Bose?Real or a worldwide conspiracy?

[vice]

(I looked around in old threads to make sure this wasn't already asked)


I've always wondered, do Bose products live up to their claim? or is it just
insipid marketing and brainwashing? Since 1/4'ths of ABI are some type of audio engineer (you know who you are ) there is no place better to ask is there?





(feel free to move if not relevant enough to be in this sub-forum)

[CrowdAds]

[fmwyso]

A friend of mine is in charge of purchasing audio products. They handle the setup of like massive speakers and various electronics to stages or other events. In his professional opinion, he would NEVER buy a BOSE speaker for any of the events. The reasons were pretty much all tied with them costing way too much.
- Thinking about it, I somewhat remember him saying they were hard to setup EQ with? I'm not sure about that one though... -

[Dreamnine]

Overpriced garbage.

[dfkt]

Everything for the aspiring Bose-basher can be found here: http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html

[Marvin the Martian]

I knew someone years ago, that was an early adopter of that "Acoustimass" surround setup. I remember thinking to myself that the "subwoofer" didn't even put out comparable bass to my conventional speakers at the time. After reading this, it's no surprise.

[vice]

wow great to know , I'm really surprised there wasn't a thread like this already. Thanks guys, going to read the link. I hope anyone who would consider buying reads this thread, and whoever already bought one, avert their eyes.

[Marvin the Martian]

Two Bose acronyms.....
Buy Other Sound Equipment
Bloody Overpriced Sound Equipment

[dfkt]

Originally Posted by vice

I'm really surprised there wasn't a thread like this already.

There's lots of threads mentioning Bose (and they all end up like this thread): http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum...index.php#1063

[JK98]

I'm surprised Bose has stayed in business so long. I guess Bose appeals to architecs and home decorators. Is Bang & Olafson any better than Bose?

I wonder how many people buy expensive cute digital cameras that look great but take ugly pictures. I would much rather have an ugly looking camera that takes beutiful photos.

[Dreamnine]

with aa batteries.

[electron]

well, I think the reason that Bose has stayed in Business so long is that they have a reputation among those who are not "in the know"
my Dad, for example, has a setup of bose speakers that he got when he was my age (aka, really old for speakers ), so he refuses to believe me when I tell him how bad Bose speakers really are.

[Chop4life]

Originally Posted by Marvin the Martian

Two Bose acronyms.....
Buy Other Sound Equipment
Bloody Overpriced Sound Equipment

or Bose blow(s)..

[medion]

I'll just throw this in, if anyone cares. If you own a PC, I highly recommend avoiding BOSE speakers. They're USB powered, meaning they produce their own audio, completely bypassing your PC's sound card. That can be good or bad, but for the cost, it's much dumber than just buying a good sound card and mid-range speakers.

[curiouswonderer]

Bose are overpriced, but they infiltrated a big market, so people who are not in the know assume they are a good brand. They are sold literally everywhere, which is why some people assume they are so popular and good.

[TheEAR]

B0$e is the laughing stock of the audio world, any audiophile who knows audio will tell you B0$e is overpriced and underperforming GARBAGE.

[BattleBrat]

They aren't bad, if you buy them used at a rock bottom price, they are better for classical music IMO, I had 701's and HAVE 901's but they just sit in my closet, The bose speakers sound better than the systems, I've had multiple bose systems (Lifestyle 5, 12 Series I and II) so I can tell you that from experience.

I had JBL's before I went hi end and the JBL's are pretty good (i had a pair of these; http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._L_Series.html )

I now have Talon Khorus speakers, and when you compare them to bose, well the Khorus's pretty much kick the stuffing out of whatever you compare them to, except comparably priced Wilson speakers, or MBL's.

Oh and this is just so everyone knows, but the term "musical" is a bullcrap audiophile term, but it's closest translation is "fun" like a "fun sounding" pair of headphones. But the hifi folks don't like the word "fun" so they use "Musical" instead.

Originally Posted by medion

I'll just throw this in, if anyone cares. If you own a PC, I highly recommend avoiding BOSE speakers. They're USB powered, meaning they produce their own audio, completely bypassing your PC's sound card. That can be good or bad, but for the cost, it's much dumber than just buying a good sound card and mid-range speakers.

Bose made a system in the early 90's call the Acoustimass Multimedia Speaker system. You can tell if your looking at one because the cubes and their stands are gray and the acoustimass module is black, those gray cubes are unique. Anyway that system is not bad, and the ones I've purchased only ran me 100$ each, and they are actually worth it. just so you know. But overall I think the average person would be better served by a good asus or pre X-fi creative card and a good pair of sub $100 desktop speakers. I use Altec Lansing MX5020's ($40 new) and the bass is pretty impressive considering there is no sub, and the sound field is damn impressive once you calibrate the speakers (Creative Audigy 2zs platinum pro, 70$ a year an a half ago, cheap, but effective)



And just so you know a little background on me, I started off with Bose, then went to JBL, then quickly went to Talon.

[Andreas]

Bose isn't bad per say, just extremely overpriced. It's different from other brands in that if it's from Bose, it has at least some notion of sound quality however unbalanced compared to the price. People who buy it are either uninformed, have enough money so they don't care, or a combination of the two. The upside is they have excellent customer service so you can basically get a new even if you blow it up with C4, but for most conumsers that's not enough to justify the price.

[TheEAR]

BattleBrat,

B0$e are on the extreme scale of overpriced and under performing. Take a B0$e Acoustic Mess system retailing for around $1500 and compare to Paradigm and Monitor Audio. The B0$e offers you a few tiny full range $5 (at most) drivers and dual 6" bass($10) drivers with very little displacement mounted in a band pass config. The result , a have huge hole in the lower midrange and one note droning bass.

The larger B0$e , a joke using an external crossover to fix the natural limitations,adding other distortions to the mix. I call this the wrong approach.

B0$e calls it their patented technology. Acoustic mass is nothing more than band pass.band pass can sound great,use a few Acoupower 15's mounted in a dual tune box...will just about best any commercial sub.

JBL is great,only the classic and showcase large horn loaded units,the rest is so so.The large pro monitors using JBL Pro drivers are ...truly something.
TAD(Pioneer Pro) are often JBL copycats.

Now...

The Khorus are great speakers, but lets not get carried away. There are a good few uspscale speakers that have qualities to compete here.

I would pit the Dynaudio Confidence series no problems, also Klipsch new Palladium would be right there. Wilson Audio WATT/PUPPY and Kharma(pretty much all models I have heard) are on a higher still level,the level of refinement from driver integration to cabinet is unsurpassed. B&W Nautilus 801D are also very worthy so many worthy speakers I auditioned and use to own.

And then if you can find the large Dunlavy and Duntech floor standers,these giant boxes vanish, leaving nothing but the music. These are THE speakers that impressed me the most. Natural ,virtual reality from two speakers.


Hold it this is AnythingButIpod ...not AVSforum.

[lestatar]

Interesting views and good information on Bose by all. I am anything but an audiophile with golden ears [though I do have definite listening preferences] and have long been aware of the Bose brand. Truthfully though I have had zero interest in any Bose products with the exception of their smaller bedside/self-contained systems. But even though I have had a low-medium level of interest in those things, I still always felt that the Bose pricing was a bit outlandish.

Is it just me or do many Bose lovers seem just a bit "cult-ish" at times?

[medion]

Originally Posted by lestatar

Is it just me or do many Bose lovers seem just a bit "cult-ish" at times?

If you had just blown a ton of cash on an inferior and/or overpriced product, wouldn't you say or do anything to appear to be not stupid?