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Review 2 of 61
Price Paid:
$189.00
from Best Buy Summary:
First off let me start by saying I NEVER purchase my A/V equipment at Best Buy. Second, let me say that I've been disaapointed in Bose for the past 20 yrs.
So why on Earth did I buy these speakers??? I can't believe it either!
I've spent two years searching for the right speakers for my vintage low wattage Harmon Kardon receivers (330's and 430's) that could capture the true sound my 4 old Realistic 3-ways delivered. And nothing provides the warm stereo sound you get with vintage Harmon Kardon receivers short of going to tubes (try McIntosh for contemporary equip.).
I visited countless rummage sales searching for oldies, mainly Realistic (good luck there) but trying everything that didn't need to be re-coned. I've dragged receivers to high end audio shops to test the sound with new tech to no avail. Wattage is the issue. Today's speakers do not broadcast the depth, clarity, and warmth of bass and midrange sound without wattage to make them open up (duh). Smaller speakers just sound too thin and tinny, that is unless you want to spend $4k for speakers with internal amps, which I almost, in an act of desperation, did, even though it still didn't quite pass muster as the receiver STILL needed to be cranked too high IMHO...and I thought twice because I already have a high end set in another room so...
One day I went to Best buy to get some DSL filters and happened to hear the Bose 301's as I was browsing around. Hmmmmn. they didn't sound half bad and were on sale for an unbelievable $189 per pair. Wha????? It was the last day of the sale and I had to rush home, grab my receiver and get the manager's okay to hook it up (Best Buy - one is in the company of ignoramuses). I could only attach two speakers but honestly I was impressed. And now I'll have to take back all the negativity I've directed at Bose since the 70's. I bought two pair and do not regret it.
The setup: 4 bose 301's with a Harmon Kardon 430. Also, I'm running them in an unbelievably slappy room - 91/2x14, wood floors, solid wood furniture, plaster walls, 5 ft of windows (a room you'd never set up anything worth its salt in, really). The damping effect of the speakers compliments this type of room. The speakers are along the short walls, 11 in from the corners, 36 in off the floor, polarity reversed on one pair for that pseudo-quadrophonic stereo sound.
The sound is clear with warm delicious low range ( NOT muddy, surprise, surprise) and wide depth of midrange and the high end is perfect - not brassy, not tinny, not distorted. I frankly cannot believe it with Bose speakers. Seems like the low and high ranges on them absolutely stink, but not so with these. Did I say I can't really believe that????
I listen to everything from rock to bluegrass, from classical to opera to Gregorian chants, from punk to techno to disco and jazz. It all sounds superb - goosebumps, enmeshed in lush sound you can touch - these speakers work perfectly with the 20Hz-20KHz range of the Harmon Kardons.
Note: I never turn the HK 430 past 1 o'clock. Why? I've learned the hard way. I keep duplicate HK receivers on hand for the sake of parts. Setup even sounds excellent with even lower wattage HK 330's I also have, volume no higher than 2 o'clock. I've been running the Bose for 2yrs now though and have not had a problem at all with any of the receivers.
Beleieve it or not, Bose is good for something these days. Who would've thunk?Not me, That's for sure.
Strengths:
Price (but I got mine on sale in a big way)
Work great with low wattage vintage receivers c.1976 (I'm running 12.5 watts per channel - yes you read that right)
Sound great in a slappy room, can't believe it!
Were EXACTLY what I needed for these receivers - sound **almost** as good as the original 4 Realistic 3-ways I used with these receivers playing vinyl back in the day.
Weaknesses:
They're Bose - so you, like me, are likely to never give them a chance.
Will probably not sound as good with newer receivers. Matching your receiver with just the right speakers is critical. Go do your homework and don't be afraid to drag your receiver out to test speakers you're thinking about buying. Just do it.
These are bookshelf speakers. Don't think for a second you are going to get thumping humping pumping SUPER LOUD clear sound with ANY brand of bookshelf speakers.
I seriously doubt they would sound this good in a large carpeted room full of plush furniture.
Suited for stereo sound - cannot imagine using for surround of any sort.
Similar Products Used:
Definitive Technologies
McIntosh
Boston Acoustics
Cerwin Vega
Polk Audio
Realistic (waaaaaaay back in the 70's)
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