Bose 601 restore for prosperity sake

VSAT88
VSAT88 Posts: 1,256
in Vintage Speakers
So, a few weeks ago I found a set of 601's on craigslist. Went and got em. The reason ? The way I got into Hi Fi was because I was at a pawn shop one day many years ago and I saw a set of speakers an amp and a pre amp out of curiosity I asked the owner how much and I think he said 90.00 so I said OK and loaded it up. Looked good to me for that price. Took it to my home/office and set it up with the speakers at each end of my desk and the amp and pre on a small table. Hooked it up to my computer turned it on and it jammed ! The amp a Kenwood Basic M2 the Pre a Kenwood Basic C1 and the speakers yes you guessed it, the Bose 601. I had never heard of any of this equipment before don't get me wrong I knew Kenwood and Bose brands but I had never heard any Kenwood home equipment and the only Bose speakers I had heard were 901's at a party many many years ago and we were so drunk who knows what they sounded like. I was happy as all get out to have a stereo set up there. My Daughter was just a baby then and we would put on James Brown and I would hold her and we would dance. We both loved that. If I wanted her to come in the office with me all I had to do was put on James Brown and she would come running from wherever she was in the house or playing with her arms up high smiling. What is so wild is that all of the dogs came running too, they did not want to be left out ! She always did love spending time with her Daddy and she still does at 17 years old believe it or not. Thru the years and a divorce on and on I gave up the 601's however I kept the C1 and the M2. I still have those. The M2 is out of commission after a lightning strike but the C1 I still use to this day in my shop with a Carver cube and a set of Polk RTA 8's still sounds just fine for out there even though none of that equipment has had as much as a cap replaced, just some replacement drivers in the RTA 8's. Well, to end this thread what I would like to say is this. Even though I remember the good ole days when I remissness about the 601's I now know by listening to these what a journey it has been. A great journey because I no longer listen to such crap speakers because of people like you right here on the site. Funny how good I thought the 601's were. I suppose until I heard restored/upgraded Polks I would have never known.gna9wce594kl.jpg
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Comments

  • hochpt21
    hochpt21 Posts: 5,423
    Awesome story about you and your daughter. I have a 3 year old right now, and I'm trying to enjoy every moment..
    2 ChannelTurntable - VPI Classic 2/Ortofon 2M BlueAmplification - Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II, Parks Audio Budgie PhonoSpeakers - GoldenEar Triton 17.2 Home TheaterDenon AVR-X3300W; Rotel RMB-1066; Klipsch RP-280F's, Klipsch RP-450C, Polk FXi3's, Polk RC60i; Dual SVS PB 2000's; BenQ HT2050; Elite Screens 120"Man CaveTurntable - Pro-Ject 2.9 Wood/Grado GoldAmplification - Dared SL2000a, McCormack DNA 0.5 DeluxeCD: Cambridge AudioSpeakers - Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary; LSiM 703; SDA 2A
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 10,716
    Seems like a fun project to me. Do these have the light bulb fuse?
    I've wondered if you could redo the xovers to make those tweets
    sound better on other models of Bose...
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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,256
    Actually yes. The light bulbs we're all in good shape so I left them right where they were. Read all the caps and resistors and they were in fine shape as well. These speakers have all mylar caps so they were good to go. I do believe that I could go in and put in better fresher components and they would sound better. I thought about it and my don't still, who knows. If I do I will pop back in and let you guys know.
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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,256
    hochpt21 wrote: »
    Awesome story about you and your daughter. I have a 3 year old right now, and I'm trying to enjoy every moment..

    I may be totally wrong but I do believe that listening and dancing around with her at a young age like that formed a bond with her that has keep her close all these years. I am grateful.


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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,256
    Yep2 wrote: »
    rednedtugent wrote: »
    Seems like a fun project to me. Do these have the light bulb fuse?
    I've wondered if you could redo the xovers to make those tweets
    sound better on other models of Bose...

    This is a lightbulb:
    owh0cjr8wkny.jpg

    Yep, it is.
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  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
    Is it a fat lady pulling up her pants?
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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,256
    It's a cherub's eye winking...
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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,256
    I need Black paint...feobkctbl2qa.jpg
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    edited September 2017
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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,256
    May well be old parts. If I keep em I will re cap and put resistors in. It was a good project. I do better working on speakers than amps/pre amps/ receivers and such. The re foam went quite nicely. A very easy re foam these.
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  • Schurkey
    Schurkey Posts: 2,100
    Yep2 wrote: »
    Google an approximate value (w/Ω) for your "light bulb" & go from there.
    Is that the ohm value with the filament cold, or with the filament hot?

    There's going to be a huge difference. Which is kinda the point of the thing.
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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,256
    A built in DBT.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 10,716
    edited September 2017
    what I was heading towards was, the "complaint" w/ Bose:
    No highs, No lows * * *
    So it would be interesting to me if I was rebuilding the xovers
    to get the most out of the drivers w/out ruining the sound.

    In fact, you have the advantage of knowing what you will be driving them w/.
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  • westmassguy
    westmassguy Posts: 6,850
    The Series I through III 601s are actually quite good, when recapped, and given good, clean power. Whether you like the reflected sound from the tweeter arrays is entirely subjective. I personally prefer the original 1978 version, while the Series IIIs garner the most attention, and sell at much higher prices.
    Home Theater/2 Channel:
    Front: SDA-2ATL forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/143984/my-2as-finally-finished-almost/p1
    Center: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/150760/my-center-channel-project/p1
    Surrounds & Rears: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/151647/my-surround-project/p1
    Sonicaps, Mills, RDO-194s-198s, Dynamat, Hurricane Nuts, Blackhole5
    Pioneer Elite VSX-72TXV, Carver PM-600, SVS PB2-Plus Subwoofer

    dhsspeakerservice.com/
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  • cortico
    cortico Posts: 587
    Interesting speaker, I would like to hear it. keep us updated!
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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,256
    Oh, my. I may be making another parts order...
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
    westmassguy wrote: »
    The Series I through III 601s are actually quite good, when recapped, and given good, clean power. Whether you like the reflected sound from the tweeter arrays is entirely subjective. I personally prefer the original 1978 version, while the Series IIIs garner the most attention, and sell at much higher prices.

    I agree 100 percent to what David wrote!
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  • mdaudioguy
    mdaudioguy Posts: 5,165
    Lol, sounds more like for the sake of posterity... I don't think you're getting wealthy off those! :p Enjoy!
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
    I think the second Gen 601's are by far the ugliest of the first three cuz of the cheap looking plastic grills. I'd have to lay some regular grill cloth over it all to hide the fugly. Or make a new hat frame out of wood and wrap it with grill cloth sort of like some of old ESS speakers. Anything other than the stock plastic picket fencing.
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  • twochannel
    twochannel Posts: 171
    My first speakers were second gen 601's. They were great speakers with a wide and deep soundstage. I was powering them with a Kenwood M2A amp. I regret not keeping them, but I needed the cash for purchasing my SDA-SRS's, which I still have after 30 years. Now I'm looking for a good pair of 601's for another vintage system.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
    I see first gen 601's for next to nothing on Craigslist from time to time. The third gen as mentioned are 3-4 times more asking price. The second are as ugly as a man's a$$ so I don't pay much attention to those. Last time I had my first gens in a system for any length of time I was using a Pioneer SX-1280 and PL-530 turn table. Sounded pretty damn good. Then I sold the 1280 and went with my Luxman R-117. No comparison! That R-117 is pretty hard to beat.

    Also tried the Bose receiver wo spatial control and it was just sad. Damping factor has to be about 20-30 cuz the woofers flopped around like clown shoes. That piece deserves the acronym BOSE standing for Better Off Somewhere Else, like in someone else's house.
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  • codycatalist
    codycatalist Posts: 2,662
    I found a pair of these once in MINT at a local thrift shop, still had the manufacturer tag tied on the back. $100 however I didn't have the funds so I called my uncle who came and picked them up, never got to listen to them though. =/
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

    "Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
    " I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
    "Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
    "Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
    "Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member
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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,256
    codycatalist wrote: »
    I found a pair of these once in MINT at a local thrift shop, still had the manufacturer tag tied on the back. $100 however I didn't have the funds so I called my uncle who came and picked them up, never got to listen to them though. =/
    Well that just sucks !
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  • codycatalist
    codycatalist Posts: 2,662
    VSAT88 wrote: »
    codycatalist wrote: »
    I found a pair of these once in MINT at a local thrift shop, still had the manufacturer tag tied on the back. $100 however I didn't have the funds so I called my uncle who came and picked them up, never got to listen to them though. =/
    Well that just sucks !

    I agree I would have loved to listen to them however I did get a Pioneer PL 510 for $10 the same day and a mint pair of SDA 2B studios for $100 a week later. I feel it was my audio karma paying me back.
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

    "Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
    " I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
    "Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
    "Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
    "Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member
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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,256
    SDA 2b for 100.00 mint ! Oh yeah !!
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  • Tommy_C
    Tommy_C Posts: 3
    I have a set of first series 601's currently using as my fronts on my 7.1 system. The sides and rears are Polks, the Sub is a MK 12" and the center is a customer built Definitive. All powered by a Sony STR-DH770. I am still using the 601;'s because they belonged to my late dad. By the time I got them from my mom, the lower subs were blown. I had a pair of Rockford Fosgate 8" punches that were just laying around from my truck spearker upgrade, so I soldered them in. Oh Boy do they Rock! I may puts some Polks in their place eventually, but I think about my dad every time I look at them. So I know what you are going though getting those memories back with your daughter.
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