Why do you hate/love Bose products!?

[Unspeaked]

I'd just like to say that, personally, I find these Bose/Apple comparisons to be ridiculous.

I know some people consider Apple a hardware company (including Apple themselves) but the reason I buy Apple products is for the OS, and that's not something that translates into the musical playback world.

If Apple's OS didn't exist and we were putting it up against Sony, Dell, HP and others, it is a prestige brand. It's the fact that none of the competitors - from the cheapest bargain bin competitors to the most expensive custom built shops - allow me to run a (stable) Mac OS X.

With audio, all of these things are performing the same function - playback.

And really, Bose is only expensive if you look at it from the consumer side of things. To an audiophile, Bose prices are at the low end of the scale (though admittedly, an audiophile would easily be able to put together a less expensive, better sounding system than most Bose offerings).

 

[Shotglass]

Victor: I'm happy to see anyone realize sound quality matters. I couldn't care less about how much money you spend, it's just refreshing to see someone with half a brain

LOVE Bose cos it's so freekin awesome

I'm pretty sure you're gonna get raped for that.

 

[MacNut]

Ok so we agree that BOSE sucks, but how many people are using an iPod. Won't that hurt the sound quality not being native.

 

[Victor ch]

Well, today I tested KEF and Klipsch properly, loved loved loved the Klipschs Reference series and loved even more the KEF's, but the KEF had this more precise sound but less "boomy" style and of course more expensive. Its almost for sure I'll get their Reference 52 speakers from Klipsch. The funny thing is that these RF-52 have dual 5.25" woofers that look so small yet they produce huge amounts of bass. My NAD amp is getting out of the customs agency and will probably arrive this weekend so I guess I'll finally have my hi-fi setup

Victor

 

[diehldun]

The Bowers & Wilkins setup in the new Jaguar XF is pretty nice.

 

[robanga]

I like the "Wave Radio" and Paul Harvey makes a really good pitchman for it as well.

 

[Shotglass]

Well, today I tested KEF and Klipsch properly, loved loved loved the Klipschs Reference series and loved even more the KEF's, but the KEF had this more precise sound but less "boomy" style and of course more expensive. Its almost for sure I'll get their Reference 52 speakers from Klipsch. The funny thing is that these RF-52 have dual 5.25" woofers that look so small yet they produce huge amounts of bass. My NAD amp is getting out of the customs agency and will probably arrive this weekend so I guess I'll finally have my hi-fi setup

Victor

Congratulations. Which NAD do you have?

 

[0098386]

Think I've said before. But I love them for their size.

 

[Victor ch]

Congratulations. Which NAD do you have?

Thanks I ordered the NAD C315BEE, its the less expensive of their integrated amp lineup but its a beauty hehe. Here are some of the specs:

• Continuous Power - 2 X 40 Watts into 4 or 8 Ohms, 20Hz – 20kHz at 0.02%THD
• Dynamic Power - 90W into 8 Ohms, 120W into 4 Ohms, 180W into 2 Ohms
• PowerDrive-S™
• 6 Line Level Inputs including 1 Tape Loop
• Front Panel Input for Portable Media Player
• Bass and Treble Controls
• Tone Defeat (Bypass)
• Headphone Output
• System Remote Control also controls NAD CD Players
• Multi-way Speaker Binding Posts
• Gold Plated RCA Jacks
• Toroidal Power Transformer

Victor.

 

[Victor ch]

Victor: I'm happy to see anyone realize sound quality matters. I couldn't care less about how much money you spend, it's just refreshing to see someone with half a brain .

Emm thanks man. Im aware that you have throw a somewhat significant amount of money for a hi-fi setup, but not an abysmal amount of money. For this one it will be 350 for the amp and 600-700 for the speakers. Its not abysmal but it ain't cheap, Im not going to buy a cd player as I ran out of money with the amp. I cannot justify 1k+ for speakers nor for an amp, Im 16 and I really don't have any type of income (the speakers are gonna be gifts from my dad) so I spend my savings in the amp. That is the reason I researched quite a bit on speakers so I can have the best in my price range, given this Im not gonna buy those Polk I saw for 50$ less than the Reference Klipsch and NO way Im getting the 301's from Bose. Im not really into the if their more expensive they are better thing, and curious how Klipsch is underrated but they're still awesome speakers that are not so expensive.

Victor

 

[Killyp]

Seeing as we're on a kinda 'hifi' thread anyways, I might as well mention that I've just filled my speaker stands up with Cement Sand (which is more like a powder). I can't believe how much more controlled/smooth the bass is, plus there's a smidge more of it than I had before and definitely more extension.

A fully recommended improvement if anybody hasn't done it already...

 

[cheeseadiddle]

I had a set of 501's in the late 70's that I liked a lot. But I never cared for the 301's 601's and 901's and have never seen a product they advertise on TV that I liked. I listened to all of the Bose computer speaker systems and was very unimpressed. The M-AUDIO AV 40's I got sounded better than most of the Bose models I tested at less than half the price of the cheapest Bose product.

As for headphones... there are so many quality cans out there that I wouldn't even give the Bose a try.

 

[Shotglass]

Seeing as we're on a kinda 'hifi' thread anyways, I might as well mention that I've just filled my speaker stands up with Cement Sand (which is more like a powder). I can't believe how much more controlled/smooth the bass is, plus there's a smidge more of it than I had before and definitely more extension.

A fully recommended improvement if anybody hasn't done it already...

My floor standing ones are quite heavy as it is, so I don't think this applies to me, but I have yet to spike them. What do your 301s weigh out of the box?

 

[Killyp]

I had a set of 501's in the late 70's that I liked a lot. But I never cared for the 301's 601's and 901's and have never seen a product they advertise on TV that I liked. I listened to all of the Bose computer speaker systems and was very unimpressed. The M-AUDIO AV 40's I got sounded better than most of the Bose models I tested at less than half the price of the cheapest Bose product.

As for headphones... there are so many quality cans out there that I wouldn't even give the Bose a try.

The Bose headphones are nice to put on - in fact the Triports are the most comfortable cans I've worn, but the sound was really not at all impressive...

My floor standing ones are quite heavy as it is, so I don't think this applies to me, but I have yet to spike them. What do your 301s weigh out of the box?

My 303s p) weigh 5 kg each - not exactly particularly heavy, but before, the floorstands were very audible when playing music. When I turned the volume up to a good (cough party) volume, the stands used to buzz... loudly, which was very very audible.

Each stand now weighs in at about 30 kg each, and I have to say the sound has improved considerably. The bass is more controlled and precise, and the extension has increased noticeably. The stereo image also seems more defined overall. With my B&W DM7s, the stereo image was really really impressive (not taking all their weaknesses into consideration), and that was one thing I really missed when I went back to the DM303s - the sound stage didn't seem as airy and precise. That's all changed with the weighted speaker stands - which I just didn't expect to happen.

 

[Shotglass]

303s

I do this every time.

 

[Victor ch]

The Bose headphones are nice to put on - in fact the Triports are the most comfortable cans I've worn, but the sound was really not at all impressive...

I disagree, have you worn the QC2's? They are the most comfortable cans in the world, seriously . And I have a friend with the Triports and the sound really isn't impressive, but I don't know why the sound in my QC2's is just miles better. The lows are awesomely controlled and in certain songs encoded with lossless I feel the guy/girl who's singing right in the back of my neck, kinda creepy hehe. Shame I was mildly 'ignorant' when I got those, even tough I don't regret them at all I could've been happier with Audio-Technica's Noise-Canceling headphones, or with Klipsch's Custom-3 headphones; but meh Im happy with the QC2's.

Victor

 

[Shotglass]

Im aware that you have throw a somewhat significant amount of money for a hi-fi setup, but not an abysmal amount of money. For this one it will be 350 for the amp and 600-700 for the speakers.

I paid a hair over 1000€ for my amp, cdp, speakers and all cables, and the whole thing sounds fantastic. Looking back at it, I don't even think it's that expensive for the quality it delivers. However, when you're a teenager who wants a hifi, and people tell you amps cost around 400€, it's like you're standing at the bottom of mount everest and someone just handed you an icepick.

 

[Keebler]

i put hate, but i've only tried/had 1 product - the ipod speaker and it sucked...big time. I ended up buying some Audio Engine speakers and they royally blew the Bose away - granted it might not be comparing apples to apples, but there was a diff.

i've heard their other products are great, but I wouldn't know.

I know b/c of that one experience, I won't be buying anymore Bose products in the future.

Cheers,
Keebler

 

[Victor ch]

I paid a hair over 1000€ for my amp, cdp, speakers and all cables, and the whole thing sounds fantastic. Looking back at it, I don't even think it's that expensive for the quality it delivers. However, when you're a teenager who wants a hifi, and people tell you amps cost around 400€, it's like you're standing at the bottom of mount everest and someone just handed you an icepick.

Hmm, I know you must throw in a substantial amount of money, if everything goes OK then mine will be circa $1120. The amp, the speakers, and cables. And quite frankly that setup won't be replaced, I *might* add an active subwoofer in the future, just in case I want more boom than the ones the RF-52's give (and they give a lot). As for the amp, wattage isn't everything, I can assure they will sound many times louder than my old Sony 500watts amp or than the 12000watts $300 mini-component I saw in the newspaper the other day; not only louder but way way better.

BTW, care to share your setup?

Victor

 

[Victor ch]

i put hate, but i've only tried/had 1 product - the ipod speaker and it sucked...big time. I ended up buying some Audio Engine speakers and they royally blew the Bose away - granted it might not be comparing apples to apples, but there was a diff.

i've heard their other products are great, but I wouldn't know.

I know b/c of that one experience, I won't be buying anymore Bose products in the future.

Cheers,
Keebler

The only Bose products I like are the QuietComfort headphones. The in-ears are too "bassy" and lack everything else. The Over/On Triports are OK, not so good sounding and when heavy bass is present they will eat every other frequency. The QC2's aren't exactly super-mega-awesome but they do sound nice, specially with Lossless files. As for the speakers: avoid them, not only the computer ones (that you can get a better sounding one from Klipsch, JBL and others) the bookshelf ones aren't **** but they're not worth the price and the 901 is a rip-off. Home theatres are mediocre and the Acoustic Mass thing is plain trash.

Victor

 

[c073186]

I like (not love) Bose products because they sound good to me (I do not have very discerning ears) and they look nice mounted on my wall. Also I am a sucker for marketing and things that look cool (can you say Apple?). However, I strongly dislike the Bose price. I feel like I am getting totally ripped off (probably because I am).

 

[Transic]

*

 

[Shotglass]

I like Bose products because they sound good to me (I do not have very discerning ears) and they look nice mounted on my wall.

Upon further research, you will find that no one doesn't have discerning ears. Also, if you find speakers that you really like, they will look good on your wall because you will develop non-discerning eyes.

 

[martinmartin]

I have the original QC around ear headphones. They were a gift. They sounded good but I wouldn't have paid $300 for them. I didn't like the separate power 'brick' that was part of the cord either. Also, you couldn't really sleep while wearing them on a plane not only because they were so big but because if you covered up the 'ports' on the outside (on a pillow, for example), you would get some crazy loud sound in your ear.

Then I bought a pair of Shure e4cs (in ears), which I really liked. They were quite comfortable. Bass was subpar, but mids and highs were fantastic. Then I lost these on a trip home from China.

Last X-mas I got a pair of Ultimate Ears Super-fi 5 pro (in ears) which have better bass than the Shures, but maybe not as nice mids/highs. They were half the price, though. Also, these are less comfortable for me - after a few hours, they start to hurt a bit.

All in all, if you want something on the go, I find that in ear phones are generally better than around ear headphones...

As for home theater hi-fi, I have to recommend Outlaw Audio for components (pre/pro and amplifier). Read any review for the 990 and you'll know why - especially at the current [low] price.

I have a pair of B&W 804s's and an HTM3S and a pair of 601S3s. I went overboard on the B&W 800 series and can't quite say they're anything close to a value. Yeah, they sound great, but we're well past the point of diminishing returns here.

I do like the Bose ipod dock for its simplicity, though. I have another ipod dock called 'the dock'...I think the manufacturer is Scandyna. It was half the price of the Bose but not as good.

Just my opinions...

 

[Cybix]

I have two Bose Lifestyle 5 systems. These things are about 16 years old (or so)...

I didn't buy them for their sound quality, thats for sure. I bought it for the concept, and the fact that they play LOUD.

One system is in my garage, one system is outside in my entertainment area. Both are linked together, i Airtunes to them too.

The best thing about the systems? the wireless remote. I love it, especially when having guests over or throwing a party. So easy!

Having the 'cubes' attached high on my outside walls and in the garage works really well, not so obvious, nice coverage of sound.. and they blast!

Wouldn't buy BOSE for SQ.... of course.