Bose 901

I have installed many pairs of these ( the 901 came in series 1 thru 6 throughout it's time ) in my early days of audio, and owned a pair, connected to a modified GAS Ampzilla amplifier. I suspended them from the ceiling, in all cases ( inverted, as the connections faced upwards and the holes for the eye hooks were pre-drilled). Based on the listeners seating distance from them, and the room size, determined how far we hung them from the rear wall. I was invited to a BOSE presentation for members in the industry ( at a forgotten hotel in Manhattan ), and during this presentation, they took a pair of bare electrical wire ( similar to what you would find on a coffee maker ) with an ac plug on one end, connected and plugged the 901’s into the ac outlet. They left the 901’s plugged in for 1 minute, with a sound, I will never forget. Afterwards, they connected them back up to the Crown amp they had on hand, playing music, and they played fine. This was to demonstrate, the durability of the voice coils, the drivers, and, the use of no crossovers. Passed ! Anyway, as no speaker is perfect, I have to say, they did do some amazing things, particularly, their power output, and their huge stage presentation. With a flat, bare wall behind them, they were fun. Enjoy ! MrD.

Terrible ? Really ? I am sure, many here, who are downplaying the 901s, never heard them, set up optimally, with upgraded cables, to and from the eq, with the proper ss amp, to drive them, and, did not know, or understand, what dynamics, and scale, meant, as someone above, spoke about, and things, the 901s, did / do, well. And, a wall of sound.....a stage, for orchestra, or a big band....absolutely.....Are they a compromising speaker ? Yes....what isn't ? Tell us, 901 haters, what speaker, have you heard, or, do you own, that does not, have compromises ?   

2 points......try plugging your speakers into an electrical outlet, and see what happens. Maggies ? Do some things well, however, compromised in many ways. Radio Shack Minimus 7s ? Before, or after, a crossover rebuild ? Ignorance is bliss....

richopp, if you do not understand plugging a speaker into an electrical outlet, instead of an output stage of an amplifier ( using an ac plug, instead of spades or banana plugs at the amp end ), I do not know what to tell you. Comparing an old transistor radio, and stating the superiority, of a properly set up, properly driven set of 901s, shows me a few things about you. I will not go into those details, as I do not want my post to be deleted by the Audiogon police. Enjoy !

As I mentioned in my 1st post, I am very familiar with the set up of the 901s, as I was professionally tutored by a Bose staff member, of the delicacies and details of proper set up, and, the importance of a high quality, high output power amplifier to drive them, because of the eq’s boost of bass. They are as critical with room set up, as anything else, to obtain their magic. At the last retail price of $1400., they were fun, fun, fun, and unless you heard them with proper set up ( I truly doubt many of you negative folks heard them optimally set up ), with a " proper reflective " wall behind, and, to the sides of them ( distance from both, based on the listening room and the listener’s position ), you might change your mind, because what they did well, they did extremely well. I remember playing the Sheffield Drum / Track record, through several pair I set up....... Maggies, ML’s, and some other speakers, owned by many of you, wishing, they could do the same, displaying the force, the intensity, the realism, that could be had, through the 901’s ( but you would not know ). My modified and tweaked Lascala’s, can do it ( although, without the radiation pattern of the 901s, preferring my horns). Omni’s, and panel’s, are not for me, as they all display compression, to these ears. I am sorry Ishka, I am done here. Enjoy ! MrD.