jdm56 Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 I had Series IV 901's for about two minutes back in the deep dark seventies, and horror of horrors, I'm beginning to wax nostalgic about them, even to the point of browsing ebay and Audiogon for a pair of Oak/black grilled Series VI's. (I know, I know; I should stick to waxing my car.) But to my point... If I understand correctly, the Bose EQ applies a 6dB per octave boost below about 200Hz or so, and also a boost above some point which I don't recall. Of course, this makes sense as the 901 uses nine identical 4.5" drivers; essentially mid-range drivers, run full-range. My question then, is since at 50Hz there would be a 12dB boost, how does this little speaker produce such impressive sounding deep bass, especially at life-like levels? I would think it woud be driving all but the biggest, baddest amps into clipping at those low frequencies. Bose does not publish much in the way of specs, so I don't know what the rated mid-band sensitivity of the 901 is, but assuming it's 90dB @ 1kHz, it would take 32W to give you 105dB. Now adding the 12dB of boost at 50Hz, you would need 512W to play that frequency cleanly at the same 105dB! Yet one of the things that always stuck with me about the 901 sound was the bass -- how good it sounded cranked up to party levels. So, what's up with this? There must be huge amounts of distortion that for some reason, the ear perceives as sounding good, or maybe there is some more "trickery" going on with those ports that reduces the power demands. Anybody have a clue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockbobmel Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 I was wondering about the same thing............ But, this is prolly not the tree to bark up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 Funny you guys bring up Bose 901's..............There just was a pair in Albany N.Y. with stands and equalizer for $450.00....Excellent condition.....pretty good deal...........EH..I thought that was super cheap.................many units were sold in the 70's and early 80's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverSport Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 s'funny...these were my "Grail speakers" of the 70's when I was trying to convince Dad I knew more than he did...I had SS and Bose (albeit 301s) and he had low powered Tubes (Sherwood and EICO) and liked Klipsch...now it's 2006, Dad's been gone almost 11 years and I sit here listening to low powered (relatively speaking...14wpc) EICO and Klipsch...it never ceases to amaze me how much I don't (...or didn't) know... Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 901's ...... better get BIG amp ..... 1kw ...be about right for Disco levels it's EQ'd at the low end, and the high end ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburnwilly Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 Several years ago I used a pair for rear surrounds with a 3 Heresy front . Suprisingly they were pretty good in rear surround duty ; I did have to jack their level a bit . Allthough when I got another pair of Heresys for the rears they blew the 901's away ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 It just seemed at one point in time they were the Big Dogs of the speaker crowds, I knew a few who bought them, but they never got equalizer, and some never got stands.........could buy the speakers, but couldn't afford the rest of the package...those set-ups never sounded right....Bose has always commanded top dollar...........I thought they were nice...........until.............I heard La Scala's powered by McIntosh..............the rest is history..........................Long Live Klipsch.................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 go back to Bed, Buckster... noooooobody's up yet ....[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 go back to Bed, Buckster... noooooobody's up yet ....[] I AM..........................That's enough for me........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 Well, I'd still be in bed were it not for one of the dogs deciding to do her "morning vomit" thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 Well, I'd still be in bed were it not for one of the dogs deciding to do her "morning vomit" thing... Get up...................you were up anyway...must be playin' those speakers again if the poor dog is sick.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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