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  #101  
Old 12-13-2020, 06:37 PM
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Audioraven Audioraven is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by damacman View Post
The 901 . . . fabled, revered, loved, and hated. I have heard properly set up 901s on a few different occasions and been just totally blown away. [This is absolutely a case of expectation bias in reverse, let me assure you.] And, I can't tell you how many times I personally uttered No highs, no lows - must be Bose during my two decades in the audio business.

Some time ago, in a city far far away, I was sitting in a bar enjoying a beer with a friend. The music was playing at a low volume - we were talking, not shouting. After an hour or so, I said to him (also an audio guy) that the system sounded just remarkable. He was like - you'll never believe it when you see it. I looked up - flown Bose 901s. I was totally caught off guard. I was expecting to see some EV, JBL, or Altec horn loaded stuff with strategically placed custom built subwoofers - NOT Bose speakers of any kind and certainly not readily available 901s

Dr. Amar Bose, like him or not, was a scientist first and an audio guy second. His work in noise cancellation technology is remarkable. The way I understand it, his original idea for the speakers was to replicate the sound he heard watching an unamplified orchestra. According to his measurements, he determined that 11% of the sound that arrived to his ears was direct and the remaining 89% of the sound indirect.

1 forward firing driver = 11%
8 rearward firing drivers = 89%

So, the design of the 901 was no accident. It was a function of his research.

I look at Dr. Bose the very same way I look at Bob Carver - two absolute geniuses who's minds know no boundaries. However, each of their companies marketing departments also shared that philosophy . . . putting off many serious enthusiasts in the process. This compact system replaces an entire stack of traditional audio components . . . It also didn't help that mediocre was the norm (vs. exceptional) when talking about the actual products.

Now, I must admit that I've often wondered just how much sound I could coax out of a pair of properly set up Bose 901s in my space with real gear and real amplification - like my pair of MC2600s. [IIRC, the 901s in that bar (two pair) were powered by a pair of Crown MacroTech 3600s.] And, would the soundstage they cast better that of my big Altecs or McIntosh XRT22s?

Personally, I don't find the OP's post to be offensive. Cause replicating his report is exactly what I intend to do at some point. Of course, Ivan may also toss me out on my head.
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  #102  
Old 12-14-2020, 01:17 AM
SAM992 SAM992 is offline
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Proudly made in China (or is it Mexico??)... anyway... I'll pass.
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  #103  
Old 12-14-2020, 12:36 PM
PHC1 PHC1 is offline
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The real marketing genius award goes to Noel Lee of Monster Cable.


From Wikipedia:
Monster was founded in 1979 by Noel Lee as Monster Cable Products.[1] Lee, an audiophile and engineer, was experimenting with different copper qualities, wire constructs and winding methods of audio cables in his family's garage and comparing them while listening to Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.[2][3][4] He became convinced that audio cables could be engineered to improve audio quality by conducting electricity more efficiently.[5][6] Using a borrowed portion of somebody's booth at the 1978 Consumer Electronics Show, he did demonstrations of his cables in comparison to standard wires. After a positive reception at CES, he quit his job at Lawrence Berkeley Lab and started Monster Cable Products with $250,000 in bank financing.[3][5][7] Monster's first cables were manufactured by Lee by hand and sold door-to-door.[5]

Initial sales were slow, because at the time electronics retailers provided low-cost lamp cords to consumers for free[1][5] or at low prices and audiophiles didn't believe audio cables made a difference in the sound.[6] Monster is credited with creating the market for high-end audio cables in the 1980s[6][8] through Lee's "marketing prowess".[5] He did demonstrations comparing the audio of standard cables to Monster cables for retailers and trained their salespeople to do the same for customers.[3][5][6]


As of 2004, Monster owned about 300 trademarks,[14] 70 of which are related to the word "Monster".[15] By 2009, the company had made 190 filings with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.[15] Most filings were to delay potentially infringing trademark applications so Monster could study them. Some were formal oppositions[14] and about 30 resulted in lawsuits.[15][16][17] Most lawsuits were settled with non-disclosed terms.[15] Critics and defendants say that Monster is too aggressive in pursuing trademark protections against companies that do not have confusingly similar products and that it is trying to own a common word, not protect a brand. Monster representatives say they are doing what most "premium" brands do to protect their marks and that their products include things like clothes, mints and music.[15][16]

In the 2000s, Monster had legal disputes over its trademarks with the Discovery Channel for its show Monster Garage.[14] Monster also had trademark disputes with Bally Gaming International over its slot machines, Monster Slots, with Hansen Beverage Co. for its Monster Energy drink, and the Chicago Bears, who use the nickname "Monsters of the Midway".[16] Other trademark disputes include a 2001[18] lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company for products related to the film Monsters, Inc.,[15] and a claim against an online used clothing retailer, MonsterVintage LLC.[15] In 2004, Monster filed a complaint about the trademark application from Snow Monsters, a video website with skiing content for kids. The Snow Monsters owner initiated a lawsuit against Monster pre-emptively.[14] It has also had a trademark dispute with the job site, Monster.com.[16]

In 2006 Monster brought a suit against Monster Mini Golf, a company selling franchise Mini Golf locations throughout the US. After an unsuccessful legal mediation, Monster Mini Golf launched a grassroots campaign against Monster Cable on the Internet. As a result, Monster received more than 200 complaints from the public. Monster Cable dropped the lawsuit and agreed to pay up to $200,000 of Monster Mini Golf's legal fees.[15] In 2009 Monster Cable CEO Noel Lee said on Fox Business that the company has had to balance their trademark protection efforts with the public's point-of-view.[19]
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  #104  
Old 12-21-2020, 09:56 AM
PeterMusic PeterMusic is offline
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I agree that Dr Bose was a genius, and that many Bose products are cheaply made. But neither of these issues addresses whether or not Bose speakers are audiophile products. The real question is whether the sound is both accurate and beautiful. I don't think they quite cut it here--I'd describe them as high-end mass market.
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  #105  
Old 12-21-2020, 11:42 AM
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Back in the late '70's my favorite watering hole had 2 pair of 901's suspended from the high arching ceiling. They were driven by Phase Linear gear and the source component was a Teac X1000R. The amp, preamp, tuner and tape deck where all built flush into a beautiful case with a nice glass door. I remember the sound filled the entire club. In retrospect I agree with the wall of sound comment. It was everywhere, but lacked impact and dynamics.

Deep down I think the 901's where built for a different time a place that has passed it by some time back.
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  #106  
Old 12-21-2020, 01:44 PM
PHC1 PHC1 is offline
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It only makes sense that music "washes" over from overhead for most passive/background listening in public places.

There is no point in having a highly directional/pinpoint source of music in that environment.


But I do miss those tabletop jukeboxes though!

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  #107  
Old 12-28-2020, 01:44 PM
Charles Charles is offline
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My son recently moved out. He's 30. In about the sixth grade I had a topline Bose Acoustimass system professionally installed in his "playroom". It sounds great for movies and we have watched a lot of movies through it. It is still going strong. Watched the final Mandalorian episode several days ago with him thru it.

I say it sounds "great" until you hear the same movie through a high end system. Then it falls apart.

Best

Charles
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