901 series 2 speakers

Since you are retired and wanting to keep you 901 Series II, I would suggest recapping your equalizer if you haven't done so already.  Also, I have found my Series II to work better with an older receiver vs modern separates.  And since you have owned them for over 40 years, you probably know that they should be placed according to the owner's manual, I.e. Best on the tulip stands, so many inches from side and rear walks, and not to place any objects in between.  I did all that and the bass was incredible.  I was hearing deep rumble on tracks that I never heard on another system.  I did miss the highs of modern silk dome tweeters.  Good luck.

hiici,
You are entitled to your opinion of Bose 901's, but realize that there are also many people who feel the same way about your Watt /Puppy 8's. Just a matter of perspective.

Lynn...*applause*  Well said, sir. *S*

When it was just our ears, and those of the people we read and trusted, it was a simpler time and the choices seemed more 'black & white'.  As the technology advanced and the means of measuring what was occurring, it all became shades of gray...or grey, if one prefers..

Bose is still the leader of making small 'act large', with their studies on the how and why a enclosure can accentuate the response of a driver.  It can be regarded as art and artifice, but they've certainly remained a Name in things audio...

Audiophile.  A description that can depend on POV and expectations, IMHO.  One persons' jewel is anothers' costume jewelry....

I gave up on chasing zeros to the right of the decimal point.  If I like the sounds I hear, I will call it Good and call it a day.  Others can cheer or jeer as desired; like me, HO....;)

g_nakamoto,

I owned a pair of 901V's.  I liked them, a lot.  They needed power which I had.  Phase Linear 400 was good, the McIntosh MC2300 was better.  They were the only pair of speakers that I had ever owned that could take everything the Mac good give.  (rated at 300wpc, output was a steady 475 when tested into 8ohms).

I used the Phase Linear parabolic equalizer in conjunction with the 901's as was happy with them.  When I began experimenting with systems and got into my Class A phase of life (Levinson ML2's, Krell KSA 50), I needed to change speakers as these wonderful Class A amps sounded terrible through the 901's.

When I did change speakers, I missed the sound of the 901's and the tremendous bass output. (solid, not thumpy)

If you like your 901's, then maybe use the tone control on your preamp to add some sparkle or like me add an equalizer and add a little in the treble area. 

I am curious though, if you think that your Mac amp sounds better than your Phase Linear 400 with the Bose?  My Mac had more power, but
it certainly didn't sound better with the Bose, just the opposite.  The Phase sounded better to me at lower volume listening  using the Bose than the Mac did.

Enjoy, they are classics and can be a blast depending on what you listen too.

Norman