that's like saying bottom of the line Lamborghini!
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Opportunity to purchase pair of Bose series V 901's
- Thread starter rwh63
- Start date
i am not worthy!
No.
Say Collins, or Racal and you'd be closer, but Hallicrafters? No way!
Hallicrafters was a Ford if anything, I've had dozens of them as a Ham over the years, still have an SX17, a SX100, and an R274, so, yeah, the S-38 is a bottom of the line receiver, a very simple variation of the All American Five radio with bandswitching...it was a cheap radio...period.
I suggest you engage all the clean power (200-500+ / 1K watts) you can muster. My 901 owner’s manual stipulated that there was NO power handling limit for the 901s, in “non-commercial applications”. They handled 200+ watts, even at the edge of continuous clipping for hours on end, with total ease. They also excelled in big spaces.
By this, I mean they’re power hungry, like black holes. (Bragging about how much power your speakers can handle is like bragging about how few miles per gallon your car gets.) But they’re also not the least efficient speakers out there (not that we will ever know the secret specs of Amar’s 901s). My 70 WPC Marantz and, later, 50 WPC McIntosh, drove them just fine at home.
By this, I mean they’re power hungry, like black holes. (Bragging about how much power your speakers can handle is like bragging about how few miles per gallon your car gets.) But they’re also not the least efficient speakers out there (not that we will ever know the secret specs of Amar’s 901s). My 70 WPC Marantz and, later, 50 WPC McIntosh, drove them just fine at home.
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swechsler
Frog Whisperer
The fact that 901s can work with relatively moderately sized amps is a clear indication of how little power is normally used to listen to most music. Think about this: You've got over 20dB of boost from the EQ. A 20dB boost requires 100x the power of the unboosted signal. So if you've got a set of 901s playing loudly and clearly with a 100 watt RMS amp, that means the majority of the frequencies are being reproduced with 1 watt or less. Pretty impressive.
so what, its still cool, and old!
Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
The later versions of the 901 can handle gobs of power because they do not have a fragile thin-wired tweeter voice coil. They have nice thick wire wound on high power handling capacity 4" drivers. So they can handle being plugged into the wall, getting 1200 watts of pure 60 Hz audio power. Not that I would want to hear that. Additionally the input power is divided 9 ways so each driver doesn't see much power in typical applications.
You can use the later versions Series III - VI with lower powered units because they play louder for the same power input because they are ported.
63's 50wpc 5.1 receiver will let him hear the speakers sounding adequate but the amp will run out of power as the volume goes up and the bass boost from the eq takes its toll. He will be able to see what the speakers sound like in normal listening environments but will not have the power needed to recreate a rock concert in an arena which these speakers can do very well. I don't know for sure but maybe the HK is one of the better 5.1 receivers and has the power to back up its specs.
Snow
Super Member
Obviously he knows more then the rest of us and does not need our help, the 901's are going to sound like **** with anything he has especially the joke the S-38, he doesnt even know yet if the surrounds are shot. What a mess this thread has turned out to be, makes a guy not want to help anymore.
I hear you. (Shaking head.) My thinking is…that the good thing about threads here on AK (despite the unproven longevity of digital content), is that, even if they fall on deaf ears today, they may help others in the future.
Snow
Super Member
This is true. Heck I know when I get a new toy I want to play with it, I have been known to take a day off work just to listen to a new amp speakers ETC and I was a workaholic typically I would work over 100 hours a week.
Regards Snow
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50nstillhifi
Super Member
Get em! 
Connect em!
Enjoy them
Bose made an excellent line of early model speaker systems (IMHO)
Some are now "collectibles" since ending production. My brother bought 901s in Germany, 1980s, still have them and they play like yesterday 
I have owned 301s.. sold 301s.. now miss my 301s
Connect em!
Enjoy them
Bose made an excellent line of early model speaker systems (IMHO)
Some are now "collectibles" since ending production. My brother bought 901s in Germany, 1980s, still have them and they play like yesterday I have owned 301s.. sold 301s.. now miss my 301s
I normally use the lead which has the mfg/model printed on it as the "black" lead. But you'll need to follow it to it's source to determine the true polarity.
thx. sucks i now have to unbold the tulips; or can i just do a quick test? 50/50 chance.
thx for that input. the thread has taken a slightly dark turn with some important contributors pushing for the finish line. as much as i appreciate all suggestions and comments, i don't necessarily have a set up that is ideal for these speakers right now. i'm not running out to buy a $500 200 watt used amp. working with what i have. its as much the journey as the destination. just finding the time to acquire these was an effort.
Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
You gotta guess that the original install of the wires was done the same on both. If so, it does not matter whether you use the words or the plain as the + or - but do them both the same. Should be right if the original connection was done correctly.
Now to test them, you can use a 9V battery. Connected to the speaker wire and the grilles off, one connection will cause the drivers to jump out the reverse connection will cause them to pull in. The one where the drivers jump out has the + lead connected to the + battery terminal.
Stopped at the 901 property. Decided to do a quick hook up. Harmon receiver and iPhone. Did the black label to black post guess. Big sound! Even with a measly 60 watts.
do the EQ controls do much really? Monitor and bass buttons didn’t do a lot. I realize preliminary set up. Sounds like they would rock the house.
do the EQ controls do much really? Monitor and bass buttons didn’t do a lot. I realize preliminary set up. Sounds like they would rock the house.
Attachments
Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
Yes, they will.
I have written about the sound of the top speakers we sold back in 1980. All three and a couple other posts searched using 901 arena or Dahlquist Magneplanar Time Widow and posted by Blue Shadow found them. I know we repeat ourselves but hell it has been 15 years and folks ask the same questions...and I'm keeping my typing skills going
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/timewindows-vs-dq-10.56560/#post-538168
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/dahlquists-or-magneplanars.67462/#post-663626
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/dq-10s-or-ar9s.169020/#post-1919707