|
AndyG Unregistered guest | I have a set of 30 yerar old Bose 501's. I think the base and tremble are both shot (beyond reconing. I loved these speakers in their day and wonder if I can get the components replaced? If so, where? I understand the the components must be matched to the original since the case was acoustically designed accordingly. Any thoughts? How do these speakers compare to a decent small new book shelf set (e.g., Bose 201, Sony, cambridge...)? Thanks! |
|
Anonymous | gurgle, gurgle, glunk. go but a pair of decent speakers from alegria or somewhere. Give it up! Then there is Nuck's ebay! |
|
Gold Member Username: Edster922Abubala, Ababala The Occupation Post Number: 3036 Registered: Mar-05 | > How do these speakers compare to a decent small new book shelf set (e.g., Bose 201, Sony, cambridge...)? Thanks! They don't. And btw, Sony's speakers are even worse than Bose. Take this as a merciful opportunity to start over with some real speakers. Here's the lowdown on Bose: http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html |
|
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 6678 Registered: May-04 | If you must resurrect the 501's, you can begin at a speaker distributor such as Madisound or PartsExpress. http://www.madisound.com/ http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=091-1260 They can sell you parts which will be of comparable or better quality than the originals. However, after thirty years with a decidely mid fi speaker, I think you will be interested in the way speakers have changed in the last few years. The lower price ranges now offer a taste of the high end that was more often than not unavailable at the time you last bought speakers. I would strongly suggest you listen to a few speakers with some familiar music before you decide to put money back into an aged design such as the 501's. Realize even Bose no longer builds speakers such as the 501. I think you'll find restoring the Bose would be similar to restoring a Rambler sedan. |
|
AndyG Unregistered guest | Thanks. So what would be the best(I guess bookshelf) size speaker for under $250? I have read consumer reports but don't trust their assessment. |
|
Silver Member Username: KanoPost Number: 762 Registered: Oct-04 | http://us.alegriaaudio.com/Ling.htm - $350 http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/cbm170/cbm170.html - $344 Shipped Raise your budget by $100 and get a speaker which will perform twice as well as something you buy from a retailer for $250. |
|
AndyG Unregistered guest | These are great, but the weakest link is the receiver, a 30 year old (i.e., top end analg at the time) Pioneer. Sounds great with the old speakers but... |
|
Gold Member Username: Edster922Abubala, Ababala The Occupation Post Number: 3037 Registered: Mar-05 | Those Ascends would mate perfectly with the all-digital Panasonic sa-xr55 which is the bargain of the century at $230 shipped from amazon.com or jr.com --- if you are willing to wait until mid-January the new Ascend 170 SE will be out (see "New Ascends!!!!" thread), it is supposed to have an extra 10Hz of bass extension in addition to the famous Ascend flat frequency response. By saving on the receiver you can get a really great pair of speakers, and many people find that they prefer the Panny to analog receivers costing several times as much. https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-audio/160136.html http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?t=1251&page=1&p p=10 http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=530504 http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=417894 |
|
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 6681 Registered: May-04 | Andy - It sounds like its time to set a budget for the whole kit and kaboodle and do some reading before you visit a local audio shop. Do you have a decent dealer in your area? |
|
Bronze Member Username: 2morexExmore, Virginia USA Post Number: 18 Registered: Nov-05 | I agree totally with Jan, too much good inexpensive audio out here, both new and used to be had rather than attempt to fix some antique boat anchors. Good luck with your budget and newly found "good listening". |
|
AndyG Unregistered guest | Yeah, I live in NY so there are plenty around. Maybe I'll start with the speakers. The problem is that if you don't know you are unhappy, why mess with it... :-) Thanks |
|
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 6686 Registered: May-04 | " ... if you don't know you are unhappy ... " Yet another person ready for medications. No wonder the pharmaceutical manufacturers are one of the largest of all the Washington lobbyists. |
|
Bronze Member Username: Bill984Post Number: 36 Registered: Oct-05 | always costs more to restore than buy new. and you came to the wrong place to ask about bose. the people here hate them!! |
|
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 6689 Registered: May-04 | Where would the right place be to ask about restoring a pair of 501's? My guess is, even if you call Bose, they'll tell you to buy something new from their line up. |
|
Gold Member Username: Edster922Abubala, Ababala The Occupation Post Number: 3042 Registered: Mar-05 | yep, and I bet they'll swear that their latest models offer a shattering improvement on the old ones too, LOL. |
|
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 6693 Registered: May-04 | "Shattering"? Not a quality I've sought out in loudspeakers. |
|
Silver Member Username: TwebbzAnn Arbor, Michigan USA Post Number: 279 Registered: Apr-04 | I have a couple 70's KLH Model Twenty-Fours I could sell you for dirt if your into nostalgia. Stored for 25+ years and in excellent condition. |
|
Gold Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 1304 Registered: Jun-05 | Now if you want a antique design Rick has a good dose of medicine for you,much,much superior to the 501s! A restructure of your whole system seems to be the logical way to go about this upgrade.Id say set your budget at $1000 or a tad under should take you to a place you have never been with your audio.A pair of Epos els 3 for $300 or under if you shop around a Marantz PM 7200 intergratedamp for $499 or less,and a Marantz 5400 cp player for $299 or less if you shop around will make a very nice music system for you at reasonable cost,and could make quite a nice Christmas present for yourself,that will keep you listning to holliday tunes well thru and far after New Years Day! |