Bose Acoustic Wave music system II is garbage

Yep. I agree. Bose products, while cleverly targeted to their market, are far from being the biggest (I'll be kind here) "profit items" out there...actual audiophiles, many being the sort who are upset at the Bose scam, often fall for the most egregious high-end audio nonsense. At the cost of thousands of dollars...

Peter Aczel, where are you?

 

...

 

Were Bose products ever good? I remember when I was a lot younger, everybody was excited about those tiny cube speakers that cost about $700 a pair. The only Bose speakers I ever heard for an extended period were the cheaper models - around $250-$300 - and they sounded dreadfully average.

 

I also don't perceive Bose's speakers, any of them, to be overly bright. If anything I think they're on the warm side of the sonic spectrum. This is part of what I've mentioned before as the inoffensive and "pleasant" sound that IMO most Bose speakers produce that I think helps their sales*: while accuracy may be appealing to an audio geek like myself, that same aspect can be a negative when not-so-great recordings with tinkly highs with dollops of overcompression (which probably describes most new rock & pop recordings ) are played through such speakers.


* I believe this same basic concept is why the Large Advent and Dynaco's A-25 sold in such huge numbers through the decade of the 1970s. Both models were (and are, since they still sell well in used form) known for a slightly soft presentation, though they also had plenty of bass output, especially the Advent. And to top it all off, the Dynaco was dirt cheap and the Advent was still affordable for regular mortals.

 

I've owned a Bose Acoustic Wave for 10 years. I replaced one that we accidentally left outdoors and it was destroyed by the elements. I found it's great for picnics, camping and general use when doing yard work or just to move about. We had a party last summer and it did a find job providing music to our event. It does not rival my Spendor loudspeakers amplified by single-ended tubes, but it's definitely not a joke either, at least not by my tastes.

That price does sound quite high. I believe I spent less than half, but it was a long time ago. As some other may remember, I also left this unit out in the rain last summer (thanks Rolo46 for good advice) and I was able to dry it out. Also, Bose customer service was very helpful.

I don't work for Bose, nor do I own other Bose products, but I say it's a decent tool for what its market is, which is mostly non-audiophile I think. I suspect I'm unusual for owning my first system and buying a Bose portable, but I only use it when I can't lug the Spendors around (vacation?) and it's pretty good.

It's totally appropriate to discuss the brand and share opinions on a recording collectors' site in the hardware section, at least that's my view. I enjoy reading others' opinions.

 

and this justifies a price tag over $1,000?

I understand you say you paid less for an older model, but the company is currently asking $1200-$1400 for a system that doesn't even stack up to a $200 Sony. For $1200, Bose should be showing up at customer's doors with ambrosia.

 

My first set of speakers in the early 80s was a pair of "Interaudio" SA300 speakers from Bose. They were cheap but non-offensive. I don't think Bose ever made anything "high end" except perhaps the original 901 series.

 

I agree, it is high-priced. I thought I stated that in my post.

 

You can't really appreciate those $400.00 wires, unless you also have the $20,000 audiophile house wiring (instead of 20 cent per foot romex) and the $500 each audiophile circuit breakers in your $10,000 load center. I can't even imagine the cost of electricity from your local audiophile power company.

Snake oil still sells!

 

I don't have the particular system this thread is about, but I owned the Bose acoustamass stereo system.

For me it's about how it sounds, I paid the price because I did test the system against other systems and the Bose sounded much better. When I hooked it up and friends and family would come over, all of them immediately wanted to know first of all where were the speakers (the small design made it easy to hide them away) and second what make were they because they sounded so freaking good!

My favorite music is live and I'd put on James Brown live and those acoustamass speakers just boomed with the bass and the treble was as clear as can be, my guest were always amazed at how good the sound was.

Guys I'm not as technical as some of you, but my ears don't lie, and those Bose speakers sound absolutely fantastic!

Just my humble experience.

 

One theory: some people who end up with the Wave, are people who are a bit technophobic and/or have endured a less-than-adept demo/sales pitch at a high-end stereo shop.

 

All that matters is that you're enjoying music. Although not my cuppa tea, I refuse to knock anybody who's enjoying their Bose kit (or Shakti Stones, or $500/ft. speaker cable, add-on power supplies, or...)

 

Fair Game?

"I, for one, vow never again to post unflattering remarks about Bose - regardless of how accurate those remarks might be - because I've realized that some posters might own this brand and insulting other people's gear isn't cool... AFAIC."

++++++++++++++++++

Thanks for saying this and I hope more people adopt this attitude. I also don't fault Bose (the company) for marketing themselves as a "go-to" brand. Many of our cherished high-end audio companies would do well to learn that lesson.

On the other hand I think it is fair to ask/discuss whether the performance of the Wave merits its price and whether other similar and even cheaper products offer better performance and value. I say that about Bose or any other high priced audio product.

Scott

 

Another theory, and I'm not sure if there's a term for this phenomenon, is the buyer who gets stuck with an overpriced piece of junk but is forced to sing its praises because of the exorbitant price tag. I guess we could call it the Willy Loman Syndrome.

 

Both theories, no doubt, illuminate human nature. I feel the same buyer's remorse about the gang I voted for in the last election!

 

http://www.theaudiocritic.com/

 

I received a small Bose system for Ipods a few years ago as a birthday present. I use it in the kitchen while making dinner and cleaning. It sounds ok but my main system upstairs blows it away. I think a lot of small audio companies could learn a thing or two from Bose about marketing and brand recognition. You can make the best products in the world but unless you know how to mass market your product you will find it difficult to compete in the majors with the likes of Bose.

 

the manufacturer of your iPod is the best example in the world of a company whose marketing arm is its strongest asset.

 

I totally agree, Apple and Bose do a excellent job marketing their products. I wish the smaller companies who make excellent and sometime affordable audio equipment had the marketing and advertising budgets to compete. I was recently having a discussion about speakers with a extended family member who was telling me how great Bose was, after telling him my speakers were made in France, I just switched topics to HD TV's.

 

My remark was rhetorical.

He does seem obsessed with those Orion speakers...

 

And in many parts of the world, including places in North America, there is no such thing as a stereo store to offer or demo alternatives. How many other stereo products are offered on TV?

 

Question for the forum: Would you consider Polk in the same category as Bose?

 

Russ Andrews does a better cardboard replacement 'wave guide' for $900.
Good investment imho.

 

I think many are way too willing to simply bash bose, without being realistic. Yes they are high priced, but nothing really equals them as far as small size, ease of operation and decent sound quality.

Yes a sony bookshelf system with subwoofer will totally out BOOM the bose, but the sony sounds like crap in most ways really. Its simply all boom and sizzle. Its the typical teenager sound. The bose sounds warm and smooth and not offensive at all, not boomy, not overly bright, not overly anything. Its the EXACT sound many older people love, and it doesnt draw attention to itself, only in that it emenates from a very small box.

I realize thats faint praise but so many on the forum are ready to bash it as being mediocre sounding for the price, but will lay out big cash on silly mods and things and think nothing about it. Its a double standard.

On the forum its COOL to bash bose, yet many people im sure own it and look at many of the typical audiophile mods and components as total wastes of money also.
Why is it wrong to bash cable lovers, but its cool to bash bose??

Being totally objective, id say the bose product is decent sounding, but high priced. It does NOT sound like crap or bad or horrible at all. I was shocked at how small the actual unit was and still sounded quite decent.