Bose

[Adul]

Originally posted by: ivan2
like most audiophile equipment, it is worth the money to him as long as he doesn't do any comparison. after a certain price point, the difference are more like trade offs, so it is more about preference but not really better/worse. it's all in your head.

except compare bose to say an onkyo HT in a box that costs 500 bucks and the later will sound better. Serously don't waste your money on that. You can buy so much more for that same money or spend a lot less for the same quality sound.

 

[destrekor]

I'm sure YoYo will agree with me here, and as some others have alluded to... Bose doesn't produce terrible products. However, there is a difference between not-terrible and OMG this shit is expensive!

Well... expensive is a variable dependent upon the individual. $10000/pair speakers are far from hard to find. And of course going to blow away ANYTHING that costs $1000 or less, especially for a full set included subwoofer and receiver (or something that takes place of a receiver, like a sub unit with all the connections in the back).

However, for the price of Bose equipment, you can put together, and possibly even find HTIB sets, for around half and come away with a likely fuller and more accurate audio experience.
Bose makes some nice things, some devices or speaker sets do sound pretty nice, but I wouldn't ever buy one, or even suggest them to someone with disposable income. They offer the ease of use appeal, small-style design, and awesome marketing, that just makes them seem like the perfect speaker sets.

But the Bose surround sets I've heard... ugh. They sound good for what they produce, but are not a complete audio experience. The subwoofer units tend to not be very deep, and focus a lot more on mid-range. Of which is necessary, because the small speakers Bose uses are most certainly loud, but lack any defined low-range mid-bass. They focus heavily on the treble spectrum, and sometimes the result is also a "tin-y" sound (think: metallic), which just reverberates in my ears and kills the experience. Far too much stress on high notes, with a very weak mid-range and bass, and is sad because mid-bass is very easy to locate in the sound spectrum, and a lot of it is produced in the subwoofer unit. It's like... oh sounds like somethings coming from over there! and then bang... shit where was that? In front of me and to my right? Yet, looks like it happened behind me before the camera panned.

Ultimately, Bose sets suffer greatly in surround envelopment. I haven't come across a set that truly creates a sense of surround, unless all the audio in a movie for panning and envelopment are high notes. And that's forgetting all the above about the audio quality comments. Surround envelopment is critical for home theater imho. I want to have the sense that I'm there, and forget everything is coming from speakers. Speakers that don't produce as much of the full-spectrum as possible, really break the deal.

 

[evident]

Originally posted by: Tiamat

Originally posted by: Rio Rebel
Follow Yoyo's link, and read that section. Then make sure you click on this part: Link to Bose data

It is undeniable, and it is basic physics. The price you pay for Bose's small footprint speakers and "bass module" means you have holes in the audio spectrum.

Add this to the fact that Bose refuses to publish any specifications, AND has strict rules on where their displays must be placed to avoid comparison listening with other systems.

Bose has an amazing marketing department. That's all you can say for them.

True, but wasn't OP about the headphones? Arguably, the headphones (QC2) are the only thing Bose makes that isn't embarrassingly terrible.

i think bose branded car OEM Car audio stuff is decent for what it is. other than that, they are crap

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: evident

Originally posted by: Tiamat

Originally posted by: Rio Rebel
Follow Yoyo's link, and read that section. Then make sure you click on this part: Link to Bose data

It is undeniable, and it is basic physics. The price you pay for Bose's small footprint speakers and "bass module" means you have holes in the audio spectrum.

Add this to the fact that Bose refuses to publish any specifications, AND has strict rules on where their displays must be placed to avoid comparison listening with other systems.

Bose has an amazing marketing department. That's all you can say for them.

True, but wasn't OP about the headphones? Arguably, the headphones (QC2) are the only thing Bose makes that isn't embarrassingly terrible.

i think bose branded car OEM Car audio stuff is decent for what it is. other than that, they are crap

Car audio is actually easy to do right. The space is very well controlled and that makes it easier to customise sound system properly. Not so with home theatre.

 

[Renob]

Bose isn't BAD - in fact some of their stuff sounds pretty good.

I will only answer with an LOL, OMG do some research!!!

I'm sure YoYo will agree with me here, and as some others have alluded to... Bose doesn't produce terrible products. However, there is a difference between not-terrible and OMG this shit is expensive!

Wow you have much to learn about audio!!!

The subwoofer units tend to not be very deep,

Ummm they are NOT sub units, they dont hit low enough to be called "subs" I hate to say it but your entire post if full of SHIT! Try hanging out in a real audio forum for a bit, and visit a few high end HT shops to demo some real hardware.

 

[hans030390]

Originally posted by: Renob

Bose isn't BAD - in fact some of their stuff sounds pretty good.

I will only answer with an LOL, OMG do some research!!!

I'm sure YoYo will agree with me here, and as some others have alluded to... Bose doesn't produce terrible products. However, there is a difference between not-terrible and OMG this shit is expensive!

Wow you have much to learn about audio!!!

The subwoofer units tend to not be very deep,

Ummm they are NOT sub units, they dont hit low enough to be called "subs" I hate to say it but your entire post if full of SHIT! Try hanging out in a real audio forum for a bit, and visit a few high end HT shops to demo some real hardware.

WTF, chill. Some of their stuff sounds pretty good, but is overpriced. I've listened to some bookshelf speakers they have ($300) that sound GOOD, but my $150 Dayton BR-1 speakers sound just as good (if not better). That doesn't mean the Bose sounded BAD. It just means it was overpriced. You can certainly do a LOT worse than Bose...though it will generally cost less as well. $5 heaphones probably sound terrible...the Bose ones do not sound terrible at all, but sound about the same as my $35 pair of JVC headphones (which is really a fantastic deal, so that is a special case).

Also, we've established and all know that they're not real subwoofers. The articles that were linked to above state that. It's just easier to type out "subwoofer" than be totally OCD about it and call it...something else.

In short, learn how to read.

BTW, I've spent quite a bit of time researching audio (mostly car audio, but some home audio). I have been to those "special" forums you talk about. I've heard those magical high end sets.

Bose is bad for the money. That doesn't mean the products are bad.

Honda could sell their Civic for $50,000. That doesn't mean it's a bad car...far from it. They're great cars. But that would be horribly overpriced.

Are you getting the idea yet?

Originally posted by: sdifox
Car audio is actually easy to do right. The space is very well controlled and that makes it easier to customise sound system properly. Not so with home theatre.

Actually, most companies put zero to little thought into designing car audio systems. Even with higher-end stuff, it's still one of the least important design choices made for the car.

Car audio is actually terribly difficult to "do right". What cost me $300 for home audio cost me well over $500 for my car, and my home still sounds better (and, hell, I didn't read anything about placement). Car doors, or most places in cars, are terrible for drivers. To do anything "right", you generally have to at LEAST use sound deadening material in/on your doors. Some people even built their own mounts for drivers, or put tweeters in weird places.

Car companies, and whoever they use for audio, don't ever really look into proper placement, door volume, materials resonating, etc. It's a low-priority decision. It's never really done "right".

I don't mean to sound offensive, but cars aren't meant for audio. It's HARD to do right. Like I said, no offense, but your statement is just wrong. (I've spent a LOT of time researching and working with car audio).

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: hans030390

Actually, most companies put zero to little thought into designing car audio systems. Even with higher-end stuff, it's still one of the least important design choices made for the car.

Car audio is actually terribly difficult to "do right". What cost me $300 for home audio cost me well over $500 for my car, and my home still sounds better (and, hell, I didn't read anything about placement). Car doors, or most places in cars, are terrible for drivers. To do anything "right", you generally have to at LEAST use sound deadening material in/on your doors. Some people even built their own mounts for drivers, or put tweeters in weird places.

Car companies, and whoever they use for audio, don't ever really look into proper placement, door volume, materials resonating, etc. It's a low-priority decision. It's never really done "right".

I don't mean to sound offensive, but cars aren't meant for audio. It's HARD to do right. Like I said, no offense, but your statement is just wrong. (I've spent a LOT of time researching and working with car audio).

It is easy to do right in terms of the space is well determined and so are the materials involved and resonance frequencies are known. Doesn't mean the car companies would do it right.

From my personal experience the H/K car system sounds a hell lot better than the Bose ones.

 

[Pardus]

BOSE: Buy Other Sound Equipment.

 

[biggestmuff]

Originally posted by: destrekor
I'm sure YoYo will agree with me here, and as some others have alluded to... Bose doesn't produce terrible products. However, there is a difference between not-terrible and OMG this shit is expensive!

Well... expensive is a variable dependent upon the individual. $10000/pair speakers are far from hard to find. And of course going to blow away ANYTHING that costs $1000 or less, especially for a full set included subwoofer and receiver (or something that takes place of a receiver, like a sub unit with all the connections in the back).

However, for the price of Bose equipment, you can put together, and possibly even find HTIB sets, for around half and come away with a likely fuller and more accurate audio experience.
Bose makes some nice things, some devices or speaker sets do sound pretty nice, but I wouldn't ever buy one, or even suggest them to someone with disposable income. They offer the ease of use appeal, small-style design, and awesome marketing, that just makes them seem like the perfect speaker sets.

But the Bose surround sets I've heard... ugh. They sound good for what they produce, but are not a complete audio experience. The subwoofer units tend to not be very deep, and focus a lot more on mid-range. Of which is necessary, because the small speakers Bose uses are most certainly loud, but lack any defined low-range mid-bass. They focus heavily on the treble spectrum, and sometimes the result is also a "tin-y" sound (think: metallic), which just reverberates in my ears and kills the experience. Far too much stress on high notes, with a very weak mid-range and bass, and is sad because mid-bass is very easy to locate in the sound spectrum, and a lot of it is produced in the subwoofer unit. It's like... oh sounds like somethings coming from over there! and then bang... shit where was that? In front of me and to my right? Yet, looks like it happened behind me before the camera panned.

Ultimately, Bose sets suffer greatly in surround envelopment. I haven't come across a set that truly creates a sense of surround, unless all the audio in a movie for panning and envelopment are high notes. And that's forgetting all the above about the audio quality comments. Surround envelopment is critical for home theater imho. I want to have the sense that I'm there, and forget everything is coming from speakers. Speakers that don't produce as much of the full-spectrum as possible, really break the deal.

Don't call it a subwoofer as it is not one. Bose doesn't even call it a subwoofer...as it is not one.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: ActiveX
BOSE: Buy Other Sound Equipment.

I was trying to come up with something closer to this but just struggle with E...

Bend Over and Say Ew.

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: Renob

Bose isn't BAD - in fact some of their stuff sounds pretty good.

I will only answer with an LOL, OMG do some research!!!

I'm sure YoYo will agree with me here, and as some others have alluded to... Bose doesn't produce terrible products. However, there is a difference between not-terrible and OMG this shit is expensive!

Wow you have much to learn about audio!!!

The subwoofer units tend to not be very deep,

Ummm they are NOT sub units, they dont hit low enough to be called "subs" I hate to say it but your entire post if full of SHIT! Try hanging out in a real audio forum for a bit, and visit a few high end HT shops to demo some real hardware.

get out of here with your elitist attitude.

I didn't go into details because one, I didn't want to write a book, and two, because I felt it would be wasted effort. Most of those details go over peoples heads.

Bose doesn't sound excellent, but they don't sound terrible - if you sliced their price significantly.

And that's why I called it a "subwoofer unit" and not a "subwoofer". Because it's just that, its some device that Bose tries to market as a sub unit, but doesn't actually fill that role completely. It's main purpose is to cover the mid-bass that their cubes can't hit.

And, that's exactly what I said - they don't hit deep. Sure, I could have said "they don't go to XX hz, thus they don't even qualify by definition as a subwoofer", but... what's the point.
The simple is easy to read, unless you want to come in like an elitist prick and forget how to read simple points instead of specific specs.

Because like it or not, not many here actually know the technicalities, and they come here for help. Much like this thread.
If someone is asking why Bose is seen as a terrible product, it's safe to assume they don't know much about the specs. So why go into AV jargon when it's just going to go over their head?

 

[CKent]

Some would have you think bose speakers sound like an AM radio signal coming from a thousand miles away. In reality they sound a bit better than the Aiwa shelf systems for sale at Wal-Mart, but not by much. The real issue with them is their price, which is far too high and helps fund an advertising campaign which sells their products based on image rather than substance, giving people who don't do their research an illusion of quality. And from what I've read, build quality can be an issue on their products which actually have to stand up to being handled, such as headphones.

Destroker is actually being reasonable, some of you people sound like you need a rabies shot :laugh: