you just listen to, instead of picking apart all that you think would be wrong with them.

 

[Copa1934]

Thanks, Copa, these are indeed those. How I stumbled upon these is still a mystery. Great gear ends up coming from the most unlikely places.

I didn't measure the caps, but everything sounds just lovely. I pulled all the fuses, so perhaps the tweets are a little hotter than stock, since there is NO resistance, but then again, I don't put more than 20 watts TOPS to them.

All in all, a very fun speaker. Along with my Epicure 20's, they're speakers that you just listen to, instead of picking apart all that you think would be wrong with them.

Awesome. I think few speakers will please everyone, and I'm being generous, so it's nice when someone acknowledges that Bose has it's exceptions. I was listening to the 901's all day Sunday. I need a larger room for them. I need to get the volume up enough for the bass to really grab by the seat of the pants, but at that point some vocals and some instruments become overwhelming. But boy the stage they present.

Appreciate the update. I have to some day get the 501's back up. When I acquired them they had the wrong woofers AND one was a 12", which means the opening was butchered. These won't be an easy fix, but people have said that the 501 too are an exception.

 

[onwardjames]

Man, make it happen! I used to sell 501's years ago, and I always liked what they did.
If you are like me tho, you got too little time, and too many projects.

 

[Copa1934]

Man, make it happen! I used to sell 501's years ago, and I always liked what they did.
If you are like me tho, you got too little time, and too many projects.

man ain't that the truth.

 

[brokenbodyma]

Maybe forgot to mention that Bose now as a company is generally bashed by most in the know at all forums. Quality control is way down and it's certainly no audiophile anything.They got the series 1 601s right and I again would get a pair.Not wacky placement critcal as 901s. As a side part of my job as an alarm installer our boss became a Bose distributor. Now in the building boom of condomania and developments we sold both Lifestyle 30s and 50s and the 3 room anp w/ control center. New home owners ate them up thinking again they were getting serious tuneage. Bose never gave out specs even at the tech demo at our place and all their stuff was propritary until they came out w/ ceiling hi-hat speakers that were compatable w/ peoples' own gear.

 

[onwardjames]

while that may be true, alarmme, we don't want to start a bose bash. This is a hot topic around here.

I'm just enjoying my 601 series II's, and that's good enough for me.

 

[Copa1934]

while that may be true, alarmme, we don't want to start a bose bash. This is a hot topic around here.

I'm just enjoying my 601 series II's, and that's good enough for me.

^ What he says.

 

[slimpikkins]

I owned a pair of 601 Series II for a while and thought they were very nice. They sounded great no matter where we were in the house or room. The tweeter array must have something to do with that. Very nice quality fit and finish as well.

 

[Copa1934]

I owned a pair of 601 Series II for a while and thought they were very nice. They sounded great no matter where we were in the house or room. The tweeter array must have something to do with that. Very nice quality fit and finish as well.

That's what I like about the 901 speakers. Just about anywhere in the room provides balanced sound. 601II seem to get the most positive feedback, not that the other series are bad.

 

[onwardjames]

I'd really love to hear 601 Series 2's on a nice tube amp. Anyone have experience with this?

 

[Boozehound]

601 ser.1 pictures

Thought I would post a couple pic. of my (Org.Bose 601's)

And take a page from Jack Black, the movie NACHO LIBRE.
How do they sound? -- "THE BEST"

 

[Copa1934]

Thought I would post a couple pic. of my (Org.Bose 601's)

And take a page from Jack Black from the the movie NACHO LIBRE.
How do they sound? -- "THE BEST"

Nice

 

[dennismbird]

What a Great Deal. FOR FREE TOO !!!

So there I was, cycling around on garbage night. I was looking for paintings and such.

What I found was a pair of 1981, made in Canada, 601 Series II. !!! IN PERFECT CONDITION !!! Well near perfect. Here's why...

I got them home quickly as possible on a wagon. I hooked them up and the sound was amazing. I live in a converted attic appartment; sloped walls everywhere. It sounded like I was inside my TV and audio system...

Then I pressed my Super EQ button on my Panasonic 150w amp system and loaded my favorite Dream Theater album. The foam surrounds instantly discintigrated. LOL. It looked like the speakers farted black dust everywhere. They were rotted to begin with I assume. I couldnt believe my eyes when I pulled the first woofer and realized they were original equipment. 33 years old. Not a scratch on the cabs and not a tear in the grills.

I decided to refoam them. I got all 4 prepped, on the last cone I noticed delamination of the cone and voice coil; Further inspection revealed another had the same issue. Game over on the refoam. So I've got 4 "closed cab rated" Pyramids on order from the US. Should clear customs soon.

With the upgraded cones and actual sealed rubber surrounds, I've decided to remove the damping batting to increse inner pressure waves. It was dirty / dusty anyways.

Now I'm torn; Do I keep these things for myself, or sell them as upgraded vintage on ebay for big cash profit..... Hmmm... Decisions, Decisions, Decisions....

 

[Copa1934]

Don't often see that kind of separation. Wow.

 

[harman/kardon]

Series 1----quite good, nice bass and warm highs
Series 2----very good, very nice bass and clean sparkling highs
Series 3----good, nice bass but generally not as nice sounding as the first two series
Series 4----not very good at all, compressed bass and muddy mids and highs

All of this of course my personal opinion and experience.....

Some years ago I purchased the Bose 601 series 1 via Ebay for 60 euros. Cosmetically they were in a condition that I thought they had had (pluperfect tense correct?) to perform in a hen-coop for decades! But technically they were fine, even the foam surroundings, and they still are.

 

[harman/kardon]

Series 1----quite good, nice bass and warm highs
Series 2----very good, very nice bass and clean sparkling highs
Series 3----good, nice bass but generally not as nice sounding as the first two series
Series 4----not very good at all, compressed bass and muddy mids and highs

All of this of course my personal opinion and experience.....

Some years ago I purchased the Bose 601 series 1 via Ebay for 60 euros. Cosmetically they were in a conditon that I thought they had had (pluperfect tense correct?) to work in a hen-coop for decades! But technically they were fine, even the foam surroundings, and they still are. "Quite good" is also my opinion, I like them.

 

[onwardjames]

So there I was, cycling around on garbage night. I was looking for paintings and such.

What I found was a pair of 1981, made in Canada, 601 Series II. !!! IN PERFECT CONDITION !!! Well near perfect. Here's why...

I got them home quickly as possible on a wagon. I hooked them up and the sound was amazing. I live in a converted attic appartment; sloped walls everywhere. It sounded like I was inside my TV and audio system...

Then I pressed my Super EQ button on my Panasonic 150w amp system and loaded my favorite Dream Theater album. The foam surrounds instantly discintigrated. LOL. It looked like the speakers farted black dust everywhere. They were rotted to begin with I assume. I couldnt believe my eyes when I pulled the first woofer and realized they were original equipment. 33 years old. Not a scratch on the cabs and not a tear in the grills.

I decided to refoam them. I got all 4 prepped, on the last cone I noticed delamination of the cone and voice coil; Further inspection revealed another had the same issue. Game over on the refoam. So I've got 4 "closed cab rated" Pyramids on order from the US. Should clear customs soon.

With the upgraded cones and actual sealed rubber surrounds, I've decided to remove the damping batting to increse inner pressure waves. It was dirty / dusty anyways.

Now I'm torn; Do I keep these things for myself, or sell them as upgraded vintage on ebay for big cash profit..... Hmmm... Decisions, Decisions, Decisions....

EDIT - WELCOME TO AK!!! GREAT FIND!


First, since shipping series 2's are nigh on impossible, you keep them, forget those Pyramid woofers, order the correct Bose woofers from Bose or find them on that auction site, OR get them repaired by Simply Speakers.

DO NOT remove foam or alter these.

Restore them like I did, and thank me later. Mated with my new Carver 900 receiver, I cannot believe what I am hearing, and I've heard some of the best stuff out there (AKFest 2008).

Only my opinion, based on my experience.

 

[onwardjames]

Some years ago I purchased the Bose 601 series 1 via Ebay for 60 euros. Cosmetically they were in a condition that I thought they had had (pluperfect tense correct?) to perform in a hen-coop for decades! But technically they were fine, even the foam surroundings, and they still are.

Close enough, Chris!

I would have phrased it "Cosmetically, I thought to myself they must have had to perform in a hen-coop for decades."

pluperfect. Hadn't heard that word since grade school.

 

[dennismbird]

Thanks for the welcome.

The Pyramids are on order and the originals are in the trash.. I expect my equipment to last for some time. If the woofers are the main degredation and worry to everone who rerpairs them, then why dont people take Vulcan Logic and just get rid of the 8's with something reliable?