Bose 901 Direct/Reflecting Speaker System

Average customer rating:

No highs, no lows - Bose

Bose 901 Direct/Reflecting Speakers

Bose Speaker always GREAT

Still sound great..... do not look very good anymore

Don't mess with the rest, buy the best!

Bose 901 Direct/Reflecting Speaker System - Walnut

Manufacturer: BOSE
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

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Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
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Product Features:

Our best speakers for movies and music. Only live sounds better

Nine full-range drivers for each speaker

Free-standing active equalizer for smoother, more natural balance and clarity

ASIN: B0006B5V6G

Product Description

The introduction of the revolutionary Bose® 901® speakers in 1968 redefined the phrase high fidelity. For the first time, a speaker was capable of reproducing music with much of the impact, clarity and spaciousness of a live performance. Today's 901 speakers incorporate some 350 enhancements over the acclaimed original. 901 speakers work by reflecting most of the sound off walls and other flat surfaces, instead of aiming all the sound toward you, as conventional speakers do. With Direct/Reflecting® speaker technology, anything you listen tofrom the latest DVD audio to your favorite vintage recordsacquires lifelike realism, because the speakers reproduce the natural concert hall balance of direct and reflected sound. The result is what we call Stereo Everywhere® speaker performancestereo performance that is clear and lifelike everywhere in the room, instead of in just one "sweet spot." You'll experience balanced sound throughout the listening environment, no matter where you sit or stand. Just as you enjoy beautiful music reproduction from these speakers, you can also experience thrilling home theater effects from your home theater components. These speakers are an appropriate choice for use with your surround sound receiver, and can be used in conjunction with other Bose home theater speaker options.

Customer Reviews:

No highs, no lows - Bose.......2007-08-06

While the concept behind the Bose 901 speakers was innovative 30 years ago, there are now plent of speakers on the market that take advantage of that technology. Bose capitalizes on the fact that the majority of what we hear lies in the midrange and that is where these speakers excel. If you set these speakers in the correct position and listen to pop or country western, these speakers will do just fine (no onffense meant to either genre - they simply tend to stay in the midranges). However, if you challenge your speakers - if every now and then you play music that reaches the high ranges, these speakers will dissappoint. Vocals and strings especially, will sound clipped and shallow.

If you expect them to reproduce a resonating bass that vibrates your bones, you will be dissappointed there as well. No matter how well these speakers handle the midrange, they just don't have the ability to handle the highs and lows. This shouldn't be surprising. They have no woof and they have no tweet.

If you're happy with that and have a grand to waste on inferior speakers, but are into having the name brand, these are for you.

Bose 901 Direct/Reflecting Speakers.......2007-08-04

These are good speakers. No doubt. But waaaaaaaay overpriced and over rated. Sorry Dr. Bose. I've owned many a Bose products and yes they are good, just over priced. For the money, you can do alot, ALOT! better than the 901's and save some coin. Just do a little homework.

Bose Speaker always GREAT.......2007-01-16

Great speakers, must have room to properly locate them. Download the manual (.pdf) from the Bose home page and review requirement prior to purchasing. Follow the manufacturer's suggestions and Bose 901s rule!

Still sound great..... do not look very good anymore.......2006-02-05

What happened to the real walnut veneer? Series 6 now come with "walnut finished hardwood veneer". I am not sure what kind of wood they use but I have seen it on cheaper asian furniture. A consumer willing to spend the bucks on these speakers would not decide against them over a couple extra dollars for real walnut. Even fake walnut vinyl would look much better. Really disappointed Bose would do this to a classic. Maybe the cheap wood matches the cheap furniture being sold these days but give people a choice.

Don't mess with the rest, buy the best!.......2006-01-27

I have been the proud own of my 901's for 15 years and when I go out to do a comparison with what is presently being sold nothing else stands up to the 901's. These must be accompanied with only High output components and an array of accompanied Bose speakers such as center channel front and rear and subwoofer. A top of the line bose system should run you about $3,000.00 but worth every penny and they will last forever. Also, Bose has a program through the factory in which you can send your product to them and they will do a FREE diagnostics on them and if the proformance has sucomed to age or wear they will fix or replace anything for just the cost of shipping! If the speakers can not be fixed they will replace them for FREE! No other manufacturer stands behind their product like Bose. They also come with a 7 year warranty right out of the box. Simply worth every penny!

BOSE PS6 Black Pedestal - Sold Individually

Average customer rating:

Sturdy but expensive

BOSE PS6 Black Pedestal - Sold Individually

Manufacturer: Bose
ProductGroup: CE

All Bose | Bose | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics

Designed specifically for 901® speakers
Enhances aesthetic appearance
Pair of stands

ASIN: B00006HO56

Product Description

Especially designed for our 901 speaker. Pedestals help your speakers perform to their full potential and enhance their aesthetic impression.

Customer Reviews:

Sturdy but expensive.......2006-09-01

These stands are made up of rolled steel sheet and have welded reinforcements inside. Mine are made in Canada, yours may or may not. The design is very 70's and the base, while sufficient, isn't really wide enough to keep the top-heavy 901's from tipping over easily if you place them on thick carpeting. Routing wire through the stands takes some effort, and can be very difficult if you are using large gauge speaker wire. Attachment to the speakers is by four simple wood screws, and you have to remove the screws to get at the 901 wire mounting plate. The stands don't have any internal dampening or felt pads at the base. Vibration could be transmitted and sliding it around on a wood floor could damage your floor. Strangest of all, there's no access hole for the speaker wire to exit. Unless you drill your own, your wire will be crushed underneath the base. Probably not a big deal on carpet, but on hard floors its an omission that you will notice.

Bose 901 Direct/Reflecting Speaker System - Black Ash

Average customer rating:

Bose 901 Direct/Reflecting Speaker System - Black Ash

Manufacturer: Bose
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Floorstanding | Speakers | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics

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Speakers | Bose | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics

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Product Features:

Our best speakers for movies and music. Only live sounds better
Nine full-range drivers for each speaker
Free-standing active equalizer for smoother, more natural balance and clarity

ASIN: B0006B5V6Q

Product Description

Average customer rating:

SURROUND KIT FOR BOSE 901/802 SPEAKERS

Manufacturer: Parts Express
ProductGroup: CE

ASIN: B0002ZPO40

Product Description

This kit will repair the foam surrounds of the 4-1/2"" drivers used in the Bose 802 (uses 8 drivers) and the famous Bose 901 (uses 9 drivers). Save over $400.00 by repairing them yourself! Each kit contains supplies to repair up to ten speakers and includes ten foam surrounds, two plastic bottles each filled with 1 oz. of specially formulated adhesive, 12 foam swabs for application of glue, and complete repair instructions.

Average customer rating:

over priced
Poor sound quality

BOSE(R) 901 Series VI - Black

Manufacturer: BOSE
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Bookshelf | Speakers | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics

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Product Features:

This speaker must be purchased as part of a package. Price is per one speaker. Two must be purchased for stereo or front surround
The package must include (2) of the 901 Series VI speakers & (1) Bose Active Equalizer
Direct/Reflecting speaker technology
Nine 4 1/2 (11.4 cm) Helical Voice Coil drivers per enclosure
Acoustic Matrix speaker enclosure

ASIN: B00007AJ8C

Product Description

Black - Direct/Reflecting loudspeaker / MUST BE PURCHASED WITH A 2ND BOSE 901 SPEAKER & A BOSE ACTIVE EQUALIZER Active equalization Integrated signal processing The price on this page applies to one Bose 901 speaker only

Customer Reviews:

over priced.......2006-07-20

I was suduced by the sales pich and purchased a pair of 901's, they do sound good, but no low end bass or high end. treble, also need a lot of power I use a playmaster 140 watt true RMS amp runs hot 3 Amp (240 volt). Not saying that thay don't sound realy good, just very over priced for such old technology and cheap materials.

Poor sound quality.......2006-01-25

I have the Oak finish 901 series VI with equalizer, and use monster cable to the speakers.
Bose hasn't changed the design significantly since the 1970's, but they need to. The multiple 4.5" driver system lacks both low and highs. While the sound is "punchy" and what bass there is is tight, it drops off considerably at the bottom end, necessitating a subwoofer. The other end has the same problem, since 4.5" cones just can't reproduce sounds normally done by tweeters. Midrange is overbearing. The equalizer oddly enough has buttons to cut off bass even more, presumably to reduce turntable rumble, but since the 901 can't produce low sounds its hardly an issue anyway. The EQ has a button and 2 slides, thats it. Very little here to adjust for the most part. Finally, the 901 is remarkably inefficient, necessitating the use of a powerful amp to get listenable levels. My Pioneer amp was already turning on its cooling fan at what I would only consider medium volume. The only way to shape the sound to get acceptable listening quality would be to have a multiband graphic equalizer and set it to what folks would call disco-mode with the slides in an upside down V shape, reducing midrange and emphasizing low bass and treble. The cones work really hard when you do this and the amp certainly doesn't like it either. The 901 tends to 'pop' on low bass notes due to excessive cone travel, and your amp will most likely be clipping too, making the audio problem even worse. These speakers are completely unshielded, making them unsuitable for use near a traditional television. Don't ever leave magnetic tapes near these things, the field given off is huge.
To summarize, I have a set of $99 15" chinese-made speakers that sound better than the 901s. I'm keeping the chinese speakers, but the 901's are up for sale.

Average customer rating:

Bose 901 IV Speakers - Amazing.....
The World's Best Sounding Speakers

BOSE(R) 901 Series VI - Walnut

Manufacturer: BOSE
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Bookshelf | Speakers | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics

Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics

All Bose | Bose | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics
Product Features:

This speaker must be purchased as part of a package
The package must include (2) of the 901 Series VI speakers & (1) Bose Active Equalizer
Direct/Reflecting speaker technology
Nine 4 1/2 (11.4 cm) Helical Voice Coil drivers per enclosure
Acoustic Matrix speaker enclosure

ASIN: B00007AJ8D

Product Description

Walnut - Direct/Reflecting loudspeaker / MUST BE PURCHASED WITH A 2ND BOSE 901 SPEAKER & A BOSE ACTIVE EQUALIZER Active equalization Integrated signal processing The price on this page applies to one Bose 901 speaker only

Customer Reviews:

Bose 901 IV Speakers - Amazing............2007-01-06

I've owned a set of 901 IVs for nearly two decades, connected to classic Marantz audio gear. Phenomenal sound repro, that never ever gives up on clarity and definition in the music reproduced. Great engineering, and in my opinion, for what you get in a product, great value. Thanks very much to Dr Anwar Bose!!!

K.J. Bleus
Madison, Wisc USA

The World's Best Sounding Speakers.......2004-09-09

I'm a passionate music lover - some call an audiophile! In my search for speakers that can bring me the warmth and power of a live performance in my own home, I decided to buy a pair of 901's. This was more than a year ago ... the 901's are still kicking, and I can say with the utmost confidence that they're the best out there, no matter what the consumer and audio industry communities say otherwise about these speakers. Bose was the first to study and discover the direct/reflecting nature of live sound in a concert or ampitheatre setting. These are the only places where greatest musical sounds can be experienced! With this finding, Bose developed the direct/reflecting technology that changed the ways speakers were being made. After that, other speaker manufacturers were trying to erase the name Bose from the audio consumer industry. But the Bose 901's have been born and they were there to stay - right on top! Today, the 901's are in their 6th series.

The only downside about the 901's is that they are very picky about amplifier types and room conditions. But once you manage to set room conditions right and get an adequately powered nice-sounding stereo receiver or amplifier, the 901's will prove to you that they are truly the best of the best!

I've never come across speakers as revealing as these. They let you hear all the details of a performance to an extent that sometimes you think you're floating right in front of a live symphony orchestra.

Most haters of Bose products criticise the 901's as lacking deep bass. That's probably because they've never owned them to actually experience every musical nuance the speakers are capable of reproducing with incredible ease and smoothness.

To emphasise my point, one of my friends' dads owns a pair of Legacy Helix that's also claimed to be the ultimate in sound reproduction. After comparing the musical quality of the 901's with the older man's Helix, he was eventually convinced that the 901's were the winner.

Believe me these speakers can evoke all your inner feelings with their music reproduction capabilities. They are just the greatest, try them out and you'll see what I mean!!!

Average customer rating:

What has changed?
Gloomy, way overpriced and hype sounding speaker
901 Lifestyle System is unique

Bose 901 Powered Speakers

Manufacturer: BOSE
ProductGroup: CE

Speakers | Bose | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics

All Bose | Bose | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics
ASIN: B0006B5V70

Product Description

Powered Speakers for Lifestyle 50, 35, 28 Series I, and 20 systems.

Customer Reviews:

What has changed?.......2006-09-01

I listened to a pair of these at the Bose outlet store and they sound just like my 901 Series VI! That's not a good thing, BTW.
I asked the guy and he said that other than the integrated equalizer and amplification system, they're the same "technology".
Disappointing. Bose could have still succeeded with the direct-reflecting system if they substituted 8" woofers flanked by midrange and tweeters in the back, and put in twin tweeters in front, flanking the 4.5" midwoofer and toss the whole preamplification system entirely.

Gloomy, way overpriced and hype sounding speaker.......2005-08-28

Let me start with the statement that Bose speakers generally aren't bad, but they are worst speakers on the market. The sound quality and the price asked are in such dissonance that I'm just wandering who are those people who buy them? Do you have a pair of ears and capable of independent judgment? Those speakers sound worse than $60 Sony's cheap bookshelf's from Radio-Shack.
It is not that I'm trying to pour on them because of the price. I own some very expensive speakers, but because at this price point you can shop for something really nice. The time when Bose had a good name came and gone.

901 Lifestyle System is unique.......2004-12-31

I highly recommend the 901 speakers in general, and the Lifestyle version in particular. The sound is the same, but the LS version in piano black is visually stunning and complements the appointments in the nicest homes. 901s have been around for several decades and have undergone many improvements. The newest ones are really very special speakers. If you are a true audiophile, these are unlikely to suit, but for musicians and those who like to sit up in the back balcony at Symphony Hall, these speakers are peerless. Each enclosure has 9 small drivers inside, with 8 of the 9 facing toward the wall behind them and away from the listener(s), and only one driver facing directly forward toward the listener(s). The 901s, therefore, present a very high level of reflected sound. The speakers sit out from the reflecting wall 12 to 24 inches and work best if the wall is uncluttered. In this way, the wall behind them becomes analagous to the stage at a concert hall. The 901s need an open room and a lot of space to perform at their best. The resultant sound provides a musical presentation that is a blend of all of the sounds of a musical ensemble kept in balance by active equalization to ensure that all the lows and highs are accurately reproduced. The 901s effortlessly and accurately allow the acute listener to hear the difference in voicing between a Baldwin and a Steinway, or a Stradivarius and a lesser instrument. As a performing musician, I can assure you that their presentation is very realistic. As any musician can attest, we listen for the sound of our fellow players and strive especially hard to hear ourselves to make sure that we fit into the ensemble in a harmonious and balanced way. The fact is that we are not usually listening to any specific fellow player unless it is to identify a problem. Rather we are listening to the whole ensemble enmass. That is why the 901s are so highly admired by many musicians. The prospective buyer must hear 901s and make their own decision about how they like to listen to music. Again, 901s are not for everyone. True audiophiles generally view them with derision. You must know yourself and recognize that music and how we hear it is the ultimate subjective activity. Follow your heart.

Average customer rating:

I liked this recorder.

Does what it claims to do

Good technology - durablity could be better

Excellent for dictation

AT ($$$), YOU WASTE ABOUT $200

Olympus DS2000 Digital Voice Recorder

Manufacturer: Olympus
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Digital Voice Recorders | Portable Audio & Video | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics
Voice Recorders | Olympus | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics
Office Electronics | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
Digital Voice Recorders | Portable Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics
Voice Recorders | Olympus | Camera & Photo Brands | Camera & Photo Features | Electronics
Accessories:

Rayovac 824-24PP Alkaline AAA Batteries (24-pack)

Rayovac I-C3 15 Minute NiMH AAA Size Carded 2 Pack

Memorex High Performance AAA Alkaline Batteries, 12 Pack

Memorex High Performance AAA Alkaline Battery 8 Pack

Memorex High Performance AAA Alkaline Battery 4 Pack

Product Features:

SP and LP recording modes

LCD panel display to check recording mode, remaining recording time, date and time

Voice-activation for hands-free recording

Supports removable SmartMedia cards for up to 22 hours of recording time

Includes USB cable

ASIN: B00005J7WD

Product Description

Providing mobility and power, this digital voice recorder from Olympus is the ideal business solution for improving workflow and productivity. The use of removable SmartMedia memory cards effectively provides for unlimited dictations. Hundreds of voice files can be stored in three separate folders and the useful index function ensures easy file access. Advanced editing capabilities and a PC transfer option give this easy-to-operate model further flexibility for dictations.

Customer Reviews:

I liked this recorder........2004-02-27

I used this recorder to record class lectures. In the small room that I used it in, the microphone worked very well. However, I was going to buy a nice external microphone if my recorder hadn't gotten fried (more below). I got the DS-2000 not only because it was from Olympus, but because one can use smart media to get more memory-- Olympus says it gets 22 hours or so on 64 mb of memory but not really--- you have to use the bad quality recording mode to get that much. I couldn't work with the bad quality recording mode-- it was just too bad for me.

All in all it was a good recorder. I did notice beeps in the recording occasionally (and with another Olypus recorder) but it was not at all frequent and not really a problem. The DS-2000 has a nice layout with easy to use tools.

Mine worked very well untill I plugged it into a car power adapter that I had in my car cigarette lighter. After a few seconds, for some reason, the electronics in the recorder started to burn and now it doesn't record right. I was hoping it was the memory card that got broken, but I might have to get a new recorder. If I do have to get a new recorder, I was probably going to get an Olympus DM-1. It is mostly the same as the DS-2000, I think, but with a better sound system and a few other features. I really plan to one day get a recorder that records in 44Kbps or more. The DS-2000 uses I think 12 Kbps in its best quality mode. I am going to wait until the prices come down on those, though.

Thank you for reading all of this.
Bottom line: The DS-2000 was a good recorder, but I would probably buy the DM-1 if I had to buy another recorder right away. I would buy an external microphone (though I have never used one). It seems to me that that might help in the recording quality. Eventually, I am going to get a recorder that has the highest recording quality I can afford (44Kbps or more)(I think the Olympus DM-90 currently has good quality).

Does what it claims to do.......2002-12-06

and is very good at it. I really like the VCVA feature. You can control the sensivity as well. Also the switch for dictation vs conference is very useful as well. Awesome/fast tech support. Had few questions about the software, and got them all answered in 5 mins.

The most important thing about digital voice recorders is: they should be easy to control and navigate. I must say DS-2000 is very easy to control and use.

Wish List:
It would be awesome if the software had the capability to export to mp3 format.

Good technology - durablity could be better.......2002-05-18

I've bought analog recorders for years and constantly been disappointed in the microphone quality, not to mention the annoyance of dealing with tapes. If you want quality you have to pay for it, and you pretty much get it with this product. In my case I was able to set it on a table and pick up presentation style audio more than 15 feet away (assumes the individuals were projecting, but not shouting). The playback was quite clear. The size, weight and functionality are good. The MP3 playback was nice, but dedicated MP3 players will always have better features.

My only complaint is that after more than a year, the price doesn't seem to have come down much. Considering that Olympus sells an improved DM-1 model for a similar amount, I would've expected a lower price for this.

I originally gave this product 4 stars, but after using it moderately for 10 months, have lowered it to 3 stars. My reason is that in less than a year, the headphones plug has malfunctioned so that audio only works in one ear, and to my surprise, the speaker stopped working. I understand that expensive electronics such as this can be fragile. But my advice to anyone purchasing this is to handle with care and keep your receipt and packaging ready.

Excellent for dictation.......2002-01-26

I use mine for medical dictation over internet. It has more memory than you will ever use. USB download is much, much faster than previous recorders with serial download (earlier Olympus models). Much better than tape machines: 1) longer battery life 2) don't have to buy microrecorder tapes ever again 3) file management better and faster (ie search, erase, playback).

AT ($$$), YOU WASTE ABOUT $200.......2001-12-23

Digital is so much better, right? Well, this misstep from Olympus didn't sound any better at all than my Olympus analog (microcassette) recorder. There was a very noticeable hiss during playback, and in order to hear my recording without laying the speaker almost directly against my ear, I had to turn the volume up past the point of distortion. Consider the fact that I am a Pentecostal preacher, and you might get the idea. As loudly as I speak, I shouldn't have to turn the thing up so high. This wouldn't be bad for a $50 recorder, but at ($$$), this is just a couple steps below robbery! I used the highest quality mode, and both high and low mic sensitivity, but the results were just not acceptable. It was on its way back within 72 hours. I liked the size, weight and the features, but the poor playback, combined with the low-wattage speaker, killed this recorder for me, at least at it's retail price. It's one strong feature is that you can connect it directly to a PC (no need for a card reader), but again, that just wasn't enough to save it from the return process.
Olympus makes the best ANALOG recorders, by my ears, but digitally, they have left much to be desired. If you want to spend ($$$) on a digital recorder, I'd highly recommend the Sony ICD-MS1. Same price (the one without the voice recognition software), basically the same features (except direct PC connection), but much better sound, I mean very much better.

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