Bose uses cheap speakers!

[Guest]

So I bought a Bose Cinemate system a year or so ago. It was on sale at a Bose outlet. The other day it just stop working? I was using it for my TV sound by using the analog TV outputs. It seemed to work OK but I was always noticing that even though it obviously sounded better then my TV's own speakers. The Bose lacked Bass and even some treble.
So knowing that I was out of warranty and not really impressed with them. I decided to take them apart. What I found was a dismal state of poor quality of speakers and a feeling that Bose is a scam.
I know now why Bose never advertises their products specifications. I found a dreadfully little speaker for a Bass driver in the main unit. It was about 4.5" and even though it was ported. I could not see how a paper/Foam speaker this small could produce any significant deep Bass.
Next I took apart the satellite speakers which provide the mid range and treble. I was equally shocked to find paper cones and its no reason they lacked treble response. I next discovered that the most Bose spent on parts was probably the analog circuit board which obviously provided a lot of equalization to help out these pathetic speakers.
Now maybe all of Bose product line is not as bad as this. But it does lead me to believe why Bose is so closed about not presenting specifications on its products. From what I have seen from my inspections. I don't ever plan on buying anything Bose ever again!

 

[anwaypasible]

ha!

if you think 4.5 inches wont produce significant bass.. you should see their bose wave system (the one that looks like quad speakers.. double tall, not the short half-sized one)

4.5 inches is plenty big if all you want is dB output.. the box needs to be built for it.
and if the speaker really REALLY does suck, maybe you can use some digital signal processing to compensate for the 'default' sound.

there are thousands of speakers that arent made to sound perfect with their 'default' connection.
i believe bose knows all about this and incorporates digital signal processing in all of their products.
its a lot cheaper for them to be knowledgeable about digital signal processing, as they can spend less on their speakers and make them sound just as good.


the main problem with bose..
the digital signal processing they use is for the SPEAKER BOXES .. not the room they are placed in.
i'm sure some of their systems have a setting that allows the speakers to sound better for different room sizes (perhaps different amounts of ringing from the walls)
their systems are somewhat out-dated until the speakers can be placed in any room and sound the same.

nobody should expect a speaker to sound perfect by simply connecting the wires and playing audio.
there is a process of design that AVOIDS problems.
and that is totally seperate from extended optimizing further.
things like delay and optimized LFO's can really bring any system's value up higher.

 

[ien2222]

hmmm....

Actually, the main problem with most of Bose (if not all) systems are the drivers. Speakers have a ceiling on how good they sound regardless of the components and Bose just doesn't have a high ceiling. They will pretty much sound the same regardless if you have their system powering it, an ok $900 mid-ranged receiver, or $20,000 worth of electronics.

It comes down to the fact that their drivers are sort of messy and inaccurate. The biggest flaw is using a paper cones, you just can't be accurate when using them, particularly with highs and lows. The rest of the speaker are fairly average at best as far as materials and construction goes. One thing, Bose does tend to get a bit more sound out of their speakers, but quantity /= quality.

As far as the electronics goes, Bose does a lot of coloration, maybe in part to make up for the speakers shortcomings, but mostly to impress people who either don't have a good ear, or haven't done much listening to other systems. This again makes their systems even more inaccurate.

Regardless, I will point out that you don't use DSP's to make speakers sound the same in any room. First, because speaker placement trumps anything a DSP could ever do by a large margin, and secondly, if you use a DSP to try and even out rooms, you'll end up settling for the lowest common denominator.

Bose makes systems that sound decent, there are far worse stuff out there. But it is an expensive brand for what you get as you can get better eq for the same price. But Bose never belongs in high end discussions, unless of course, the topic is 'why Bose doesn't belong in high end discussions'.

 

[musical marv]

So I bought a Bose Cinemate system a year or so ago. It was on sale at a Bose outlet. The other day it just stop working? I was using it for my TV sound by using the analog TV outputs. It seemed to work OK but I was always noticing that even though it obviously sounded better then my TV's own speakers. The Bose lacked Bass and even some treble.
So knowing that I was out of warranty and not really impressed with them. I decided to take them apart. What I found was a dismal state of poor quality of speakers and a feeling that Bose is a scam.
I know now why Bose never advertises their products specifications. I found a dreadfully little speaker for a Bass driver in the main unit. It was about 4.5" and even though it was ported. I could not see how a paper/Foam speaker this small could produce any significant deep Bass.
Next I took apart the satellite speakers which provide the mid range and treble. I was equally shocked to find paper cones and its no reason they lacked treble response. I next discovered that the most Bose spent on parts was probably the analog circuit board which obviously provided a lot of equalization to help out these pathetic speakers.
Now maybe all of Bose product line is not as bad as this. But it does lead me to believe why Bose is so closed about not presenting specifications on its products. From what I have seen from my inspections. I don't ever plan on buying anything Bose ever again!

Years ago Bose made decent speakers like the 901 and 501 I owned both and the internal drivers were decent but when a large company takes over Bose and this crap is made in China what do you expect.Buy American audio and you will never go wrong especially speakers.

 

[CompTIA_Rep]

Heres my opinion. Bose engineers better housing for cheaper components.
I also believe Bose sounds better then people give them credit for. However, only the the right situation. They are also more expensive then similar counterparts, which is where the bad name comes from.

However, you don't see B&W, Focal, B&O, or any of the higher end companies advertise like Bose

 

[musical marv]

So I bought a Bose Cinemate system a year or so ago. It was on sale at a Bose outlet. The other day it just stop working? I was using it for my TV sound by using the analog TV outputs. It seemed to work OK but I was always noticing that even though it obviously sounded better then my TV's own speakers. The Bose lacked Bass and even some treble.
So knowing that I was out of warranty and not really impressed with them. I decided to take them apart. What I found was a dismal state of poor quality of speakers and a feeling that Bose is a scam.
I know now why Bose never advertises their products specifications. I found a dreadfully little speaker for a Bass driver in the main unit. It was about 4.5" and even though it was ported. I could not see how a paper/Foam speaker this small could produce any significant deep Bass.
Next I took apart the satellite speakers which provide the mid range and treble. I was equally shocked to find paper cones and its no reason they lacked treble response. I next discovered that the most Bose spent on parts was probably the analog circuit board which obviously provided a lot of equalization to help out these pathetic speakers.
Now maybe all of Bose product line is not as bad as this. But it does lead me to believe why Bose is so closed about not presenting specifications on its products. From what I have seen from my inspections. I don't ever plan on buying anything Bose ever again!

Years ago I owned the Bose 901 speakers and I found out each speaker they used in this was $1.00 a piece.Bose is crap compared to other brans out there now.

 

[soundguruman]

They try to pedal their product to the elite, by using snob appeal. They paint the portrait of the luxury car, like Lincoln Continental.
But what you're really paying for when you buy a bose product is the advertising. You are certainly not paying for hardware.
And it is true that if you put several small speakers in a box, they start to sound almost as good as a big speaker. Almost.

 

[musical marv]

Bose is good for the Circuit City crowd and Walmarts defintely not in the class of medium high end.

 

[stillerfan15]

If you want cheaper mid fi speakers go with polks. Not high end, but not bad for the cost. JMHO,
Dave

 

[musical marv]

If you want cheaper mid fi speakers go with polks. Not high end, but not bad for the cost. JMHO,
Dave

Polk was decent many years ago but since it was taken over like other companies their reputation went downhill a lot.I use to own the Polk 10A speakers.

 

[stillerfan15]

Polk was decent many years ago but since it was taken over like other companies their reputation went downhill a lot.I use to own the Polk 10A speakers.

I'm still running 30 year old DCM Time Windows with my 15 year old Technics reciever. Just bought a Harmon Karden high(er) current reciever and am looking to replace the DCMs with some inexpensive Polk towers and a subwoofer. Those Time Windows were awesome in their day.
Dave
Yeah I had some large Polk bookshelfs before the Time Windows running with a NAD integrated amp and they sounded great back then.

 

[musical marv]

I use to own Time Windows back than when audio was reasonable to buy than. Good sounding speaker.I used a bryston 50 power watt amp and a bryson preamp also with a ariston RD 80 table. remembering the good old times in audio.

 

[stillerfan15]

I use to own Time Windows back than when audio was reasonable to buy than. Good sounding speaker.I used a bryston 50 power watt amp and a bryson preamp also with a ariston RD 80 table. remembering the good old times in audio.

I was running a Nad 50wpc integrated amp and Nad tuner with a Thorens/ Ortofon TT and a Sony cd player Aiwa casette deck back in the mid 80's with the Time Windows. Low high end high mid fi but the best sound I ever owned. Thanks for the meories Marv,
Dave

 

[musical marv]

I was running a Nad 50wpc integrated amp and Nad tuner with a Thorens/ Ortofon TT and a Sony cd player Aiwa casette deck back in the mid 80's with the Time Windows. Low high end high mid fi but the best sound I ever owned. Thanks for the meories Marv,
Dave

Those were the good old days of audio.I am in this nuttiness for over46 years so far. Now I only have cheap computer speakers and a MBP 13 inch I just bought 2 months ago. The prices in audio are to wacky for me especially in today's economy.

 

[soundguruman]

B O S E (B uy O ther S ound E quipment)

 

[stillerfan15]

B O S E (B uy O ther S ound E quipment)

Thats pretty funny. Never heard that before. Thanks for the laugh,
Dave
And I have never owned any Bose believe ot or not but the 901's were advertised as the best speaker available back in the late 70's early 80s.
Not by Stereophile or The Absolute Sound.

 

[bigsteff_dc]

I have to add my 2cents and agree that Bose is more hype that substance. I have the Bose system in my vette and it has the crappiest sound I've ever heard. The system sounds flat and dull with a lack of mid bass and highs. i recently replaced the door and rear hatch speakers and found the originals to be paper cone mono drivers that are heavily equalized to mask the low sound quality! I installed coaxial Boston Acoustic speakers that cost less that $100 that upgraded sound quality marginnaly. I've found that to truely upgrade the sound, the amps and speakers have to be replaced. i guess i should be questioning GM's decision to use this equipment.

 

[musical marv]

So I bought a Bose Cinemate system a year or so ago. It was on sale at a Bose outlet. The other day it just stop working? I was using it for my TV sound by using the analog TV outputs. It seemed to work OK but I was always noticing that even though it obviously sounded better then my TV's own speakers. The Bose lacked Bass and even some treble.
So knowing that I was out of warranty and not really impressed with them. I decided to take them apart. What I found was a dismal state of poor quality of speakers and a feeling that Bose is a scam.
I know now why Bose never advertises their products specifications. I found a dreadfully little speaker for a Bass driver in the main unit. It was about 4.5" and even though it was ported. I could not see how a paper/Foam speaker this small could produce any significant deep Bass.
Next I took apart the satellite speakers which provide the mid range and treble. I was equally shocked to find paper cones and its no reason they lacked treble response. I next discovered that the most Bose spent on parts was probably the analog circuit board which obviously provided a lot of equalization to help out these pathetic speakers.
Now maybe all of Bose product line is not as bad as this. But it does lead me to believe why Bose is so closed about not presenting specifications on its products. From what I have seen from my inspections. I don't ever plan on buying anything Bose ever again!

Bose was a good company years ago. No more. Their speakers are garbage now!

 

[ROHIT PARIHAR]

I bought Bose Sound dock 10 in October,2011. We used t for less than ten hours without moving it an inch when in January it lost its bass and sound went flat. I had to carry it to retailer in original packing in Jaipur. Retailer sent it Delhi. One coordinator in Delhi told me that only fuse had blown. It was sent back after repair. When I went to collelct it, it had stopped working altogether. The service manager in Delhi said he had replaced the sound card and it was working perfectly after repair. He said problem must have happened during shipment! It was sent back and this time, the service manager said a ribbon had slipped! This is most expensive piece of speakers available in India and I feel extremely sad for having bought it.

 

[soundguruman]

So I bought a Bose Cinemate system a year or so ago. It was on sale at a Bose outlet. The other day it just stop working? I was using it for my TV sound by using the analog TV outputs. It seemed to work OK but I was always noticing that even though it obviously sounded better then my TV's own speakers. The Bose lacked Bass and even some treble.
So knowing that I was out of warranty and not really impressed with them. I decided to take them apart. What I found was a dismal state of poor quality of speakers and a feeling that Bose is a scam.
I know now why Bose never advertises their products specifications. I found a dreadfully little speaker for a Bass driver in the main unit. It was about 4.5" and even though it was ported. I could not see how a paper/Foam speaker this small could produce any significant deep Bass.
Next I took apart the satellite speakers which provide the mid range and treble. I was equally shocked to find paper cones and its no reason they lacked treble response. I next discovered that the most Bose spent on parts was probably the analog circuit board which obviously provided a lot of equalization to help out these pathetic speakers.
Now maybe all of Bose product line is not as bad as this. But it does lead me to believe why Bose is so closed about not presenting specifications on its products. From what I have seen from my inspections. I don't ever plan on buying anything Bose ever again!

Bose is for people who don't understand audio. It's audio for the masses. It's not what audiophiles call "hi fi."
They don't publish specs, because they don't want you to compare the specs to other products.
Obviously, the component parts are cheap. In pro audio, we would never dream of using parts that are that cheap.
It's a really fancy cabinet, and really fancy advertising, to brainwash consumers.
I would not buy their stuff either.