What do you think of BOSE?

[HardcoreRobot]

<< Whoever you have listened to lecture you doesnt "know his stuff" he just makes it seem that way to you >>


Perhaps I should clarify. The man I listened to lecture was Dr. Bose himself, and he was teaching an acoustics class at MIT. Of course he is going to make it sound like he knows what he is talking about. But I think the standard set at MIT would require some intellect.



<< Oh and you are in the dark about bose.. THEY ARE TRASH >>


You are entitled to your opinion, just dont expect to elighten anyone with comments like that.

 

[JC]

Seems like you guys are the self-appointed audio gods....you just repeat the same Bose-bashing rhetoric on here every time their name is mentioned.
Just what qualifications do you have to make judgement?

 

[TimidOCer]

Well oh my god. Of course Dr Bose is gonna sound like he knows what he talks about.. still doesnt change the facts that his so called audi-phile speakers are complete trash.

Not my opinion its a proven fact 9 out of 10 doctors agree listening to bose can be harmful to your ears and health.. the other doctor is dr bose

 

[jaeger66]

You can't make a great speaker with only formulas, charts, and graphs, and various engineering degrees. There's an art to it, which Bose utterly fails to realize. The only qualification I or anyone else needs for passing judgement is a listening session. Verdict: Trash. NHT's Super One towers are a steal at $750, or if you want to get serious the Celestion A3 is quite nice at $3500. Or sell the house and drop the $ for the JMLab Grand Utopias. Yours for a mere $75,000.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

<< You can't make a great speaker with only formulas, charts, and graphs, and various engineering degrees. There's an art to it, which Bose utterly fails to realize. The only qualification I or anyone else needs for passing judgement is a listening session. Verdict: Trash. NHT's Super One towers are a steal at $750, or if you want to get serious the Celestion A3 is quite nice at $3500. Or sell the house and drop the $ for the JMLab Grand Utopias. Yours for a mere $75,000. >>


On the topic of being over-priced... Just try to convice me that a pair of speakers is worth 75k!

 

[jaeger66]

Listen to them. At that point, your life will be complete. Of course, the 75K includes a visit from the company founder, who will set them up for you.

 

[Thegonagle]

My opinion: They do enough research to make great speakers, but they go seriously cheap on materials and manufacturing. I do not respect that.

 

[Hawk]

Eh, they aren't bad. Have them in my Maxima...I am not audio freak though, so anything sounding decent (stock speakers in the Escort ZX2) is fine by me.

 

[BoberFett]

Basically
Overhyped
Stereo
Equipment

 

[d1abolic]

<< No, Im being completely serious. Ive listened to him lecture before and he knows his stuff. Lots of research goes into every product. Im no audiophile nor an acoustic expert. And I don't own any Bose products. What makes you think they are trash? I dont really know where else to go from here, but I am really curious why so many people are so anti-bose. If you arent impressed with the product, dont buy it. I think it is a bit extreme/ridiculous to claim they are trash - unless of course there is something I am in the dark about. >>

Ok, first of all, who is "him"? Second, i'm sure tons of research went into every product - after all, each BOSE speaker is a piece of electric equipment. Problem is, that research was done 20 years ago and that just doesn't really cut it anymore. What makes me think they are trash? Ok let's see. Every single true audiophile i've ever spoken to or heard speak thinks the same thing. If you don't believe me, go to avsforum.com and ask them about BOSE.



<< The man I listened to lecture was Dr. Bose himself, and he was teaching an acoustics class at MIT. >>

Nevermind. I can't believe how naive you are. You expected him to say what exactly? Surely not anything that would make his company look anything less than perfect?



<< i would stay away from any recommendation that makes broad blanket statements about a manufacturer's entire line of speakers. No reputable reviewer would ever take such approach, and anyone who says that all Bose speakers suck really are deluding themselves. >>

You're wrong. Every reputable reviewer in the audio industry already has taken such approach towards BOSE.



<< Seems like you guys are the self-appointed audio gods....you just repeat the same Bose-bashing rhetoric on here every time their name is mentioned.
Just what qualifications do you have to make judgement? >>

We're not gods. Well at least i'm not. I'm just an enthusiast with a good pair of ears, which by the way, are my "qualifications."



<< On the topic of being over-priced... Just try to convice me that a pair of speakers is worth 75k! >>

It's all relevant. Are you a millionaire who's hobby is home theater? Then to YOU, probably not. But i can certainly see myself getting those speakers if i had millions in the bank.

 

[Bachelor]

Bose are crap to anyone that would spend 75k on speakers but for the average Joe buying a home theater in a box the Bose are going to sound better than that junk. Of course they don't compete with any floor standing speaker but you are comparing a 5 inch high speaker to one that's 3 - 5 feet. Definitely a no brainer.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

I dunno, but I think it's funny that whenever I see their infomercial, they expect me to hear the difference between a regular stereo and the Bose stereo over my TV's speakers. Hell, if I could tell the difference with my trashy TV speakers, either 1) their model BLOWS or I wouldn't have to burn my money on a Bose, but pipe everything through my TV's super kick-ass speakers.

Nik

 

[d1abolic]

<< Bose are crap to anyone that would spend 75k on speakers but for the average Joe buying a home theater in a box the Bose are going to sound better than that junk. Of course they don't compete with any floor standing speaker but you are comparing a 5 inch high speaker to one that's 3 - 5 feet. Definitely a no brainer. >>



You got it all mixed up. BOSE's "high-end" minisystems sell for thousands of dollars, yet relatively cheap minisystems from other manufaturers can beat any of them without even trying. But don't take my word for it, listen to those who own them.

The junk:

Bose Lifestyle 30 PRICE: $2999 AVERAGE REVIEW: 3/5
Bose Lifestyle 25 II PRICE: $2099 AVERAGE REVIEW: 2.95/5
Bose Lifestyle 5 PRICE: $1199 AVERAGE REVIEW: 3.29/5

The good stuff:

Definitive Technology ProCinema 80 PRICE: $1000 AVERAGE REVIEW: 4.84/5 (my system)
Boston Acoustics Micro System 9000 PRICE: $999 AVERAGE REVIEW: 4.72/5
Energy Loudspeakers Take 5 PRICE: $500 AVERAGE REVIEW: 4.64/5

I rest my case.

Oh yeah and if you want to know what those who defend BOSE here will feel like when they walk into a real home theater store, take a look at the last (top of page) review of the ProCinema 80. Puts a smile on my face

<< Wanted to upgrade from my old Base Lifestyle system to usher in HT sound in the home. I thought the Bose sounded great until I started auditioning some of the other speakers on the market (Paradigm, Energy, DT) - only then did I realize what I had been missing the past 6 years. Bose is an over-branded piece of consumer mass-market crap compared to these speakers. >>

 

[Bachelor]

<< You got it all mixed up. BOSE's "high-end" minisystems sell for thousands of dollars, yet relatively cheap minisystems from other manufaturers can beat any of them without even trying. But don't take my word for it, listen to those who own them. >>



eh... ok I didn't realize there were so many mini "hi-fi" HT systems. I'm referring to the acoustamass (sp?) systems for under a grand compared to the 300 - 400 RCA, Sony type systems. Anyone spending several thousand on mini speakers ought to have their head examined.

 

[d1abolic]

Same thing. You know what, just go to audioreview.com and look em up yourself - these damn links take too long to put into posts

 

[BoberFett]

Considering you can get a decent set of Klipsch (just to name one brand) floor standing speakers for the same price as a BOSE setup, the only reason I could see buying satellites was if you don't have the room for real speakers. I use a satellite system for my PC but I sure wouldn't hook one up to my $1,000 Yamaha receiver.

 

[Bachelor]

<< the only reason I could see buying satellites was if you don't have the room for real speakers. >>



That's the selling point for the minisystems. No room in your apartment? Buy some Bose. Want a real system? Buy MBL's.

I have to admit that I have never been particularly interested in Bose products. Trying to get good sound out of satellites is next to impossible.

 

[Migroo]

I've had some Bose 4.2 series 2 speakers with my hifi for the last 3+ years, they are NOT BAD!

Bass is good, the only bad-side is not enough detail (but its not a major turn-off). Bass is sometimes loose and un-controlled.

I have just hooked up my Dad's KEF Reference Series Model 104 speakers from the 1970's. They blow the Bose away.
The bass is quieter, but faster and more controlled, and the treble detail is amazing.

 

[d1abolic]

So speakers from the 70's blow them away and you think that they're not bad? Man you need to see a specialist.

 

[luvya]

seems like I am late for the flaming game let me join....would u? hehe
Bose to me is a little like Intel, perform worse, yet, cost more
other speaker manufacturers are like AMD, perform better and cost less!

 

[luvya]

<< No, Im being completely serious. Ive listened to him lecture before and he knows his stuff. Lots of research goes into every product. Im no audiophile nor an acoustic expert. And I don't own any Bose products. What makes you think they are trash? I dont really know where else to go from here, but I am really curious why so many people are so anti-bose. If you arent impressed with the product, dont buy it. I think it is a bit extreme/ridiculous to claim they are trash - unless of course there is something I am in the dark about. >>



Ok, that does it!! can't hold anymore!!:|
there is something about physical limitation. An 8 inch sub just can't produce anything decent lower than 50hz! because it can't move enough air! Not to mention those cute little 3inch satellite speakers........

 

[SuperSix]

<< Gee, how long before someone interjects the usual, worn-out Bose rhetoric? Let's see..... >>




True true...

Yea, Bose has completely snowed the entire world, and all critics...

FWIW, there's a Bose system in my wife's Infiniti, and it sounds awesome. GREAT bass, GREAT treble ...

Let's all get on the Bose-bashing bandwagon.. It's the COOL thing to do...

 

[jaeger66]

People like Bose because they've never heard anything better(note that better does not automatically mean more expensive). And if there's one thing Americans are good at, it's wallowing in their own ignorance.

 

[JC]

<< Gee, how long before someone interjects the usual, worn-out Bose rhetoric? Let's see..... >>



Let me clarify, people seem to have missed my sarcasm....the rhetoric I was speaking of, which you find in every Bose-bashing thread, is the line "no highs, no lows, must be Bose"
I was actually poking the Bose-bashers. And indeed, TimidOCer posted it. Get it now?

Now I've had enough of this flame-fest

 

[mithrandir2001]

No highs, no lows, must be Bose.

Bose = Monster Cable = All Marketing, No Substance