So - Bose. There are people who want to definitively label everything in life, but that's tough to do over a very long time and many products.

I am now on my second set of Bose 601 Series 1. I had a love/hate relationship with Bose after I sold my Klipsch LaScalas (used for DJ'ing) in 1977 and picked these up when I got out of the business the first time. I got good coin for those LaScalas and had a very healthy speaker budget for my next purchase. I listened to every speaker in every shop in town, and everything I heard was less than the LaScalas when it came to detail. Now the bass in the LaScalas was pitiful and boomy, but I was addicted to the clarity of them. In the last shop, I tried a number of their best speakers and they were all yawners. I could hear detail in them all, and there were various sweet spots in each, but none gave me any Wow. Finally, in great confidence, the owner/salesman listened to my comments and said he knew what I wanted. Wisely, he neglected to tell me which speaker was next, I just heard the sound.

My girffriend at the time turned back on to me so I wouldn't see her face. She guessed immediately that whatever we were hearing was bloody expensive. That wasn't true, it was the 601's and they won hands down over all other product in the store - including the 901's (which I really don't like at all). The difference wasn't a subtle thing - the showroom suddenly filled with warm, deep, sparkling sound.

For the next couple of years, with the 601's in my home, I'd bring home other decent speakers because I felt something was lacking in my 601's. But every time I a/b'ed a new speaker, the 601's just overshadowed them completely. It's tough to explain - you think you're missing some level of detail but it's just not true. Keep in mind, I was used to the LaScalas which are very detail oriented.

Finally I really embraced these 601's and never looked back for about 20 years. Until the foam rot hit my woofers. I gave those 601's away and went with a PSB home theatre solution. Since then, I've changed out numerous speakers and was never really satisfied with anything.

I finally just picked up a reconditioned set of 601 Series 1, and they are glorious. So listenable - not fatiguing. They look old, but I could care less. It's all about the sound.

I've now had my fill of using subwoofers, towers, centers, surrounds and various encoding algorithms (Pro Logic, DTX, etc.). I'm tired of constantly fiddling with my sub so it sounds right at all volumes. The complexity (and I'm no techno-slouch) is vexing. I just want clean, generous sound.

And I want it pretty much everywhere in the room. I'm not a fan of sweet spots - moving around is a good thing. To me, the old 601's are the only ones that offer this. I just wish Bose hadn't used the same number on these new units.

Am I a Bose fan boy? No. I don't like the Acoustimass line. I do like their PAS line for professional work (I'm just retiring from DJ'ing). Never liked 901's. I very much like the 301's, and the 601's of old. The Wave Radio - it's alright for what it is, but I think it's very overpriced and over-hyped.

To the Bose haters - listen carefully to these older products. They very much did get it right! Are they the ultimate speaker for everyone - of course not. But neither should they be dismissed in an I-need-to-profess-coolness condemnation. Some experience listeners with decent ears find them to be an emotionally involving speaker - that says something.

To those who appreciate the 301's and 601's, I just want to say I get it. I understand. And that it's a shame we have defend our Bose choice among pre-judgers. Mostly, I want to tell you to never let these gems go because it is so hard to get a good set, and they are getting more and more scarce.

And if you really want to be convinced - play Elton John's, 'Tonight', from the Live in Australia album. Turn it up. Up a bit more. Now, tell me these things aren't fantastic. You won't be able to do it.

I have a pair of Bose 601 which I believe are the covetted series One from 1978 which some claim are the best Bose 601s ever made. I have refoamed them with Bose brand foams and they sound better than my Kenwoods which are almost twice the size. I am looking to sell them if I am offered the right price. There is some cabinet damage which is repairable and it does not affect the sound in any way. I live on Long Island not far from Queens. email me paulgolf 4949 at aol dat calm

greeaatt

HELLO
A FREIND OF MINE GAVE ME SOME OF THE BOSE 601 SERIES II SPEAKERS I HAD TO REFOAM THE WOLFERS, THEY SOUND GOOD BUT PERFER THE ONES I HAVE NOW . DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I COULD MAYBE GET FOR THEM IF I WERE TO SALE THEM?
DOUG

Bose 601 Speakers

THe first time I heard a pair of bose speakers... with my cousins setup a long time ago... i was wowed to submission. it was as easy as listening to the FM radio... the audio was clear and the base was full. from zero volume to as high i as i dared go.... it was a near heavenly experience.....it started my fascination with this brand of speakers and i never forgot that wow experience ....

have a new pair of bose 601 III from 1978 where found in an attic. never opened still sealed box.looking for the best amp to power them up with

benchpresses 100 watt recievers.

attracts bashers for no reason.

These are for the 601 series 3. I just got them two weeks ago. I ripped them apart and rebuilt them to new. foam ,crossover, refinish. I dont know were all this bashing is comming from. I guess the 601 4 I dont know. Look, I have krell,b@w 801d , vieanna, You name it . I am a collector. I am right now rebuilding some AR 94s for my old man. some Henry Kloss specials. Just got done with some AR3s yesterday for a guy at work. I know speakers. One thing I know is that we have are own ear.But Dam. I think people bash bose 601s bacause they thank it is the thing to do. just because your hero might have some watt puppies on a krell and he say forget bose , you want to follow and someday be like him..Who knows. I have been playing these things all day long on a old marantz 2325, and a creek destony CD player, King cobras and type 4 speaker cable. now let me tell you I have been hearing some allsome sound comming from these things. At some points I have heard things That I have never heard before from Mark Knopfler.(DIRE STRAITS.) No these are not My 801s are some Yamaha studio monitors, But they do put out some decent sound. I did note that if you hook them up todays home theater receivers . They dont sound to good. They need a good amp. Not some bass shy denon are onkyo. When these things were built was before surrond sound and home theather.are how ever you spell it.( to much budlight,sorry.wwweeee. OK, I am back. I just hooked them up to my mac 4100 . It has a EQ control nobs instead of a bass a trib. I saw that one review say too much tweet. You need some carpet. 18 inches from side walls and 12 inches from back. back it off a little around 10k to 15k. perfect. Good sound. Not the best ,but there should not be no bashing. One thing they do , is direct the sound , that is why they were built. If you think about it, Every concert I have ever been too. (over 200, Matalica, reba,sting,you name it. Yes and even Michal bolton, My girlfriend made me go.lol) Listening to stakic ex are Dire Straits live, sounds live with these babies in the right room. Think about it. What is a live performance. A band in front of you playing stereo reflecting off your surrondings. That is what they do. If you just blew your JBL l100 and expect these things are going to take over, Then dam. I guess I see why there is bashing. These things are not ment for that type of sound.
Sorry for the negativity but, every time I read reviews about bose, it is like watching the news. I get so depressed. There is a lot of good sounding speakers out there not just bose, That people right bad reviews over. Unless it blows up in you face are just dont play, people shouldnt be so negative. If you come across some of these speakers, get them. have some fun.Listen to music, dont try to be cool and say these are the worst speaker you have ever heard so you can fit in somewere. What have you built in your life, A sandwitch. eat it then. Unless you have made the money building your on speakers that bose have then bash all you want. Go to ebay and check out how many people bid on these things. I guess we all dont know sound. who knows. I know Ever body that has walk in my house today has wanted to buy them from me. they walk right by my wilson audio sofias and go strait to the bose and say that sounds so good. One guy wanted to give me 500 dollars for them. Most of them are not audiophiles and I guess have the sony speacial they picked up from target. They were here for the barbicue on the grill, but dam, I have never got some much attention from a speaker before. I had the grills off , hardly anybody new they were bose are what they was. Tells you something. sometimes we need just to sit down and listen to the music instead of trying to figure out what everything sounds like. Anyway i am going to get off, grab a budlight, turn the chicken over and listen to my bose 601s. remember, your glass is halfway full, not empty. listen and injoy.

Customer Service

I called my self, I called back.

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B@W, James,jbl,ohm, bla bla bla.

Awsome imaging, excellent highs and lows

none.
they stopped making the speakers.

Great Speaker.

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mirage
b&w
apm
infinity
klipsch
Hsu
polk audio
technics

Room filling sound. Great bass when properly set up. Not fatiguing to listen to. Mid range is just right, and the highs are more than good enough. You can get one today for very little money. It is way better than overpaying for new "more advanced" speakers.

The woofer surrounds tend to rot. Mine is doing great in my low humidity environment.

I have owned many speakers throught the years. Def. Tech's (too harsh), Klipsch (too harsh), Sony (cheap), Polks (harsh), Infinity (ok), Mirage (nothing to write home about), Norman Laboratories (my former favorite but a bit too bright), Advent (very good). I fell in love with Snell speakers in college. After owning the type K's, I decided to buy a used pair of Peter Snell's Type A's. They are absolutely the most musical speakers on Earth. I have them biwired to a Carver Sunfire amp. This amp is highly regarded, and it too is the most musical amp I have ever owned (others have been Hafler, Onkyo Grand Integra, Yamaha). I have also owned the Bose 501 IV (respectable sound), the Bose 901 V (very poor bass and harsh midrange), AND the 601 III's. The 601's III are the best speakers Bose has ever made. They are great with sports programming, movies, and music. The point is that some of us like different speakers for different reasons. My absolute favorites are the Snell A's, but I simply love my 601 III's. Great bass, mid-range is not overwhelming, and the highs go beyond my hearing anyway (so their not extending to 20, or 30 Khz, doesn't matter). I wonder how many people who bash the 601's can actually hear beyond the range of the speaker? I would first recommend a pair of used Snell's. But to anyone considering the Bose 501's or 601's, I say go ahead. Get a good deal and then simply enjoy them. I have recently sold my Mirages, Snell K's, Klipsch Kg 1.2's, Kg 2, and Kg 5's, but kept the Bose. They are a good alternative to my Snell A's. I switch between them every once in a while. I wish Bose would bring them back with updated tweeters. By the way, the top "woofer" on the 601's is actually a mid-woofer. While the bottom woofer is a dedicated low range driver. Moral of the story is; listen to your own ears.

Customer Service

Bose is offering a trade in for their new 601. DO NOT trade them. the new ones are trash.

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Already mentioned in the review.

Great sound reproduction.

the look is sooo old style... but in a dark room, who cares?

THe first time I heard a pair of bose speakers... with my cousins setup a long time ago... i was wowed to submission. it was as easy as listening to the FM radio... the audio was clear and the base was full. from zero volume to as high i as i dared go.... it was a near heavenly experience.....it started my fascination with this brand of speakers and i never forgot that wow experience ....
but that was the 901 series III...

25 years later, I bought my first ever serious speakers on my budget. and its a pair of 601s. what i really wanted was just the 301 but the prices on these were really irresistable. My audiophile friend told me that at my level of listening, this is the next best thing. All i wanted was a set of speakers so i could build my first 5.1. And he was soooo right.

as i read somewhere in here, adding a complement of a subwoofer and a pair of satellite speakers (301s i hope) would complete my setup. hopefully that would work for me for a looong time....

Customer Service

none

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