At least that’s what I thought about 36 years ago. To this 21 year old at the time, I truly believed that to be the case. Back in those days, unless you had access to a high end stereo shop, you were not aware of many other offerings.
But anyhoo…so my girlfriend at the time was kind enough to purchase me a pair. I had them for about ten years until I split from my ex-wife and somehow she ended up with them.
Having not heard them in damn near a quarter of a century, I always had a soft spot in my heart for them. The looks, the sound (though I didn’t remember the sound, I just know I liked them) and knew some day I’d want to pick up a pair.
That someday happened just this past week. Found one locally in really good shape and priced right so even though I’ve got a ton of other speakers, thought, “What the hell?”
Brought them home and cleaned them up a lot. There was so much caked on dust. I think the previous owner had them stored away in a garage somewhere. One of the tweeters has a small hole, which I can easily repair at some point.
Set them up; hooked them up; prepared to be enthralled in the luscious sound. Except it wasn’t at all. They actually sounded pretty bad, like the lower frequencies were missing. Touched all the woofers and they were moving, but these sounded quite anemic.
I didn’t listen before buying. But i probably would have chalked it up to the room/equipment it was in and bought them anyway thinking they’d sound different once back home.
i can’t figure out what’s wrong with them. I’d get it if the drivers buzzed or distorted, but they don’t. Or if it was just one speaker with the low bass output. That I’d understand, as well. But both speakers sounding the same? I don’t get it.
They have dual 8” drivers per cabinet so the bass should be abundant. I’ve got a few other Bose speakers in the house (not any cubes) and they all have plenty of bass output. But not these.
So I got to thinking. Can something in the cross-overs cause a reduction in bass output? I get it that it’s probably unlikely to have both speakers’ cross-overs having the same issues.
Then I thought maybe the woofers were replaced at some point, as opposed to being re-foamed, and the owner put in the wrong woofers (possibly not as efficient as the originals). I’ll have to text the previous owner and ask him.
Any thoughts on what could be the cause of this anemic bass?
I bought a pair of 40 year old Infinity RS1.5s based on the great sound I was getting from a pair of its predecessors - Infinity Qb. The RS1.5s have the famous Watkins woofer and the published specs indicated a lower frequency response than the Qbs. Anyway, got them home and was really disappointed. Bass was not as good and they just didn't have the magic of the Qb.
Out of curiosity, I opened them up to check things out, insure they had the correct woofers, etc. I found that the previous owned has mis-wired the woofers from the crossover. One of the 2 connections from the woofer (dual voice-coil in the Watkins woofers) was wired backwards (out of phase). Corrected the wiring and BANG! There we go! Bass came to life and the speakers sounded great.
Here I am 6-7 years later, and I'm still using these speakers, that I bought for $264, in my main system. And I love them...
Like you, early in my life, B&W was the speaker to have if you wanted good audio, I had 2 different pairs of them. I hate to denigrate a brand, but B&W for me is not a sound I enjoy.
In my opinion and many others the MBL 101 Ultimates are a True Reference Omni directional speaker, having Dual seperate Bass cabinets requires a lot of room and power ,but a Very Special Loudspeaker system.
Jeffseight I too bought a pair of 901s in1976. They were series 2 and I thought at the time they sounded fantastic. I remember them having a small box, some type of equalizer, that was necessary to make them work. I wondered if the smaller 601s had a similar box that was missing and causing Mamaru’s pair sound issues.
@hysteve, there was an included active eq box that got put into a tape loop or pre>amp if available. This later gave one a first taste of active equalization that in use acted like a crossover for 9 identical speakers.
And, Yes, you could throw insane (for the time) wattage at them and they only sounded better the louder you could stand it. Opinion of a salesguy @ Pac Stereo is that you could drive each side with a kilowatt and they'd eat it up and seem to want more...
Best memory of my early 'fi times' was listening with him to an 'off air' hot mike on the DJ running a broadcast cart player that would resist a cart insertion....
...while going 'on air', your typical LA DJ talkin' 'bout what you just heard, intro the ad tape, followed by loud yelling curses as he'd bang a cassette with the heel of his hand as soon as the OA light was off....
LOUD, the vu meters would peg....you could smell that he was looking for something heavier to hit it with.... ;)
In the 1980s I had a pair of Infinity RSIIb’s—fantastic speakers! Sadly, in 1992, they were severely damaged in a move while I served in the Army. My wife wanted something less “dominating” in the room, so I replaced them with the Infinity Modulus system, two satellites with EMIT tweeters and the servo-controlled subwoofer. Also fantastic speakers, having an EMIT tweeter like their predecessors in our living room, but “not quite” as good as them. But “life” took precedence, with children, buying a home, and college for two limiting resources for audio equipment.
Then, last Fall, I purchased a pair of Fyne Audio F702 floor-standing speakers (made in Scotland, not China) after hearing them at the dealer’s—and BEFORE the recent sharp price increase. Incredible speakers—although I know the larger 700 series sound even better, reminding me of the RSIIb’s, but with even better definition and sound stage. I also bought a Rogue Audio RP-1 preamp—their entry-level model, a Schiit Audio Bifrost 2 DAC, and, after much research, a Benchmark AHB2 power amplifier to replace my trusty McIntosh MC2120 I bought in 1980 and had refurbed about a decade ago. The low end of the 792s is reinforced by my Definitive Technology Supercube 6000 subwoofer. (The Infinity satellites are now in my office, powered by an NAD 546BEE integrated amp with music from my iMac, via a Schiit Audio Modi DAC.)
I am confident that I cannot declare them to be the “best speakers in the world,” but they have given my wife and me a “new window” on all the music we love so well.
From 1979-82 I worked in a store that sold Bose 601 IIs, 901 IIIs, as well as KEF, Yamaha NS1000s, Allison, Boston Acoustics, and a/d/s. To my still sharp ears at that time, Bose were the farthest from best we had! KEF 105s were it. a/d/s 1290s were good and even the Beryllium Yamahas had their points. For orchestral music, the Allison Ones were very realistic. But Bose….? Soooo colored. They soon proved their worth as an innovator with the Acousimass concept, which made the world safe for subwoofers at the dawn of the home theater era. That and noise canceling headphones are their real contribution to the industry. Good speakers are not.
In the 1980s I also had a pair of small ADS L300 speakers, which were fantastic for their size. In a dark room, the sound they reproduced made you think you were listening to a much larger speaker.
I am pretty sure it was the 901's only that had an equalizer. And what a soundstage, even if it had a manufactured sound. Without the equalizer, they sounded horrible.
An emotional attachment to a vintage hifi product irrespective of value/perforrmance is completely rational in my view. Enjoying old gear is not just about the equipment. It's reliving how we felt when we made the product selection and took it home for the first time. It's placing us back at a time when life was different. Envigorating, energetized, filled with eternal optimism. Our priced possession provided the "hardware" that allowed us to make new friends and strengthen the most important relationships of the time. Including the music and musicians we still "visit" often, and have charished for a lifetime. It's hard to measure the value of intangibles.
I hope you get your technical issues worked out and fill your listening space with good music -- and, memories.
What I find interesting here is how much people (including myself) have such fond memories of equipment we had many years ago that we want to revisit. In 1977 while attending college I went to a local finance company and borrowed $1000 to get as much gear as possible. I headed to an Audio store in Santa Fe called the Stereo Warehouse with money in hand and purchased a Sansui AU 7900, a pair of ESS Performance tower speakers and a JVC turntable. I still have the Sansui and have purchased another pair of ESS towers and a JVC turntable to rebuild my original system. I must admit if I didn't know better I would still like it, but I have come a long way in my journey into audio and compared to my current gear it won't compare. I do enjoy listening to it from time to time and will still use the Sansui amp if I have any gear in the shop getting serviced. Going down memory lane for me is a great adventure, and the classic rock that I enjoyed with that system is still my favorite. My question for others would be, how has your music taste changed over the years? Do you listen to different genres or still listen to your first love of music?
It’s not the equipment per se, it’s the nature and intensity of the experience that you’re trying to reconnect with, by reconnecting with the equipment that provided you with it back then.
Mutatis mutandis, it's not that different to Proust's madeleines.
In '76 and in Japan I purchased two pair of Bose 901 Series II, if you recall four channel was all the rage. Also got a Teac A-3340-S (4 channel) and two Sansui AU-20000(s) @ 170 watts a channel. Well, 680 watts into the Bose back in the day sounded fabulous. Still have the 20000(s) but due to age they both will not come out of protection mode. The Bose got sold along the way.
About 6 years ago I saw an ad for a factory refurbished pair of 901 Series VI for $500. Took the guy up on his offer and amazingly they were in sealed factory cartons and all nine drivers (each) replaced with the latest version. Bose were known to have the foam surrounds deteriorate.
For all you Bose haters, here's a clue...play them backwards! Such that the 8 drivers in each speaker are facing the listener. BTW Bose does make an 801 that is used for sound reinforcement that lacks the ninth driver on the opposite side.
Mine are in my "concrete vault" as I refer to my 1000 sq ft garage. And I can say is that there is no slap echo, they sit on top of a steel shelving unit near the ceiling and will shake your teeth loose. Much to your surprise they do an amazing job and not just on Robin Trower or similar metal. Dianna Krall and Patricia Barbara both sound great. That is until you go upstairs into the music room and listen to the real deal.
The 601 Series II are not like the 901s. Rather than nine drivers, the 601S2 has two 8" woofers (one on the front of the enclosure and one atop angled forward) along with four tweeters surrounding the upper 8" driver pointed in various directions.
The audition before buying...I thought about this and I have never purchased speakers after listening. Not a single pair.
I've bought a few pairs new (a couple of Bose, B&W N805, Spica TC-60, Merlin TSM) but the majority have been bought used over the Internet (probably 30-40 pairs over time). Some didn't live up to my expectations but for the most part all others have.
I bought Philips 2 ways, with the famous AD162 clear dome tweeter (many still swear by this tweeter as best vocal rendition...) I thought the WORLD of that speaker,,,til I placed 1 Philips on one channel and my new Seas Thors MTM on the other, results: completely annihilated the Philips,,,fast forward 20 yrs,, 3 yrs ago, I placed a crappy Diatone 6 inch Full Range on one channel , Seas Thor with $$$$$ Mundorf Silver Gold Supreme Caps on all caps (=$$$$$$$$$$$$$), on one channel, the single Diatone (CRAP) on the other, the D 91db sens completely ANNIHILATED the Seas Thor's 87 db sens.
At that moment no looking back, ripped aprt the Thors, sold as parts (still have lots of $$$$$ caps sitting around,,,bought the DavidLouis Vox wood cone clone 8 and 6 inhers,,,would never EVER consider woofers nr tweeters . There is not even 1 woofer/tweeter speaker ever made that would swap out my dual Full range. But hey you guys stay on the woofer/tweet band wagon, **do ya thang**
The best speakers in the world FOR ME are my DIY fully horn loaded triamplified speakers. It didn't start out that way. After I first built them I spend thirteen years changing horns, changing drivers, adding super tweeters, changing all three power amplifiers, changing pre amp/DSP components, improving sources and changing other things I've probably forgotten to list. Finally I arrived at a point where they were the best sound I had ever heard in my room. Sometimes if you want things done right you have to do them yourself.
lanx0003 I would be pleased to welcome you to my very modest old home to hear my horn speakers. I live in rural NW Georgia near Rome. Where are you located?
I'm in south Florida over 600 mi away from you. I am kind of hoping you could record a certain genre of music that could demo. the true strength of your speakers at your listening position and post it on youtube for the great group. I understood the limitation of auditioning over youtube but given the situation this is probably the most doable way. No pressure. Appreciated.
lanx0003, thanks for the compliments, but I will pass on the You Tube video. I don't have good microphones any more so the best I could do is an I-phone video. Being a contrary geezer I tend to avoid doing unnecessary things I can't do really well. Besides that I have watched/heard a number of such videos, and all of them even for MBL 101 Extremes sound to me like the old Mirage MS 290 bookshelf speakers I use as computer speakers.
Indeed, kingharold, good recording does require some efforts. There are decent budget mic. out there with reasonably low noise floor. I am on a quest to find them (with the digital recorder) for myself now. Nice talking to you and if I pass by your place next time will give you a ring.
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