Are Bose 301 speakers worth buying?

[ROBIN LANDANSON]

Bose speakers are over priced and outclassed by the competition. These were unpleasant sounding speaker for back ground listening. Total tonality is distorted to produce pleasant sound rather than accurate sound. Bass is very loose. Direct reflecting design hurts the original imaging, and the output sound is unrealistic. ''These speakers are not bad but you can purchase a better speaker for the same money''.
Bose speakers don't have a very clean tone. These speakers are excessively warm, but lacking the details...

 

[reubensm]

I've not heard the 301s but I've heard the 501s (I think it was the vintage version of the 501s). It sounded good to my ears but these speakers had to be driven properly. I thought they lacked presentation in the mid ranges but otherwise, sounded ok. Personally I like my speakers pointing in the direction of where I sit, hence not a great fan of the diffused sound approach. Whether Bose is likeable or not, is a personal choice, in my opinion.

 

[rdevakumar]

I have Bose 301 speakers and also a set of Sony streo speakers. When i keep the speakers in good listening position (in living room along with TV and proper seatings) i find the Sony sounds better for music. But Bose scores better when the listening angle is not good (in my study room, i don't have proper space to keep speakers, they are kept kind of over my head, not in the middle of room etc).

Also, it has a strong Bass, can play (very) high volumes. You need a higher power amplifer also for Base 301 (my previous onkyo AV receiver not able to drive these speakers well, but my 15 yrs old wintage Pioneer amp drives the Bose very nicely).

 

[jenson]

i find 301's to be a pleasing set of speakers. nothing wrong. as always, least demo some more brands before you make a decision.

 

[drgb]

"Bose-bashing" as some have started to call it, is nothing new to audio forums. We've been bashing pricey 'mainstream' brands from the start.
Although I agree that most Bose products are relatively overpriced, I think to call their speakers 'underachieving' or 'just okay' in performance is slightly unjustified (more so for their older generation speakers; 1970s-1990s. Their new gen products however are another different-ehm-sad-story).

I haven't heard the 301s but I did have a chance to hear the 501 Series IV and believe me they just sounded fantastic. In fact I found them to be a more enjoyable listen than the Dali Ikon 6 MK2 that were placed just adjacent to it. Some of my observations:

1. The Bose were definitely less resolving but had more integrity to their sound than the Dali.

2. Although the bass on the dali was quite powerful and punchy, on the bose it sounded quite smooth and more accurate. (The room size was about 20*18)

3. The bose were more friendly to a range of genres as compared to the Dali which made it impossible to listen to metal at the same volume as Jazz. On some tracks the Dali sounded downright offensive. This single point alone makes the bose a better speaker for me. A more versatile speaker is a better companion as it can help you develop a taste in different types of music.

4. The bose also had a much wider sweet spot/area than the Dali which would lose its imaging if I were to shift from a particular aural position. Say if I were the only person to be listening then the Dali would be an obvious winner for its resolved stereo image. But sitting with two other friends on the same couch; I'd take the bose any day for its much more 'wider' sound. I don't know if I'm choosing the right words here, but the bose sounded more "live" than the Dali. The effect was compounded while playing a movie scene or during recorded media where the bose just came into their own while the Dali sounded artificial.

Obviously these impressions are all subjective as my taste/perception could be completely different from someone else. But one thing is for certain that old bose speakers are not junk or mediocre. Infact; placed correctly and given the right amplification, these can give you more satisfaction than your "audiophile" brands.

I guess the lesson here is to listen to speakers yourself than trusting what other people say. If you're getting a good condition Old bose speaker, go listen. It could turn out to be a 'better buy' and a sound investment of your money.

 

[silking]

I have heard bose 301 with rotel stereo amp.They are decent speaker for music.They are lacking in the mid area ,but for HT set up with onkyo they perform very well.