Bose Acoustics - What do you think?

[Steve]

I've never owned a Bose product, so I can never really comment when asked. Of those of you who have experience Bose sound, what did you think? Their headphones never seem to come up on this forum, yet I see daily ads for them in the Times and all sorts of testimonials. I've always just dismissed them as over-commercial and overpriced, but I haven't tried them.. 







Anyone have a positive experience? 

[PerfectWagnerite]

I think they are great. But then again my ears aren't as discerning as most other members of this forum

[bhodges]

I have friends who have the small system above, and the sound is quite good.  They don't have it set up in a way that is particularly faithful in "recreating a soundstage" -- i.e., symmetrically aligned and at the right distance from where they listen -- but that said, just the physical sound is much better than the size of those stacked cubes (about 8" x 4") might indicate. 

--Bruce

[orbital]

I think they are great. But then again my ears aren't as discerning as most other members of this forum

Mine neither , but I have to disagree about their greatness, at least for their 3.2.1 systems which I've heard and almost any consumer grade receiver/surround speaker design will be as good for 1/4 of the price.

[PerfectWagnerite]

I was just referring to their headphones (I have the $140 Triport and the $100 in-ear). I am not thrilled about their audio systems. For $1000 (like the price of their most basic system) I think I can build a comparable if not better system).

[Steve]

I was just referring to their headphones (I have the $140 Triport and the $100 in-ear). I am not thrilled about their audio systems. For $1000 (like the price of their most basic system) I think I can build a comparable if not better system).

Oh, you have the new in-ear model? What do you think of them?

[Robert]

I've never owned a Bose product, so I can never really comment when asked. Of those of you who have experience Bose sound, what did you think? Their headphones never seem to come up on this forum, yet I see daily ads for them in the Times and all sorts of testimonials. I've always just dismissed them as over-commercial and overpriced, but I haven't tried them.. 







Anyone have a positive experience? 

Steve
I never put any bose products in my ears. I have had 901's and 501's and I found them to be descent. I think they are very good for the price.....try www.head-fi.org you can probably get alot of info there...

[op.110]

Oh, you have the new in-ear model? What do you think of them?

Steve, I tried the in-ear model for a week and got rid of them; they were too bass heavy for my taste and the sound was very artificial, for a lack of a better word. Plus they lack the benefits of a true ear-plug in-ear headphone; they don't plug into the ear canal, but just kind of snugly fit in your whole ear; thus, they don't offer any noise isolating benefits. I now use these (Shure E2c)...



Great sound quality, perfect balance of high, mids and lows and are excellent for classical on the go. Also, they plug right into the ear canal; I commute in New York City everday using the subway system, and things can get pretty noisy; it's like I'm in my own world when I've got these bad boys on.

[Anne]

About 10 years ago for Christmas my husband gave me the Bose 3,000 CD/radio  system which had the red and white input and output jacks on the back.  I didn't use it much.  Went to daughter's house and needed an amplifier.  Presently the Bose is the amplifier.  There is a splitter (junction box?  This is not my best subject.) which has 4 inputs and 1 output. The output goes to the Bose via the auxiliary jack.  To the junction box I have attached my TV, CD player, DVD player, and VCR. 

I just push a button on the junction/splitter box .  For my needs it works just fine.  I like good sound but am not an audiophile.   

[Steve]

Steve, I tried the in-ear model for a week and got rid of them; they were too bass heavy for my taste and the sound was very artificial, for a lack of a better word. Plus they lack the benefits of a true ear-plug in-ear headphone; they don't plug into the ear canal, but just kind of snugly fit in your whole ear; thus, they don't offer any noise isolating benefits. I now use these (Shure E2c)...



Great sound quality, perfect balance of high, mids and lows and are excellent for classical on the go. Also, they plug right into the ear canal; I commute in New York City everday using the subway system, and things can get pretty noisy; it's like I'm in my own world when I've got these bad boys on.

In addition to a new set of full-size cans, I was looking to replace my iPod headphones too. A friend of mine really can't get enough of his Shure IEMs. The Bose looked attractive because of the price, but bass heavy headphones are just insufferable for classical music - I'm sure I would have returned them too. The nice thing about Bose acousics is their 30-day in home trial. IEM's aren't like full-sized headphones in that you can only judge them once you've worked in a good seal. Unless Shure offers a similar trial, I'm just going to have to go on word-of-mouth. That's probably why I haven't already made a purchase. 

[Robert]

In addition to a new set of full-size cans, I was looking to replace my iPod headphones too. A friend of mine really can't get enough of his Shure IEMs. The Bose looked attractive because of the price, but bass heavy headphones are just insufferable for classical music - I'm sure I would have returned them too. The nice thing about Bose acousics is their 30-day in home trial. IEM's aren't like full-sized headphones in that you can only judge them once you've worked in a good seal. Unless Shure offers a similar trial, I'm just going to have to go on word-of-mouth. That's probably why I haven't already made a purchase. 

www.headphone.com  same deal  larger selection.....

[PerfectWagnerite]

I commute in New York City everday using the subway system, and things can get pretty noisy; it's like I'm in my own world when I've got these bad boys on.

That is not wise of you. You should be wary when riding the subway. What you are doing sounds like a sure-fire way to get robbed.

[op.110]

In addition to a new set of full-size cans, I was looking to replace my iPod headphones too. A friend of mine really can't get enough of his Shure IEMs. The Bose looked attractive because of the price, but bass heavy headphones are just insufferable for classical music - I'm sure I would have returned them too. The nice thing about Bose acousics is their 30-day in home trial. IEM's aren't like full-sized headphones in that you can only judge them once you've worked in a good seal. Unless Shure offers a similar trial, I'm just going to have to go on word-of-mouth. That's probably why I haven't already made a purchase. 

Yeah, I agree with your comment on bass heavy headphones.
Secondly, picking the right headphones was an arduous task. I went to many forums, called friends of mine that owned different styled headphones, and even begged managers to open boxes so I could try some on. The problem is most stores don't have any samples of in-ears on display (for obvious reasons), so it took me a good two months before I decided on the Shures. I feel your pain 

[Bogey]

Have these and love 'em.

[маразм1]

I feel that the whole Bose thing is a load of crap.  It's great advertising.  Everybody thinks they're getting an exceptional product, stylish, better than a full stereo system occupying an entire room. 

Come on!  How can you expect these snotty little headphones that cost 2 dollars to manufacture to be exceptional? 

And about their little radio that sounds like a full stereo system:  I will never spend that much money.  I have a totally shot JVC stereo, where nothing works anymore, except the aux input line.  The speakers have been torn by my brother's friends.  I taped them up nicely and they sound amazing.  Full Bass, mids, trebble.  Nothing rattles, nothing buzzes. 

They claim all that crap that their revolutionary technology allowed them to fit the BIG sound into a tiiiny little box.  This has been done before.  Haven't you seen the computer speakers.  They're tiny little things with a subwoofer.  Sure as hell fills up an entire room and if you blast that thing, you'll get your neighbors to complain about the noise.  Cost?  $45!!  Get a cd discman, attach it to the computer speakers and you have an ultra-compact stereo system for the fraction of a cost of a Bose.

Stop wasting your money.  Stop following the trends.  Commercials are commercials.  They make an elephant out of a fly.  They make crap look like gold.  And btw, I've never heard of Bose in my entire life before their ACOUSTIC WAVE crap.

[op.110]

I feel that the whole Bose thing is a load of crap.  It's great advertising.  Everybody thinks they're getting an exceptional product, stylish, better than a full stereo system occupying an entire room. 

Come on!  How can you expect these snotty little headphones that cost 2 dollars to manufacture to be exceptional? 

You're talking about wattage, amps and volume rather than quality of sound. As Arthur Rubinstein once said, one should not judge what one does not know or understand; if you don't have the ear for it, then you can't say that Bose is a "load of crap." It is your statement on how "you'll get your neighbors to complain about the noise" that makes me conclude that you lack the ear to listen for the difference between $1,200 speakers and $200, and that instead you only care about the power of speakers and how boisterous they can be. Go to a store and try out some Bose speakers; they are phenomenol. I guarantee the quality is exceptional compared to your JVC speakers. The one problem I have with bose speakers and headphones is the fact they make music sound very sterile and artificial. There's a reason why people dish out lots of money and go over budget when it comes to speakers/headphones and classical: there's a BIG difference.

Also, you're not considering the sensitivity of most people's ears on this forum and the high demand for clarity and a perfect balance of highs, mids, and lows when listening. I admit, Bose doesn't do a good job with balance, and that their speaker systems are more for home theatre entertainment than music (classical) enjoyment.

[Robert]

You're talking about wattage, amps and volume rather than quality of sound. As Arthur Rubinstein once said, one should not judge what one does not know or understand; if you don't have the ear for it, then you can't say that Bose is a "load of crap." It is your statement on how "you'll get your neighbors to complain about the noise" that makes me conclude that you lack the ear to listen for the difference between $1,200 speakers and $200, and that instead you only care about the power of speakers and how boisterous they can be. Go to a store and try out some Bose speakers; they are phenomenol. I guarantee the quality is exceptional compared to your JVC speakers. The one problem I have with bose speakers and headphones is the fact they make music sound very sterile and artificial. There's a reason why people dish out lots of money and go over budget when it comes to speakers/headphones and classical: there's a BIG difference.

Also, you're not considering the sensitivity of most people's ears on this forum and the high demand for clarity and a perfect balance of highs, mids, and lows when listening. I admit, Bose doesn't do a good job with balance, and that their speaker systems are more for home theatre entertainment than music (classical) enjoyment.

good job, but what about 901's. They put them on the map and this was long before home theatre. I thought that at the time  OMNI DIRECTIONAL SPEAKERS were a pretty good idea

[Bonehelm]

Have these and love 'em.

Can I please get the model and price from you?

[Shrunk]

Some info here (if Bose hasn't closed down the site by the time I post this):

http://zhome.com/ZCMnL/PICS/stereo/bosefaq.htm

[Bogey]

Can I please get the model and price from you?

Here you go.

http://www.bose.com/controller?event=VIEW_PRODUCT_PAGE_EVENT&product=qc2_headphones_index

I am happy with mine....however, test drive all of the mentioned ones before you buy as the opinions vary from many I respect here.  You may want to also take a look at these threads form the old GMG:

http://www.good-music-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,10853.0.html

and

http://www.good-music-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,12443.0.html

and

http://www.good-music-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,12957.0.html

and....

Actually, I'll stop there.  Shop around.  Have fun testing them....even the ones that are out of the price range you wish to spend (if you have a price range).  I took a few nights and just hit a number of stereo shops (I still like to call them that) and had fun listening to different pairs.  Also, bring along a number of your favorite cds to use as testing material.