Bose 901 series VI & Yamaha A-S2000

"Russ69, You have extensive experience with a 45 year old speaker? Bose 901 is on series 6 now while your experience is with series 1...Once again I see another Bose basher with no real experience with Bose products."

Yes, I'm an old guy. I owned the 901s for quite some time, starting with a receiver, then a small amp and finally with a big Phase Linear. I heard a number of systems with 901s back in the day, including some impressive show demos (back when Bose went to hi-fi shows). Some say the series I speakers were the best sounding of the series but were so power hungry that later models were made more efficient but did not improve the sound, especially in the bass region. Anyway, if that qualifies as no experience with Bose products, then I'm guilty.

Rrog - You seem to me to be a neophyte. Because of your ignorance you assume as much about others. Fact is, Bose has never for a minute been about performance. It is a marketing triumph, pure and simple. Any contention that the latest Bose 901 is substantively different or better than previous iterations is specious and probably naive, and certainly unrealistically optimistic.

The design, as has been explained here several times by your superiors, has inherent limitations. Of course, you have the right to believe anything that comforts you, but confronting others who plainly know more about physics, speaker design and reality than you do, is a very poor decision. Lighten up. Go enjoy your speakers, if you have them, and let the guys who have maps give directions.

Bose brings back fun memories many many moons ago. Had a pair of 901's driven with Hafler DH500 and DH110 at home. 201's or 301's (forgot) with a Marantz receiver for college. Loved the sound and thought they were great at the time. Moved on after meeting an AUDIOPHILE at my 1st job after college. He educated and set me straight very fast :-)

Whenever I hear the word Bose now, there's an image being in a night club with music blasting from all different directions ... maybe from my drunken college days :-)

For $3500, there are many excellent choices. Used Gallo, Thiel ... I suggests attending audio shows or local dealers and audition different types of speakers. At the end if you still like 901's the best, go for it.

I'm also an old guy who owned the Series 1 Bose 901. Drove them with a Kenwood receiver and then a Phase Linear power amp.

I had a lot of fun with them; at the time they were among the most popular "audiophile" speakers.

Have not heard any of the latest iterations but given their limitations at the frequency extremes (due to the 4" drivers as previously mentioned) it's a speaker I would no longer consider owning. There are many more fine choices today than in the early 70's.

No disrespect to any former, current, or potential owners.

IMO
YMMV

Russ69, with all due respect this is not "back in the day." It's now and I've never heard anyone comment that the original 901's were best until now. The versions I heard sounded a good deal better than I remembered and I was impressed. Stereophile did a review of them in the mid 90's. It was a mixed review and they had issues with the design and the speakers difficult placement issues.
As I pointed out, my system is light years away from those 901's. I'm using expensive small monitors with tube power. But hearing the 901's was a nice reminder that there are different goals for designers. Those 901's filled the room with amazingly spacious sound. I didn't stop to analyze the timbre or image. It just sounded fun.
I agree with those who suggest the buyer hear other speakers, but no one should condemn a product without hearing it's current incarnation in more than one system and room. I've heard some highly respected speakers sound awful when paired with the wrong gear in the wrong room.

Cheers,

Rob