BEST EVER BOSE -- How Good Is It?

[@martinfox2244]

The "reflecting" speaker could possibly have sounded better with a clean back wall. I heard a set of these in the mid 70s. It was the first time I experienced sound stage.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

I'm sure they would have sounded a LITTLE better with a clean wall. Looking over the comments from folks who had experience with 901s, very few think it was or is a good sounding speaker.

[@iampryso9548]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Steve, I picked up a used pair of 901s in 1971 after my Large Advents were stolen. Don't know if they were Series 1 or not. I had a solid wall behind for proper set up. But I didn't want everything, including solo folk artists, to sound like a wall of sound. Also, I agreed with the slogan, "No highs, no lows, it must be Bose!" I sold them after about 4 months and got another pair of Advents.

[@martinfox2244]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac My friend from the previously mentioned era used to call them "Blows" speakers!

[@septembersurprise5178]

More direct, less reflect. Turn those speakers around!

[@scottstrang1583]

Bose GM systems are actually quite good. They’re pretty balanced. IMHO, they sound better than the B&O systems in Ford.

[@JonHarrison-b6i]

As a previous owner of Series 1's, I have to point out that, without a clean reflecting back wall, you're not giving them much of a chance.

[@PigVirusNBC]

100% spot on! I’ve mentioned this so many times, that i lost count how many times lol. They’re very unforgiving of placement and the proper EQ wired in properly.

[@PigVirusNBC]

I got my 901’s vi series 2 the last and latest version made by Bose before they were discontinued. I found my 901’s new in the box from the manufacture date of 2012. From what I’ve heard they are very hard to find in new condition for the vi series 2.

[@c12performance19]

Kind of funny, it's 1978 and I buy a pair of Tympani 1D's and my bud got him self a pair of Bose 901's. So kind of your setup in reverse....his setup sounded crap and mine was heaven with a Sansui BA3000 amp...

[@annebokma4637]

​@@c12performance19tympani nice.. would love to get a pair of those

[@opporknockitytoots]

You mean they weren’t intended to be placed a couple feet in front of giant panel speakers?? That seems like a horrible setup for ANY speaker, let alone a “dipole” that radiates 90% of its energy to the rear.

[@mikejames-drummerreginacan1386]

Hi Steve...I was a BOSE dealer in Canada in the 1980's during the height of BOSE hysteria. Why I chose BOSE is because of the marketing and the line SOLD. They were not audiophile speakers at all. They were speakers for the non audiophile masses. I never had complaints and sold a a lot of BOSE....primarily 901s and 301s. My reference audiophile speaker that I sold was the ENERGY 22 which we sold a ton. Thanks for the memories Steve.

[@boneseyyl1060]

I had a pair of Energy 2.2 bookshelfs back in the 90's. They were a nice sounding speaker. I still have and use my Energy ES 8 sub and it puts out amazing tight deep bass for it's size. I also have an Energy AS90 12 inch sub that goes deeper but is not as tight sounding as the 8, but still pretty clean sounding. As for the Bose 901 I have an interesting story. It must have been 1978. Back in the day we used to smoke a little weed and maybe sell a little on the side. So went with a buddy to see this dealer and he had a nice new pair of 901's. My friend had already listened to them and he convinced the guy to give me a demo. So he put on the debut Van Halen album and played Eruption. Needless to say I was blown away that day. They were cranked and Eddies guitar just filled the room. I probably had a bit of a buzz going which didn't hurt either. I saw and heard a few lesser Bose speakers afterwards but none really impressed me like that. I supect it was a whole combination of the speaker, the buzz and the right music combination that made it unforgettable.

[@thomasjacques5286]

After over 20 years since I sold my 901s VI v1 speakers and bought into the HT crazy, I finally returned to my 2 channel routes a few months ago. I snagged some mint VI V2s off e-Bay and mated them to an Emotiva pre/power-amp set up. And I’m in love again. I’m spending hours listening to and getting reacquainted to my music collection again. Everything sounds right. I do have the perfect Man Cave that has the PERFECT wall/ceiling dimensions to allow the 901s to BREATHE. And they don’t disappoint. Shame on BOSE for ending production. BTW many say the VI V2s should be called the series VII given all the upgrades over the VI v1’s.

[@TriAmpMyFi]

Welcome back.

[@CarlosPerez-eb5er]

In 1972 my friend had 901s hanging from the ceiling in a 13 x 13 foot room. Connected to a reel to reel and a big Sansui amp with the Rolling Stones blasting. That was my start into Hifi!

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

I love the story

[@jeffreymcwhorter9360]

You sound like a friend i used to know around same time his reel to reel set up was fantastic but he had Cerwin Vega speakers which back in the 70's were pretty good damn speakers. First time i saw a parachute he had set up on his ceiling the guy was one partier

[@jeremywhittler8591]

My friends dad was a doctor and had a pair on a Marantz in his den. I had never heard anything that good and it started my love for stereo.

[@66skate]

I have a pair of series V's hanging from the ceiling. They are hanging from the old style "knockdown" floor stands minus the large plate.

[@careylymanjones]

Bose direct/reflecting speakers ABSOLUTELY REQUIRE a room that is acoustically "live". When I was in college, MANY years ago, a guy in my dorm had a pair of Bose 501s. The dorm had cinder block walls, and they made his Bose speakers sound amazing. I'd never heard anything like it, before. Forget about room treatment, when you're running Bose speakers. The joke about Bose speakers used to be that you pulled all of the furniture out of your listening room, and put pieces back in one at a time, to see if the speakers still worked.

[@robertyoung1777]

A “live room” makes intuitive sense with the Bose 901s. Skyfi (with all that beautiful equipment packing the space), probably wasn’t the best place to hear the Bose speakers.

[@randymackenzie8863]

When I was in college 40 years ago, I had a pair of 901s in the large frat house I lived in. I had them running with a powerful Sansui integrated amp. Those speakers rocked the house. They may not have been tonally accurate but we didn't care. They were just so much fun. They were the ultimate party speaker back in the day.

[@billimbriale8535]

Amar Bose was a serious engineer and was well regarded at the time. He and others did significant research in developing their designs. Bose, in particular, was trying to recreate the concert hall experience. Remember too that at the time, 4 channel was also a hot topic for the same reason. While the company eventually went in other directions, Bose's research was legit and his speakers when first introduced were, contrary to what some have written here, considered inexpensive for what they offered: A big sound in a small package. Today's audiophiles have largely abandoned the notion of trying to recreate the concert hall listening experience, instead opting for goals such as precise imaging, a concept which simply does not exist in any concert hall. To criticize Bose and others (Roy Allison for example), for not delivering a sound which adheres to what today's audiophiles think is "real", represents a total misunderstanding of historical speaker development and of what Amar Bose, in particular, was trying to measure and reproduce. Obviously, everyone should enjoy whatever speaker they like. But not all of today's audiophile goals are akin to a concert hall experience.

[@Patrick-ke5qt]

How dare you say anything nice about Bose , you realize you are going to lose your “audiophile” street cred LOL btw great job

[@billimbriale8535]

@@Patrick-ke5qt Hi Patrick, thanks.

[@klaushaunstrupchristensen7252]

Well spoken! Greetings from Denmark

[@josh2011miller80]

Very well put. I think Bose became obsessed with psychoacoustics and market research in the 80s, and stopped trying to investigate physics-based acoustics and sound reproduction accuracy. The sudden design change of the 501 for its 5th generation is a good example.

[@bryede]

Well, what Bose was doing was creating a specific effect instead of chasing any form of accuracy. I mean, I can stick a DSP in my system and get a gigantic concert hall effect, but do I want to be stuck with it for every recording and do I want to hear everything through very limited full range drivers? It was a speaker of a more experimental time.

[@svalbard01]

Even Steve's shirt is an acoustic panel.

[@medonk12rs]

.... just my initial thought at the start of the video

[@artkulak9802]

@@medonk12rs STEVE is an acoustic panel - both absorber and diffuser 😃

[@medonk12rs]

@@artkulak9802 hmm... 🙂 I think Steve is one of the most credible YT reviewers. After watching his videos for a while, I clearly can connect to what he's saying about stuff. No diffuse messages.

[@PigVirusNBC]

I will say also as an electronics tech and a Bose 901 VI series 2 owner and multiple Infinity speakers, that the 901’s can sound much better than what you have experienced. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that. The biggest downfall of these speakers is placement, placement & placement. They’re super critical on placement and the proper EQ per series. My 901’s do come quite close to my Infinity Kappa 9’s. However they’re still lacking as I too have them improperly placed as I have limited space in my living room and have hardwood floors.

[@evadetheeye]

I have a pair of 901 Series III from 1976 and I'm really happy with the sound. They had bad foam rot when I got them so I bought a foam replacement kit and fixed them up. I've been using them for 15 years or so. I'd describe the highs as silky and the bass as warm but not as punchy as my modern speakers. Definitely an open sound.

[@Roudaki677]

I owned a pair of mint mint 901 series 1 imperial that I recently sold. My daily drivers are Magnepan 3.7i for reference (I also have vintage JM LABS, modern Falcon LS3/5 and Sonus Amators). I have never understood or agreed when I hear the anecdotal “no high, no lows”. My 901’s paired with its equalizer had ample highs and not a terrible speaker by any stretch.

[@Patrick-ke5qt]

So if someone were to review say Magnapans and they were shoved in a corner of the room and they said these speakers are terrible, you would be all over them. Yet once again someone reviews 901's set up COMPLETLEY WRONG .If you would like to here them when they are set set up correctly , come to my place in eastern Long island .🙂

[@harrym7570]

Hi Steve, Nice to see you are reviewing the Bose 901 speakers, I had the series IV some 50 years ago. I bought them new and powered them was a big Marantz receiver, it gave me years of good and loud sound, and I remember them with great dear. I use them for my wedding ceremony in the church (40 years ago), a friend of mine put the music for the occasion, in that way I didn’t pay a chorus. 20 years after when I moved from my home, I left them on my father’s place, and I bought another Bose equipment, smaller and with better treble sound, “The Lifestyle 20”. When my father passed away, I sold the 901s, and although the cabinet and the cones were still fine, the rubber rims had to be replaced. All in all I cherish those speakers, they were a good company for many years, now with more experience in a backward look I find the same as you, although the sound was open the trebles were a bit course, with no definition. Nowadays I have the KEF reference 5 speakers powered with a McIntosh integrated amp MA 9500, they sound superb however, I still remember my 901s with affection. Cheers, and keep your nice program alive.-

[@John-y6o4d]

Ive owned from altec lancing model 19s to tannoy windsor gold 15s , koss 1030s etc and now have 901s series 6 (hanging from ceiling)powered by marantz . Have to say they are the best sounding and fun speakers I have ever owned . From the get go the critics saying they lack bass is so wrong so im lost after that with all the negative stuff . Thanks for your channel . John

[@ericwirtz6362]

I had a pair and loved them. Up graded and now the reside as my rear speakers with the drivers facing towards listening area in my home theater. Works like a champ.

[@TheBababa420]

I had a pair of 501s, and quickly upgraded to the JBL 100s.

[@michelleluvstravel]

As said here above...the venue showing the spkrs is not conducive to them sounding very good. You were right about the best 901s being series 1 or 2. After that they changed to a bass reflex approach, with the Star Trek ports for efficiency and destroyed the sound. They became limp and lifeless soundwise and never sounded right. I owned 2 pair of the series 2s and when set up with a brick or concrete wall to their rear and high powered amps...200-250 watts /ch ..they threw a very realistic concert presentation with the lights out in the dark ...Patti Smith's "Horses" was truly a magical experience. Also of note , the driver surrounds on these series did not suffer from the foam degradion that happened in subsequent series. (It is not always true that newer is always better) . With dsp eq in some of today's gear , it would be very interesting to hear what they could do in today's market. Food for thought....

[@brianandlynnkennedy1500]

I think the speakers were not set up properly or they were connected improperly. A solid back wall and proper connection is key. Because they are connected to the receiver through the cassette deck using the equalizer, one has to make sure the cassette is selected on receiver. It makes a huge difference in sound when selecting the tape deck on the receiver. I have 901s hooked up to a vintage Hitachi SA-2500 - not a robust receiver at all but it drives the 901s beautifully. I think you need to visit someone with them hooked properly in home with real walls and furniture. I live in southern NJ. You’re welcome to come here. I also have a pair of Rectilinear Lowboys that I think you’d really enjoy hearing.

[@MrSpaceship]

I've had several pairs of Bose speakers, paired with a multitude of equipment, optimally placed in the listening environment, etc... have not been able to get satisfactory sound out of them.

[@stevebarnes5243]

I really enjoyed my 901's. It seemed everyone I knew who owned them understood what they were getting, it wasn't a mystery. Seeing you didn't get the memo on how to stage Bose 901 it doesn't surprise anyone with 901 experience that you felt the speakers didn't sound good to your ear. Here's the memo for future reference, Bose 901 like Magnepan and Martin Logan need three clean smooth walls for the correct reflection. Whoever put this demo together has an sound deadening wall behind and shelving on the sides which captures the sound instead of projecting the rear speakers into the room. I'm disappointed that you didn't do your due diligence and notice this or understand the importance in a clean smooth three wall reflective surface. Oh well, hope you learned not to do a review with a couch in front of the front firing speaker and say it lacks high end transparency and crispness.

[@zoltanglass]

I dumped my 901 series 2 speakers in 1976 for a pair of Norman Labs model 10 and was a much happier young man for doing so.

[@inspector4133]

I remember in 1975, my freshman year in college, one of the college bars (a disco really, but we don't talk about that...) had several pairs of these around the bar. I'd never heard, or seen, anything like it. I was totally gobsmacked. Of course, what I thought what I was hearing was good music and a great sound reproduction. Well, that was then, and now my musical tastes are little these days. Regardless, I fondly remember the emotions and thrill of seeing and hearing such radical speakers, which I (at the time) imagined must have the ultimate cutting edge of acoustic technology at the time. This video really brings back some vivid memories, thanks. I'm half tempted to pick up a pair off FB Marketplace. Just don't know what I'll do with them! Thanks again for a great video, and some great memories!

[@jamesgreer7436]

A few years ago I acquired a set of 901 series 3. I opened them up to see the internals and was pretty shocked, the materials and build quality are abysmal! Anyway they sounded horrible no matter how they were positioned in the room or what EQ setting I could push out.

[@MrOgynist]

The only time I was in a Fry's Electronics they had a dedicated Bose area. They had a clear acrylic acoustimass module in the display and was horrified at the component quality - stamped frame woofer, bipolar electrolytic caps. Put me off forever.

[@bobb.9917]

1972…Freshman year of college…there was a rich kid in my dorm with a McIntosh Amp & a set of Bose 901s..I just remember listening to The Stones and how blown away I was by the power… I scurried back to my Acoustic Research Turntable and speakers, powered by a Sansui Amp…in AWE of what I had just heard down the hall! GREAT MEMORY!!! 😊

[@FelixtheMetalcat]

That was the McIntosh amp....

[@bobb.9917]

@@FelixtheMetalcat I recently bought one…YOU'RE RIGHT!!! 😊 I do think that the 901s would still be lacking, though..…an array 4” drivers can only give you so much, right? Steve was listening with a McIntosh amp…this time, I think?

[@mikeg2491]

@@FelixtheMetalcatfunny thing is McIntosh has about as many haters as Bose does

[@FelixtheMetalcat]

@@mikeg2491I have never once heard anyone badmouth McIntosh....I would assume they never owned or heard the product .

[@FelixtheMetalcat]

I have never once heard McIntosh badmouthed..... must be from those who won't pay the price.

[@petewilliamsabq]

I have a pair of 901 series four in my workshop hung above the bench. They are great shop speakers. Consistent sound anywhere in the room and you don’t get blasted out when you’re up close. And they sound good enough to jam out when taking a break. They aren’t hifi by any stretch.

[@dajikbatarang1]

There is alot of hate for Bose, but if it werent for them I would have never started this audio journey.

[@mikeschaper5039]

Same as me, heard them properly set up, hanging in the corners of a store, playing Donna Summer in the early 80s. Was hooked on audio after that.

[@bruceembry3479]

High Steve, I purchased my 901s in May 1977. In the latter 80's I replaced the original drivers due to surround rot. I think you have a setup issue with the system that you heard. The speaker position with any system is very critical. My set of 901s have plentiful highs and lows.

[@jerrybromenshenk1971]

I caught the audiophile bug in 1968 when the one and only hi-fi shop set up a room with a Dual Turntable, two MacIntosh MonoBlock amps, a pair of Bozak Concert Grand speakers with 4 tweeters, two horns, and eight tweeters per speaker, stacked under a pair of Bose 901 version one, with equalizers and a Bozak mixer. The Bozaks tended to bury the mids and highs, the Bose boosted the mids and highs, and they were in corners under the Bozaks. No power problem - the equalizer and mixer were fine tuned, using each speaker system for its best qualities. At the time, it was the best that I'd ever heard. At that time, I could still hear the high frequencies. Looking back, we didn't have ultra tweeters, but the combo Bose/Bozak horn mid-range really filled the room. Powering the Bose with two Macs and placing them in the corners, with the Bose openess, made up for some of the Bose weaknesses. The Bose were subpar on base, but 8 12' Bozaks made up for that shortcoming. The combo of the four Bozak mid-range and all of the Bose speakers worked well - after a lot of tuning by the shop. Are there better today - surely. But in 1968 it was about as good as it got in small town America.

[@jaywatterworth]

I had two pair of the first series 901's in 1971. They were very nice and stood up well against other brands at that time. I ended up using a Phase Liner 400 , more than enough power. They were stored for years and recently were reborn as the surround speakers for my TV set up. They love it.

[@donalley458]

Old audiophile here. Many years ago after making my own speakers for a few years and after being quite happy with what I had, I decided to take home a pair of the early Bose 901s to see what all the excitement was about. I had pretty good tube gear at the time including a Citation II basic amp driving them and after several days of my audiophile friends and I trying our best to make them sound their best in several rooms, we concluded they were simply not up to the task and were not a serious audiophile speaker system. I had to return them. Heard them at several hi-fi shows as well set up by Bose personnel. This did not change our conclusion. I was sort of disappointed because I was hoping they might live up to the hype but unfortunately this was not to be.

[@mikevalentinas6766]

Crazy that you like every speaker that a manufacturer sends you for review but finally can be honest when reviewing a dead product

[@FFL-vg9ro]

I recently learned that back in the day, Bose required retailers to 1) set up a specific listening room to work with the 901s - that made the speakers sound good, but you could never duplicate in your home, 2) Bose forbid any other brand speakers in the listening room, and forbid any A-B comparisons between Bose and any other brand speaker. That to me speaks volumes about Bose as a Marketing company, not a speaker company. They knew that their speakers could not compare favorably with other brands, and prevented buyers from finding that out.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Interesting theory, but Bose has long since given up even trying to sell speakers! Apparently they weren't that successful since they no longer even compete.

[@RonSmall-j4i]

Got a pair hanging from the ceiling in the front of a mobile home with curved glass front. Driving them with a Hafler DH500. Listen to these and tell me there's not enough bass.

[@rayjohnson3271]

I enjoy my Bose 901 speakers. They remind me of the time when music meant so much too young Service members away from home.

[@mr.george7687]

I was a teen in the 70's. I had a friend whose Dad was a salesman for Harvey Sound in NYC. He had a pair of 901's in his home. I was blown away by the sound back then. It was the soundstage that got me the sound seemed to come out of thin air! He also used a McIntosh front end.

[@TexasScout]

I can remember many years ago being in a nightclub that was packed full of the 901 speakers hanging from the ceiling, the sound was just incredible

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Bose made professional PA speakers that look just like 901s. You probably heard those

[@borningind]

Same experience ! I think it was in the late 60's or early 70's when 901 was acoustic suspension speakers not ported. They were mounted on the ceiling with the 8 speaker side facing the floor. They were used for midrange only. It was supplemented with subwoofers and piezo tweeter arrays and powered with multiple McIntosh tube amps. Aahhh, the good old days!

[@ur1225]

My first good speaker was a Bose 401. They were placed close to the wall, not like in the video out in the room with the drivers directed at a Magnepan speaker, which probably reflects very little sound. They did something very important: They made me enjoy the music. Were they up to “audiophile” standards? Probably not, but music was very enjoyable to me. Just a few years ago, I set up my old stereo (Luxman with the Bose 401) for my dad, who used to listen to his (mostly classical) music on a little boom box. Just like 30 years ago, it brings joy to him (and me when visiting) to listen to music through those speakers. That is a winner in my book.

[@denbo1064]

A 4” driver (and not a particularly high quality one), which was too big to be a tweeter, too small to be a woofer, had to have an outboard EQ to even have a chance of sounding just ok. Bose was, and still is, the ‘Kleenex’ of loudspeaker brands. Shear overwhelming marketing - and the average Joe who just wanted a pair for the name notoriety. I was a sales rep back in the 1980’s and loved it when we did sales training to store sales personnel, as we easily shredded Bose in comparisons to our speakers that we repped in the same price range (and above). There was a reason Bose NEVER published their specifications in the annual Stereo Buyer’s Guides of both Audio and Stereo Review in the mid 1970’s through the mid 80’s.

[@kenzuercher7497]

I am a musician and in the mid 70s would play a bunch of hotel restaurants and travel from town to town, I bought two pairs of 901 series ones speakers to use as a small vocal PA system, the original Bose Equalizers were lost of course. Bose was selling 800s by then which was a 901 without the single "front" speaker, and were turned around to face the 6 reflecting speakers toward the audience. I did get a Peavey CS800 watt amp (400 per channel) to drive them and just turned the 901s around. It worked OK and was much easier to transport than other speakers at the time. Dude to the lack of a crossover, they advertised them as a natural sound. In the end, I don't miss them a bit....LOL

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Great story Ken, thanks for sharing.

[@larrymagill5974]

I sold Bose speakers in the late 70's and early 80's and we used to say: "No highs, no lows, must be Bose!"

[@2025_Is_Going_To_Be_Great]

Seems about right for speakers with no woofers or tweeters.

[@Saboda53]

Ha, never heard that before.🙄 But as is often the case with truisms, this was not true across all products. Yes, my Bose Acoustimass system (with the little cubes) was terrible. On the other hand, my Bose QuietComfort 45 Noise Cancelling headphones are quite impressive, and my Bose Wave table radio sounds amazing. Sorry!

[@jerrywinter3103]

except for the 10.2 which I owned and used for almost 20 yrs

[@steeltrent]

I remember those days, but we shortened our criticism to just "Blose".

[@IsleOfFeldspar]

So obvious but i never thought of it lol

[@WSUSparky52]

Bought a pair of 901 Series 2 in 1973 and thought I was in audio nirvana until I went to an audio show in Philadelphia in 1975 and heard a pair of Dahlquist DQ-10's. No comparison.

[@PanAmStyle]

I heard the DQ-10s in that timeframe and was blown away. I was poor and couldn’t afford them. The other speaker that knocked my socks off was the DCM Time Window 1A, which I heard sometime in the late 80s/early 90s. Bryston was using them at the Toronto high end show. The soundstage and imaging was incredible.

[@countdebleauchamp]

I had a pair of DQ10's. Excellent speaker.

[@wayneg296]

Bazinga

[@weeooh1]

Are those sound absorption panels behind the 901s? If so doesnt make sense since it depends on reflected sound from the back.

[@billimbriale8535]

Did you watch the video?

[@weeooh1]

@@billimbriale8535 I did but didnt make sense when he said there were Magnepans behind them. Those look nothing like the traditional Maggies we're accustomed to but more like triple folded absorption panels with thick fabric on them. Is this some new Maggie model? And even if they were Maggies, they still look like they would hamper the reflected sound vs bare walls.

[@mamoruwilkie7669]

@@weeooh1 Magnepan Tympanis. Older model that's been discontinued for a while, I think.

[@edbrumbaugh9202]

Thanks for the review. I'd lusted after the 901s since my first deployment to the Pacific back in the late 70s when I first went into the Navy, but they were out of my price range as well. Your video here now makes me think I wasn't missing anything ... LOL! Enjoyed the video, thanks.

[@mamoruwilkie7669]

Agree 100% with others who talk about the need for a solid, reflective surface behind the speakers. Without it, the speakers will sound like turds. This is like auditioning a pair of Wilson speakers in your back yard and remarking they don't sound as good as you were expecting. Duh.

[@junesurfdog]

...will sound like turds. the implication is that you have actually hooked two turds to your amp and then put on a record and listened. Or was it four turds during you quadraphonic period?

[@mamoruwilkie7669]

@@junesurfdog What's the matter? Does it bother you that not everyone bashes Bose? Anyone who's owned any iteration of the 901s will tell you the same thing. Have owned quite a few Bose products in the past and currently own a few, to include the 901s. The best acoustic solo piano recordings I've ever heard came via the 901s in an apartment while stationed in CO Springs. For solo piano, I preferred those over the B&W N805 or even the Dunlavy SC-IV. Driven by Pass Aleph amp and I think Rogue preamp (but not 100% sure about the pre). Unfortunately, the 901s don't sound as good in my current location. I think the drywall material is different. Properly set up in a good room the 901s can sound fabulous.

[@mikeg2491]

@@mamoruwilkie7669I look at Bose like people look at Apple nowadays. A lot of people hate on Apple gear but I have to say my AirPods Pro is phenomenal earbuds and I own much higher end products like the Sony IER-Z1R. If a boutique brand rolled them out and charged $800 for them with a different name I think critics would clap like seals.

[@Bottlestyx]

I had a pair of 901 series 4 and what they did do well was fill a room with sound ,😅perfect for a party in my 30s. You cannot beat the volume. You would get out of these a great party speaker not a serious two channel sitting in your chair listening, but crank up the volumes and do a shot with the gang 🎉

[@JesseInskeep]

This. I had a pair of 301s mounted on the long wall of a long, narrow room. You heard stereo effects wherever you were in the room. They weren't the highest fidelity, but were a great choice in sub-optimal conditions

[@FelixtheMetalcat]

Both of you nailed it...exactly that. Great party speakers, not for critical listening.

[@mikeg2491]

@@FelixtheMetalcatBut the party speakers may end up with you getting laid at the end of the night so they pay for themselves!

[@scrout]

My frosh year in college (1977) we had a guy give a presentation on home audio. Someone asked about the 901's. He turned to the back of the stage and said "do i sound the same?"

[@PigVirusNBC]

From what I’ve heard after Dr. Bose’s death, that MIT were he taught sound theory and engineering took over and owns Bose currently.

[@joejones4172]

Ah yes, a "non-profit".

[@jozefserf2024]

Bose don't care about jaundiced flavour of the month reviewers - they don't need to. Hi-Fi speakers nearly always sound wrong. Bose speakers never sound bad. None of them. That fat lower midrange is delicious.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Well then, extra special thanks to you dor watching my video, since you don't care about reviewers. And I'm happy that you love your Bose speakers!

[@joepostle3561]

Personally I never thought of Bose as being hi-fi or audiophile but for the average listener and their competition wasn’t the hi-fi manufacturers but companies such as budget sound as opposed to the high-end market. I have a pair of 20+ year old 301 and they are nothing better than great party speakers. I would be very interested to hear other people’s comments as I always believed the direct / reflect system relied to heavily on the environmental factors such as the wall behind them to achieve a sound. Some people have already made comments about the equipment between the speakers and the wall in the demonstration room which proves my point, but if the back of the speakers point towards glass that will affect the sound as will the materials the wall is made out of (plaster and brick, ply board, etc). In my mind with Bose and there are also other companies, consumers are buying into the concept and that preceeds the investment into the build quality & quality of components.

[@FelixtheMetalcat]

Very well stated.

[@aufngr31]

I was first introduced to the 901s in 1972, when I was stationed in Japan at which time I purchased my first audio system in the base PX. At that time, the 901s were out of my price range, but I never forgot them. During the 80s, I had the 501s and years later I upgraded the 501s to 601's. Then around 2012 or so I was in a Bose outlet store in an outlet mall, and there they were. I couldn't leave without them. After having them now for a good number of years, I've never once thought about replacing them although I could easily do so. The point that I disagree with Steve is, he's judging them from an audiophile's standpoint. But not everybody is an audiophile, nor wants to be. A lot of people just want to hear good music, and I would say the 901s delivers. I have what I consider to be a fairly good system. Whenever someone comes to visit and hears my 901's they are always impressed. That is all that matters, that I like the sound, and my friends like the sound.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

That's cool! So my question for you is why do you think Bose stopped making speakers?

[@aufngr31]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac What I think made Bose direct/reflecting speakers special, was that they filled the room with music at a time most people had only two speakers although if I recall correctly four-channel setups were becoming popular in the '70s. What I liked most about them is as I moved around the room, not much changed pertaining to sound direction. When I bought my first system, I bought a receiver, cassette deck, turntable with just two main speakers. I think as time went by, integrated amplifiers with multiple channels were able to duplicate various concert halls and there was no need to have speakers designed specifically to fulfill that task. There's a far cry difference between my first two speaker setup and my current 10 speaker setup. While I still love my 901s, I probably don't need the 901s as much as before to fill the room with music as my other eight speakers do just fine. If you ask me why Bose discontinued the 901s, I have to think they saw that change coming and decided to shift their concentration to home theater that was becoming popular with large screen TVs.

[@genehart261]

La Scala and Klipschorn with modest electronics still blow everything else out of the water.

[@Longjohn993]

👏👏…..bose compared to klipsch…. is like a pinto compared to a lamborghini….

[@errolallen5007]

I’ve had Bose 901v since the late 80 and still have them in my vintage system😂

[@rxt744]

I owned a pair of Bose 6.2 Speakers between 1986 and 1998. At the time I bought them in West Germany in 1986, I was really interested in the Bose 901s, but they were both out of my budget and too big for my limited living space. Back then, I thought they sounded really good. So did the Bose 6.2s,... which came home with me after a listening session with Level42 (not immediately, but after my "lay away" plan was paid off. Anyone remember "lay away" payment plans?!... I bought my entire stacked HiFi stereo system, multi-system TV and VCR on it back in the '80s). Over time, I did come to learn that the Bose 6.2s needed a subwoofer and a EQ to get close to the sound I wanted to hear from my music. Great memories of those speakers...

[@Youcanthandlethetruth2033]

ive had series one,2 and 4. i ran a carver amp and they blew me away. clear and no distortion. will always be a Bose fan.

[@Ls12347]

I have the Bose 901 With the denon amp now for a year and I liked them so much the sound is good and the bass feels like your in a cinema

[@jstyles1]

Same here

[@AlanBCDang]

I pair Bose 901 with Dirac to do full correction. The speakers work a lot better with modern equalization rather than the box. I had both Series 1 and VI, and the VI is better. BUT you need to drop the external box for the DSP. The 2017 Bose 901 Series VI ver 2 has the ribbed surrounds and decreases distortion. As pointed out, they are more room dependent than Magnepans and this is where you should let SkyFi lend them to you to try at home. I love my Magnepan MG-IIIs, enjoyed my LS3/5a, and my home theater is Meyer Sound/Trinnov Altitude 32. I currently use my 901s for 2 ch enjoyment and again, once you have them in the right position, the high frequency roll off and lack of micro detail is compensated by the soundstage that, again, in the right position, give you good phantom center imaging while also filling the space. Give them a try in your own home. I am sure SkyFi will lend them to you for another shoutout and video….

[@SastusBulbas1]

Your Fried Model R remind me of my 1st real high end three way, Nightingale N-M1 B139 in a transmition line, Peerless Mid, Isophon Tweeter, open baffles on top. Great memories. Bose was always a speaker I seen pictures of as a youth, the adverts and multi drivers and technical claims were a little awe inspiring to a kid brought up on Solavox and Wharfdale, I never owned a set, yet in most record stores there were 301's bolted to walls and hanging from ceilings. My kid has a set of Bose 301 in his bedroom, gifted from his uncle. Not really my thing but they are pretty punchy, loud and fun.

[@Pksparty2112]

I remember when I was a teenager in the mid 70s. My cousin had Klipsch Horns and my friend’s parents had Bose 901s. Both were driven with high quality amplifiers. The difference was unimaginable

[@Peter-976]

Jim's set up is spectacular! Zappa must sound great on that system!

[@PigVirusNBC]

My uncle in the early 70’s had a pair of 901 series 2. And I was really impressed with how they sounded.

[@cunawarit]

BOSE no longer produces passive speakers, as they’ve shifted focus away from the traditional audiophile and separates market, which is relatively small and not part of their target audience. Instead, BOSE concentrates on core product lines that include Bluetooth speakers, soundbars and home theater systems, headphones, aviation headsets, and portable PA systems. Their competition isn’t with niche audiophile brands but rather with industry giants like Samsung, Apple, and Sonos-big players in consumer electronics and audio solutions.

[@TheRealWindlePoons]

Not HiFi or audiophile - but - my only experience with Bose is with their PA kit. I used to manage a set of Panarray speakers with subwoofer and Bose equalisation module. All driven with a couple of Kw of Mackie power in a 19" rack in a 600 seat concert hall. I used to take my favourite CDs and have a play when the hall was empty in the interest of "maintenance". It was a lot of fun.

[@michaelvaladez6570]

The Bose 901 was a very interesting design and development at the time they were introduced.Your take on direct reflecting speaker is point on in. every word as you stated.The company gave up on their iconic design..and yes its sad. And the Klipshorns are still in production. Bose now turned the focus on headphones and soundbars not exactly hi end product.They sound nice but way to expensive for my taste and budget.But there are people who will not part with that beloved look and in name only..and theres nothing wrong with that.I had listened to the 901's back in the day and i was not impressed. But to each his/ her own.I think its great that you revisited the 901 just for the sake of curiosity. Ok enough said about the 901's..lets talk about the Klipshorns. Thank you Steve Guttenberg for another wonderful post.Keep up the good work..and maybe some day i will get to visit SKYFI audio..heaven !!!!

[@robertweinmann9408]

In addition to a clean back wall, you really need at least a few feet of clean side walls as well. Otherwise the highs just sort of disappear into the clutter off to the side. I'm not going to argue that the 901 is anything but good mass market speaker, but they can sound pretty damn good when they are optimized as per Bose's' instructions. I had series 3s running off of a Sansui 110W class A amp and really enjoyed the sound.

[@craigenputtock]

Bose could probably have done something with the design if they had employed a good speaker designer who would use different drivers etc.

[@brighton_dude]

I've never heard the Bose 901s however I think the theory behind the design is interesting.

[@RAMartini]

Had Bose 301s when I was young. They are fun for loud parties with friends. As your tastes change so does feelings for bose. You answered your own questions Steve. The reason they have moved onto their next chapter. This sound was made action movies or an NFL game not Louis Armstrong. Glad I was around for the craze.

[@Wacoal34d]

I sent you my system photo, your enthusiasm expertise and enthusiasm make your channel a pleasure to watch

[@johntenney6586]

Have a pair of these exact vintage. They have a “sound” that you either like or don’t. Placement is key, as is amplification. Having them in front of an absorbing surface will cause an issue. Thanks for reviewing such a vintage speaker. Great content as always!

[@alanherook4171]

I own the Bose 901 Series 6 speakers I had them since 1998 just recently recapped the equalizer and they now sound incredible.

[@jsusky]

My first speaker that wasn't total S#!T was the mid-70s Bose 301 - later replaced by lo-end Infinity "Qa", then Rogers monitors, and I never looked back. As a musician with thousands of hours in string and sysmphony orchestras, for me Bose speakers were "interesting" in how false they sounded - yet I understand how non-musicians get a big kick with their 901's - whatever their rationalizations. A friend now has (4) 301's - rocking out in his garage. His real system has Maggie Ribbon/Planar hybrids, a dynamic "point source" (Von Schweikerts), and most recently a mid-90s Klipsch Chorus. He remains fascinated by how utterly different they sound - and all are enjoyable/fun/good-sounding. Each "does things" better than the others.

[@billschlafer]

I too think that back in the 70s/80s, the Bose 901 was the best sounding (affordable) speakers out there. Klipsch were fantastic, but out of the reach for most of us.

[@geickmei]

Steve with the 901 the room is a part of the speaker design as well as the positioning in the room. I had always had 901s between about 1970 and 2014, when I built my own direct/reflecting speakers with variable gain pots for the front drivers. The 901s easily blew away all other speakers in most store demos. Most customers wondered "how do they do that." They would use the 901s to demo most of their electronics if they wanted to impress people with the HUGE sound. They fell out of favor when the dealers realized that the 901s were taking their high end sales away from them and they were losing money. I discovered that mis-positioning them lost the focus for the center images but Bose wouldn't change their manual to make it correct. That is still a problem with most speakers, especially dipoles. The sound that we hear is a combination of direct and reflected sound shaped by the room but as yet there is no guidance about this except from me. If you are interested look up "An Image Model Theory for Stereophonic Sound" at the AES, paper from 1989.

[@donjohnstone3707]

Last year I heard a pair of original 1st series BOSE 301's for the first time and they sounded quite good. I wouldn't say they were real HIFI but certainly OK mid-fi, like many speakers of their era and price.

[@spudunit]

In the summer of 1990 I worked at Circuit City. They sent some of us for 5 days of training to the Dunphy Hotel in San Mateo. That was mostly lame but there were some highlights. Cerwin Vega! had their Road Woofer semi truck with a mini theater and a wall of speakers in the parking lot. Another day Bose showed up with their home audio lineup, including the 901. To demonstrate its power handling capability they plugged them directly into a wall outlet. I kinda expected them to explode, but they took it. That holds the distinction of being the loudest 60Hz hum I've heard.

[@michaelcharach]

That was the JBL woofers that were plugged right into a 120V outlet not the Bose. Bose would have caught on fire.

[@spudunit]

@@michaelcharach Well I don't recall them trying to play music through them after that. But the Bose reps certainly did not bring any JBLs with them.

[@J0hnny8ravo]

Bose is doing a really good job in their bluetooth speakers department. They are experts in tricking your brain to think they sound awesome. I got a Soundlink Micro some 5 years ago and I’m still amazed by the sound that comes out of such a small thing.

[@ruk2023--]

The modern world is perfect for Bose. They pioneered the use of DSP in audio and portable speakers and car stereos are a perfect environment to benefit from DSP managed sound

[@fisephalnoxt]

Yes, i have a soundlink Mini 2, i bought in 2017, that thing is so impressive! Good bass, good sound, the battery life is till excellent 7 years later!

[@J0hnny8ravo]

@@fisephalnoxt they might seem expensive but the value for money is insane.

[@fisephalnoxt]

@@J0hnny8ravo Yes, it's 100% worth it!

[@PigVirusNBC]

One by last thing to add, the original 901’s series 1 were hard to drive and did need lot of power as they were closed boxes, not ported as their later versions.

[@perlman7376]

I bought a pair of Bose 901 Vi (new) with the equalizer and could never make them work to my satisfaction. Once I heard the Mirage MS3I, the Bose were gone. Never got to buy a pair of the Mirages but they blew away almost everything else I head aside from the B&W 801s which is the best speaker system that I have ever heard.

[@julianosante7134]

I've owned 2 sets of 901s. A series IV, which I bugged / bullied my Dad into buying for me used when I was like in the eighth grade. Those sounded both amazing, and way better than anything my other friends had at the time. I will concede that they lacked bass if you pushed them. And what 14 year old doesn't want to hear his music LOUD? Highs, perhaps I had better hearing back then cause I never felt they lacked that. They did sound BIG and enveloping, especially when compared to the Advents we had before. That was VERY cool. We did live in a smaller house. Fast forward 20 years and the Series IV have been ravaged by time with all surround foams having rotted into non-existence. But then Bose introduces a program where if you turned in you old speakers, plus some small amount of money, they send you a new pair of speakers. Enter Series VI, which sit today in my house. What can I say? Somehow, even though my hearing is not what it used to be, these don't sound as good as they Series IV did. Same amp, Pioneer SA-8800. Refurbished & recapped, so it's not the amp that's failing. Maybe I've been exposed to better sound, maybe my memory is playing tricks on me. Maybe it's the larger house and the lack of nearby side walls. But I swear the Series IV sounded not only better, but way better. Maybe it's streming the music instead of playing records & CDs... Now looking to buy another omindirectional speaker, the Ohm Walsh 4000. Recommended by, of all people, Mr. Guttenberg, the Audiophiliac. I'll let you know how it goes.

[@TheSweetloudo1]

1978 was the 1st time i ever saw a pair of 901's. A pizzeria named my pie on Sheridan rd in Chicago had a pair hanging from the ceiling and a huge Teac reel to reel playing constantly. Great pie, cold beer and excellent tunage!

[@philb-ze8sz]

I heard a pair of stacked 901s with McIntosh mono amps back in the late 70s at a great audio store, and they sounded really good, of course, they had them set up well and that made a huge difference. Morning Has Broken was one of the songs played it sounded live like in an in-room experience. I think these speakers needed proper space and setup to sound their best, any clutter around them behind them killed what they were capable of.

[@fredjoel8113]

Back in the 70's a friend and I often listened and compared speakers--and even built our own. He had the Bose 901 SII powered by a Dynaco ST-400 power amp. Sound wasn't bad; I remember that the rear wall (reflecting surface) was critical. I suspect that having the Maggies behind them didn't help the sound. By the way, I also enjoyed the IM Fried R series which employed the famous KEF drivers of that era. These, along with the LS3/5a monitors, suited me better. IM Fried also offered a more expensive sub/sat system with a passive crossover which you may remember. Later, when I owned an audio shop, I became involved with audio manufacturers in Philadelphia. Thanks for the memories!

[@gil3green]

901's need walls, ample clean power (nothing warm sounding) and set up exactly like owners manual suggest. With that they can sound pretty decent.

[@justanaverageguytoday]

Btw the demo setup we had in the stores was hanging the 901 off of chains near the ceiling. That gave us 3 surfaces to reflect from. It worked but everyone bought stands which never equaled the ceiling mount.

[@PigVirusNBC]

I’m a long time audiophile since the late 70’s. I was introduced to hi-fi gear from my uncle who was a Vietnam veteran in the Marines during the 60’s. A long story short, when he came home from Vietnam as many veterans did, he had brought a bunch of hi-fi gear from the ox exchange in Okinawa, JP. I was around 10 years old in the early 70’s when I first heard hi-fi gear , to say the least I was blown away lol. So much so I got into it as previously mentioned in the later part of the 70’s.

[@Schiada95]

Friend of mine back in the day had a old Kenwood 9600 receiver with a pair of Altec Lansing speakers then he had the 901 Bose hanging from the ceiling. They sounded pretty good.

[@osliverpool]

I heard a pair of 901s way back (can't remember which generation, or what equipment powered them). And I thought they sounded horrible.

[@LarryReeve-u9y]

Steve I own a pair of the original 901’s. I had them set up with the Sony ta2000 pre and 3200f amplifier (100watts per channel) and they sounded good. Everyone said you have to get a Crown DC300 but they sounded not as good (maybe more bass). I found they needed a drywall (or harder) wall behind them and a really clean sounding amp to sound good. I lived in a farmhouse with thick stone walls and they sounded very good. Putting the Maggie’s behind them for a review would not be useful for an accurate review of what they could sound like if set up correctly. Someone mentioned an Emotiva or I would add a more powerful class D amplifier and I think you would take your review back.

[@tarquineous]

My dad and I set up the original 901s about 1 foot from a wall. And they were about 5 ft. From the floor. We originally heard them set up in a Church. Great sound.

[@ecyfoto]

The Series I was a sealed enclosure. After that they went reflex. Had to make a substantial difference. My only experience was with the original series. I loved them and they were positioned properly but my ears weren’t nearly as trained as they are now. Dr. Bose was on to something.

[@MrRocktuga]

I believe that Dr. Bose really believed that the concept was right, but it wasn’t, as proven both by science and the fact that no other company ever tried a similar design. Any sealed enclosure will have a lot less bass output (for the same internal volume and drivers), with the benefit of reducing the bass “boomyness” associated with poorly designed ported enclosures. But even if the sealed enclosure was able to be beneficial in the bass frequencies, it would have zero effect on the other huge problem of the 901 design, which is too little and unnatural high frequencies leaving mostly the back side of the speaker. 😉 You defined exactly what happened to you, which was basically learning that they weren’t that great after all, _after_ listening some properly designed quality loudspeakers. 😉

[@FelixtheMetalcat]

Bose was always great at MARKETING to people who really didn't know much, they got you on the reflective business....as a youngster in 1979, I bought a pair of 301s and I liked them because they played LOUD AND I could afford them. I can tell you that I heard plenty of other speakers that sounded worse. The 901s were lively sounding but I never thought they were worth the money. Once I heard Klipsch and Paradigm I never looked back and kinda chuckle at all the hype (still going today). I'm a Focal/ Dali/ Mirage listener today and much happier for it.

[@rhalleballe]

I had a pair of 901 Series II in the 80s and it sounds fantastic. I cannot believe that you are missing bass, mine were so powerfull and deep, actually my current 12 inch KEF subwoofer does not deliver more. Maybe they changed or whatever, but that 901 in my room were fantastic and all of my friends were overwhelmed. My older brother still has his pair of 901 II and its still a joy to listen. Actually i cannot agree that most people knowing 901 think they were not good speakers. Its just vice verse, all of my friends came visiting me only for listening them and those who could pay for them, bought a pair for themselves. I dont know what is wrong with your speakers, but mine were fantastic. I also heard a pair of 601, but those were really very bad. Another universe.

[@bangdon12]

Maybe if Steve heard the 901s set up correctly he may enjoy the sound?

[@sting64az]

I still own the Bose 301 series 4 still in pristine sounding condition with the surrounds still looking as when I bought them in later 1996. I use them as my "B" speakers while running my Elac debut 6.2 as my "A" on my Yamaha R-N803 receiver.

[@Carl-bd1rf]

Back in the early 80’s a military bud overseas had a pair of 901’s in his dorm room. Music came from behind me from all over! I still remember that music session.

[@tedplehn8800]

I had a pair of 901s in my military dorm room overseas in the early 80s. Bought them in K town. That's what you did back then when you went overseas....bought electronics.

[@keithwiebe1787]

@@tedplehn8800 I used to go to local pawn shops to buy oversea high end electronics that weren't available here. Had to make sure the switch for 220 or 120 volt in back was switched to 120 volt. This is in Wichita, Ks. Bought a Yamaha M70 power amp, Soundcraftsman preamp, Akai preamp, etc. Not that way anymore. I think that the status symbol for military guys is over.

[@ryandunn5362]

I had a pair of 901s. They looked exciting but didn't sound exciting. The opposite is true for the Zu Dirty Weekends I bought... look plain, sound great!

[@vbros7]

I have owned a pair of 501's for about 30 years. About a year ago I blew one of the light filament "fuses" they put in them to absorb any DC power from a faulty amp - sort of an internal "dim bulb" setup for those of you who work on vintage gear. It prompted me to pull them apart to see what makes them tick. Quite frankly, I was blown away by the poor quality of the speakers used. I replaced them all with high quality drivers and they sound amazing. Long story short, the speaker concept is sound, and if they had used high quality parts, they might have had a winner.

[@stefangemmecke]

I tried different kinds of speakers B+W , CANTON,Magnepan ,KEF…..I owned a lot of speakers over the years but always coming back to the Bose 901 .I don’t know why. I like the sound. The last 2 years I am the owner of 901 updated by ‘KLangstark’ better drivers and a different equalizer and it’s really nice.

[@rabit818]

Love the 901 pedestal. That’s about it.

[@tiff1947]

I had a pair of 901 from the late 70's through the late 90's and loved them. The issue is how they are placed. Unlike conventional speakers they need to be 2 1/2 ft from a flat wall and a minimum of 6 foot apart. The biggest issue I ran into over the years was having the room to set them up correctly which makes a big difference in how they sound. If setup correctly you should be able to stand directly in front of one and hear the other side with no problem, regardless the volume.

[@frogmorepipester7490]

I have a Bose L1 Compact PA system and sounds great both live and in the house.(no vocal fatigue or anything when I am playing a gig).