Bose 901 series III-VI foam question.

c_corie

Am am trying to find a pair of 901s. I found a set of series III recently refoamed. And I've also found a pair of series IV, and have no clue if they've been refoamed. Also found what maybe series V or VI, and am wondering do even the more current series V and VI have foam problems if they're from the late 80s, early 90s? Thanks for the info. Also is trying to use these in a smaller room stupid?

thuffman03

First of all why are you trying to find a set of 901's? LOL

Most speakers over time will need refoamed if they have foam and not a cloth surround. the V and VI most likely won't need it for 5 to 15 years from now.

I had a set of 901's and room placement is key to making sound good. You also should have lots of power. I would say 250wpc and you will want a sub with it.

cnh

Years ago I auditioned a set (which I bought and still own) of JBL Home Studio Monitors (3 ways) next to some version of the 901s. The JBLs which were recertified and selling for less than half their original price took the much higher priced 901s to school.

20 years later....Still have the JBLs. Never looked back.

Thuffman is right. There are a lot of better speakers out there than the 901s for their PRICE! If you're going to spend that much you owe it to yourself to at least listen to some LSi towers by POLK!

cnh

madmax

I have the series V and they are fine. Don't know how much you want to pay but I have an excellent pair with the bose equalizer and stands that I don't use any more.
madmax

reeltrouble1

madmax wrote: »

I don't use any more.
madmax

four insightful words.

RT1

thuffman03

I don't like to bash any product but with this...I sold my set. $ for $ my Thiels and Carver speakers are much better.

c_corie

I know there are better speakers, I own Monitor 11s, which are probably better. But I've just always wanted to try a pair, and for anything sub $300 I could probably sell them for that much if I hated them.

madmax

Hey, they have their own sound and their own place in audio history. If you want mine I'd let them go for $250 plus shipping. If not thats good too.

RT, BTW, I have lots of speakers I don't use. Ha ha. Lets see, amazings, dq10's, sda's, b&w... I'm a buyer, not a seller.

c_corie

I would be interested but I thinking shipping would be wayyyyyy a lot. Thanks for the offer though.

sucks2beme

madmax wrote: »

RT, BTW, I have lots of speakers I don't use. Ha ha. Lets see, amazings, dq10's, sda's, b&w... I'm a buyer, not a seller.

There's a quote, too. I wonder just how many set of speakers are being hoarded by Polkies. God knowns I've got a couple sets sitting in the closet.

madmax

I don't mind keeping several speakers around. They all have their own character so every now and then I hook up a different pair. Just like amps, preamps and sources.
Many polkies have a LOT more pairs than I do.
madmax

bluecomet

I had three sets of the 901's and sold all of them. The series six was a little better for CD music, the other sets were series 3 and 4. They sounded better using LP's. None of them compared to SDA's. Even the CRS+ blew them away. Only thing I liked about them were there stands. I may get a set to hold up my Monitor 10's. They are the tulip kind and work well with them. The 901's were descent in the mid's and so so on the high's and lows. Just my experience with them.

c_corie

I have found a set that are series VI, the seller says from 87 or 88 at a Navy exchange thing. Anyway they're the walnut ones, but they seem to be WAY lighter color then the current walnut ones. With almost like a cream colored cloth, and stands. Are they legit? I read that Bose offered "Classic" series VI or something like that, maybe these are those ha. Also the foam appears to look fine. Anything else I should be aware of, besides apparently everyone hating these?

Wardsweb

The 901's do have a signature sound. They are very open and airy, as they reflect 90% of the sound off the back wall. Great for background music, but IMHO not as good for critical listening. Having said that, I used a pair of 901-III in my office at work for almost 10 years.

As for refoaming, the series III came with foam surrounds that would need to be replaced. Later models used a "v roll" cloth surround that last forever. When I redid mine I used the v roll so I would never have to redo 18 drivers again (9 per cabinet).



Here is a link to my rebuild: http://wardsweb.org/audio/Bose_901.html

lightman1

+10 on the v-roll. That's what I used when I re did my Series III's. Patience is a MUST when doing this kinda project.
And.. yes I still listen to mine to this day...

steveinaz

FWIW, I found the Series VI is far and away the best version of the 901. I owned a pair for 14 years, and they sounded considerbly better than series IV and V. The earlier 901's sound a bit hollow and distant, where the VI is a more up-front presenation without the echo'ey sound; not to mention they are more efficient (though they still need tons of amp to really shine). I ran mine with 600watts/rms (2 Soundcraftsmen PM840 amps bridged) and at any volume level never a hint of distortion.

c_corie

So a series VI should have no surround problems, even if it's from 87-89 or so? I'm so excited haha, hopefully I'm picking these up sunday, or monday sometime. Now I just have to figure out where the hell to put them.

Also does anyone know of any specific series VI that was lighter in color cab/grill then the rest? Or maybe just because the pictures were outdoors?

renowilliams

madmax wrote: »

Hey, they have their own sound and their own place in audio history. If you want mine I'd let them go for $250 plus shipping. If not thats good too.

RT, BTW, I have lots of speakers I don't use. Ha ha. Lets see, amazings, dq10's, sda's, b&w... I'm a buyer, not a seller.

Not trying to thread jack here but I'm wonderring which B&W speakers you have as I have been interested in trying a set.




Tim

steveinaz

c_corie wrote: »

So a series VI should have no surround problems, even if it's from 87-89 or so? I'm so excited haha, hopefully I'm picking these up sunday, or monday sometime. Now I just have to figure out where the hell to put them.

Also does anyone know of any specific series VI that was lighter in color cab/grill then the rest? Or maybe just because the pictures were outdoors?

I had the circa 1988 Teak/sand color cloth (front grill was light brown, back was sand) series with black pedastals, they were nice. Put them about 9" off the rear wall (from the back center apex), and if possible, about 9ft apart. Use no toe-in. You'll get the best results using an "external processor loop" type output on your pre if available---connecting between the pre and amp is less desireable. Setup properly, using good cabling can give you some very good results. Big amplification is also critical, I'd recommend an absolute minimum of 250watts/rms @ 8ohms. If you need to add a little treble, leave the Bose eq settings flat (0dB) and use your pre treble control if available. Chances are, your pre's eq will be better designed, quieter.

One mans trash is another mans treasure; and so it goes with 901's. One thing I can tell you after running them for 14yrs, I didn't know what "digital glare" was until I sold them for something else. Most everything sounded good thru them---if you like the Bose signature sound.

madmax

renowilliams wrote: »

Not trying to thread jack here but I'm wonderring which B&W speakers you have as I have been interested in trying a set.


Tim

Mine are old vintage ones. I doubt you would be interested as they really don't sound like the newer ones. B&W has come a long way since these were made. I found them at an antique shop and bought them because they looked cool. Maybe for a computer system or something they would be nice.
madmax

c_corie

steveinaz wrote: »

I had the circa 1988 Teak/sand color cloth (front grill was light brown, back was sand) series with black pedastals, they were nice.


Was the teak/sand thing special edition, or just a certain style for the series VI 901 cause I've never read about them untill now, and I noticed that the ones I'm looking at appear this way. Is this a good/bad/collectable thing?

steveinaz

I think it was a limited run, but not necessarily a collectable.

c_corie

So i got them! I might try sanding and fixing the wood, as it has paint, and water damage on the tops. Anyway, they sound pretty amazing. Using a 50wpc Yamaha stereo reciever they sound good, but could use more power, the bass starts to get compressed when i turn it about half-way up. But thing under that sounds good. I had the speakers like 3 feet apart and 2 feet from the walls and they sounded ehhhh. So i spaced them out about 5 feet, and brought them about 1.5 feet from the wall and that helped a lot. These speakers sound different then pretty much anything I've heard. I feel like they sound best on older material, like AC/DC Back in Black, and Dire Straits sounded great (even though I'm not a huge fan, my friend brought them over.) 311's Blue Album sounded sounded very natural. And Steven Wilson (from Pocupine Tree)'s solo album Insurgentes sounded pretty good. NIN, and Foo Fighters sounded not so great. Godsmack sounded a little boxy/flat but very tight.

This speaker seems to "Like" certain CDs way more then other speakers, and some CDs it makes they sound pretttty boring and flat.

steveinaz

Try them about 9" from the rear "point" off the backwall, and if possible, at least 8ft apart.

ctef

Hi, let me tell you my impresions about surrounds and resurrounding of 901s - IIIs.
First, not only Bose drivers suffer from their old foam-surrounds.
Second, in manuals is highly recomended, they to be exchanged again with foams.
So, I own 2 pairs of 901s-III.
The firstone is reFOAMED by me. Hard and slow I did that patiently 18 times 18 days
Try to did it perfect with 40Hz sinus-signalgenerator and so.
The secondone I bought resurronded. Wtith that "everlasting" cloth surrounds. Job is did perfect but...
The pairs sound differently!
Disbelieving on my ears, I hanged up a sound analyzer(Behringer DEQ2496)
And this what I saw was a big hole around 160Hz, about -10db.:eek:
I have no answer of this fact, except the cloth surrounds...

And something else. The 901s needs of big power.
Why BOSE made their best receivers specialy designed for 901s, The 550 and The Spatial just 2x50W and 4x50W ?;)

boom47

I just finished re-foaming my 901 IIIs about two weeks ago. They sound great, probably even better than new (but I've had them since 1978, so my hearing might not be so good). In any case, I'm very pleased with them, and I have no plans ever to get rid of them.
I purchased the lifetime re-edging kit at Orange County Speaker in Calif., and they have always been a great supplier to my speaker repair needs.
I hope that helps!