Are 60s Vintage Bose worth nothing.

dkmuch

I keep seeing funky looking (in a good way) 60s modernist Bose speakers for sale everywhere. Usually for next to nothing (and no bids if on ebay).

They have to be selling cheaper than the wood. I understand shipping is a killer on the big bose boxes, but even within the huge MSA of LA, they are cheap where the buyers could pick them up.

At what point does the technology become durable enough that "classic" speakers of any brand (but polk in particular) becomes a viable alternative?

Some of the cabinets seem nice enough for a good DIY project to fill modern components. Is the "reflection" systems Bose seems to always use in designs too specific to modernize.

thuffman03

I know the 901's still fetch $300 to $400 if they are in good shape. I sold a set of 901 series III for $325 about two months ago.

dorokusai

A DIY would be better than the Bose version. The 901 is a terrible loudspeaker.

everpress

The 901's were Bose's flagship models. They sounded loud, and that's the best I could say about them, really. I never owned a set, but I have heard them. I do own a pair of 501's from the early 80's. They sounded better than the 3in drivers I had with my out-of-the-box AV DVD receiver, and where my first pair of premium speakers.
I paid $25 dollars for them. And they are worth it.
My RTA 11TL's are a far superiour speaker and you can pick these up for less and less. I think the prices of these things are reflecting supply/demand more than anything though. I've seen 901's go for much, much more than a few budded dollars just 6 months ago.

NotaSuv

The 901's with all drivers removed makes a fantastic gerbil habitat

skrol

NotaSuv wrote: »

The 901's with all drivers removed makes a fantastic gerbil habitat

We should start a new thread: "Things You Can Do With A Bose 901".

I was thinking about putting one up on a pole in the back yard and make it a bird motel.

I personally never liked the 901's either. I thought that the 601 was much better.

ND13

They are great for kindling, so yes, they can save you some money for your winter's first fire. The only Bose home speakers I've heard that sounded decent were the 501's and 601's. That being said, my RTA 8TLs kick their asses and the Monitor 7s are even better. Their hasn't been a Bose speaker, that I'm aware of, that can even be considered as competition to the SDA, LSi, LS, Original Monitor, RTi, RTA, etc series of Polk speakers or even other brands like JBL, Infinity, or dare I say, even Cerwin Vegas.

skrol

Remove drivers, lay them down and have a Bean Bag Toss Game.

dkmuch

The funny thing is, there's a pair of Bose on ebay listed as "Danish Modern" speakers, and no mention of Bose at all. There's must be something else to the 901 that collectors are looking for, I see some go for $300 and some go for shipping cost.

Schurkey

Sorry, folks. I disagree about the 901s.

There's a pair hanging from the ceiling of my garage (Series V.) While not providing "high end" sound; they are better than practically anything sold at Best Buy. They are CERTAINLY better than ANYTHING sold by mass-market retailers like Sears or Wal-mart.

The 901s are a TERRIFIC public address speaker, similarly they're MARVELOUS when used in roller skating rinks and similar music-intensive venues.

High-end? No. Useless junk? Also "no". They're "in their element" when used for music in commercial establishments or "background listening" where the music is not the primary entertainment. Which is why they work so well for me in the garage--I don't do intensive listening (to music) when tuning-up my car.

The Series III and IV speakers are known for crappy foam surrounds on the drivers. Replacement surrounds are available for a D-I-Y repair; but it'd be fairly labor-intensive. I'd avoid Series III and IV speakers. The Series V and VI speakers have better drivers.

The main problem with Bose is, in my opinion, the same problem with Carver equipment. The engineering principles are interesting--even occasionally brilliant--but the actual implementation (as manufactured in wood and steel and silicon and copper) is decidedly third-rate/Low Budget. There's a lot of hype and "marketing" yet the quality of the product is not commensurate.

ND13

Schurkey wrote: »

Sorry, folks. I disagree about the 901s.

There's a pair hanging from the ceiling of my garage (Series V.) While not providing "high end" sound; they are better than practically anything sold at Best Buy. They are CERTAINLY better than ANYTHING sold by mass-market retailers like Sears or Wal-mart.

The 901s are a TERRIFIC public address speaker, similarly they're MARVELOUS when used in roller skating rinks and similar music-intensive venues.

High-end? No. Useless junk? Also "no". They're "in their element" when used for music in commercial establishments or "background listening" where the music is not the primary entertainment. Which is why they work so well for me in the garage--I don't do intensive listening (to music) when tuning-up my car.

The Series III and IV speakers are known for crappy foam surrounds on the drivers. Replacement surrounds are available for a D-I-Y repair; but it'd be fairly labor-intensive. I'd avoid Series III and IV speakers. The Series V and VI speakers have better drivers.

The main problem with Bose is, in my opinion, the same problem with Carver equipment. The engineering principles are interesting--even occasionally brilliant--but the actual implementation is decidedly third-rate/Low Budget.

The problem is that BOSE marketed the 901s as their end all/beat all comers flagship "audiophile" grade speaker for years. It didn't even come close to those claims. If I want PA speakers, their are much better examples for less money to be had.

We are talking about speakers for 2-channel home use with good to great gear driving them.

bluecomet

I like the Bose 901 speaker stands. They look good and are sturdy holding up monitor
10's. The 901 speaker not so good.

Schurkey

dorokusai wrote: »

A DIY would be better than the Bose version. The 901 is a terrible loudspeaker.

NotaSuv wrote: »

fantastic gerbil habitat

skrol wrote: »

bird motel.

ND13 wrote: »

kindling

skrol wrote: »

Bean Bag Toss Game.

ND13 wrote: »

The problem is that BOSE marketed the 901s as their end all/beat all comers flagship "audiophile" grade speaker for years. It didn't even come close to those claims. If I want PA speakers, their are much better examples for less money to be had.

We are talking about speakers for 2-channel home use with good to great gear driving them.

I'm simply saying that if you IGNORE THE MARKETING, the 901s DO have a niche to fill. That niche may not be "high end"; but it's valid nonetheless--AND--the 901 fills that niche beautifully.

I don't know what "you people" hear when you hear 901s. Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks, I guess...but when I see your opinion of the 901s being so low that you think they're better off gutted and used for animal habitat--I gotta think that maybe you heard a defective pair of speakers; or they were driven by junk electronics; or the active equalizer wasn't in the circuit--or something. Mine are driven by a 30-watt Japanese receiver built in the late '80's (i.e., nothing special or high-end) --and they don't sound so bad that I'd want to rip the drivers out and make a wildlife refuge out of them.

Mine are "entirely listenable" although certainly not "riveting".

bklynNupe

This is real edu-taining.

StevieB

skrol wrote: »

We should start a new thread: "Things You Can Do With A Bose 901".

I was thinking about putting one up on a pole in the back yard and make it a bird motel.

I personally never liked the 901's either. I thought that the 601 was much better.

Or a bat motel if you're in Florida.