Just A Couple Reasons Why Bose Sucks
Written by Mike on July 20, 2009
Home >> Editorials >> Just A Couple Reasons Why Bose Sucks
  • Share
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • MySpace
  • Pownce
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
 
PrintPrint

First I just need to clarify something so we’re all on the same page here. Bose speaker systems are entry-level… if you think they’re audiophile-quality or anything even close to it then you are severely misinformed. So why all the hype? Well the reason I think is simple: they have an aggressive marketing plan. Just think about it - how many TV commercials or popular magazine ads have you seen for Bose? Now think about how many of those things you’ve seen for any other speaker manufacturer. Anyway, to get on with the story, I’ve highlighted the two most blatant deficiencies of Bose speakers in my opinion.

Fatal Flaw #1: Full-Range Drivers

All of Bose’s home theatre systems utilize full-range drivers. This is probably already known by most or all of you, but full range speakers attempt to recreate frequencies  across the entire audible spectrum (roughly 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz). Now most of the Bose home theatre systems do include a subwoofer, so maybe the other channels only have to produce frequencies as low as about 200 Hz, but this still leaves far too broad a frequency range for a single driver to effectively operate across. Quality speakers have a tweeter dedicated to producing crisp highs, along with a larger woofer and possibly a mid-range for generating lower frequencies. Bose’s insistence upon using only a subwoofer and a collection of 2.5″-diameter full-range drivers means that the high frequencies aren’t accurate and the mid-bass frequencies (roughly 200 Hz to 500 Hz) are seriously lacking.

Fatal Flaw #2: Cheap Materials

Bose uses paper cones for their speakers. Actually, I believe they call it something like “space-age paper”, whatever the hell that means. The bottom line is paper warps far too easily, resulting in inaccurate reproduction of sound, especially at high volumes. An easy way to observe this is to listen to a loud Michael Bay-esque explosion through both a Bose system and an actually decent one (explosions are an example of a complex sound effect containing low rumbling, high crackling, and pretty much every frequency in between). The decent system will sound noticeably cleaner and Bose will sound distorted or muddy - I promise. Most good speakers utilize some sort of high-tech plastic or composite material because they are more rigid and durable than paper, resulting in a more accurate sound.

Besides the driver cones being crappy, the cone surrounds are crappy too. They’re either thin foam or some type of fabric; I didn’t even bother researching to see what exactly it is because either way it’s second-rate material. Quality speakers have rubber surrounds or something comparable. Now I don’t think the surround material affects sound quality right out of the box (someone correct me here if I’m wrong though) but this really pays off when the speakers are several years old; rubber will hold up just fine whereas cheaper materials are more prone to deterioration over time.

Like I said in the intro, Bose builds entry-level home theatre equipment. But even if you’re on a budget (most of us probably are) there are plenty of alternatives. In fact there are a multitude of speaker manufacturers out there, and far more than you’ll see at Best Buy or even an audio/video catalog like Crutchfield. Some companies that offer quality home theatre systems that won’t break your wallet are: Infinity, Polk, Klipsch, Boston Acoustics, and DCM. And they are just a few of the fish in the sea of many, so there’s no reason to settle for a crappy system just because some housewife on a TV commercial says she’s amazed by the sound quality of her new Bose system.

Viewing 23 Comments

    • ^
    • v
    What about Sennheiser ?
    • ^
    • v
    I've read positive reviews of a number of Sennheiser headphones from reliable and learned sources, and they seem to offer a wide range of products from entry level up to audiophile. About two years ago I bought a new pair of headphones and I ended up going with Audio Technica because they had a model that seemed best for my specific wants [over the ear, closed-back design without noise-cancelling, and in the price range $100-$150], and I've been happy with them thus far. This website - http://www.headphone.com/ - proved a valuable resource (and incidentally, they don't review or market a single pair of Bose headphones! lol).
    • ^
    • v
    Thank You Mike. Really helpfull website.
    • ^
    • v
    I whole-heartedly agree that most of the Bose satellite-based speaker systems, noise-cancelling headphones, and the "infamous" clock radios, etc. are FAR from "audiophile quality". They are, for the money, very poor choices on the whole. Your hard-earned money can buy far better options.

    <edit>
    I was once told by an Acura salesman that their TL used Bose speakers in their ELS audio system. I was very surprised that it sounded so good, but I took for granted that he was correct. Yet another example of a salesman that was willing to say anything for a sale - true or not. Sorry for the confusion.
    • ^
    • v
    and by the way, neither the word "always" nor the word "never" appears once in the article above ;-)
    • ^
    • v
    Maybe on the surface...those words don't appear - but I'm on to your subliminal messages. I mean, if I rearrange the letters of your entire article I bet both words could be formed many times!
    • ^
    • v
    If what you say is true, this is definitely an exception to the norm. I've listened to Bose audio systems in several different makes and models of automobiles, none of which were impressive to me at all.

    That being said, I just searched the web for about 10 minutes and couldn't find anything that connects Bose with the Acura Elliot Scheiner ELS audio system... as far as I can tell it's just Panasonic. Would you mind posting a link stating otherwise? I'm not motivated enough to continuing searching for myself...
    • ^
    • v
    Alright, I just wasted even more time on the web. Every single article I read on this sound system describes it as being engineered by Panasonic and tuned by Elliot Scheiner. Acura does offer Bose sound systems, but they are completely separate from this ELS system that has received rave reviews.
    • ^
    • v
    Speakers do not have a signal to noise ratio (SNR), that is an amplifier specification. Along with THD, total harmonic distortion. Speakers are rated by rms watts, peak watts, efficiency in db at 1 watt at 1 meter, and frequency response. The trick by some speaker makers is the db range they pick for the frequency response rating. The wider db range they pick the larger range of frequency they can claim. Plus or minus 3 db is typical, but some use 5 db to get a larger claimed frequency range.
    • ^
    • v
    I bet Dan meant sensitivity (efficiency). There do seem to be tricks to fudge some of these numbers like you said. For example, the frequency range on Kenwood's website for their 4" KFC-1082ie car speaker is displayed as 45HZ-22kHz. It's pretty absurd to think that this 4" woofer (which has part of its surface area removed for the coaxial tweeter assembly nonetheless) can actually produce useful sound levels down to 45 Hz relative to mid and high frequencies. They also conveniently forgot to include the rms power level... can you imagine a speaker manufacturer including the rms power level but forgetting to include the larger, more impressive peak power level? Probably not.
    • ^
    • v
    Bose resurgence?

    Bose first got a piece of the market in the 70s. But they never could compete with the other major names like JBL, Dalhquist, B&W, Klipsch, and so on. Lacking a full range of the sound spectrum, the three-way driver speakers were preferred by audiophiles. I chose JBL in 1978, first real home loudspeakers. The Bose representative tried hard to get me to buy Bose instead, I listened for him, but no contest. Their unconventional, non-standard method made it difficult to work with other product makers. The ever popular 901 speakers required their sound processor, since the nine 8 inch driver did not employ a crossover, no woofer, no tweeters in an open air cabinet. Another example, the car speakers in the 80s were 0.16 ohms, which means their amplifier was required to power the speakers. Unlike the standard 4 or 8 ohm speakers. Their after market life was short for mobile audio.

    In the early 80s, Bose showed up in cars as factory options. Many car salesmen used this as a selling point. No so for us music freaks. Several car makers used Bose in their cars. My first factory car system by Bose was a test drive of an 80s Maxima. I was not impressed. My next experience with Bose car audio was a 1999 Bonneville. I replaced the audio system in the first month with my custom system, including a sub woofer. So car makers are back pushing Bose in their cars. The Bose stereotype (no pun intended) still holds true, “No highs, no lows, just Bose. One thing is definite; the midrange is covered 100%.

    The Bose home systems have a unique small system for home audio. The wave radios are a good idea. But they did not invent the folded horn effect, Klipsch had perfected this in the 70s, with the famous Klipschorn speaker, one of my favorites. Folded horn allows the air volume of the cabinet to be smaller, and produce a fuller sound, especially bass frequencies for the woofer, which is not found in the Bose 901. The wave radio systems are single cone drivers, which does not cover the full range of hearing. Also because the speaker suspension is open air and a plastic case, and plastic baffle. How air tight is that for frequency tuning. Other speaker makers tried the direct/reflecting idea, like Bose, but did not survive. Sound reproduction is more involved than just moving air.

    The new GM cars are hooked on Bose again. It seems you don’t get another choice in the upgraded options for audio. The SUV I test drove had Bose. Bose should pay more attention to how their name is used, this system was a lot of flat midrange. I am sure that is not how Bose wants us to remember them in car audio, but it is for now.

    In case you have not noticed, the many of the American great speaker makers have been bought by Harmon International, and haven't been the same since. The list includes, JBL, Infinity, Polk.
    • ^
    • v
    heh - "no highs, no lows, just Bose" - that's a good one. And I didn't realize Harman had acquired Infinity, JBL, Mark Levinson, etc.
    • ^
    • v
    I'm with you Mike; Bose is out to make only 1 thing...and that's money; not great speakers. Your right on in saying that they make entry-level home theater equipment - the reason why they sell so many systems (and speakers) is certainly due to their marketing as you note, but also because they value price their products and make you think that value = quality which just isn't true! They also make it dummy proof, you don't actually have to have any knowledge to set their product up - just plug and play audio for a plug and play world. A majority of consumers are also already listening to systems that are worse than horrible...so for those that don't shop around - of course it's going to sound great next to what they have now - it's an easy sell!

    One of your paragraphs I don't agree with is paper cones being crap - you'll find that many ultra high fidelity cones are coated paper and many audiophiles will argue with you for months on end about paper being the best - IF it's done right. I feel you could easily and correctly restate saying Bose paper cones suck - not ALL paper cones suck. I'm not sure where you are getting your data on composite material always being better and more accurate - I'm not buying it.
    • ^
    • v
    yeah, they're definitely about the money and not the product. In that regard though, one might classify them as a great company... without having any knowledge of any of their numbers, I suspect Bose operates with a higher profit margin than most other speaker manufacturers. Then again, they do spend a lot on advertising so I'm not sure. Also good point about them being dummy-proof; after all, some people are electronics "dummies" (no offense to anyone in particular) and simply want a surround sound system that's as easy as possible to install on their own. But I find there's also many people who would gladly purchase higher-quality equipment if they only knew just how much Bose sucks.

    Your last paragraph may be a valid point. I'm not using any data here, just personal experience. Pretty much every crappy speaker I've come across had a paper cone; that doesn't necessarily mean that EVERY speaker with a paper cone is crap, but I'm a gambling man so I like to play the odds. Like you said - "IF it's done right" the results may be good. But it also is a fact that a warped cone results in warped sound. Based on that alone, a more rigid cone is better. There are of course nuances here though. I know some speakers are made with metal cones (read: very rigid) and although I don't have personal experience, I've heard they can result in a tinny or metallic sound (imagine that! lol).
    • ^
    • v
    I just hit Google real quick and found a pretty down to earth discussion on "Paper vs. Plastic". Check it out!

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?...
    • ^
    • v
    [thumbs up]
    • ^
    • v
    I HATE Bose. Although they do provide a modicum of amusement. Take, for instance, trips to Bose stores. Attempt to question "knowledgeable" Bose employees about the specs (see Dan's comment) or materials of their products. Pretend that your serious or you'll spoil the fun before it's even had. Then choke back your laughter as you clarify "Paper? The cones are made of paper?" to get the coveted defensive answer "Yes, but it's SPACE-AGED paper!!" Maybe by this point you still have a straight face and would like to have some more fun. If this is you, pull out the CD you brought with the speaker test tracks on it. A personal favorite is the Doobie Brothers' "Black Water". The cymbals in the beginning of the track played on Bose speakers are enough to bring tears to any true audiophile. Nonetheless, comment on how clear they sound, a sentiment surely to be reaffirmed by the employee. Get the employee to elaborate as specifically as possible. If you make it past this stage, you're on your own. I have yet to last longer than this before laughing too hard or getting too mad, in either case, forcing me to leave.

    A final thought: have you ever, I mean EVER, been to a store where you can listen to Bose products side-by-side with other companies? Now maybe they've changed this since I've last been speaker shopping, but it used to be Bose policy to have their own section, apart from other speakers. Why? Lest your ear be the judge.
    • ^
    • v
    haha, funny stuff Steve. Bose really is all about gimmicks. I remember stopping in the Bose outlet store in Rehoboth once when I was a kid. They had a cut-out model of one of their subwoofers with a see-through plexiglass window on the side. Inside there were a bunch of tiny foam pellets, and you could press a button and the subwoofer would produce some low frequencies thus causing the pellets to dance around. It sure looked cool to a 9-year old, but in retrospect I have absolutely no idea what it was supposed to be demonstrating.
    • ^
    • v
    Another gripe I have with Bose is their "blackbox" attitude. They publish as little information as they have to and tell you what you HAVE to buy. For example, their car speakers run on 2.5 Ohms instead of the standard 4 or 8 Ohms just so you have to have a special amplifier. Oh, and don't even bother trying to ask them what the signal to noise ratio is on their speakers. They purposely hide useful information about their products so you simply do what they tell you to do and can't readily compare Bose to other products.

    Bose is way over priced. If you don't believe Bose sucks and want to argue their speakers sound great, I urge you to listen to a set of Klipsch, Boston Acoustics, etc. for the same price. Ever wonder why high end audio shops don't carry Bose?

    By the way, Bose headphones are just as bad too. They're just good enough to impress people who haven't tried out GOOD headphones. When I worked at Apple, I always busted out our Shure in-ear headphone test kit when I saw someone trying to buy Bose headphones... needless to say, I never sold a set of Bose headphones to someone shopping for themselves.
    • ^
    • v
    The Cadillac CTS has a new Bose 10 speaker system. Funny about it, they put 4 speakers in the front seats, face up on the top of the seat on either side of the head rest. I never thought to use the leather case and foam for a speaker cabinet, and never would. But this saleman tried to make Bose the selling point. He was not a stereo head. No clue.
    • ^
    • v
    ugh... Bose car audio is the WORST. At least if you get duped into buying their home speakers, it's a straightforward and painless process to throw them in the trash and replace them with something else! When I bought my car, I specifically looked for a model with the standard audio package instead of the "upgraded" Bose package because I knew it would be so much easier to replace everything with aftermarket gear.

    I purposely didn't mention anything about their headphones because I don't have any personal experience, and I figured that might be the one thing they actually have a small chance of producing quality products of, since they're all about getting sound out of small enclosures. Nice to know they're consistent across the board though!
    • ^
    • v
    I've got no proof, but I've heard that high end audio shops don't carry Bose simply because Bose doesn't let them! They control the distribution and tend to sell direct so there are no distribution costs or middle men. And...of course, so you can't put it next to an actual high end system and hear how crappy Bose sounds...
    • ^
    • v
    I know that Bose is very picky about how their products are allowed to be displayed and sold. I'm not sure it's that Bose doesn't let high end audio stores sell Bose products as much as high end audio stores refuse to jump through the hoops required to be an authorized dealer. Stores like Best Buy and Apple aren't allowed to adjust the price, put them on sale, or even give employee discounts to any Bose products! Then again, Apple does pretty much the same thing... haha!
 
close Reblog this comment
Powered by Disqus · Learn more
blog comments powered by Disqus