Bose 901 - Series 1 Keep or sell
 

Audiophile buddy gave me his Series 1 901's with equalizer in exchange for car work.

I do have the first release Bose Acoustimass speakers in play now at the shop. javadog likens then to intercom speakers. :D

The Series 1 have cloth speaker material unlike later paper.

I have not tried them. I have not opened them up to have a look see.

These are 45 years old. Is there a chance in hell they are functional?

If not, do I rebuild them along with the equalizer - I see component kits for the equalizer - just talking. Or just sell them to an audio nut who would appreciate them more than me? These are pretty cool.

Rebuilt, maybe several hundred dollars. As is, $200?

Pics in a few. PP not uploading now or something on my end.........

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1475706677.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1475706699.jpg

Man, I thought those were so cool hanging from the college party room ceiling in '78...couldn't blow 'em and they weren't swimming in beer. I'll give ya ...

Nevermind...thanks for the memories :)

Off the top of my head, I think the drivers are prone to foam/surround rot. I know parts express sells replacement drivers.

As much as I dislike bose products (and I do dislike them!), those are kinda cool. My guess is they arnt worth much however unless the driveres have been refoamed. Caps in the eq prob need attention as well.

Have a look inside and see whats up

901's were the ultimate in their day.

If you can place them correctly in the house, your occasional audiophile visitor will be verily impressed.

If you don't like their sound, sell them. I loved them when the guy across the hall would let me scrape my choice of vinyl LOUD. We both won.

I have never tried it but we had a guy here at work that did a lot of re-foaming (huge fan of antique audio equipment) and he was not know for being the most delicate of our fellow technicians. Nick named 'sparky' because he tended to let the magic smoke out (RIP Carlos)

~20$ each

Replacement Speaker Driver for Bose 901 4-1/2" 1 Ohm

Im sure you could get a better pair of speakers for $400, but could be fun little project

if you do try to refoam, im sure you will be good by the 18th one!

Good info. I did JUST read where the Series 1 has cloth surrounds, not the speaker material like I said. Said they last forever.

However, I think I will open them up now.

Are they just ok for "today" or are they better than ok for today? Internet beats them up badly. More so on the later ones. Power hogs, etc.

Doode! For $40 you can't go wrong!

One guy said he did the lot in two hours.

Heh heh.

20 x $20, at least what I count. But consider the cussing and swearing putting in new surround x 20 little speakers.

You know new foam is $8 per.

I am feeling 10. They say the series 2 has some sort of sound release port but the Series 1, no.

Oh, I think the guy was stretching it. Like, I can pull a 911 engine in three hours (or less)

I am searching but not finding. A touch daunting with no research.

Noooo. One is a faux port on the flat side. Nine per.

They are speakers. The sound is what matters. Posers think otherwise.

If you like(d) the sound of 901's as new, fix 'em and use 'em like they were 'supposed to be used. You know, like a sports car.

Yep. I need to get inside. Series 1 has cloth surrounds. Need a look see but I ain't to the point of figuring out the removal of the burlap covering.

Love it. What are you truly thinking?

Here's the real deal. Pal has cancer. Best friend of my life. 64 or so.

If he punches out, I want these speakers. Would not make a difference to him right now as he has upgraded myriad times. These are castaways in his eyes and he also lost hearing in one ear. To me they are a link to younger days.

He may kick around another 15 years, don't know. The sappy story is just to indicate I am biased a touch.

I do want them working right, though, and I don't have a clue of how they sounded. The former is mechanical the latter is subjective. If you are not a discerning audiophile but like loud music without ear bleeding, would these be cool for the long run?

In 1978 or 1979 I bought my dream stereo from items in the Aafes catalog while I was in the sandbox...

Nakamichi tape deck, Technics reciever and turntable, Bose 901 speakers..a "spectrum analyser" etc..

I didn't get home from the sandbox until 1983 and finally opened the boxes that contained my already dated stereo...

In 1995 or 1996 I noticed the sound coming from the speakers were not what I was used to be, so I pulled the cover off one of the speakers and all nine foam surrounds were gone..

So I typed a nastygram to Bose up there in Massachusetts complaining that my fifteen or sixteen year old speakers, that I paid thirteen hundred dollars for in the late seventies failed..

To my surprise Bose replied that I should send them the speakers, and for some small fee (I cant remember ho much,but it was more than reasonable) they would send me the latest generation of 901s.... as they were aware that some early issue speakers with foam surrounds had sub standard material..

Not sure if they would extend that sort of support to a forty year old product, but they sure impressed me..

Thank you.

A field test is in order.

That's awesome. I could at least call their tech support to see if they are still savvy with respect to the old units.

They may have interesting insight.

I am itching to hook these up but need to bust them open first.

sr71

I don't have those.

Jeebus, they catch smack on the web. But for me, with my Acoustimass Series 1, non AC driven sub, they should be ok as a replacement.

A close friend had a new set back then. They could be played super loud, which is what he liked.
We all were impressed with how they filled the room, etc., but I liked (like) upper end quick transients, and they lacked that, so they were rather pedestrian to me.
When I got my Infinity Servo Statik (Electrostatic panels & bass commode) system and we heard such marvelous crystal clear highs, he sold his Bose 901's and began a multi-year search for the "ultimate" speaker.
I was never impressed enough to consider a set. I would, however, do as you're doing...research a rebuild (cost permitting) and keep them - just for the hell of it.
Good luck.
.
Edit: From the looks of the photo above...maybe screens are Velcro attached?

Here's a review that is interesting..We Review the Bose 901… – Reviews | TONEAudio MAGAZINE

I've had speakers re-foamed at a local business at a very reasonable price. If they haven't been done before...they will need it at that age. I had a pair of 501's refoamed...sounded like new again. The 901's, also are reflective speakers, making room placement a little more difficult...which I'm sure you know.

Here's my pal's set of Infinity Quantum 2's in his garage wasting away. I bet these have the electrostatic jobbies you speak of.

I don't have room for four F250's in my shop.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1475717078.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1475717224.jpg

Hang from the ceiling, they will swing. Ah the good old days, Ha!

i got rid of mine. i have never missed them. not in the least.

Bob,
Some info on those Q2's...also the Servo Statik system that I had.
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Infinity

I had the great privileged to work at Bose on "The Mountain" back in 1979 or so. I was a college drop out and needed a job. I worked on the 901 driver line and did everything from reworking driver housings, burning in spiders, to sealing dust caps with the black epoxy and testing in the booth. Fantastic company and great people.
There was a rumor that the six or so tractor trailers out back had 901's with straight 120V's running through them for days.
I used to enjoy breakfast with Dr. Bose every once in a while.
They had a Christmas special for employees that included a set of 301 speakers, a turntable and a receiver for about $125 bucks.
They had an employee lottery for the new automobile Bose system under development and I was one of the winners but had a 1967 VW convertible bug that they said was too old.
Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then.
Great speakers to say the least.

[QUOTE=Bob Kontak;9307448 If you are not a discerning audiophile but like loud music without ear bleeding, would these be cool for the long run?[/QUOTE]

For the memories ..
Oh yes...

Rika

Thank you for this link. I read every word.

Room placement will be interesting. I have a 50' x 15' garage with 14' ceilings. I can make fake corners.