Dr. Bose really sounds like a deaf guy. The problem with all of this research Bose has done for decades is he appears to completely ignore timing. That example of the 22-driver speaker is a perfect example. So are the 901s and all AM/Lifestyle systems. Simply aiming drivers in different directions doesn't make surround or more enveloping stereo. You have to actually get the right sounds to the person listening in the right way. Meanwhile, esp in recent years, many companies have made great strides in doing just what he described. So, where is Bose in the room correction field? Why isn't there a Bose algorithm to compete with Tact, Audyssey, MCACC, etc? These companies attempt to correct THE ROOM, not the recording. With the purpose of making those recordings sound how they were meant to be heard. Apparently, Bose thinks all recordings are crap, because their systems attempt to alter the music, not just play it back."Bose's first loudspeaker product, the model 2201,[13] dispersed 22 small mid-range speakers over an eighth of a sphere. It was designed to be located in the corner of a room, using reflections off the walls to increase the apparent size of the room. An electronic equalizer was used to flatten the frequency spectrum of this system. The results of listening tests were disappointing.[13]
After this research Amar Bose came to the conclusion that imperfect knowledge of psychoacoustics limits the ability to adequately characterize quantitatively any two arbitrary sounds that are perceived differently, and to adequately characterize and quantify all aspects of perceived quality. He believes, for example, that distortion is much overrated as a factor in perceived quality in the complex sounds that comprise music. Similarly, he does not find measurable relevance to perceived quality in other easily measured parameters of loudspeakers and electronics, and therefore does not publish those specifications for Bose products. The ultimate test, Bose insists, is the listener's perception of audible quality (or lack of it) and his or her own preferences.[14][15] This reluctance to publish information is due to Bose's rejection of these measurements in favour of "more meaningful measurement and evaluation procedures".[16]"
Many people are happy with lots of things. That doesn't change the facts about those things. Sure, Bose can make audio sound different, and maybe even pleasing to some. But why do they STILL not use Dolby or DTS in their HT systems? (from what I see, they simply extract the audio and play their own mix) See, movie makers go to all sorts of trouble to make the audio fit the video. And when you run that sound through a regular processor, it simply puts the correct sound in the correct spot in your room. Why mess with that?That is very original!
It is funny whenever the topic of Bose comes up you always have two very strong sides. One of course is the bashers and the other are the people that have actually bought the product and are very happy with their purchase.
This is the real reason audiophiles detest Bose. (I mean both paragraphs combined)