Jeffseight I too bought a pair of 901s in1976. They were series 2 and I thought at the time they sounded fantastic. I remember them having a small box, some type of equalizer, that was necessary to make them work. I wondered if the smaller 601s had a similar box that was missing and causing Mamaru’s pair sound issues.
The Best Speakers in the World!
The Bose 601 Series II.
At least that’s what I thought about 36 years ago. To this 21 year old at the time, I truly believed that to be the case. Back in those days, unless you had access to a high end stereo shop, you were not aware of many other offerings.
But anyhoo…so my girlfriend at the time was kind enough to purchase me a pair. I had them for about ten years until I split from my ex-wife and somehow she ended up with them.
Having not heard them in damn near a quarter of a century, I always had a soft spot in my heart for them. The looks, the sound (though I didn’t remember the sound, I just know I liked them) and knew some day I’d want to pick up a pair.
That someday happened just this past week. Found one locally in really good shape and priced right so even though I’ve got a ton of other speakers, thought, “What the hell?”
Brought them home and cleaned them up a lot. There was so much caked on dust. I think the previous owner had them stored away in a garage somewhere. One of the tweeters has a small hole, which I can easily repair at some point.
Set them up; hooked them up; prepared to be enthralled in the luscious sound. Except it wasn’t at all. They actually sounded pretty bad, like the lower frequencies were missing. Touched all the woofers and they were moving, but these sounded quite anemic.
I didn’t listen before buying. But i probably would have chalked it up to the room/equipment it was in and bought them anyway thinking they’d sound different once back home.
i can’t figure out what’s wrong with them. I’d get it if the drivers buzzed or distorted, but they don’t. Or if it was just one speaker with the low bass output. That I’d understand, as well. But both speakers sounding the same? I don’t get it.
They have dual 8” drivers per cabinet so the bass should be abundant. I’ve got a few other Bose speakers in the house (not any cubes) and they all have plenty of bass output. But not these.
So I got to thinking. Can something in the cross-overs cause a reduction in bass output? I get it that it’s probably unlikely to have both speakers’ cross-overs having the same issues.
Then I thought maybe the woofers were replaced at some point, as opposed to being re-foamed, and the owner put in the wrong woofers (possibly not as efficient as the originals). I’ll have to text the previous owner and ask him.
Any thoughts on what could be the cause of this anemic bass?
Snide remarks are welcome, as well.
Thanks,
Mamoru
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@hysteve , there was an included active eq box that got put into a tape loop or pre>amp if available. This later gave one a first taste of active equalization that in use acted like a crossover for 9 identical speakers. And, Yes, you could throw insane (for the time) wattage at them and they only sounded better the louder you could stand it. Opinion of a salesguy @ Pac Stereo is that you could drive each side with a kilowatt and they'd eat it up and seem to want more... Best memory of my early 'fi times' was listening with him to an 'off air' hot mike on the DJ running a broadcast cart player that would resist a cart insertion.... ...while going 'on air', your typical LA DJ talkin' 'bout what you just heard, intro the ad tape, followed by loud yelling curses as he'd bang a cassette with the heel of his hand as soon as the OA light was off.... LOUD, the vu meters would peg....you could smell that he was looking for something heavier to hit it with.... ;) |
In the 1980s I had a pair of Infinity RSIIb’s—fantastic speakers! Sadly, in 1992, they were severely damaged in a move while I served in the Army. My wife wanted something less “dominating” in the room, so I replaced them with the Infinity Modulus system, two satellites with EMIT tweeters and the servo-controlled subwoofer. Also fantastic speakers, having an EMIT tweeter like their predecessors in our living room, but “not quite” as good as them. But “life” took precedence, with children, buying a home, and college for two limiting resources for audio equipment.
Then, last Fall, I purchased a pair of Fyne Audio F702 floor-standing speakers (made in Scotland, not China) after hearing them at the dealer’s—and BEFORE the recent sharp price increase. Incredible speakers—although I know the larger 700 series sound even better, reminding me of the RSIIb’s, but with even better definition and sound stage. I also bought a Rogue Audio RP-1 preamp—their entry-level model, a Schiit Audio Bifrost 2 DAC, and, after much research, a Benchmark AHB2 power amplifier to replace my trusty McIntosh MC2120 I bought in 1980 and had refurbed about a decade ago. The low end of the 792s is reinforced by my Definitive Technology Supercube 6000 subwoofer. (The Infinity satellites are now in my office, powered by an NAD 546BEE integrated amp with music from my iMac, via a Schiit Audio Modi DAC.)
I am confident that I cannot declare them to be the “best speakers in the world,” but they have given my wife and me a “new window” on all the music we love so well. |
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