Oops! I told Dad I don't like his Bose (1 Viewer)

[Leon O]

I'm feeling a little guilty, I told my Dad that I don't like Bose. Since he grew up with quality equipment like Macintosh, I was surprised he likes his Bose so much. But, since he often wears hearing aids now, I figure he doesn't miss the highs. Plus, they do fill a room with sound, integrate well into his room and are self contained.

For nearly a year I've said nothing worse than they're not my bag. However, I was excited about receiving my new SVS and talking about my new equipment. When I talked about a completely new speaker system so they all matched in timber, he sugguested I get some Bose speakers. It just slipped out "No... I don't like Bose."

Well, I tried to take my foot out of my mouth by saying things like they weren't what I was looking for, I want to match theater levels, and that my system would probably "toast" the speakers. Was that another oops?

Anyhow, forgive my rambling, but what do you say when your family or friends ask you what you think about their Bose?

Perhaps I should create a page of polite Bose responses...

Have Fun!

Leon

 

[Pat K]

Just say "personally, i think better can be had for less money, but as long as your system makes you happy, thats all that matters, and more power to you"

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Don't you mean McIntosh?

 

[JeffTodd]

I have a few friends who swear by Bose.....and I have quit trying to reason with them. I just tell them that if it makes them happy then they should go for it. But, I have to say, after spilling my reasons against Bose (poor quality etc) I got one of my friends to at least admit that maybe I could be right. Small steps.

 

[Brian Shannon]

If people want to know what I think about Bose, I tell them honestly.

No sense in sugar coating the truth.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I was demonstrating our HT system to my aunt over the holidays. The system consists of B&W 600 Series speakers, subwoofer and a Toshiba 56-inch 16x9 TV. She was blown away by the sound on the opening of Toy Story 2. She then asked that question that makes any HTF member shudder:
"Are those Bose speakers?"
I just smiled and said "no, they are much better than that."

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

If you think about it, Bose has done a very enviable thing: they have half of the country convinced that they are the Rolls-Royce of speakers. I call this the "Bose Myth".

So when family and friends bring up Bose, I say stuff like "Well, they're marketed very well, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are the best value or best sound. They gotta pay for all that marketing somehow, so they are probably overpriced for the sound you get. I suggest auditioning more than just Bose, that way you'll make a more informed decision and probably save some money."

Breaking down the Bose myth one person at a time...

 

[Earl J]

Tell your dad to look on the bright side, they make awesome paper weights....

 

[Ryan Hawke]

I made a bigger mistake methinks I was working at a kettle corn booth at this charity fundraiser thing and there were a few people around me talking (not customers, just friends of my boss and such). One of them asked what I was interested in and what I wanted to do after college, so I told them that I was interested in speakers and audio. Then one asked me if I had any Bose speakers, to which I replied "No, I've moved way up from Bose." Well it turned out one of the guys there had been the marketing director (or something like that, go figure) for Bose for everything west of the Mississippi. This was the guy that also invited the kettle corn stand to come. Whoops. Well I kinda explained myself and let him tell me about the innovations that Bose had (they apparently can use the jewel cubes down to 100 Hz, but the drivers I tested had a Fs of ~350 Hz, go figure). He was a really nice guy, but the people there just couldn't believe that anything was better than Bose, so I gave up. Well that was my mistake, but I don't really regret saying it. The guy was extremely nice, but I think even HE bought into the Bose marketing hype and believed that they were the most innovative audio company in the world. Sad.
--Ryan

 

[Juan_R]

Bose is a cult and that is why no one ever believes otherwise.

 

[ColinM]

My buddy (yes, sadly, I have only one) saw The Mummy at his uncle's place, and he's rich and all that, and it was on a Bose cube set. He was amazed. Blown away. Sound coming from everywhere.

He doesn't know a thing about audio.

I've been egging him to swing over and watch a flick - any flick - on my rig. Dollar for dollar I have the same amount invested, plus I have a TV for what Mr. Rich Uncle had in Bose.

He won't come by. I think he's afraid he will be made a fool of after spewing the glorious attributes of the cubes.

People will cling to Bose if only to prove to themselves that there's no better way to spend your A/V dollar, performance be damned.

That's OK with me. What kind of world would it be if everyone ran NHT?

- C

 

[David_Stein]

i think bose is somehow connected to scientology, but im not sure...

 

[Juan_R]

i think bose is somehow connected to scientology, but im not sure...

LOL.

 

[John Garcia]

(sorry to admit it but) My dad also has a bose setup. I was disappointed when he got it some years ago, but he is happy with it, and that goes a long way. My parents came by my place and watched a flick with me, and were amazed at the sound, and my system cost right around what they spent, but I didn't tell them that...nor did I tell them I did not like their setup, only that it could be improved upon (to say the least).

To be totally honest, while their setup does not sound spectacular, it isn't awful either. Definitely lacking for the price, but not complete garbage.

 

[Frank_S]

BOSE = Beings Of Social Exceptence.:frowning:

 

[StevenK]

I notice Bose AM owners have one thing over us....contentment. They are a lot less prone to the upgrade bug than we are because they truly believe the have the best system anyone could buy. And at the end of the day, they go to bed a lot happier than some of us...which is what it's all about, isn't it?

 

[John Garcia]

Content is one thing, not knowing any better is a completely different thing....
I'm content with my system

 

[David_Stein]

if ignorance is bliss id rather be depressed...

 

[Jon D]

My little sister loves HT and 5.1 (I got her hooked on it ). Last week we were working on my Dad to buy a HT system (I was home over Spring Break), and she mentioned how her friends system sounded so cool. When asked what brand it was, she said "Bose". you could hear the hiss of breath escaping my mouth. I then jokingly told her that if she ever bought Bose, I'd disown her as my sister. I'm not sure if I was completely kidding or not :b

 

[ReggieW]

I just returned from the local Best Buy with my "Training Day" DVD (14.99 btw), and checked out the 3.2.1 system. After giving it a listen, it is hard to believe that ANY manufacturer could ask over 250.00 for this system more less ONE GRAND. As John stated, it isn't "quite" garbage, but it's something you would place in your office, kitchen, or bathroom. I couldn't honestly see any serious individual, J6P or otherwise, utilizing this as a main HT setup. I'm sorry. As far as the claims by Bose that it "almost" (whatever that means) gives you 5.1 sound, this is beyond silly. As long as you are sitting right up on the unit, it sounds as if you are getting deflected (is this the right term?) sound from your right and left, but it still sounds nothing like discrete surround sound. However, the futher back you move from the unit, then things get worse. If you are interested solely in aesthetics instead of sound, then this is probably the unit for you, or if you want something for the office, this would be nice for that, but DEFINITELY not for one grand! Sheesh.

Reg