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
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 ===
ha HA SUCKERS!!! Bose.... sounds like real instruments...... I'm laughing so hard the tears are making it hard to type. I totally agree about the Bose car systems. I can't believe I am forced to pay for some of this crap in my cars. Even more annoying is that you can't just change part of the system, it is like cancer infected your car and you have to remove the entire system head unit amps speakers et al; to start over. The only remotely tolerable system from Bose was the fiber optic one in the Mercedes C-class but for the money you would have to fork over for this option you could buy a great Nakamichi cd player, a McIntosh Car amp, and Dynaudio drivers which would completely blow the BLOSE system out of the water. Well for years people thought the world was flat. Just look at Mcdonalds Billions and Billions sickened. And then there is this unexplained popularity of this "painter of Light" guy. Aliens aren't spying on us, they are laughing at us.
--Master: "The speakers of a GOOD STEREO are yoked together and in step." --Disciple: "Yes, Master. But what are the speakers of a BAD STEREO like?" --Master: "In the sound of a BAD ONE the sonics seem to veer this way and that as the speakers keep changing step, like two draught animals refusing to pull together." --Disciple: "Are these two draught animals like the speakers of a Bose acoustimass system?" --Master: "Yes."
Pops I remember well the Polk SRS/SDA from the 80's and could not disagree with you more! Their bad rap is well earned. The bass on that speaker was horrendous and really overpowered the rest of the frequency range. Tonal balance was all wrong. Regardless of the SDA circuit being removed, I can't imagine too much of an improvement on the big speaker, the one that looked like a 6' coffin. Now that you remind me of it I would probably include that speaker among the worst especially for the 3k they were charging for it at the time. I did however like the smaller one in the SRS line that mounted on a bookshelf speaker, can't remember the model #. At the time around 1986, I did an audition with a pair of Fanfare speakers a 3-way design. The speaker was direct order from the manufacturer and offered a 30 day money back warranty. I was considering the stand mounted Polk at the time and wanted to do a comparison side by side. At 339.00 a pair the Fanfares (I can't remember the model name) handily beat the whole Polk line including their monitors and the SDA series. Even the salesman had to admit to it. I still have a pair of the Fanfare Preludes a 2-way which I used to use as surround speakers, they still sound quite good for their modest size. While we are on the subject does anyone remember the funny looking speakers that had wings on the bass, midrange and tweeter modules from a company called Tennessee Sound Company? They were the only speakers I can recall that Stereophile (Dick Olsher, I believe) throughly trashed. The company shortly thereafter went belly up.