Upcoming Apple iMac Sound System?

[MacRumors]

In an interview (http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/030218/15/37xpf.html) with Shoichi Ishida, the head of Sanyo Electric Co.'s young System Solution Development Center, Ishida mentions being more proactive in marketing their products. He mentions one specific Apple connection:

For example, when Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) released its new iMac with a 15-inch liquid crystal flat display in 2002, Ishida saw the potential to improve its sound quality with a Sanyo amplifier. After the engineer showed a custom-made prototype of the amplifier to Apple, the U.S. company saw the potential as well, and a peripheral product sporting the better sound system will come to market soon, Ishida says.

[agreenster]

That sounds sorta vague. Not major news, I guess.

[MacFan25]

I like this idea. I wonder when it will come out.

[smegdude]

i find that my harmon/kardon soundsticks work fine and give me good audio playback. I don't see why this is big news, its not as if there aren't any other sound systems out that work with an iMac

[Dont Hurt Me]

Hard to say what this means if anything. I can say that the pro speakers teamed with the i sub keeps me rockin. I guess you can allways want more power so use your stereo. sitting in front of my mac & system i usually have to turn it down a little.LUV THE ISUB & PROS!:)

[seamuskrat]

I think that if Apple is going to position itself as the BMW of the personal Computing world, then it will begin to dress up Macs like BMWs.
An iMac is a gret looking computer, and the small speakers that come with it look good and sound decent. I cannot say great because I have a pair on my QS dual 1 gig and they are weak with base and can be distorted at higher audio levels. But I have Sound sticks with iSub on another Mac and its as good as my desktop Sony stero ever is.
Since most folks do not have their computer and home stereo in the same room the market for a small 'Apple looking' amp could be large.
Its also possible that Apple could/will integrate this technology directly into the next revision, allowing for very high sound quality right out of the box. This would satisfy my earlier BMW features comment.

[greenstork]

When I think of hi quality sound systems, I think of Sanyo. It's right up there with Realistic in terms of pure performance ;)

[Bear]

Originally posted by greenstork
When I think of hi quality sound systems, I think of Sanyo. It's right up there with Realistic in terms of pure performance ;)
realistic did have one or two good things they sold. And as for Sanyo, who knows what they don't sell in the US that might be of good quality.

Actually with the way the Japanese conglomerates work, for all we know one of the [good]highend stereo component makers might by a subsidiary of Sanyo.

[julzmon]

I hope this is sarcasm.

I have not heard a satisfying sound set up personally.

I wish someone would come out with an audiophile computer speaker system. As of now you would have to buy a little amp and sup and bookshelf's to get something truly good.

Then the mp3's will start sounding like crap :)



Originally posted by greenstork
When I think of hi quality sound systems, I think of Sanyo. It's right up there with Realistic in terms of pure performance ;)

[Wry Cooter]

Originally posted by greenstork
For example, when Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) released its new iMac with a 15-inch liquid crystal flat display in 2002, Ishida saw the potential to improve its sound quality with a Sanyo amplifier.


My monitor sounds just fine, thank you.

When we saw that people were using the telephone to call -long distance-, we saw the opportunity to offer OUR OWN long distance service!

So when may we call you?

[gotohamish]

Look at the TAM - a Bose sound system for heaven's sake - Apple KNOW audio!

Sanyo, I know they're stuff's cheap & cheerful here in the UK, and I know I wouldn't buy a Sanyo product.

But Bose, oh, drool.

[Jaykay]

Originally posted by julzmon
I hope this is sarcasm.

I have not heard a satisfying sound set up personally.

I wish someone would come out with an audiophile computer speaker system. As of now you would have to buy a little amp and sup and bookshelf's to get something truly good.

Then the mp3's will start sounding like crap :)

Not everybody wants that kind of a system, in fact most are probably happy with the pro speakers, then maybe add an iSub. If thats not enough than maybe thay can get the soundsticks after that the creature and after all that then maybe your getting into the area what your talking about.

(And yes we are part of the few, i agree with you, but for general services.)

[iStream]

Sanyo is horrible. If this news came from a company like Denon, Klipsch or Energy then I'd be impressed. Haha... a Sanyo amplifier.

[yosoyjay]

Originally posted by gotohamish
Look at the TAM - a Bose sound system for heaven's sake - Apple KNOW audio!

Sanyo, I know they're stuff's cheap & cheerful here in the UK, and I know I wouldn't buy a Sanyo product.

But Bose, oh, drool.

Bose stuff is pos...

I never have had a great need for decent speakers on any of my computers because they have always been hooked up to my stereos. I would like a decent Rendevous/UPnP Receiver or pre-amp so I could just stream stuff from a file server.

[dubweiser]

No highs? No lows?
Must be Bose.

[freemidnight]

Originally posted by Macrumors
In an interview (http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/030218/15/37xpf.html) with Shoichi Ishida, the head of Sanyo Electric Co.'s young System Solution Development Center, Ishida mentions being more proactive in marketing their products. He mentions one specific Apple connection:

Let's put a surround sound system!

Is it a Multimedia computer isn'it

So why this does't have 5.1 implemented in it?

Peecees does have it (SB)


5.7, 7.1, wow! I think I'm gonna manufacture power amps/speakers cabinets!:D :D :D

[reyesmac]

Hope its more than just an amp. It would be nice if it had radio, a fast cd burner, surround sound, and a cheap price.

[Kid Red]

Originally posted by dubweiser
No highs? No lows?
Must be Bose.

Wow, you're sick on more then 1 level.

ontopic-
Sounds like a custom amp for the imac more then a speaker set. Something internal to boost sound and produce a clearer, truer sound for the next iMac rev.

[Dont Hurt Me]

I guess you all know that when you hook up an isub with the pro speakers the mac diverts power and lows via the usb to the isub and then mids and highs to the pro's. it really made a big difference then to just listening to the pros by themselves. thought i would mention that for anyone outthere with just pro's. im jamming to itunes right now and lovein it and the beer has nothing to do with it. well maybe.:rolleyes:

[nickmcghie]

Originally posted by gotohamish
Look at the TAM - a Bose sound system for heaven's sake - Apple KNOW audio!

Sanyo, I know they're stuff's cheap & cheerful here in the UK, and I know I wouldn't buy a Sanyo product.

But Bose, oh, drool.

Bose isn't that great. Among real audiophiles, Bose is known as an overpriced consumer brand. While it may better than other consumer brands such as Sony, Pioneer, JVC, etc., it's minor perfermance advantage does not justify it's excessive price. The brand most similar to Apple in the audio world would probably be somebody like Bang & Olufsen. I think it'd be cool to see some of their products come with Apple computers :)

[Tom800]

Can someone explain to me the difference in sound between the 'Creature' system and the 'soundsticks' system, other than the soundsticks cost about 10 bucks more and use USB? Which is better, or what's each like?

Thanks.

[ibookin']

Originally posted by nickmcghie
The brand most similar to Apple in the audio world would probably be somebody like Bang & Olufsen.

Yes, B&O, the maker of nice-looking stuff whose sound quality can be had for much less money:rolleyes: . Don't get me wrong, I love their stuff, but better sound quality can be cheaper from other audio manufacturers.

For Apple, I think that they'll stick with Harman International (JBL, Harman Kardon, etc.) for their audio needs, since they are a large company that also has a few high-end brands in their stable (the names escape me at the moment, I'll check). Although Apple did contract with Sony a while back for Mac components...

By the way, as others have said, in the U.S., Sanyo is junk.

[rainman::|:|]

Originally posted by Tom800
Can someone explain to me the difference in sound between the 'Creature' system and the 'soundsticks' system, other than the soundsticks cost about 10 bucks more and use USB? Which is better, or what's each like?

Thanks.

soundsticks have 3 or 4 individual speakers in each stick. creature only has one per speaker unit. it's kind of like 4-way speakers vs. 1-way...

plus the subs are different, probably have been improved in the creature. haven't heard for myself yet.

the creature speakers are frigging ugly tho...

not that the soundsticks are any prize...

pnw

[Squire]

You know, the people at Apple are probably on the right track. I think a lot of people are starting to use their computers more for an entertainment system. I, for one, have been looking at the new Klipsch GMX-D 5.1 set. Looks cool and probably sounds cooler. However, I don't think Apple should side with a company that doesn't entice true audiophiles. Sanyo is probably not that bad, but they are known to a lot of people as a maker of cheap- though relatively decent- products.

I would like:

B & O
Nakamichi
Denon
Nad
Onkyo
even Sony or Kenwood

Just a thought...how about teaming up with Mark Levinson, like Lexus did? That would truly rule.

Squire


Originally posted by freemidnight
Let's put a surround sound system!

Is it a Multimedia computer isn'it

So why this does't have 5.1 implemented in it?

Peecees does have it (SB)


5.7, 7.1, wow! I think I'm gonna manufacture power amps/speakers cabinets!:D :D :D

[ibookin']

Originally posted by Squire
Just a thought...how about teaming up with Mark Levinson, like Lexus did? That would truly rule.

Squire

Now we're talking!

[voicegy]

Originally posted by nickmcghie
...The brand most similar to Apple in the audio world would probably be somebody like Bang & Olufsen. I think it'd be cool to see some of their products come with Apple computers :)

Yeah, there's a man after my own heart.:)

The TAM (Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh) was the closest Apple ever came to having the B&O look (although BOSE sound) and I was happy to own one for two years. Still have my old B&O, though.

[g30ffr3y]

i have to say this in sanyo's defense... sure they may have a bad rap up against onkyo, harmon karden, sony, bose, etc... but... and i regret saying this, i work for a cell phone company and we handle sanyo phones... let me just say they are of the finest quality overall and are even the makers of the first flip-phone camera hybrid [moving toward video phones ya know...] with apple steering them along, i would have no problem buying a sanyo product... and i liked that apple=bmw line... i just wish i have as many bmw's as i do apples... hehehe... to wish...

[julzmon]

Oh... No way.. Bang & Olufsen totally sucks!

Yes it looks like a million bucks but the sound is horrible. Talk about overpriced. B&O is the equivalent to Bose in sound-quality. Well... maybe a little better but no way does it sound good.

I'm a die hard Magnepan fan.
There was a time when they had some multimedia speakers coming out but they decided not to, don't know why.


Originally posted by nickmcghie
Bose isn't that great. Among real audiophiles, Bose is known as an overpriced consumer brand. While it may better than other consumer brands such as Sony, Pioneer, JVC, etc., it's minor perfermance advantage does not justify it's excessive price. The brand most similar to Apple in the audio world would probably be somebody like Bang & Olufsen. I think it'd be cool to see some of their products come with Apple computers :)

[mayodreams]

Bose are crap. My parents have a Cadillac SLS and the "premium" Bose stereo sounds like absolute *****. I have $30 computer speakers that sound better.

As for the high end Harman International brand, that would be Infinity. :D I've got a pair of Overature 2's and I LOVE them. They are running from a H/K receiver that is also very kick ass.

Doesn't H/K made the pro speakers?

[ExoticFish]

I have a Klipsch 2.1 speaker setup for my TiBook and they sounds awesome.

[Apple][Forever]

Bose is OK. Not crap, but not great. They're the top of the middle range stuff. Kinda like the Honda of midsize cars. Not a BMW, but in its class the best there is.

For the money, Paradigm's the way to go. Damn they're good. I have a pair of their Monitor 7s hooked up to an Adcom amp/preamp setup and they are just terrific.

Sanyo makes good rechargable batteries and at one time they made durable VCRs (owned a Sanyo Beta VCR that lasted 10+ years). Don't know about their audio.

On the Mac I have the Creatures. I don't like JBL but I got them as a gift and are pleasantly surprised by their sound quality. They're good for the money, my g/f got them for about $50 less than the H/K Soundsticks. I personally think they sound better but I've never had the chance to do A/B testing with the 2 sets.

(P.S. Before the Honda fans jump on me for the above, I own one and am very happy with it. It's a pleasure to beat V6 Mustangs and Camaros from the stoplight.)

(P.P.S. Before the Mustang and Camaro fans jump on me for the above: You should have bought a V8 Firebird. That is all.)

[seamuskrat]

Regardless of name brand(s), would most Mac models not benefit from a better built in amp system or better external device? True, if we are oing for the best, why Sanyo? But maybe I am just going deaf, but any 'engineered' solution should be better than stock.

[janey]

i love my creature speakers and my lovely klipsch promedia 5.1 setup. :D
if apple's gonna go for the best why not klipsch? (not best best but a lotta people like it so why not...)

[Kid Red]

Bose kill Infinity's IMO. Infinitys are too hi based, bose have a nice over all range. Maybe it depends what you got feeding the bose, I have em hooked to an Onkyo and it's just too sweet, really clear sound. That's why I like bose, very crisp and clear, and a wide range of sounds.

To each his own I guess.

[DeusOmnis]

I'm suprised that no one mentioned cambridge Soundworks. You guys keep talking about alll these no-name companies (excluding Bose and Harmon Kardon, of course). We dont need cheap stuff on our macs. In any case, Cambridge Soundworks is the way to go. I seriously checked out every option and asked all the music guru's for multi-media speakers and Cambridge SoundWorks just destroys everyone.

[occam]

If you want the Apple of audiophile, check out www.linn.co.uk. This niche company rocks the world. It's the audio company *musicians* listen to!

My favorite Linn piece is their amazing one-piece home stereo called the Classik (www.linn.co.uk, or www.classik.com). The web site doesn't do justice to this gem, but it's 1. tiny, but 2. packs all the goods: five channel amplification + FM/AM tuner + CD/DVD player + preamp controls + THX + .1 (subwoofer) output + (latest model) component video output. Amazingly, it sounds better than separates. At $3k, it's a gem (and cheaper than similar quality separates).

If you want noise, go bose. If you want music, go Linn.

[icrew]

....seems like the logical choice, not to mention really good sound....

(See http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/)

[springscansing]

I never heard of using something from Sanyo to IMPROVE sound quality, haha.

I say we put McIntosh amplifiers in the new macs. Can't beat the sound quality there!

So what if it ups the cost a few thousand...

[springscansing]

Originally posted by icrew
....seems like the logical choice, not to mention really good sound....

(See http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/)

Bah.. you just beat me to it. hehe

[springscansing]

Originally posted by Kid Red
Bose kill Infinity's IMO. Infinitys are too hi based, bose have a nice over all range. Maybe it depends what you got feeding the bose, I have em hooked to an Onkyo and it's just too sweet, really clear sound. That's why I like bose, very crisp and clear, and a wide range of sounds.

To each his own I guess.

Well.. when you compare Bose to junk like Infinity, what do you expect to happen? :rolleyes:

Bose blows. This has been true forever. Ask ANY audiophile, and I do mean ANY.

[gotohamish]

Originally posted by nickmcghie
Bose isn't that great. Among real audiophiles, Bose is known as an overpriced consumer brand. While it may better than other consumer brands such as Sony, Pioneer, JVC, etc., it's minor perfermance advantage does not justify it's excessive price. The brand most similar to Apple in the audio world would probably be somebody like Bang & Olufsen. I think it'd be cool to see some of their products come with Apple computers :)

Oh, sorry I'm not real enough for you.

B&O suck, they're just pretty box makers with okay sound. Admittedly better than most high street brands, but not up there with Bose, Denon, Nakamichi and their peers.

[springscansing]

Originally posted by gotohamish
Oh, sorry I'm not real enough for you.

B&O suck, they're just pretty box makers with okay sound. Admittedly better than most high street brands, but not up there with Bose, Denon, Nakamichi and their peers.

He's right. Bose IS an overpriced consumer brand. Nakamichi and Denon USED to be good, but they're just making junk now.

No audiophile respects Bose for anything.

[springscansing]

In fact, my father used to be in the stereo design industry, and he knew Amar Bose. He admits that the reason he sells to many speakers is marketing, and that Bose uses very cheap components so they can operate on a huge profit margin. He says consumers can't tell the difference.

I guess he's right.

[Dr. Distortion]

Originally posted by Squire
You know, the people at Apple are probably on the right track. I think a lot of people are starting to use their computers more for an entertainment system. I, for one, have been looking at the new Klipsch GMX-D 5.1 set. Looks cool and probably sounds cooler. However, I don't think Apple should side with a company that doesn't entice true audiophiles. Sanyo is probably not that bad, but they are known to a lot of people as a maker of cheap- though relatively decent- products.

I would like:

B & O
Nakamichi
Denon
Nad
Onkyo
even Sony or Kenwood

Just a thought...how about teaming up with Mark Levinson, like Lexus did? That would truly rule.

Squire

You forgot to mention Sansui (don't know if they still exist...), Bose, B&W, Magnat...

I've got a Sansui AU-919 power amplifier hooked up to my mac, and it's really indestructable! Full aluminum front (4mm thick!), full metal case, rigid switched and pots with metal shafts and aluminum knobs... yummy!

http://www.sansui.us/images/AU919_00016.jpg

On this page (http://www.sansui.us/PG_AUD907.htm) you can find even more images of this marvellous product.

[Trimix]

Wow, as a mac-user I am happy to be surrounded by so many audiophiles.
Maybe we are missing the point however...
I for one would love to have a little portable speakersystem into which I could slot the i-pod and carry it around with me as a boom-box. Now this would not have to be made by Apple but I think I would pick it up even if it was made by Sanyo.
Way back when there was this thing (it might even have been made by Sanyo at the time) where you could stick the walkman in and end up with a speaker on either side and a decent radio. Would make me very happy for the days at the beach :-))

[dstorey]

what are the companies that REAL audiphiles buy/listen to? Maybe with all this talk of brand names we are doing sanyo a dis-service. In the article it says the system was developed by an autonomous research/development section funded by sanyo that produces components for external companies such as sony. Don't foget that the guy that runs this lab was a big player at sony that moved on so he could be more creative and has worked on such things as the walkman. Just because they are bankrolled by sanyo doesn't mean they are in the same leauge. afterall Ford own mazda but also own jaguar and aston martin.

[geeman]

Originally posted by occam
If you want the Apple of audiophile, check out www.linn.co.uk. This niche company rocks the world. It's the audio company *musicians* listen to!

If you want noise, go bose. If you want music, go Linn.

Right with you. I've had my Linn/NAIM system for more than 10 years (a few upgrades here and there) and I have to say that there's very little I've heard to touch it. But then I don't think I'm particularly representative of an 'average' user...

B&O and Bose (even Sanyo) are fine in their places. People who buy such systems are invariably moving up in audio quality from whatever they had before. That's a good thing.

They're happy with the sound, and that's the main thing.

[ameliaraitte]

Originally posted by Tom800
Can someone explain to me the difference in sound between the 'Creature' system and the 'soundsticks' system, other than the soundsticks cost about 10 bucks more and use USB? Which is better, or what's each like?

Yes - I got a head to head comparison in a shop (and own SoundSticks). The Creatures are tiny! The satelites are about the size of a billiard ball. For the size, the Creatures sound great. It's amazing such a tiny system can sound so good. However, they are not nearly as powerful as the SoundSticks.

The SoundSticks are bigger and provide a very full sound, although if you want to get fussy, I think there midrange frequencies which are dampened. (Although it's only apparent with 1 or 2 artists.) If you like bass, you got it. For overall power, the SoundSticks are not quite as powerful as a cheap all in one stereo, ie. they will shake the house in an 6X8ft room, but will come up a little short for a dance party in a 12X14ft. room.

I love my SoundSticks. Gonna buy another set for the livingroom.

[Sepulchre]

Originally posted by ameliaraitte

I love my SoundSticks.

Same here, I bought them when they first came out and never looked back, true they are not the most audiophile speakers on the planet, but hey thats what the main stereo in the living room is for isnt it?

Anyone ever figure out if its possible to share the iSticks with a PC (no flames please) in a dual Mac/PC set up? Probably not possible I know, due to the USB input, but thought i'd ask. :)

Rich

[rugby]

I've got some Logitech Z-640's hooked up to my MDD G4 and they sound pretty good. I'm only using the front channels and the middle speaker as I don't have a 5.1 sound card. Hopefully soon I'll pick up the M-Audio Revolution sound card and have some...oh wait, nevermind. Apple's DVD player doesn't output 5.1, and neither does iTunes.

Crap.

Bose sucks, I have some 20 year old B&W speakers hooked up to a tandberg amp that will bury most Bose systems. Except for my dad's, as he got an all Rotel hardware with 5.1 and B&W's all around. Really outstanding sound.

[Geetar]

Good grief- with decent companies like TACT, Chord, dCS, Z-Systems, Lexicon and a whole bunch of others out there, most of the best solutions proposed so far look (and sometimes sound, in the wrong rooms) like something out of the Stone-Age. Macs need bomb-proof and at the same time very advanced analog and digital co-developers for what will surely come in home system integration.

[evoluzione]

ok, my two cents....

Bang & Olufsen is not comparable to Apple, B&O is nicely designed but way way overpriced. when you compare the say, beosound1 which costs $1,250, to the Bose Acoustic Wave which costs a grand the Bose wins hands down. The B&O doesn't even have a line in for the iPod, this you have to buy separately. There's no low range.

I also have some Paradigms and Mirages which i use together and they sound about the same as my Bose Jewel Cubes with the sub. Yes Bose may not be the best, maybe a "Pro-sumer" brand, the best of the commercial equipment perhaps, but for the size of the jewel cubes, they sound amazing, ad when you live in NYC, space is a premium.

As for those systems found in cars. The acoustics of the car in question have a LOT to do with the sound. The Bose in the Caddy may not sound great (haven't heard it personally) but in the Yukon Denali it sounds very good. Very "car" sounding though, and by this I mean, slightly lacking in mid to top. In the RangeRover, the Harmon Kardon sounds ****e, very bad. Infinity, well, I swear by Infinity Subs. I had two IB120s in my car through the years and they performed awesomely (is that a word??) whereas I went through two Pioneers and an Alpine Sub in a week, even though they were rated to cope with my amp, they melted.

I guess I tend to pretty much go by the rule that the Japanese can't make speakers, everything else, yes, and very well too.

Oh, and yeah, check out Linn, they put the stereo in the new Aston Martin, which is a job and a half to get right considering the Aston has it's own amazing sound (the V8)

But like I said, it's all down to the install, the acoustics of the environment and the listeners personal taste.....

[julzmon]

All this talk about good sound :)
here are my favorite speaker components.
I think those hsu research subs are a complete steal for the money.
You have to hear them to believe how great they sound.
and the Magnepan's are well... you have to experience to believe the sound.
the downside they need a lot of power and a sub cause they don't have enough bass for my taste.

http://www.magnepan.com/

http://www.hsuresearch.com/

[Kid Red]

Originally posted by springscansing
Well.. when you compare Bose to junk like Infinity, what do you expect to happen? :rolleyes:

Bose blows. This has been true forever. Ask ANY audiophile, and I do mean ANY.

What makes an audiofile and does that make any and I do mean ANY difference to me? Nope, I like bose and I think they rock.

[dutchmaster]

in all seriousness i have an old pair of small black HEAVY Realistic speakers that i wouldn't trade
for a pair of similarly sized Bose. Something about the sound of the Bose systems just
sounds off to me. can't really think of an adequate word to describe the coloration. sort of
tin, sort of like listening to new age synthesized waves crashing versus actual waves crashing on a beach. not that the realistics are anything to crow about, but these particular radio shack specials do their job adequately. Granted i use them as satellites for my television not on my stereo, for which i have Bozak LS250's (can i get a witness?). Besides I think a number of companies that put out some awful stereo products are certainly capable of making good products, they just skimp on every single option.That doesn't mean that its impossible for them to make a good product if they have the option of charging an arm and a leg for it. Well on second thought some companies really can't, like Knox. everybody remember the all in one units with the fake EQbands! I don't really have a point i just wanted to talk about my speakers.

[Clockwork]

If your looking for great sound quality then take a look at the Yamaha "Cavit".
This is an excellent sound system for gamers and will probably cut it for most sound and video producers.

www.yamahamultimedia.com

[typeset]

Apple and Bang & Olufsen (Denmark) should get into bed. B&O places the amplifiers within the speaker cabinets so that the signal can travel through 24 awg wire. Like Cat5. Go virtually any distance without distortion and costly "monster" cabling. Control home lighting. Security system. Superb design, quality, reputation. Bose, Alpine, others hype their sound, akin to turning up the treble, mid- and bass. Sounds good but not accurate. B&O is absolutely accurate, clean, beautiful.

Apple and B&O: A perfect pair.

Any agreement here? rsvp

[occam]

I used to think Bose was "OK".

Then I bought an Audi with a Bose system in it. Music is important to me, and when I test listened to the Audi/Bose system, it sounded "OK". I figured it would be at least as good as my stock Miata (Panasonic) stereo where there was some music I really enjoyed though the system was admittedly limited.

Some time after getting my Audi, I ran through my *entire* music favorites collection on CD. On the Miata, there were a number of eclectic CDs that sounded good, e.g., Gypsy Kings, Don Walser (yodeler), etc.. Not everything but a fair number.

On the Bose, the *only* thing which sounded even remotely good was Eurythmics and synthesized New Age. The key here is *synthesized*. It sounds "OK" until you really listen for music, and then you'll find that it can not accurately reproduce any music. What comes out is synthesized. It plays *at* music, not recreates music. Then I realized where the Bose Blows comes from. It's all synth.

If you want Bose to play well, play your synthesized music on it. Do not try to play beautiful, emotional, or instrumental music though, or you'll be wondering what's missing. It sounds normal but you do not need to be an audiophile to realize something is missing. It just sounds wrong, or never sounds right.

-=-

Why would they do such a thing?

Business model. Bose buys ultra cheap components to build their equipment. They design equalizers into their electronics to get "accurate" sound out of cheap components. They also overequalize the low end to get more an inordinate amount of low-end from small enclosures. In other words, they trade off quality and accuracy for cost savings through equalization.

The result is paper accuracy and sonic synth sound (i.e., riddled with subtle impurities). You will not likely be tapping your foot to sound coming from a Bose system, whereas you will very likely be tapping your foot to Linn sound (even their entry level).

Bose saves money on parts, and spends it on marketing. Bose is a totally marketing company, and their image is what sells. The form factors make them look unique but involve sonic compromises even the most value oriented stereo companies avoid. Bose owns its niche because it's uniquely marketing oriented in an otherwise performance oriented industry.

-=-

So if you like Bose, that's great for you (because you have an option most people won't care for), but I would never recommend Bose to a friend.

[Wry Cooter]

What Bose does well is what most audiophiles would find anathema, but what a lot of tin-ears think is the cats meow... they obliterate the stereo image. It sounds good to people who cannot place speakers properly in relation to their listening area, because it makes every thing go everywhere. This makes a lot of highs and mids sound like mud, if you can hear them at all, but it creates a larger sweet spot for people who wouldn't know decent sound if it bit them in the ass, the sort that park their stereo speakers right next to each other not even realizing a separate signal is being sent to each.

Then they translate that good will gained by making those people happy, by selling the name to car audio systems they okay, which sound a notch better than what detroit for example, used to place in cars before they realized that people WANTED a good stereo in their cars.

Anyway, I don't know what actual info made it into this thread other than some Sanyo guy mentioning he saw a mac, and would like to have apple as a customer- no product details... nothing.

[macjohnmcc]

Originally posted by occam
My favorite Linn piece is their amazing one-piece home stereo called the Classik (www.linn.co.uk, or www.classik.com). The web site doesn't do justice to this gem, but it's 1. tiny, but 2. packs all the goods: five channel amplification + FM/AM tuner + CD/DVD player + preamp controls + THX + .1 (subwoofer) output + (latest model) component video output. Amazingly, it sounds better than separates. At $3k, it's a gem (and cheaper than similar quality separates).

If you want noise, go bose. If you want music, go Linn.

Now we are talking. I have two pairs of the Linn Tukan bookshelf speakers and they are hard to beat. I am thinking of trying them out on my G4 with the built G4 amp using the Griffin breakout box for the Pro Speaker connector.

[ibookin']

Originally posted by macjohnmcc
Now we are talking. I have two pairs of the Linn Tukan bookshelf speakers and they are hard to beat. I am thinking of trying them out on my G4 with the built G4 amp using the Griffin breakout box for the Pro Speaker connector.

Why not just patch the G4 into a stereo amp and plug the speakers into that. You'll probably get better sound.

[Wry Cooter]

Here is an item I think Sanyo could make and most of us would not balk at buying... a cheap boom box with a cut out notch to insert an iPod, providing a carry in one hand stero solution. The speakers could be separated from the base/battery/amp as with most boom boxes. Make it as cheap as a boom box, perhaps with AM/FM as well, but tailor made for an iPod.

I still don't know what the hell Sanyo Dude thought he could make when he saw a flatscreen iMac, that other people could not make as easily. Little clip on speakers to attach to the screen? Give me a break....

[janey]

klipsch, harman kardon or linn should do something with apple. not too expensive, not too cheap and crappy.

but seriously i think the creature speakers and the soundsticks go well with the iMac.
but instead of the iMac, why not Apple's laptops? they're all crappy :rolleyes:

[macjohnmcc]

Originally posted by ibookin'@mwny
Why not just patch the G4 into a stereo amp and plug the speakers into that. You'll probably get better sound.

That'd be great except that the stereo is three rooms away. I don't have my computers and AV equipment in the same rooms.

[PyroTurtle]

lets just go super high end (almost) and use genelec (i hope i spelled that right)...
or soem good old HK's....i love those thingshave one of my stereo systems HK only from receiver on out...genelec is my second fav, but those are home and i havne't been there in a long time....now i feel like a dork, but i think that's how you spell them...oh, plus an infinity sub....genelec speakers plus infinity sub, it sounds nice