BOSE BLOWS

First, don't bother flaming over this. If you have a fact that is incorrect in this article, let me know. Most of this information is gathered from other sources, so that it is clear that this is more than just my opinion.

Let's state some facts up front, which should tell readers something about what Bose thinks of their own sound quality compared to other manufacturers.

1. Bose makes dealers sign an agreement to not compare their products with any others, in any sort of a "live" demonstration.

2. Bose refuses to publish any sort of frequency response specifications on their products.

To my mind, the conclusion is obvious. Let's hear what Bose themselves had to say about not publishing specifications:

Bose does not publish frequency specifications. The reason for this is that we believe that such statistics do not add very much to an understanding of an audio product's acoustic characteristics and, even worse, can be misleading. Audio manufacturers make these measurements independent of industry standards, and in varying conditions. Additionally, a single statistic is not a reliable measurement of a product's performance. One could, for instance, find a very expensive system with exactly the same specifications as a much less expensive system. On paper, the two would appear identical. The difference in performance, however, would be significant. A better approach, we feel, is to listen to the product.


Thank you for contacting Bose Corporation.

Is this a valid point? If so, then we might expect review comparisons to favor the Bose systems. I think you will find that if a Bose system gets a positive review, it is almost always, if not always, in a review that does not compare them with any other systems and usually not a professional (expert) opinion. As an example, here are some quotes from an unbiased, professional review of an inexpensive BIC America system compared to a Bose system.

Reviewed by Entertainment Gazette

"...The BIC Venturi DV32 sub sat system is a best buy..."

"The Bose satellites, however, have nothing on the BIC Venturi DV32 satellites..."

"I was shocked with the results..."

"The cymbals on the cd soared so high it almost sent chills down my spine. In comparison the Bose satellites were constricted in their range and made the vocals sound as though they were emanating from within a box." 

"...compared to the BIC's, the Bose module was lacking..."

"(The Bose system) sells for over $1,000.00. The total (BIC) system with a 150 watt subwoofer was discounted to an incredible $549.00"

"...The BIC Venturi DV32 sub sat system is sonically superior to Bose's AM-7 system. The BIC system has outstanding overall frequency response and a retail price that is well beneath the Bose..."

I agree with Bose on one point. Listen to the product. But do so in comparison with other products, which Bose does not want you to do. One more thing to think about: Many Bose dealers start by lying to their prospective customers. One common demo is to place the Bose cubes inside larger speaker boxes, demo them, then open the large boxes showing the small cubes inside. This relies on the shock of seeing the small cubes and thinking: All that sound came from them? But what has actually happened is this: the mind was preconditioned by the placebo effect (by seeing large speakers) to thinking the sound was larger than it really was. It is common knowledge that audio memory is short in persons whom are not professional listeners, and visual effects can influence perception. So the dealer starts by lying, tricks the customer by the placebo effect, and uses this to sell his speakers. And this is the brand that is highly respected? Bose can not defy the laws of physics, though they want you to think so.

Here is an extract from an article with measurements of a Bose system ( taken from here: http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html )

Unlike any other speaker or amplifier manufacturer, Bose refuses to publish any frequency response charts or distortion data on their products (and with good reason). And thus a few independent audiophiles, industry professionals, and newsgroups have taken it upon themselves to benchmark test the much debated Acoustimass system. The resulting numbers are always consistent. Here is a pretty credible one sourced from the August 1999 issue of Sound and Vision magazine...

To reiterate the above, the Acoustimass's bass module responds to 46 Hz to 202 Hz at ±2.3 dB, while the satellites respond to 280 Hz to 13.3 KHz at ±10.5 dB. This is, by the way, the only speaker that I have ever seen tested with a ±10.5 db allowance. Still, this leaves a frequency gap between the satellites and bass module of about 80 Hz! That is 80 hertz of sound that is completely erased within the system's internal crossovers! I wonder how Bose figured out which 80 hertz matters least in the audible spectrum? I will tell you though that that gap accounts for a HUGE loss in midrange sound, which is responsible for the majority contralto, baritone, and tenor vocals in music, and many sound effects in home theater. And let us not forget that the Acoustimass system also ignores audible signal from 20Hz to 45Hz on the low end (deep bass), and 13KHz to 20KHz on the high end (high treble). Do the math folks, this Bose system only produces 13,176 of the 19,980 Hertz in the audible sound spectrum. That's only ~66% of the actual recording being played back to you! Is this the kind of performance you'd expect from a $1300 product? Most speakers in the same price range are able to respond from 15 Hz to 25 Khz and all modern media formats, from vinyls to DVD, record these frequencies as well. Though these are peak frequencies that most humans can not hear, the pressure produced from 15 Hz and 25 KHz frequencies can be detected physiologically, and will in fact have an effect on the harmonics of the music you listen to. So why does this "industry-leading" Bose company only produce about 52% of the sound of it's equal-priced market competitors? Good question..

Let's hear from some other informed sources.

Here are some quotes from an article by Smarthouse, under a subhead of installation / Cedia members, titled

"Is Bose sound good or Bad?"

By David Richards | Monday | 15/08/2005

(keep in mind, these are only snippets from the entire article)

Some people like professional CEDIA (Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association) installers say that Bose sound is inferior, while others praise the Bose Audio system because of its small footprint.

Mention Bose sound systems to any hi-fi specialists, and you will get a mixed reaction.

Some love them because they are easy to sell and are backed by slick marketing. Others will tell you they hate Bose systems with a passion and refuse to sell them because they "deliver inferior sound".

Among the many marketing principles that Bose resellers have to adhere to is one that bans the ‘live' comparison of a competitive sound system with a Bose system. Other restrictions include the establishment of an exclusive area inside a retail outlet for the demonstration of a Bose system, a marketing strategy that many other sound system vendors are starting to imitate.

Talk to retailers who stock Bose, and they will tell you that the company delivers outstanding marketing that draws people into stores, particularly females who love the compact size of Bose systems.

Sydney reseller Len Wallis of Len Wallis Audio says, "We sell a lot of Bose systems. They appeal to a cross section of people, particularly females. Bose are excellent marketers who constantly deliver smart marketing programs."

Vinod Christie David of the Lifestyle store in Sydney's West says, "We do not sell Bose systems. The sound is inferior, and there are too many marketing restrictions associated with the product. For example, we would not be allowed to compare a Bose sound system in store with a competitive product."

Ok, so we are starting to get a clear picture here. If you are not, you need to clear the hype out of your head. Here are some other opinions on the matter.

This was taken from Yahoo Answers: Bose, what do ya think?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

For about 11 years, I sold Bose along with a variety of other brands such as NHT, Boston Acoustics, Kef, Monitor, and M&K. In all the years of demonstrating Bose speakers to customers who bothered to listen to other brands before buying I never once heard a customer say they thought the Bose sounded better. I did frequently hear customers express surprise that other brands that cost a little less sounded so much better than Bose. The only Bose sales I had was to people who did not want to compare products. Bose is a company that markets its product well but which does not deliver on its hype. You will also find it interesting that Bose is the only company that does not publish its specifications (frequency range, distortion etc.). That should be a red flag for you. When you speak of Bose not distorting I suspect you are referring to their subwoofers not bottoming out. This is "true" because Bose puts a light inside of the sub to absorb current above what the sub can handle (which is not much). Consequently all Bose subs are WIMPY. If you buy Bose and later comparison shop you will regret being ripped off. Do your comparison listening and research now. Go to local high end stores and listen to some real systems. You will be glad you did.

Another user on the same site answers:

First, I suggest you do a search on this topic ... it has been asked and answered many times on this site.
That said, Bose are mainly hype and little substance. The sound appears good on first listening because it emphasizes highs and lows (bass) ... but is poor in the midrange.
A telling feature is their use of paper cone speakers ... something NO reputable speaker manufacturer would do these days. The components are cheap and the price is high.
You will find few, if any, knowledgeable reviewers who even bother to review Bose speakers.
Bottom line: expensive and (at best) mediocre performance.
My personal favorite is Klipsh (I have Klipsh, Totem, Denon, and Snell speakers). But you do better than Bose with PSB, JBL, Polk, Yamaha, Infinity, KEF, Amperion, etc .... almost anything beats Bose.

We could continue this ad infinitem, but I will restrict myself to a few more informed users opinions gathered from the internet.

MORE QUOTES:

"My serious audiophile friends pooh-pooh Bose: "No highs, no lows, that's Bose!" But even they have to agree that Bose makes a great clock radio."

"$500 for a clock radio seems a bit much."

"I'm not much of a Bose fan myself, but I've heard a couple Wave Radios and it is actually a full-featured stereo system for room(s) where you don't have space for a full-featured stereo system."

"If consumer electronics interest you beyond their utilitarian aspect, you'll be interested in Tivoli audio http://www.tivoliaudio.com.
Great radios based on designs by another MIT great Henry Kloss. Often better priced, and in my opinion, and I dare say in that of the cognoscenti, better sound for the money than the Bose."

"Am I the only one who thinks Bose products are, well, "boomy"? My last two cars (Nissan/Infiniti products) came with Bose factory sound systems that I had to dial bass response *way* down in order to sound tolerable. I shudder to think their other products have the same shortcoming..."

"Bose products vary in quality. Bose is capable of good engineering. But here are the problems with Bose's products:

- Way overpriced. For the price of a Bose Acoustimass system, you can get equivalent products from numerous speaker manufacturers that will just sound much better.

- The use of tiny little cubes and a smallish subwoofer means that there's a great big acoustic 'hole' in Bose frequency response. The little cubes can't produce the lower midrange frequencies, and the subwoofer can't reach them either. This is straight physics, by the way. A 4" speaker driver has physical limits in its ability to reproduce sound. Bose compensates by attempting to equalize the sound electronically, which is at best an approximation, and at worst a mess. "

"Bose does not publish specifications so you can compare their speakers to other manufacturers. They've also attempted to sue magazines that publish their own measurements of Bose speakers. Why? Because their measured characteristics suck compared to the competition."

"Most people who think Bose stuff sounds great have never heard it side-by-side with equivalently priced systems from other manufacturers. Or, the shock that so much sound comes out of those tiny cubes beats their expectations and makes them think it's awesome quality."

There is much more information such as the above out there, but I think this article has served it's purpose.

Ron Seaman