Speakers: all-time worst


What is the all-time worst (home audio speaker systems, not the plastic cabinets or ceiling types) loudspeaker system that you have heard, and why? In other words, the all-time worst value.
wenterprisesnw
I think this particular group of responses is a fine break in an otherwise pretty serious group of postings. Thank goodness Mr. Bose made so much money selling his product to the general public, otherwise, we would not have nearly so much fun here at Audiogon! After all, "We deserve a break today" and Bose is pretty much McDonalds. (Sorry in advance to you who like Chicken Nuggets!)
I agree Roachone except with Polk - the old SRS/SDA series, the big ones; 1.2tl and 2.3tl, are excellent speaker systems with the SDA portion REMOVED. With great components and wire feeding these boys they sound as good as any speakers I've heard in the 5K range. In a highend system these speakers are outstanding!! Unfortunately they came out during a recession and had a crappy marketing plan - mass market with mass market equipment and they have always gotten a bad rap from dealers who lead the uninformed around like sheep.
Any speakers you buy from a guy in a van at the mall who says the company he works for over ordered these studio quality speakers that they use in clubs. He will even show you a 'real' invoice that says the cost is 400 each, yet he will give you four for 100 bux.
Well I asked Bose what they thought of this thread and tried to get a guy at Bose to tell me what would sound like real instruments in actual space. (you have to start at the bottom) Here is what he said. Apparently according to him nothing Bose makes sounds like the real thing! --- Richard Tessier wrote: > Dear John, > > Thank you for your e-mail. Simply put; the only > thing that will truly > sound like a real instrument is just that a live > instrument. What is > played back is the recording of an instrument, and > is subject to the > equipment used to make the recording and the sound > engineers > expertise. > > Keeping this in mind, an additional factor is the > playback electronics > being used. Additionally, like the recording studio, > home electronics > differ greatly as well, and will influence the > reproduced sound. This > is especially true in the case of when electronic > processing of the > signal is used, as is the case with many of today's > electronics. > > Finally, (Not to over state this) only you can > decide which system > sounds best to you. True, we hope that it is a Bose > Product in the > end. > > Might I suggest a Bose Factory store location in > your area? I know the > equipment is hooked up and working properly, in > addition to the entire > line. As well, they present a no stress shopping > experience. Once you > have done this, you could locate another place that > offers the same > situation for the competing products, and make a > determination from > there. > > We believe it is inappropriate to make the decision > for you, rather we > like to provide the information, and a quality > demonstration. I know > this is not exactly the answer that you are looking > for, but it does > provide some insight. > > Thank you for choosing Bose Corporation. > Richard Tessier, extension 61031 > Customer Support Team > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > Bose Corporation US Telephone: > (800)999-2673, ext. E1 > Customer Support Team International Tel: > (508)766-1099, ext. E1 > Email: support@bose.com > Fax: (508)820-3465 > Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30AM-9:00PM, Sat > 9:00AM-5:00PM (EST) > Visit our Website: www.bose.com > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > On Mon May 1 11:06:32 EDT 2000 you wrote: > > >Could you just pleaase tell me what system you sell > >sounds like real instruments?!!! > > > >I will then find a dealer selling that product and > buy > >it. > > > >If you don't sell anything like that please tell me > so > >I may choose another brand to search from. > > > >Thank you again for all your healp. You guys are > the > >best in customer service... it is no wonder why you > >are such a big company. > > > >jg > > > >--- Richard Tessier wrote: > >> Dear John, > >> > >> Thank you for your message. Again, the listening > >> experience is > >> subjective, and you may end up buying a > competitors > >> product. It > >> appears that you have listened to a majority of > our > >> product offerings, > >> and if you are not hearing sound as you want, you > >> may want to continue > >> to explore other possibilities. > >> > >> Perhaps, we would suggest another authorized > dealer > >> location that > >> offers demonstration products of the various > >> manufacturers products. > >> So, that you can receive a quality demonstration > >> (Using some of your > >> own music) without the sales associates > influence. > >> > >> In the end, you should purchase the product that > >> best meets your > >> current needs. > >> > >> Thank you for choosing Bose Corporation. > >> Richard Tessier, extension 61031 > >> Customer Support Team > >> > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- > >- > >> Bose Corporation US Telephone: > >> (800)999-2673, ext. E1 > >> Customer Support Team International Tel: > >> (508)766-1099, ext. E1 > >> Email: support@bose.com > >> Fax: (508)820-3465 > >> Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30AM-9:00PM, Sat > >> 9:00AM-5:00PM (EST) > >> Visit our Website: > www.bose.com > >> > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- > >- > >> > >> On Fri Apr 28 01:23:41 EDT 2000 you wrote: > >> > >> >As I said before I would like to purchase a Bose > >> >Product.. Unfortunately I have not heard any > that > >> >really sound like music.... yet. I have heard > the > >> Bose > >> >Radio, The Bose acoustic Wave, the Acoustimass > >> system, > >> >and some bose 901 speakers and other bose > products. > >> I > >> >still am determined to find a Bose product that > I > >> >like. Could you reccommend one that sounds like > >> real > >> >instruments because I think the music from the > >> stereo > >> >should sound like the real thing. I think the > lower > >> >notes sound sort of fuzzy on these products and > the > >> >higher notes are not convincingly real, and the > >> human > >> >voice is not very well represented. > >> > > >> >I again appreciate your promptness of reply and > I > >> am > >> >sure over your wide range of products you could > >> >reccommend a product to suit me. I just don't > have > >> >much more time to spend trying out new speakers > and > >> so > >> >far the Bose products I have heard would not > leave > >> me > >> >feeling like I got my money's worth. however so > >> many > >> >of my friends love Bose...so many people can't > be > >> >wrong!!!!!! > >> > > >> >So could you narrow the search for me and tell > me > >> what > >> >product you make that sounds like people playing > >> >instruments? It would save me a lot of time. I > met > >> >someone who has a really old Bose electronic > >> >amplifier? and he says they don't make the > >> electronics > >> >good like this anymore....This can not be true > as > >> we > >> >are so much more advanced than the 1970's. > >> > > >> >I looked though your well written web site...but > >> most > >> >of the terms were too technical for me to > >> >understand... I mean, do I need a PHD to buy a > >> stereo? > >> >Special magnets....computer designed > >> >acoustics....sounds like the space shuttle to > me... > >> I > === message truncated ===