Bose 901...really

You're right about the 801 appearing to be a 901 turned around. The interesting thing is: The 801s have no speakers firing at the back wall(8 drivers, total). That means NO reflected sound, ONLY direct. Their operational concept is the exact opposite of the 901(and good old Amar's claim of how sound is propagated at a concert). I've never used any cheap horns in a professional setting, and hate them in home systems(ie: Klipsch). The Acapella and Avantgarde systems are a different story altogether in a home. The pro horn systems I built while in business utilized Electro-Voice or Gollehon drivers/horns, and did an excellent job. All the live violins/violas/celloes/double basses I've heard in person have been "unplugged." Ah: It's my favorite time of day! I'm going to go bathe in sound waves for a while.

It's interesting that you consider the reflected sound aspect as most important. To my way of thinking there are at least three ideas at work. In order I think important..

1. No attempt to make the speaker proper have flat response. Correct using electronics.

2. Multiple small drivers.

3. Direct/reflecting.

The first two are difficult to explain to the average customer, which is why Bose advertising has emphasized number 3.
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First of all: OOPS!! I've been calling the pro speaker the, "801." Shoulda been, "802." To answer your #1) Sure- they've corrected the SPEAKER for freq response(in an anechoic chamber), and generated all that IM distortion in the process(very measurable fact). They DID NOT correct it for every room that it will be used in. Perhaps you're familiar with a book called, 'Elements of Acoutical Engineering' written by a Harry Olsen, and published by D. Van Nostrand(back in 1957)? On page 32 there is a diagram of the 7 reflections and/or image sources that always result from a speaker being placed near three non-parallel boundaries(a corner) in a rectangular room. I think you'll agree that describes most applications we are familiar with in stereo listening? I'm not going to fill this page with the entire treatise, but the results are always major notches in response. Time domain aberrations and a total lack of stable imaging as a result of those same boundary effects are covered in the early 70's Journal of Audio Engineering Society articles of Roy Allison/Bob Berkowitz and later by Glyn Adams' "Time Dependence of Loudspeaker Power Output in Small Rooms"(JAES 1989/Vol.37/No4). Every room (those that might be identical notwithstanding) the 901's are placed in will yield different results(certainly- all speakers will, but not nearly to the degree of the Bose where 88.9% of the output is directed at these boudaries). Let's remember that you have circumvented one major flaw by using the DEQ-2496 and(at least) equalized the system at your listening spot(don't know if you moved the mic around the room and averaged the response). Keep in mind that we are talking about sound waves that will be affected by whatever is behind/under/next to the 901, including whether the wall is plaster and lath or sheetrock, framed or concrete, windows/curtains near by, the distance from those boundaries, etc., and not blue and red arrows in a slick ad. I really feel like we have sufficiently beaten this dead horse. Like I've said before: If you like 'em, you can have 'em, and my share too!

Theres a reason bose, Magnepan, Martin Logan, and other reflected speakers are so loved.

Here is an update...

1...One speaker quit. Open circuit. I contacted Bose. Warantee service was first class.

2...Hooked up the repaired speaker. (I don't know what the problem was). Of course I sat down to listen. Again I was astonished to hear how well the broad soundstage is preasented, and how well a central sound is imaged. Contrary to all audiophile lore.

I am sure that my excellent results are due to the unique room environment, with an assist from the Behringer DEQ2496 replacing the stock Bose equalizer.