Bose speakers

[admin_exported]

Noticed that no one ever recommends Bose speakers - in fact many seem to actively hate them.

I have 301s (bookshelf speakers) and dad has Acoustimass (not sure which model) and both kick out some great music without costing a zillion quid. Am I missing something?!

 

[SHAXOS]

Just that you could spend a lot less and get the same quality.

 

[Anonymous]

Examples?

I think they are reasonable VFM.

Unlike B&O stuff that costs the earth and sounds like an old gramophone.

 

[Anonymous]

If you like a wooly sound the 301's could be to your liking, I'm not a fan of the sound but apparently alot of people are, as I sell quite alot of them.

 

[Anonymous]

Reviews seem almost all positive with many questioning rampant "Bose bashing."

I'm sure they aren't the be all and end all of bookshelf speakers but I love the sound they produce - can't say I find them at all wooly.

And the Acoustimass set up - Dad has them after looking at all sorts of other speakers. As well as a professional (and in the 70s, very successful) session bass player who has set up countless gigs (he thinks many sounds engineers are hopeless so adjusts everything himself) he has also got a decent ear for music - I find it suprising how much Bose are put down often by people lacking any actual musical background.

 

[Thaiman]

SHAXOS:Just that you could spend a lot less and get the same quality.

Are you confuse the word "same" with "better"??

 

[Anonymous]

Brilliant - some negative comments chucked around with not one ounce of justification.

Always handy.

What strikes me is that some love them (yes even "proper" audiophiles) and others hate them.

The Marmite of speakers maybe?!

 

[Anonymous]

I think it's just that they're different. Are the audiophile? No, but that doesn't stop them sounding awesome in their own way.

Want to fill a room with great sounding music without having to position yourself within 1mm of the ideal seating position? Bose. Certainly better in a social situation where you might have a few people scattered about all over the room.

Want fine detail and staging with tight bass? Go down the traditional route.

 

[Anonymous]

The voice of reason at last!

Just bemuses me how much they get pasted by some, then praised by others. Unfortunately the Bose opinion generally seems low on here.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, but they are way too expensive. That's my justification.

 

[Anonymous]

matt, i havent had a proper listen to bose before so im not going to comment on them. i am struck by your comment about B&O speakers though. yes, some of them do cost a lot of money but the sound the produce is incredible - as many reviews will reflect. whether you think the sound they produce is appropriate for their price tag is another matter...

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Surf Matt:
The voice of reason at last!

Just bemuses me how much they get pasted by some, then praised by others. Unfortunately the Bose opinion generally seems low on here.

Show me a good review of Bose stereo speakers. Why are they advertised in the Times magazine and other such papers/magazines? Why do you not see them in "normal" hifi shops alongside other brands? I shall tell you why. Bose are brilliant at..............marketing! They place ads in the Times and your average wealthy bloke sees them and they look good and they are expensive and they pick up the phone to order. Someone walks past a shop and sees a Bose retailer, they go in and listen to the spiel and then the speakers (which don't sound bad) and they buy. If the same person went into another shop and tested them against other models, they would not buy Bose.

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe Bose and B&O are actually in a similar category? A bit different?

But to me, B&O stuff is so overstyled yet lacking in performance that's any time I see their kit, I laugh (usually architects/designers, etc have them) - however this is a view I've had since the 80s so could well be outdated.

I just remember everyone with a few quid racing to get their super styled B&O kit to show off with then listening to it and wondering "why?" as a half decent cheapo system seemed to do the job as well if not better without trying to look craaazy.

But I may be lost in a former period - my local B&O shop seems to have survived for many years!

Gerrard - that's their Wave radio and headphones, not proper speakers.

I have read plenty of great reviews on their higher end speakers. And why would my Dad, a music professional since he was 17, choose Bose over other makes? And why do high end car manufacturers choose Bose for car systems? And why do I see their speakers in decent clubs and bars?

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Truth-About-Bose-301-Speakers&id=794443

 

[Anonymous]

Surf Matt:

Unlike B&O stuff that costs the earth and sounds like an old gramophone.

Surf matt, I think you're just as guilty of blindly slagging off a company/product here! Some B&O gear is outrageously good and also doesnt have to cost the earth, take their ICE Power modules used in various class D amps that are getting good reviews at the moment.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Surf Matt:
Maybe Bose and B&O are actually in a similar category? A bit different?

But to me, B&O stuff is so overstyled yet lacking in performance that's any time I see their kit, I laugh (usually architects/designers, etc have them) - however this is a view I've had since the 80s so could well be outdated.

I just remember everyone with a few quid racing to get their super styled B&O kit to show off with then listening to it and wondering "why?" as a half decent cheapo system seemed to do the job as well if not better without trying to look craaazy.

But I may be lost in a former period - my local B&O shop seems to have survived for many years!

Gerrard - that's their Wave radio and headphones, not proper speakers.

I have read plenty of great reviews on their higher end speakers.

I've seen the Acoustimas stuff also in magazines. Kit at around £3k.

B&O are like Ferrari to Bose TVR. They are expensive, flash, but they sound great. Bose are relatively expensive, stylish and do not sound as good as other ranges for the same price.

Please find a review on line and give us the link....

 

[Anonymous]

thfcwestlower:Surf Matt:

Unlike B&O stuff that costs the earth and sounds like an old gramophone.

Some B&O gear is outrageously good and also doesnt have to cost the earth.

Err, please do not get carried away. 'Some' are 'good' (although I can't be specific) I'd agree with but yes it does have to cost the earth. That's the point of B&O isn't it ?

 

[Anonymous]

Surf Matt:

Maybe Bose and B&O are actually in a similar category? A bit different?

But to me, B&O stuff is so overstyled yet lacking in performance that's any time I see their kit, I laugh (usually architects/designers, etc have them) - however this is a view I've had since the 80s so could well be outdated.

I just remember everyone with a few quid racing to get their super styled B&O kit to show off with then listening to it and wondering "why?" as a half decent cheapo system seemed to do the job as well if not better without trying to look craaazy.

But I may be lost in a former period - my local B&O shop seems to have survived for many years!

Gerrard - that's their Wave radio and headphones, not proper speakers.

I have read plenty of great reviews on their higher end speakers. And why would my Dad, a music professional since he was 17, choose Bose over other makes? And why do high end car manufacturers choose Bose for car systems? And why do I see their speakers in decent clubs and bars?

Matt, are you not calling the kettle black? You don't seem to think the "bashing" of Bose from traditional HiFi enthusiasts is fair, yet you seem very opinionated about B&O stuff!

Not picking a fight - just an observation

 

[Anonymous]

andyb190:thfcwestlower:Surf Matt:

Unlike B&O stuff that costs the earth and sounds like an old gramophone.

Some B&O gear is outrageously good and also doesnt have to cost the earth.

Err, please do not get carried away. 'Some' are 'good' (although I can't be specific) I'd agree with but yes it does have to cost the earth. That's the point of B&O isn't it ?

I was talking about their ICEPower class D units which are very good, and represent excellent vfm

 

[Anonymous]

No experience of these but how much are they ? I can't find one on the B&O site

 

[Anonymous]

linky

 

[Anonymous]

The Bel Canto S300i integrated pumps 300w channel/4 ohms in true dual mono fashion and sounds awesome for £1,700 rrp

EaR also produce amps with this ICEPower module for cheaper I believe.

 

[Anonymous]

Eerrm, not exactly high street B&O fodder though is it ? It does little to push them to the fore as the HiFi equivalent of T.K Maxx !

 

[Anonymous]

jbadman - fair enough. Just from personal experience, I find Bose stuff good and B&O stuff no better than average - that's by listening with my own ears.

Gerrard - I gave you a link. Do you want more?

Occasionally a newbie like myself might think that from reading the stuff on here if it's not Arcam/NAD/B&W/Rotel then it's not worth having.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Surf Matt:
jbadman - fair enough. Just from personal experience, I find Bose stuff good and B&O stuff no better than average - that's by listening with my own ears.

Gerrard - I gave you a link. Do you want more?

Occasionally a newbie like myself might think that from reading the stuff on here if it's not Arcam/NAD/B&W/Rotel then it's not worth having.

That link is not a link to a review of Bose speakers. It mentions "what Bose claims" and links to blogs. No review. I asked for a review of some Bose speakers, preferably by a reputable publication. WHF have mentioned before that Bose just don't send them hardly any equipment. I wonder why?

 

[JoelSim]

Surf Matt:
Brilliant - some negative comments chucked around with not one ounce of justification.

Always handy.

What strikes me is that some love them (yes even "proper" audiophiles) and others hate them.

The Marmite of speakers maybe?!

I have to say that I've not heard a single audiophile comment positively on Bose speakers.

I have heard some accoustimas speakers and have been less than impressed. I have a Sounddock which is pretty damn poor too (although I understand what it is compared to more expensive systems).

ÿ