Bose 901 - Series 1 Keep or sell

[Bob Kontak]

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.

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.........

[Bob Kontak]

[KFC911]

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

[aschen]

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

[Crowbob]

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.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by peteremsley

Alternative to replacing the drivers is re-foaming. Looks like the project from hell to me though.

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)

[aschen]

~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

[aschen]

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

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by peteremsley

Yes - I have a series 2 (I think) pair on the tulip stands. Look lovely but the foam is shot on almost every cone. Plug 'em in and turn the bass up. You should be able to tell how bad the foam is are without faffing with the equalizer. IIRC, the back comes off easily, but there are 4 small staples that hold the front on.

Alternative to replacing the drivers is re-foaming. Looks like the project from hell to me though.

Mine are basically stands for a pair of Paradigms's now. Since I don't have the equalizer either, I'm thinking of just ripping the guts out of the 901s and sitting the Paradigms inside the remaining cab.

If you have a known working equalizer and bad speakers, then that's that's worth some money. You could get a couple of hundred for each perhaps on ebay, but shipping would be a pain for the speakers. If you have the stands, they seem to sell pretty well too. Either way, I would separate them.

I'm no expert, but I do have a bit of ownership experience

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.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by aschen

~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

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

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by peteremsley

I'll bet

One guy said he did the lot in two hours.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

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

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.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by peteremsley

Wow - I can't imagine getting all 18 out of the cabinets and separated in that amount of time. The series 1 has 9 per cab, right?

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)

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by peteremsley

IIRC, the back comes off easily, but there are 4 small staples that hold the front on.

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

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

I am feeling 10.

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

[Crowbob]

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.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by peteremsley

You could just put one in each cab. You'd have 8 holes left in each though Closer to $400...

Might be a plan if you want to use them, but doubt any vintage stereo connoisseur would be that interested if you desired to sell.

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.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by peteremsley

You'd put up with a ****ty looking sports car when you don't have to?

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?

[TimT]

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..

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by peteremsley

Bob - if you seriously want to keep, maybe post up on AudioKarma to find someone who can restore if you find it necessary? I'd pull the backs off and plug 'em in.

Audiokarma Home Audio Stereo Discussion Forums

Thank you.

A field test is in order.