Audio Pioneer Dr. Amar Bose Has Died

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

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Dr. Amar Bose, founder of the audio company which bears his name, has died at the age of 83. Dr. Bose was one of the leading acoustic and audio engineers in the world and was responsible for much of the acoustic technology we use today.

Dr. Bose was born in 1929 in Philadelphia, and holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees in electrical engineering from MIT. He also served on the MIT faculty for 45 years.
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The Law of Bose:

If you spend the money you would've spent on Bose systems on actual audiophile equipment of the same cost, it would surpass Bose quality every time.

The only value to Bose is if you really didn't want to deal with wires or technicians.
 
My old college had a set of 901 Bose that sounded so wonderful when the guys would play piano on them. Everyone was mesmerized by the person on the piano. Very good memories!

R.I.P. Mr Bose. You'll never be forgotten.
 
Yea Rip but unless you had serious space constraints I'd never recommend Bose to anyone. I'm sure back in his days they had good stuff but there are so many great alternatives out these days for cheaper prices.
 
Kind of tired of people that trash Bose without having any experience with the real equipment (Profeesional PA) that Dr. Bose is known for and made his reputation. The crap hifi stuff Best Buy sells, is an entirely separate division of the company that his nothing to do with their Pro equipment that he designed.

I personally haven't heard any audio equipment capable of matching or beating the sound quality of a set of 802 Series II array speakers properly matched with an 802 active equalizer and 1800V amp and sub. I've heard louder, like the Peaveys you hear on stage or in a club, but nothing as natural and as clean for voice and live instruments.

If you used this stuff and still think there is better for less money fine, I can accept that. If you are looking to shake the roof of a club, Bose doesn't do that well and their is far better for that purpose. But judging them purely on a Wave radio or Lifestyle home theatre (especially the passive ones) isn't giving them a fair shake at all.

Anyway, RIP Dr. Bose.
 
VIC-20 said:
Kind of tired of people that trash Bose without having any experience with the real equipment (Profeesional PA) that Dr. Bose is known for and made his reputation. The crap hifi stuff Best Buy sells, is an entirely separate division of the company that his nothing to do with their Pro equipment that he designed.

I personally haven't heard any audio equipment capable of matching or beating the sound quality of a set of 802 Series II array speakers properly matched with an 802 active equalizer and 1800V amp and sub. I've heard louder, like the Peaveys you hear on stage or in a club, but nothing as natural and as clean for voice and live instruments.

If you used this stuff and still think there is better for less money fine, I can accept that. If you are looking to shake the roof of a club, Bose doesn't do that well and their is far better for that purpose. But judging them purely on a Wave radio or Lifestyle home theatre (especially the passive ones) isn't giving them a fair shake at all.

Anyway, RIP Dr. Bose.
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Damn straight. I love their stuff
 
As someone who works in audio... The onlu equipment that gets more laughs among audio crews than Bose is Dr Dre's...

R.I.P.

And may he not have to inflict his audio gear to the beloved at his ceremony.
 
VIC-20 said:
Kind of tired of people that trash Bose without having any experience with the real equipment (Profeesional PA) that Dr. Bose is known for and made his reputation. The crap hifi stuff Best Buy sells, is an entirely separate division of the company that his nothing to do with their Pro equipment that he designed.

I personally haven't heard any audio equipment capable of matching or beating the sound quality of a set of 802 Series II array speakers properly matched with an 802 active equalizer and 1800V amp and sub. I've heard louder, like the Peaveys you hear on stage or in a club, but nothing as natural and as clean for voice and live instruments.

If you used this stuff and still think there is better for less money fine, I can accept that. If you are looking to shake the roof of a club, Bose doesn't do that well and their is far better for that purpose. But judging them purely on a Wave radio or Lifestyle home theatre (especially the passive ones) isn't giving them a fair shake at all.

Anyway, RIP Dr. Bose.
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I'm not. The company released those products under the Bose brand, they are now part of their reputation - for better or less.
 
I hear he will be buried in a compact, tinny sounding, reinforced-paper-cone coffin with flimsy plastic handles. Estimated cost of the coffin is over half a million dollars.
 
It's not the company that has died and is being buried.
It is the man and scientist that did indeed make many positive contributions to the science of sound reproduction that has passed.
Show some respect clowns.
 
wrangler said:
It's not the company that has died and is being buried.
It is the man and scientist that did indeed make many positive contributions to the science of sound reproduction that has passed.
Show some respect clowns.
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Exactly. The guy has done some amazing things, and helped the industry regardless of the companies current position. Definitely a loss for the industry.

Although, as a company, it does have the overprice, undervalue reputation. Not bad products, really. Back in the day, though, they were pretty top notch. As for pro audio, I've heard some that sound excellent, but their home series sound like dog doo.

Although, the headline for the news story gave me a giggle.... Audio Pioneer...
 
CreepyUncleGoogle said:
Thank goodness we have Doctor Offenwhanger Beats to keep good sound alive with Beats Audio.
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Ouch. I was looking for some headphones for my son, and was trying out a few different pair. I personally own a cheap Sennheiser (need to upgrade), and the Beats, Skullcandy and other brand on the display all were absolutely horrible for up to 10x the price of my cheap $30 cans (which wouldn't win any awards, either - but now when comparing to others... maybe they will!).

Beats Audio is nothing special. It's like other brands - it's all name with nothing to back it up.
 
VIC-20 said:
I personally haven't heard any audio equipment capable of matching or beating the sound quality of a set of 802 Series II array speakers properly matched with an 802 active equalizer and 1800V amp and sub.
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As a former pro audio sound man... I have. Rather frequently.

That said, there's no denying the man had an impact on the audio industry. I still admire what he accomplished, even though I can't see my way to liking most of the products his company puts out. It's all just too expensive for what you get.
 
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Is this the type of crap they're selling these days? Air filtration units?
 
Not going to lie, Bose stuff actually sounds really good but the price is targeted towards the rich and famous.
 
VIC-20 said:
Kind of tired of people that trash Bose without having any experience with the real equipment (Profeesional PA) that Dr. Bose is known for and made his reputation. The crap hifi stuff Best Buy sells, is an entirely separate division of the company that his nothing to do with their Pro equipment that he designed.

I personally haven't heard any audio equipment capable of matching or beating the sound quality of a set of 802 Series II array speakers properly matched with an 802 active equalizer and 1800V amp and sub. I've heard louder, like the Peaveys you hear on stage or in a club, but nothing as natural and as clean for voice and live instruments.

If you used this stuff and still think there is better for less money fine, I can accept that. If you are looking to shake the roof of a club, Bose doesn't do that well and their is far better for that purpose. But judging them purely on a Wave radio or Lifestyle home theatre (especially the passive ones) isn't giving them a fair shake at all.

Anyway, RIP Dr. Bose.
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I've definitely never heard the 802 Series II, and it's nice hearing something good about Bose for a change. It's pretty shameful though that the Bose company has taken the "easy road" of spending (way) more on marketing than R&D, because it just doesn't do justice to the legacy of a man who originally innovated in the realm of sound quality.
 
Megalith said:
awms_ts_lg.jpg


Is this the type of crap they're selling these days? Air filtration units?
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Those actually sound quite good for $300 boomboxes. Too bad they aren't that reasonably priced... not sure you can even get one used for that.

Mini-Me said:
I've definitely never heard the 802 Series II
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The 802 (and 402) is 1980s technology that hasn't really aged that well. They're basically a 901 without the rear driver... very inefficient and power hungry, and if you don't have the EQ they don't do well. Bose has better options in the pro audio lineup these days, but you really need to get into their real pro audio stuff to find it.

Don't get me started on the 502 and the acoustic wave cannon...
 
RIP and thanks for all of the great technology.
Same goes to the guy who invented the computer mouse as well!
 
Selling expensive limited hi-fi to the folks with the most limited (you could say matching) hearing levels.

The over 60's
 
Ur_Mom said:
Ouch. I was looking for some headphones for my son, and was trying out a few different pair. I personally own a cheap Sennheiser (need to upgrade), and the Beats, Skullcandy and other brand on the display all were absolutely horrible for up to 10x the price of my cheap $30 cans (which wouldn't win any awards, either - but now when comparing to others... maybe they will!).

Beats Audio is nothing special. It's like other brands - it's all name with nothing to back it up.
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What do you have against Doctor Offenwhanger Beats anyway? Is this some kind of personal grudge? I understand he's been something of a villianous lout in recent times because he's focused more on profits, but that doesn't invalidate his PhD's in wave propagation and doppler slosh. :mad:
 
He was a great engineer and inventor. The company bearing his name is to blame for pushing overpriced, low quality products on the market. Nobody touches Yamaha Audio in sound quality and product quality, imo.

RIP, good Dr.
 
daglesj said:
So you've only listened to Yamaha gear then. ;)
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Nope. Klipsch, Bang & Olufsen, Infinity/JBL, Bose, Polk, Onkyo...lots more. I always come to the same conclusion: Yamaha delivers about the same or better sound quality at typically a much lower price point. Remember, installation, tuning, and imaging is a main factor for getting results, not so much the name of the manufacturer.
 
Bose audio gear has it's niche because the vast majority of home audio gear on the market is garbage.
In the 80s when the first "wave music machine" hit the market I had to admit they sounded good for what they were. A smallish table top intergrated stereo. You get get a Kmart cheapie stereo for $100 that sound like crap. NO presences, no defined stereo imaging, no dynamic range in the music at all, lots of noise from crappy cheap design. But this is what MOST people were use to hearing and this was GOOD to them.
Audio boutiques started Bose "wave music machine" (before the smaller wave radio) and for the first time people heard descent audio reproduction. And good music is breathtaking when properly reproduced; even at $800 price tag people bought them even though it was nothing but a table top stereo. These type units are good at low listening levels and that is what most people want.
That was the secret to the success. If every glass of milk you ever had was near soured; how wonderful and creamy a glass of fresh cold milk tastes. Most people have only experienced sour milk when listening to music.
 
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