Hello,
I'm no audiophile per se, but here's the long and short of my story:
My dad has owned a set of Bose 901 series V for as long as I can remember. They're hooked up through the Bose active EQ and a Yamaha R-100 receiver (100 watts i think).
Pretty old school stuff, but it sounds great. EXCEPT for this bass clipping sound that I first started noticing about 10 years go when I would watch Star Wars on VHS and the low rumble of spaceships was acompanied by this rattle that sounded, for lack of a better description, like shaking a can of spraypaint. clickaclickaclickaclicka.
To further describe the problem: when listening to a pop/rock recording, often bass drum notes will be accompanied by this "click" sound. As expected, the clipping/clicking is not present at low volumes or low-bass EQ settings but becomes more apparent when you increase the volume or kick up the low end on the EQ. The problem is evident across a wide spectrum of music and inputs, including DVD, CD, iPod, FM radio, and classical and rock music.
For full disclosure, my dad is handing these puppies down to me when he upgrades to a Bose home theater setup. Hence my personal interest in getting these fixed. ;-)
So....my question to all you wise people is, what could be wrong and what are my options? Do I need to spend a gazillion dollars getting them fixed at a speaker repair shop? Is there some kind of cone/foam replacement job that I can do myself with minimal risk of further damaging the speakers? Or is there something wrong with the setup? I checked the manual and it appears that I have the EQ set up properly through the tape monitor channel.
Also, on a side note: these speakers have gone through two moves and concievably may have been damaged in the process.
Any help/insights would be greatly appreciated.
-Mark
I'm no audiophile per se, but here's the long and short of my story:
My dad has owned a set of Bose 901 series V for as long as I can remember. They're hooked up through the Bose active EQ and a Yamaha R-100 receiver (100 watts i think).
Pretty old school stuff, but it sounds great. EXCEPT for this bass clipping sound that I first started noticing about 10 years go when I would watch Star Wars on VHS and the low rumble of spaceships was acompanied by this rattle that sounded, for lack of a better description, like shaking a can of spraypaint. clickaclickaclickaclicka.
To further describe the problem: when listening to a pop/rock recording, often bass drum notes will be accompanied by this "click" sound. As expected, the clipping/clicking is not present at low volumes or low-bass EQ settings but becomes more apparent when you increase the volume or kick up the low end on the EQ. The problem is evident across a wide spectrum of music and inputs, including DVD, CD, iPod, FM radio, and classical and rock music.
For full disclosure, my dad is handing these puppies down to me when he upgrades to a Bose home theater setup. Hence my personal interest in getting these fixed. ;-)
So....my question to all you wise people is, what could be wrong and what are my options? Do I need to spend a gazillion dollars getting them fixed at a speaker repair shop? Is there some kind of cone/foam replacement job that I can do myself with minimal risk of further damaging the speakers? Or is there something wrong with the setup? I checked the manual and it appears that I have the EQ set up properly through the tape monitor channel.
Also, on a side note: these speakers have gone through two moves and concievably may have been damaged in the process.
Any help/insights would be greatly appreciated.
-Mark
Do both of them make that strange sound?
If so, take of the grille and see if these small full-range units make big excursions when you hear the clicking sound. It looks to me that it's the voice-coil thats hitting the poleplate. Nothing you can do about that.
Also, it could be the foam surround that's gettin' old.
If so, take of the grille and see if these small full-range units make big excursions when you hear the clicking sound. It looks to me that it's the voice-coil thats hitting the poleplate. Nothing you can do about that.
Also, it could be the foam surround that's gettin' old.
Forget getting them repaired, it's too easy to refoam them yourself. Forget replacing the drivers, they're too expensive.
There is little risk of further damage refoaming these... they're already not working. It's a simple job. You cut off the dust caps with a razor blade and shim the coils (shims included!). Rub off the goo that used to be the foam, and glue the new foam down down to the cones. The next hour you can glue the foam to the frame surround. Remove shims and glue in new dust cap. No-brainer.
I have an alternate explanation.
The cones are bottoming on the 901's.
There is (almost) no way to move enough air with 4 inch cones to produce 20 hz at any level suitable for home theater.
Not enough Area and Xmax. The equalization allows the speaker to have output below the 3db down point of the driver, but doesn't address the volume of air needed to produce a 90db 20 Hz tone.
The easiest and best solution would be to add a subwoofer to handle low base duties. Say 100 Hz or below.
Just my 2 cents;
Doug
The cones are bottoming on the 901's.
There is (almost) no way to move enough air with 4 inch cones to produce 20 hz at any level suitable for home theater.
Not enough Area and Xmax. The equalization allows the speaker to have output below the 3db down point of the driver, but doesn't address the volume of air needed to produce a 90db 20 Hz tone.
The easiest and best solution would be to add a subwoofer to handle low base duties. Say 100 Hz or below.
Just my 2 cents;
Doug
I find it funny how often people go around Bose bashing! I don't... wait a minute did I just capitalize the "b"? Oh no I did! Oops! Sorry about that.
Anywho... I don't care much for bose myself, but belive the hatered toward bose would be better directed towards the madison Ave Agencies for getting some people to think they are the end all be all. Then again those that would fall prey to such advertising claims probably buy their equipment at Sears.
And I must confess I sold some people bo$e systems while I worked there years ago. Hey I had to get paid ya know (and the commission on that stuff was over 10%). Can you really blame a poor college kid?
As far as the question at hand I would look into the foam replacement option until you can build your own replacements, not only will they sound better you'll have your own one-of-a-kind speakers you can take pride in. As stated above you could implement a subwoofer, which would be a good project for ya, if you haven't already built some speakers or subs yet.
Anywho... I don't care much for bose myself, but belive the hatered toward bose would be better directed towards the madison Ave Agencies for getting some people to think they are the end all be all. Then again those that would fall prey to such advertising claims probably buy their equipment at Sears.
And I must confess I sold some people bo$e systems while I worked there years ago. Hey I had to get paid ya know (and the commission on that stuff was over 10%). Can you really blame a poor college kid?
As far as the question at hand I would look into the foam replacement option until you can build your own replacements, not only will they sound better you'll have your own one-of-a-kind speakers you can take pride in. As stated above you could implement a subwoofer, which would be a good project for ya, if you haven't already built some speakers or subs yet.
Bashin' Bose
I suppose Bose is guilty of many things, including inflated prices for some crappy product. But, I have heard too many allegedly better speakers that can't compare to some Bose units for long-term listening pleasure. What some deride as lack of highs I hear as a more comfortable design for long listening at higher volume. Whether that's deliberate design or an accident of shoddy drivers, I don't know. Probably the latter. But the bottom line is that Bose makes some speakers that I can live with, while some of speakers highly praised for "great mids, crystal-clear highs" start ripping at my ears within a few minutes.
Then again, factor in too many years of Pete Townshend, AA/FD and the Twins `87 World Series and my ears can be considered suspect.
I suppose Bose is guilty of many things, including inflated prices for some crappy product. But, I have heard too many allegedly better speakers that can't compare to some Bose units for long-term listening pleasure. What some deride as lack of highs I hear as a more comfortable design for long listening at higher volume. Whether that's deliberate design or an accident of shoddy drivers, I don't know. Probably the latter. But the bottom line is that Bose makes some speakers that I can live with, while some of speakers highly praised for "great mids, crystal-clear highs" start ripping at my ears within a few minutes.
Then again, factor in too many years of Pete Townshend, AA/FD and the Twins `87 World Series and my ears can be considered suspect.
I think the 901's are pretty cool. I first heard them in the early '70's and they sounded very impressive. Big sound, really big sound playing a quadraphonic (!) recording. Sounded better than my Advents!
I rebuilt a set for a friend because I didn't want to see them go to waste. As it turns out it was a waste. He mounted them in the corners of a room near a nine foot ceiling and runs them on 22 Ga. clear zip cord. They might as well be in a closet.
As for they're current offerings, they're OK considering that half the price is the advertising. And a couple three hundred bucks for a Wave Radio.... you bet it's a "miracle". It certainly is unbelievable.
I rebuilt a set for a friend because I didn't want to see them go to waste. As it turns out it was a waste. He mounted them in the corners of a room near a nine foot ceiling and runs them on 22 Ga. clear zip cord. They might as well be in a closet.
As for they're current offerings, they're OK considering that half the price is the advertising. And a couple three hundred bucks for a Wave Radio.... you bet it's a "miracle". It certainly is unbelievable.
by (my) definition, an audiophile is someone who searches to find audio equipment he likes the sound of. If this guy likes his 901's, then that means he's a successful audiophile, not a wannabe.Bill Fitzpatrick said:
While I dislike almost everything else ever created by Bose, the 901's are a good set of speakers. I helped a friend refoam his - old foam surrounds don't take so kindly to loud party music being played on them - and once we were done, we were impressed. They sound great.
Come on guys, ease up on the Bose. They didn't do anything to did they? And, I do enjoy looking at the 901s...every now and then firing up my Dad's pair.
But, Bose is expensive and if you have the will and want to build your own speakers then build your own speakers. I will never buy a pair of Bose or, any commercial speakers for that mather, for myself.
I recently purchased Bose's New Wave Music system...I know, I know, but the expression on my parents' faces is soooo worth it!
Plus, they're probably tired of seeing all of my half-done projects laying around the house, so I'll give them their xmas present for the next four years (until I"m done University).
Anyway, of to finish up the Transmission Line blue prints.
But, Bose is expensive and if you have the will and want to build your own speakers then build your own speakers. I will never buy a pair of Bose or, any commercial speakers for that mather, for myself.
I recently purchased Bose's New Wave Music system...I know, I know, but the expression on my parents' faces is soooo worth it!
Plus, they're probably tired of seeing all of my half-done projects laying around the house, so I'll give them their xmas present for the next four years (until I"m done University).
Anyway, of to finish up the Transmission Line blue prints.
The trick with 901s is to hook up the post-amplifier equalizer but keep the faders at parity. That way, they actually sound good and keeps most of the clips off the drivers. As much as I don't like any of the systems being sold at the local Bose mall outlet, my friend's 901s do excellent party duty with Bryston 7Bs. They are plenty loud and I've never noticed them clipping. You can literally hear the house up the block with all the windows closed!
ensen.
ensen.Oh yeah, your drivers definitely have foam rot. Carefully pry the rear cover off. Don't worry, they just have 2-way sticky tabs holding the thing (I think there are 8 in total holding it to the 901). Getting the foam done professionally will help you out big time...It takes a lot of time to do 18 drivers!
Just remember what kind of sound you could begin to build with $100 US...beautiful 3.5-way TL with 4" open back mid and tweet on an Open baffle.....*drules.
Just remember what kind of sound you could begin to build with $100 US...beautiful 3.5-way TL with 4" open back mid and tweet on an Open baffle.....*drules.
Bose(o) said:
Um...I think you're getting the point.
Let's face it the 901's were really cool when you were a kid, weren't they?
So was your first car. Probably something you wouldn't be caught dead in now.
Time to move on. There are certainly better ways of converting electrical energy into sound.
A dentist's drill comes to mind.
Cal
901's should be understood in the context of the world as it existed when the first came on the scene. I clearly remember that nearly any other speaker you listened to was very localized. It was very obvious that virtually all the sound was comming right out of a pair of boxes in the livingroom. Little or no imaging and no sense of "surround". I'm talking AR, Advent,KLH etc -- not K-mart or Radio shack. There were a handful of exceptions but they were rare and expensive (even comparred to 901's).
The 901's when located properly made the box disappear. More than a little impressive at the time. If I have a gripe about 901's today it is mainly that there are better ways to attack the problem and Bose is mostly living on past glory.
The 901's when located properly made the box disappear. More than a little impressive at the time. If I have a gripe about 901's today it is mainly that there are better ways to attack the problem and Bose is mostly living on past glory.
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