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The Best Speakers in the World!

The Bose 601 Series II.

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?  

Snide remarks are welcome, as well.

Thanks,

Mamoru

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laoman's avatar
laoman
371 posts
 

Best I have heard are the Borreson 05S

mike4597
53 posts
 

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.

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bouncehit
73 posts
 

Check out Deer Creek Audiovfor custom modern Bose Crossovers. 

crustycoot
595 posts
 

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. 

mike4597
53 posts
 

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.

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