Transaudio, everybody has different tastes and they will never be a speaker made that will please everyone.
I have heard a lot speakers in my time and they still have not perfected the "Tweeters" yet !..
If you don't get the highs right it does not matter how good the midrange or bottom end sounds because it will just not sound right.. period !...
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Hifisoundguy, and there will never be any agreement as whether you are right about this. I think not. |
>>12-03-11: Hifisoundguy
I did some tweaks to my new Bose 901's that made them sound MUCH..BETTER !!<<
Such as disconnecting them? |
Hifisoundguy, it is good that you stick to your opinion in the face of overwhelming evidence that others REALLY don't like the speakers you love; that takes real conviction. There is really no point in arguing about it, but I can guarantee you that no amount of tweaks would change anyone's opinion on the inherent qualities of the Bose speaker. That you like them is all that matters, but you won't get many converts (I'm sure you've noticed that by now). |
I used to be a BOSE FANATIC in the 80's but the only reason is because i could never AFFORD the INFINITY RS series which today is the best ever designed loudspeaker systems when infinity used to make high end speaker systems. They were revolutionary. Until I came across planars and electrostats and ribbon driven loudspeakers, I thought back then bose 901's stacked was awesome and always trying to figure out how come the BASS sounded so fake??? it's not even DEEP bass but mid scattered bass and as far as high extension? what high extension. I never really heard a piano sound like a piano and cymbals sound like cymbals. I heard more reverberation which I thought at the time as being TRUE ORCHESTRA when in reality it's like sitting in the back of the THEATER. when I heard magnepans, ohm walsh, ess heils, eminent tech, martin logans etc. That's when I found real good sounding speakers that are lifelike. Like most Bose fanatics, unless you experience REAL well made designs, you will continue in your DELUSION that bose is a great speaker, I certainly did until I got UNBRAINWASHED!
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ToneAudio Magazine just ordered some of these Latest BOSE 901's to review very soon !... |
"ToneAudio Magazine just ordered some of these Latest BOSE 901's to review very soon !..."
You have been crowing about this for weeks now here and on Audio Asylum. I will be glad when this review gets published so you can either have your day in the sun, or slither away.....
Shakey |
Best I have ever heard came WAY back in the day, courtesy of Sound-Lab A1s, driven by some of the Atma-Sphere four-chassis monsters. I remember two things from that experience: the sound, and the heat in the room. |
Original tannoy GFRs driven by marantz tube electronics |
I own Revel Salon 2 and they beat Dynaudio Evidence Tempation, Kharma Grand Midis, Coincident Total Reference, MBL 111E easily as I owned these speakers as well. Further, I directly compared it to YG Acoustics Anat Ref IIs my friend has(around $150K and they claim best speakers in the world?) and my friend shitted in his pants. My speaker had smoother highs, better integration top to bottom with prodigious bass that was equal if not better than his mega buck self powered bass. There berylium tweeters are so smooth, extended and detailed, it has no problem replicating the highest notes and its harmonics with most demanding transients with ease. I used to get fatigue listening to other speakers I owned because of high frequency grit but I can comfortably listen and enjoy music for hours with these speakers. Salon 2 is a giant killer and by far the best value for high end speakers out there period. I've listened to Wilson Alexandria 2s at LA Audio and though it sounded good until they brought in other speakers to compare it to and you realize it sounded lifeless. So, unless you do A-B comparison on any these speakers under same conditions with same equipment and room or if you own the speakers in the same living space for quite sometime and you know the sound, subjective listening based on memory or in other room auditions and comments are absolutely meaningless. By the way I won MBL-9007 mono amps and MSB DAC IV as associated equipment. |
Stereo_phile, That’s outstanding. I’m sure that I speak for many when I congratulate you on finally finding a speaker that is synergistic with your other components according to your tastes. Happy listening. |
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Tyler Acoustic Woodmere II...Tyler truly knows how to craft and build a work of art not only for the eyes but for the ears too. Truly a magnificant speaker with all the right balance and openess. Not only are his speakers that good, Tyler is great to speak with and is passionate about getting you what you want. Another Plus...ITS MADE IN THE USA!!!...Support our local Americans who make such wonderful products. |
There were two rooms across from each other at CES 2012 that were clearly the best sounds at CES. One was the BMC suite with their new speaker and the other was the Lansche 7 with Ypsilon electronic. The BMC had dynamics like compression drivers but with great imaging. The Lansche/Ypsilon had very smooth and full range performance. The first was the Ferrari and the other a Bentley. I have the Tidal Contriva Diacera SEs and would love to have either of the other two for comparison. All clearly the best around. |
The original Revel Ultima Salons. They would have been much nicer sounding if when I heard them they had some real amplification driving them. |
A COMPANY OUT OF GRASS VALLEY CALIF IS OWNED BY THE WORLDS LEADING SPEAKER DESIGNER . IT IS CALLED VERTEC. IT HAS DONE OEM WORK FOR SOME OF THE HIGHEST REGARDED SPEAKERS OUT THERE. THE OWNER WAS THE LAST JBL DESIGNER BEFORE IT WAS SOLD FROM MR THOMAS. MAINLY DESIGNS DYNAMIC SPEAKERS BUT IS REKNOWN FOR HIS ABILITY TO DESIGN THE BEST X OVERS OUT THERE. IN MY OPINION....GUY DESIGNED A X OVER FOR A MAGNEPAN TYMPANI 3A EIGHT PANELED SPEAKER MARKETED BY AUDIO RESEARCH. HE WAS ABLE TO TURN A SPEAKER THAT NEEDED TO RUN ON TWO 100 WATTS PLUS BEEFY AMPS TO BE ABLE TO RUN ON A SINGLE 10 WATT AMP. I HAVE A SET OF UNIQUE SPEAKERS IN MY THEATRE THAT RUN GERMAN, DANISH AND FRENCH SPEAKERS ALL IN A UNIQUE ROCK ENCLOSER. IF HE WERE TO MARKET HIS OWN SPEAKER LINE HE WOULD BE WORLD FAMOUS. HE DOES BUILD SPEAKERS ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS THOUGH FOR CUSTOM PROJECTS. |
FOR A PLANER TYPE SPEAKER....MAGNEPAN TYMPANI 4A SPEAKER. CRAZY SOUNDSTAGE. IVE OWNED ONE FOR TWENTY YEARS!FOR A DYNAMIC SPEAKER VERTEC SPEAKER DESIGNS ARE THE BEST! |
Luckdog- Pls give us a break and UNDO THE CAP LOCK KEY!!!MAKES IT VERY HARD TO READ. Capish? |
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A few weekends ago I was in NYC stepped in to the Stereo Exchange. They demoed a pair of DeVore Silverbacks that I thought were truly incredible. They sounded so good that however many thousands they cost, didn't shock me or seem too high. The woodwork was also impressive. I have begun saving my pennies. |
Right now, my Thiel CS2.4 are really making some wonderful music... Best I ever heard, well maybe not, but by far good enough to forget about that. |
It has always surprised me that the DeVores don't get more attention. |
Hey. Any of you heard of John Fuselier? He made many different speaker configurations. One of them was called the Model 9, and Fat Julian told me he made less than 10 pairs. I listened to Julian's pair in his shop in Roswell, GA in the early 80's, and bought them on the spot. Still have them. Amazing imaging. |
Altec Model 19's powered by a powerful Marantz Tube Amp. Amazing at all sound levels and with any kind of music you want to throw at it. |
Venture speakers. ANY venture speakers. Why? Smooth, detailed, dynamic, allow the the finest electronics to strut their stuff. And most importantly, they allow an emotional connection AND and analytical connection to happen. Pure music with Venture speakers and S.O.T.A. electronics. |
Zu Definition Mk4 that I currenly own. I have owned over 300 different speakers over the last 30 years. |
Has anyone ever taken score on this thread...the top 10 speakers from this post? |
Gandme, I sure this would be tied to the number of each speaker sold, but what is the causality? Would you buy something because it was popular? |
When I read the comments about the Bose 901s, I thought it must be sarcasm. I remember being in Sound Associates in Bowling Green, Ohio in about 1974. We went there to listen to the Infinity QRS speakers with Audio Research and GAS electronics, along with a Linn LP12. After some listening, a salesman I wasn't familiar with came into the room and asked if we would like to hear the Bose, which were suspended from the ceiling,
When he switched them on, my friend and I looked at each other like, "OK... what's the joke?" They were, without question, the worst "high end" speaker I had heard then and until this day. I'm not an electrical engineer, but how someone would expect a relatively small box enclosure with nine equally sized midrange speakers to reproduce the entire audio spectrum seemed an impossible task.
I will NEVER forget that experience.
On the plus side, the Magnepan Tympanis, back in 1978, were probably the speakers that really got me started in high end audio. Matched with an Audio Research D-79 and SP-6 pre, again with a Linn table, was audio nirvana at that time. Probably would still sound pretty decent. |
Wynnosu , these Bose 901's are some of the most revealing speakers on the market and I found out by doing few tweaks to them they really come alive and sound amazing !!
You need to take OFF ALL these "fiberglass" grilles because I have never heard speakers that sounded better with the grilles ON and sure not grilles made of fiberglass !!
On the backside of these 901's where most of the speaker drives are, there's a lot plastic parts that are sticking out...those ports and other plastic parts that just COLORS the SOUND WAY TOO MUCH !! After I covered all these plastic parts with teflon tape you don't hear this anymore!...maybe covering these plastic parts with non-hardening modeling clay would be better, I don't know.
What I found very important with these 901's was using GOOD interconnects and speaker cables, just as important as "set-up", maybe MORE important!.. and the best cables I have found was Crimson R.M. Music Link cables. These cables are so GOOD with these 901's that it's like Crimson custom made these cables just for these 901's !...
We all think that the "stock" pair of 901's are better than the new Magnepan 1.7's.
And we all think two pair of modified 901's "STACKED" with all the grilles OFF and teflon tape on ALL the plastic parts sticking OUT are as GOOD as my friends Quad ESL 2905's !!
After hearing two pair of these modified 901's "stacked" it's very addictive and very hard going back to listening to just one pair...ever again !!...
We will NEVER get a magazine review on these modified 901's "stacked" BUT maybe some of the 901 owners out there will try this and let us know what they think about it....
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Wynnosu, I had a very similar experience which has left me entirely close minded about Bose. I liked the Magnepan Tympanies also until I heard a six foot wide mouth on a female singer. |
Tbg , this news could be GOOD news for some 901 owners out there and very BAD news for all the "BOSE BASHERS" OUT THERE... .. ... |
Hifisoundguy, I am not a Bose basher. I just cannot understand those who praise them. Especially, anyone who would claim them the best speakers they have heard. |
Tbg , I can say the same thing about a lot speakers out there BUT we ALL have different tastes and we ALL hear things differently and.. that's what makes this hobby so great and SO.. "entertaining" for ALL of us !... |
Hifisoundguy, no one can argue with tastes differing. |
So far,the latest version of the JMR Offrande Supreme. |
I've heard a bunch at a wide range of price points that I could probably live with pretty happily if I had to but none to date that make me think any less of my OHM F5s, series 3 as the best sound day in and day out to me. |
I talked to Jeff Dorgay of Tone Audio and he told me that he's not going take off the fiberglass grilles or do any mods on these Bose 901's, for this review on the 901's.
So this review on these 901's are not going to be on the same 901's that I have been raving about on these forums !
My Modified 901's with the teflon tape on all the plastic parts on the back side of the 901's, are much better sounding speakers, so we may never see a magazine or online reviewer do a review on a Modified Bose 901 speakers that now sounds "Damn GOOD" turned around backwards and only 12 inches off the floor.... |
The best speaker I've heard, and the reason I got into this ridiculous hobby, was the Avanti II from Audio Physics. I demo'd the speaker using a cd that I had dozens of times and, in fact, was listening to in the car on the ride to the store. Hearing the disc through the Avanti was like hearing a completely different recording and hearing it for the first time. The word magical gets thrown around a lot in this hobby, but that experience was transformative for me. Once I heard the Avanti, there was no going back to my Sony receiver. The experience was akin to the first time I got to really drive an E30 M3. After that experience, getting back into my RX-7 seemed like a punishment. The great thing about this hobby is that there is equipment out there to suit everyone's taste. While I bemoan the degradation of audio quality brought about by the proliferation of iPods and crappy earphones, I also think it is great that high end manufacturers are having to diversify their offerings to bring some of the high end magic to a lower price point. I only wish that more people could experience what I did when I heard the Avanti. |
I've had my Nestorovic 5AS speakers for over 20 years and have never even thought about getting speakers since. Too bad Mile Nestorovic is gone. I sometimes wonder who will die first, me or the speakers? |
I have always preferred NOT to "hear the speaker." It should be as transparent as possible and just give me the music as if it were live in the room. Acoustic Research 3a's were tested just such a way with real musicians playing "against" the speakers and real musicians trying to guess which was playing. They couldn't tell. My 3a's have been part of my family since 1969. They'll soon be joined by some AR 9Ls in perfect condition, extremely difficult to find this way and I'm looking forward to getting all this tweaked with good tube amplification [digital conversion to analog.]
Sorry so windy. My first response! Great website!
Cereza |
"with real musicians playing "against" the speakers and real musicians trying to guess which was playing. They couldn't tell."
Impressive.
I'd be interested to read about it. Is there a link or article or something you can point to? |
Sebrof
I lifted this from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acoustic_Research
"In the early 1960s, AR conducted a series of over 75 live vs. recorded demonstrations throughout the U.S. in which the sound of a live string quartet was alternated with echo-free recorded music played through a pair of AR-3s. In this “ultimate” subjective test of audio quality, the listeners were largely unable to detect the switch from live to recorded, a strong testament to Acoustic Research's audio quality." |
Here's from wiki also: "Prior to the war Edison Records started a marketing campaign, hiring prominent singers and vaudeville performers to perform along side and alternating with Edison records of their performances played on top-of-the-line "Laboratory Model" Edison Diamond Disc Phonographs. At various stages during the performances, all lights in the theater would be darkened and the audience challenged to guess if what they were hearing was live or recorded; accounts often said that much of the audience was astonished when the lights went back up to reveal only the Edison Phonograph on stage." |
Interesting. I'd never heard of these Edison "tests."
It'd be interesting also to find out what/who did the recording that AR used...
Keep listening! And thanks for the response... |
Just found the receipt for my AR 3a speakers: Wiesbaden Audio and Photo Club, Mainz-Kastel, Germany, 23 Aug 1975. $402.00 US Dollars for the pair.
Still sound great. May upgrade some day. |
Are your surrounds still good? |
TBG
Yes, I replaced surrounds during the late 20th C. |
Avantgarde Trio is a truely great speaker. Followed by Apogee Duetta sigs and Diva, magnepan mg20 and 3.6r.
I have a fond memory of the Quad 57, and a properly set up ML CLSiiz. Organ music on the TDL studio monitor. |
I have never heard AVant gardes, but i have heard Apogoee Stages and was mighty impressed! And that was over 20- years ago and it still is one of the references in sound for me. |
