My wife and I were doing some Christmas shopping so we stopped in the Bose outlet store. I have not heard any Bose product since I got my Klipsch. Well I asked to audition the 901's. In fairness the place was very busy and many systems were playing at once. The saleslady started up an Onkyo??? and then switched on the 901's. We listened for a very short while to some jazz. I thanked the lady and my wife and I left. Once outside I asked my better half what she thought? She told me I did very good with our Klipsch. I thought they sounded very small and was in now way shape or form any comparison to the Cornwalls or Belles. I remember hearing 901's for the first time in the 70's and thought they really rocked. Well we are happy with the speakers we ended up with. I think the 901's listed at just under $1400.

 Bose 901's are great. Just put a red dot in the center of each driver & you can use them to play darts.

 Those Bose store demos are quite good marketing for the uninformed.

We Klipsch forum maniacs know better. 25 years ago I heard a Carver Bose 901 system. It was allot of sound but very little music. 

I like that alot Audio Flyn, " It was allot of sound but very little music. "

I agree.  I may have to use that amongst the Bose audio snobs that I know. 

 I used to have Bose 901series VI. I now own Klipsch RF-7 and I am very glad I got rid of theBose.

Remember this: IF IT HAS NO HIGHS AND NO LOWS IT MUST BE A BOSE!!!! 

 Everyone should hear a BLOWS systems once...

Back in the '70s, I succumbed to Bose's hype, which at that time was, "Bring home a legend", and brought home a pair of 901 IVs. Of course they sounded hugely spacious, scattering sound all over the place, and it was seductive...for a little while. Then I noticed that the sound of one singer sounded like it was billboard sized, bloated like someone singing in a barrel. I sold them and bought a pair of Cornwalls. George

I just saw a Perfect pair of 901's, with stands and equalizer for $450. ......... that's a nice deal !!!!!!!!!!! Say what you want or will about BOSE, they know how to advertise, and their style works ............

Audio Flynn:

25 years ago I heard a Carver Bose 901 system. It was allot of sound but very little music.

 

*raises hand*

My name is Shawn and I used to own Bose.  *hangs head in shame*

1st gen AM-5's, right when they came out, 20 years ago. 

Bose dealers used to demo the 901 with a oval blue glass mirror behind them, so they would have a consistent first reflections surface.

oldbuckster:

I just saw a Perfect pair of 901's, with stands and equalizer for $450. ......... that's a nice deal !!!!!!!!!!! Say what you want or will about BOSE, they know how to advertise, and their style works ............

what's their slogan?  Better Sales Through (marketing) Research? or something like that.... 

They might be right in that most of the sound of a live performance might be from the reflected sound?  I really don't know... but reproducing the recording of that primarily with reflected sound would seem to be creating additional reflections and not at all recreating the performance accurately. 

A lot of people like Bose sound - probably because that may be the best they're heard up to then?  And probably doesn't sound that bad.  Just not that good compared to Klipsch.  In all fairness, most speakers don't sound that good compared to Klipsch.

Personally, I think our cheap little Advent Marbl speakers we use outside hold up very well (sound better to me at least) than our former neighbors' Bose outdoor speakers, the larger 2 way models that go for about $400 a pair.  Hope to get some Klipsch outdoors in place by next summer.  Would be no contest then but said neighbor has moved away and took the Bose with him.  Will miss him, even the Bose as he occasionally played some good music.

 

And they've got the style over substance market - as the Lifestyle systems can virtually be hidden away and are very unobtrusive.  I hope RP is working on his redemption plan.

 

I have a pair of their Nautilus 801's in my main system.  They are great speakers.  Why are you guys so down on these?

tigerwoodKhorns:

I have a pair of their Nautilus 801's in my main system.  They are great speakers.  Why are you guys so down on these?

 

 

I'm not down on them at all....I have a set of series VI that sound great in my home office.  My home office is 9X11 in size with a large roll top desk and a small equipment rack in them.  The only speakers that sound any good in the office is the 901's.  Mainly because I can sit them on each side of the top of my roll top desk and let the top half of the room seet the sound stage.

For large ventues, I would go with 802's elevated about 8ft off the floor along with some bass bins.

 

 

>They might be right in that most of the sound of a live performance might be from the reflected sound? 

No, they are not right, unless the performance is in a gymnasium.

Gawd, not Blose again...

If I had a room that nothing sounded good in but Blose I would call a priest with bell, book, and candle.

Dave