Problem w/ Boston speakers (1 Viewer)

[Doug Otte]

Greetings, all. I don't intend to bad-mouth Boston Acoustics with this post. I am sincerely just looking for feedback on Boston quality.

I had Bostons installed about 2.5 years ago. I don't remember the model numbers (I think they're the most basic in the FX or NX lines) but can look them up at home. I'm using a Sony head unit w/ no external amp. I listen to classical, talk, and rock at moderate levels.

Edit: I should have specified that I don't use any bass boost or other EQ settings on the Sony. The only EQ change I made is backing down the treble a few notches to take off some of the brightness.

After 1.5 years, the right rear cone separated from its frame. I was surprised that the retailer volunteered to replace it because the warranty had expired. I therefore didn't press them w/ questions about Boston quality.

Now, a year later, the right front has similarly blown.

I always thought Bostons were fairly well-made. My wife has a pair of bookshelf Bostons that have always sounded great. They need to be re-foamed, but otherwise they're in wonderful condition for speakers that are about 20 years old.

Is this a common problem w/ Bostons, or is it possible there's another culprit, like improper wiring or improper grounding?

Finally, if I replace them, are there recommendations? I like the clarity and imaging of the Bostons, but they are a bit too detailed and thin, which might be exacerbated by the Sony head unit. I'm thinking about moving up to a better head unit w/ outboard amp. In the meantime, I would consider spending about $400 for just the speakers.

Thanks.
Doug

 

[VinhT]

Hi Doug,

I would say that what you have experienced is not necessarily an indicator of Boston quality. I would just chalk it up to the harsh automotive environment. Speakers in cars are subject to a variety of conditions including shock, vibration, extreme temperatures, and moisture. The consumer base seems rather small, so there is very little feedback to found regarding Boston Audio's automotive products on the internet. As a result, it is difficult to tell whether this is a recurring issue or not.

As for new speakers, a $400 budget means that you can pretty much afford anything out there except for the really esoteric speakers, which are usually of dubious quality anyways. I have used JL XR's with good results. I can also recommend Alpine's Type-X. Speakers sounding too detailed and thin like you described is a good indicator that the tweeter output level is simply too high. You may want to look for speakers that have flexible crossovers with sufficient tweeter level options. The JL and Alpine products mentioned are good examples.

 

[Doug Otte]

Hi, Vinh. Thanks for your input.

Cheers,
Doug

 

[Rudy Cardona]

that is VERY VERY weird that the cones would just come out of the frame like that , that is not normal and boston acoustics is a very good company with great products, the ONLY possible thing i could think of is that deck, it probably does like 15 watts , assuming youre speakers were rated more than that then that might have caused it since you didnt have enought power to push them, sonys car audio products are not exactly on the top of the list(dont know about home)if i were you id get a nice head unit(alpine,clarion,eclipse,) with 3 pre outs(front,rear,sub) and i would look into some 200 range components, alpine type R, Resonant Engineering RE's(strong midbass) , cdt classics, adire kodas(strong midbass).