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

128x128audiodwebe

@mike4597 

yeah I still remember those ADS L300 ... even though I never even owned a pair.  Very impressive, beautiful sound. 

Yeah, I can do that on a somewhat lesser degree...;)

Less the dancing doll, but I’ll keep my spouse. We kinda understand each other, y’know? *L*

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** 

FR /asian  vs Woof/tweeter/USA  Asian gets my vote.