"Rodney Dangerfield" Bose 901 II

[doucanoe]

Well I could'nt help myself, I needed to see what all the fuss was about.
Here they are, 25% off monday at the thrift and comming in at a cool $28.00 the Bose 901 II's. (san's EQ)
Does anyone know how or if I can remove the fine grille fabric so I can get a look at the drivers?
Also, can I use any EQ or do I need the model matching Bose EQ?

I read on AK that some are using these for rear surrounds or Mid-bass for a D.I.Y. speaker project's (bass module,Bose for mids, tweeter section)
Can someone elaborate on this please.
Thanks
RC

 

[GordonW]

You will need to use a Bose 901 Series 1 or Series 2 EQ, if you want to use EQ.

One good thing- the 901 Series 2 comes with FABRIC SURROUND drivers (no foam surrounds!), which NEVER suffer from rot. So, unless one of them is blown (rattle, not working, etc), you don't actually HAVE to get in there...

As for the fabric- it's been a long time since I've looked at a Series 2 close up, but I'd expect that it's the same story as most Bose grilles- about 19 million little staples holding the grilles on. PITA, but removing ALL of those is how you get the grilles off...

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[doucanoe]

Thanks for responding Gordon,
I thought I would ask before tearing into them! As far as the EQ is concerned, is it to give the speakers more range?

 

[Aage]

You will need to use a Bose 901 Series 1 or Series 2 EQ, if you want to use EQ.

Regards,
Gordon.

Not sure if that was worded strongly enough. You WILL want the Bose EQ (and no other) if you want to hear what those speakers can do. I guarantee they will sound poor without it.

The EQ is not an option: it's a must, a key integral part of the original design.

I wonder if the Thrift Shop just didn't know what it was, and left it on a shelf in the back room. Worth asking them, even if you need to add another $28 to get it...

 

[doucanoe]

Good point Aage, I will stop there tomorrow when they open and see. I new they(Bose) had a EQ available but did not know it was a must.
Thanks!

 

[GordonW]

Not sure if that was worded strongly enough. You WILL want the Bose EQ (and no other) if you want to hear what those speakers can do. I guarantee they will sound poor without it.

The EQ is not an option: it's a must, a key integral part of the original design.

I wonder if the Thrift Shop just didn't know what it was, and left it on a shelf in the back room. Worth asking them, even if you need to add another $28 to get it...

I don't know. I've actually used Bose 901 Series 1 and Series 2 speakers WITHOUT the EQ, and with just the available bass and treble controls on a piece of GOOD equipment (like the switchable controls on a Pioneer SX1010 and the like), they can be made to sound pretty much as good as the Bose EQ.

Unlike the later models, which had truly crappy drivers that had to have the heck EQ'd out of them to sound even remotely decent, the Series 1 and 2 speakers had Norelco-type paper cone drivers with fabric surrounds, that actually WERE reasonably CLOSE to TRUE full-range drivers. They actually had fairly passable bass and treble without EQ...

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[Thatch_Ear]

I have some BIG ported 15" isobaric subs and have 901 IIs on top sans EQ for mid bass dipoles. I still haven't put tweeters on them but was thinking on it again today. I just a couple of days ago got something to drive the pair of speakers I use for a center (IC with a Y splitter running into an integrated so 2 speakers with a mono signal). Since I have surround again it is time to get a bit more treble back there, but since I do not like music in surround and the rears get the least signal it hasn't been on top of my list to do.

My dad ran early 901s in the 70s and with the right amp and the EQ they sounded great to me. I doubt they would really float my boat these days but despite the Bose haters these are really not bad speakers. Run them without the EQ and they really are very good mid bass dipoles and for part of a HT set up sound quite good. Of course most HT satellites are not usually top of the line speakers. Toss the 901s in as a part of a satellite, if you have fast subs and good tweets they will out perform the surrounds in most movie theaters. I don't need the shakers for the chairs and there is not a sub hooked up to the sub output on the DVD player. I think I will get something to go BOOM! to add to the ride one of these days. Space movies are real fun.

 

[oldschool]

Doucanoe,

I would consider this an excellent score. As already stated, you'll definitely need the EQ box. You will also need to power them with a fairly hefty amp. I'm not a huge Bose fan, but I would jump at early 501s (in decent shape) and an EQ for less than $75. I think you'll be impressed.

 

[doucanoe]

have some BIG ported 15" isobaric subs and have 901 IIs on top sans EQ for mid bass dipoles. I still haven't put tweeters on them but was thinking on it again today. I just a couple of days ago got something to drive the pair of speakers

Now thats what Im talkin about Thatch. What are you thinking for tweeters? and the question is how to drive them. Couldnt you use a beefy 3-channel amp and call it a day?

 

[doucanoe]

would consider this an excellent score. As already stated, you'll definitely need the EQ box. You will also need to power them with a fairly hefty amp. I'm not a huge Bose fan, but I would jump at early 501s (in decent shape) and an EQ for less than $75. I think you'll be impressed.

I looked at it this way oldschool, Love em or hate em, They are a part of audio history. I mean I've heard some new very pricey speakers here in town that I thought were utter crap.
These seem to stir up a debate faster than no others. How can you pass up such "power" for $28.00.

 

[bookasan]

I wonder if the Thrift Shop just didn't know what it was, and left it on a shelf in the back room. Worth asking them, even if you need to add another $28 to get it...

YES! EXACTLY!
This happened to me with a pair of series IV I picked up at a thrift. I got them with no EQ for 40 bucks. I have a co worker who also hunts the thrifts, but is more into pro audio. I told him about my score and told him there was no EQ. I went on vacation for a couple of days and when I returned, there was a series IV EQ sitting on my desk. The co worker had went to the same thrift store 2 days later and found the EQ sitting on the shelf for $12.00.
The sores have no clue what it is and where it belongs. I got lucky. Keep checking the same store and look behind things.
Good luck!

 

[oldschool]

I looked at it this way oldschool, Love em or hate em, They are a part of audio history. I mean I've heard some new very pricey speakers here in town that I thought were utter crap.
These seem to stir up a debate faster than no others. How can you pass up such "power" for $28.00.

501s?? :scratch2: Obviously, I meant 901s. That's what I get for trying to work and have AK open at the same time.

I would eventually like to own a pair of 901s. While I was growing up in the 70's, they sure got a lot of print. One of those items that I would just like to say I have owned. Good luck with them.

 

[Aage]

I looked at it this way oldschool, Love em or hate em, They are a part of audio history. I mean I've heard some new very pricey speakers here in town that I thought were utter crap.
These seem to stir up a debate faster than no others. How can you pass up such "power" for $28.00.

Good reasoning. I hope you have fun with them! And if you decide to pass them on to someone else, the EQ will become important again, even if you never used it.

I repeat: the EQ is not an option: it's a must, a key integral part of the original design. If you want to hear them as the Bose Corp. intended to have them sound, you need it. As Gordon said, with judicious use of good tone controls, you can get something that sounds "sorta" full-range, but before you make a long-term decision on them try them with the EQ.

 

[Holst]

I thought I saw someone here at AK giving away a 901 eq, a series III I think. There's a big dif. between the I's and II's and the rest of their ilk, so I don't know how different a III eq would turn out to be. The first two versions lacked the ported enclosure of III on up.

 

[Don C]

901s don't sound bad, they just dont sound much like any other speaker, or much like what's on the disc either. It's kind of like listening with reverb or sonic holography, those effects don't sound bad, some people like them. And some people like 901s. They are not for me.

 

[Thatch_Ear]

Now thats what Im talkin about Thatch. What are you thinking for tweeters? and the question is how to drive them. Couldnt you use a beefy 3-channel amp and call it a day?

I have a pair of Vifas that are in the same efficiency range. Like I said these are part of the rears for HT only. I have a semi old Yamy pre and a Kenwood power amp driving them. We sit close to the rears so with around 90 db 1/1 it is enough. Space movies are a fun and bumpy ride and helicopters have some real strong lows with the mids. They work fine for what I want and the $75 I forked over was not a bad price.

If you get bored with them you can make some Bozo Line Arrays to clown around with.

 

[doucanoe]

I hate to admit it but Im excited about these. Not that Im expecting much, but as others have said the 901's are one of the speakers we dreamed about owning as Kid's. Also, just about every other bar from my late teen's through late 20's had these hanging from the rafters!
Reminds my of a simpler time when the party and gettin laid were my biggest concern's.

I will post again after find some chain and hang them in the bedroom. If you never hear from me again after this post you will know that my wife has killed me.
RC

 

[reyneman]

Actually, if you get the eq you have reason to be excited.

In my memory (OK, it's getting cloudy, but that haze around early stuff brings fond memories :yes: ) a properly set up pair of 901s can present a wall of enjoyable sound. May not do all the audiophile approved stuff such as pinpoint location, but does have a huge soundstage.

I found them very nice, especially if you prefer to have music playing while entertaining- no real sweet spot.

I'd buy a pair for the right money, and I think you may be in for a pleasant surprise.

Don't let this get out to the rest of the board

 

[doucanoe]

I'd buy a pair for the right money, and I think you may be in for a pleasant surprise.

No problem reyneman, I got your back! :thmbsp:

 

[Strawman]

I'd always wanted a pair, but couldn't justify the price. Bought a pair of pretty rough series IV empty cabinets from ebay and refinished them, got a bunch (16) of Atlas Sound 4" full range drivers for a dollar, and put 'em in, I've been replacing the Atlas with original drivers and hooked up a Realistic (I know!) Bass enhancer and I don't hate them anymore. If I can pick up the right EQ cheap enough I will. They aren't even set up properly, but I can see the potential. If nothing else I'm sure I can flip 'em on ebay, people seem to clamor all over them.