"Bose Bookshelf Speakers Are Sufficient, Not Great!"
Written: Dec 19 '01
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Pros: As a moderately priced speaker, Bose will achieve a fairly good sound.
Cons: Not as good as my Fishers.
The Bottom Line: I would recommend The Bose 201 Series for anyone looking for a bargain on an adequate sound system.
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| ExBrave's Full Review: Bose 201 IV Main / Stereo Speaker |
After making the purchase of our Hitachi Ultravision 50” Big Screen Projection TV, we needed to purchase a set of rear speakers in order to get the full sensation of watching TV and movies in surround sound. We already had two, floor standing Fisher Speakers that provided the front speakers for our sound system, so the need to purchase two rear speakers was imperative.
Our knowledge of speakers and their capabilities were extremely limited. In order for us to make an intelligent determination on what speakers to buy for rear speakers, we did some research. The space available to accommodate these rear speakers was extremely limited. We only had one shelf that was the length of our living room and was approximately 6” wide. The shelf was 8’ high from the floor and was the top of a wall that divided our living room from the kitchen. We have cathedral ceilings in the living room directly through to the kitchen.
We needed to find speakers that were narrow enough to fit on this shelf, yet large enough to allow for a well-balanced sound, sufficiently deep to project the crisp volume of a much larger speaker.
Our research led us to the Bose 201 Series Direct/Reflecting Speaker System. We knew of Bose speakers, but never really heard their capabilities. Once we decided that these speakers would be the perfect fit as rear speakers for our sound system, we launched a search to find the Bose 201 shelf designed speakers.
We eventually found the Bose 201’s at Lechmere in Syracuse, New York. We asked if we could experience a demonstration of the 201’s capabilities. This was accomplished through a speaker screening room, which was directly off the main sales area. Once we heard the Bose 201’s, we decided this speaker would fit the purpose we needed.
Bose 201 Series Direct/Reflecting Speaker System is capable of projecting a deep enough volume that is sufficient for most rear speaker surround sound systems. Especially, when utilizing their capabilities within a moderately spaced room.
The design of the Bose 201 is extremely pleasant looking. It’s exterior has laminated wood surrounding the sides of the enclosure, with a fabric covering on the front exterior. A panel can be removed from the front of the speaker to allow for dusting and cleaning. The rear is painted wood with the speaker wire connections in an easy to use location.
The technical information includes;
Features:
Direct/Reflecting speaker design
Spatial Dispersion lens grille
Dual Frequency crossover network
Slot-port enclosure system
Driver Complement:
One (1) 6 ½” woofer.
One (1) 2 ¼” high sensitivity tweeter
Nominal Impedance:
8 Ohms
Capability:
Compatible with amplifiers/receivers rated from 10 to 120 watts per channel
IEC power rating:
60 watts/channel
Dimensions:
10” H x 14 ¾ “ W x 7 ½ “ D
Cabinet:
Black with walnut vinyl veneer
Weight:
24 lbs. Per pair
When we first installed these speakers, I was not very impressed with the overall sound we were experiencing. I had them situated at the top of the 8’ wall on a wood shelf. After attempting to find an adequate location other than where we had them, I found through trial and error, that the best location for maximum listening pleasure was more at the 6’ level against the room divider wall. This was accomplished by installing two shelves at the 6’ level and this did improve the sound quality, but there was still something wrong.
I was becoming perplexed with my Bose speaker configuration; so, I decide to read the instruction booklet. Wow, I guess I should have done that from the beginning because a great deal of information was available. One hint was to install them against the wall. Another was to face the speakers close to each other and test the bass with some deep base music. If the sound seems to be lacking in deep bass, then reverse the wire lead connections to each speaker, one at a time. Once the correct connections are achieved the bass sound will be much deeper, which I accomplished, after some wire lead switching. The next hint was to direct the speaker toward the center of the room at an angle. How could I achieve this suggestion? Finally, after an exhausted search of one visit to my son’s house, I saw how I could complete this task. His speakers were installed on wall mounts, which would allow him to position the speaker on a downward angle and at side-to-side angles. I made a trip to Lowes Building Supply and found the wall mounts I needed. Once positioned on the wall with the mounts, I was finally able to get the best sound available from the Bose 201’s.
I’m fairly happy with the Bose 201 Direct/Reflecting Speakers. I’ve listened to much better Home Theater Speaker Systems, but, for the time being, until I can afford a better quality speaker, the Bose will suffice
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 175.00
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Epinions.com ID:
ExBrave
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Reviews written: 44
Trusted by: 33 members
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