Vendor quote: "The key for good sound quality is the way its installed"

[Sam Kapasi]

Audi does not use any Harman systems. They use bose machaye shors.

[speedzak]

Harmon ka thread ban gaya Bose!

Audi comes with Symphony HU and Bose speakers. Right?

[navin]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

But, what's with this prejudice?

Easy to make comments - there are very very few souls who will have the courage to take a controlled blind test. And a lot who would lack the courage to admit that they can't.

No prejudice (I have used their Pro audio - 402/802 - and PA systems).

Bose does know it's market very well and uses psychoacoustics to it's fullest. This is done so that they can build WAF/SAF systems. At one time they pushed reflected sound (301-501-901) and later small sub-sat systems (Acousti-Mass) and each time their marketing was spot on!

Maybe because I am old fashioned, purist, hobbyist, self-absorbed-snob, etc.. I was/am unable to get myself to buy Bose.

Maybe because the one time I met Dr. Amar Bose he came across as a concieted bloke (a few years later I met Matthew Polk and you wonder if conceit is a pre-requsite for the business). Why even Dave Wilson comes across as a bit snooty. Then there are guys like Richard Vandersteen and Joe Joesph who talk normal. Joe is special though he loves his MIL (the Pearl is named after her).

Maybe because when my cousin told me to fix his 301s (1983-4) I realised that the sum of parts for this $300/pr speaker did not total $50 (box included - the XO was a single cap and the "L-pad" was a bulb). Actually to be fair there are a fair number of "well respected & esoteric" companies that sell $1000 worth of parts for $5,000.

Maybe because there have been multiple controlled tests conducted by Bose Corp and they only publish the results of the few (very few) that are favourable. In fact even these published results are often "normalised" to make them look more favourable than they really are. I was part of a group who took part in one such "test" - i never saw the results published, none of us ever got a copy of the results - why the opacity. Come on Bose, you take a bunch of "audiophiles" and expect to successfully use psychoacoustics on them?

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by navin

Bose does know it's market very well and uses psychoacoustics to it's fullest ... Come on Bose, you take a bunch of "audiophiles" and expect to successfully use psychoacoustics on them?

That's more like it, Navin. Data and experiences like this (which stays locked up in minds) would not only go a long way to displelling myths, but also give a better reference point than 'opinions': no prejudice. Otherwise it becomes a hate-it-since-everyone-else-was-talking-like-that.

I did in fact buy a Bose sub-sat (Series III, I think, for DM1300) once, but exchanged it for a Technics component system (said Class A amp, but I haven't seen the innards) which was far more musical and about the same price as the Bose speakers!

Till then, I had aspired for buying one of those old (301? red-cone speakers facing this way and that) boxes because of the imaging they produced - heard them in London in 1979.

And yes, conceit and 'psychobabble' is part of the game for biz success. They call it 'marketing'. Of course, there are exceptions.

[simply_sunny001]

Originally Posted by panky12345

true raghu, a bad equipment is bad. ask him, can he make my sony 222 and pio 305 svc combo better sounding than my jbl 301.1 and cs1204t bass tube??.... whatever location he might install it, be it the car top.... crap would sound crap.

the rattling of the doors is actually a plus point in selling these local equipment, "bhai sahab kya awaaj hai....darwaze bhi hil rahe hain"...."aur kitni dhamak chaiye?"

its 100% True Panky cos these local sellers dont understand sound they just know dhinchak dhinchak and its all set for them

[rocksterraghu]

Originally Posted by navin

One can often make bad equipment sound listenable. pad the treble, tune the bass or lower it so that it is not so noticeable, change a the XO so that drivers are not overloaded or not pushed into break up, etc...

I agree, Navin.

Talking about Bose, I seriously think they're overrated and overpriced.

I don't like Sony and Pio speakers, but at least, they're good for a very minimal budget. Bose, unfortunately, does not score in any regard. So, Bose would be 'bad choice' rather than 'bad' as a manufacturer or in terms of equipment. IMO.

[askids]

Originally Posted by rocksterraghu

I agree, Navin.

Talking about Bose, I seriously think they're overrated and overpriced.

I don't like Sony and Pio speakers, but at least, they're good for a very minimal budget. Bose, unfortunately, does not score in any regard. So, Bose would be 'bad choice' rather than 'bad' as a manufacturer or in terms of equipment. IMO.

I totally agree that Bose is overpriced and overrated My roomie had a 97-Maxima with Bose OEM installed(including CD player). I had a 98-Maxima with non-Bose stock speakers and Pioneer DEH-3900(or 3700). Before I changed the CD player, it had Bose cassette player We couldn't differentiate the SQ and SPL(for me its loudness) between the two.

My friend was just happy that he had good deal for the car and bose system was just an added value to him because of the brand name and nothing more.

[harmon_bro]

Ahem! did I enter the wrong thread? And since BOSE is leading this thread I might as well add a few comments on the same. I have seen many people in our country who make outright claims of BOSE being the best and it sounds the best and a friend who owns a Lifestyle Series htr claims that a KEF, Klipsch, Dynaudio etc, does not match up to what a BOSE produces. I did debate but no point. I personally own Klipsch towers with Mordaunt-Short bookshelves and I find them a lot crisp than the BOSE.

Marketing at its best and ignorant consumers assume they have the best.

[panky12345]

Originally Posted by harmon_bro

Marketing at its best and ignorant consumers assume they have the best.

Correct.... I'd been myself a victim of the marketing gimmicks.

[navin]

Originally Posted by harmon_bro

I have seen many people in our country who make outright claims of BOSE being the best ... I did debate but no point..

I dont debate. When asked what I have I just say "some stuff I made at home. Not worth listening to."

[bottle]

and what would that be ?

[vikram18]

Originally Posted by gunbir

This could be summed up in one word... BOSE, but I guess that would be less than 20 characters

Ah well...you wouldn't believe the looks I get when I say that!!! Most people I know talk as if it's audio designed by GOD himself

[navin]

Originally Posted by bottle

and what would that be ?

not much really.

Presently the system employs 12" woofers (4 nos) were made by Mike Dzurko of Audio Concepts, 4 nos 18 cm midbass (8546) and 2 nos 1" dome tweeter (9900) were made by Scan Speak, amps were made by me etc..I like the sound but I feel my tastes have moved on so my next speakers will be something like 15" woofers made by Hawthorne (Augie), 6 or 8" mid made by Supravox or Visaton, and a tweeter from Fountek or Aurum Cantus with some different amps.

[panky12345]

Originally Posted by navin

not much really.

Presently the system employs 12" woofers (4 nos) were made by Mike Dzurko of Audio Concepts, 4 nos 18 cm midbass (8546) and 2 nos 1" dome tweeter (9900) were made by Scan Speak, amps were made by me etc..I like the sound but I feel my tastes have moved on so my next speakers will be something like 15" woofers made by Hawthorne (Augie), 6 or 8" mid made by Supravox or Visaton, and a tweeter from Fountek or Aurum Cantus with some different amps.

Honestly Navin, I have never even heard of these names.

[blueraven316]

Originally Posted by binz

Are you sure it was bose? .. Coz if im not wrong,the audis,atleast in india come with harmon..

Yep, it's Bose, my bro's A6 has that crap 10 speaker system which I laughed at after he said his car had a BOSE system. Honestly I don't say it sounds bad or anything, but it just is not upto it's hype.

Originally Posted by navin

Very funny Gunbir, BOSE only does OEM right?

BTW you can make BOSE listenable. Simple, just turn it off.

Well said.