Why all the hostility towards bose?

 

New member
Username: Bill984

Post Number: 7
Registered: Oct-05
short of spending a hell of a lot more, where do you find better speakers?
 

Silver Member
Username: Touche6784

USA

Post Number: 697
Registered: Nov-04
B&W, paradigm, PSB, klipsch, Ascend Acoustics, Orb Audio, Axiom, Aperion, Boston Acousitcs, KEF just to name a few. instead of walking into best buy or circuit city, walk into a real hifi store.
 

New member
Username: Bill984

Post Number: 8
Registered: Oct-05
i don't want my wall to look like the stage at a concert. i want to watch my plasma and enjoy the sound. i have acoustamass and floor standing bose, car stero bose and bookshelf. so i am leaning towards the lifestyle 48 for the new tv.
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 272
Registered: Feb-05
any compact system like the Paradigm Cinema and Klipsch Synergy (which are about the size of the Bose Acoustimass, but a little bigger) will offer VASTLY better sound due to:

-better quality speaker drivers
-better quality cabinet construction
-actual two way satelites used vs. the acoustimass single driver, and those that use a single driver use a BETTER speaker.
-a REAL subwoofer for those theater-like lows instead of the bandpass mud associated with Bose.

All of this adds up to much better imaging. The reason why Bose relies so much on the Direct-Reflecting technology is because it creates a semblence of a soundstage. The actual speakers used are too cheap to create this image, so they have to artificially create one.

These are speaker manufacturers that make speakers designed to accentuate the look of Plasma TV's

Klipsch
B&W
Paradigm
MartinLogan (my all time favorite speaker manufacturer)
Orb Audio (great sounding sphere speakers)
Gallo Acoustics (look almost exactly like Orb)


The MartinLogans that I reccomend to go with a plasma are the Vignette and Fresco. These two speakers create absolutly breathtaking sound, and can be mounted on the wall, put on floor stands, or mounted on shelf stands.

The only downside is the price... The Vignette is $700 per speaker, and the Fresco is $1000 per speaker! However, you really owe it to yourself to check out this amazing line just so you can see for yourself what high performance, and VERY GOOD LOOKING home theatre is all about.
 

Silver Member
Username: Stu_pitt

NYC, NY

Post Number: 718
Registered: May-05
Bill -
You owe it to yourself to read this independant review of Bose before you buy anything else from them -

http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html

I don't know what would sum them up better than this. The best advice is what Chris mentioned - go to a local hi-fi store. Actually, go to as many as you realistically can. Hear everything from the rediculously expensive to the dirt cheap. You don't need to have huge over-sized speaker to have a great sounding system. For the amount of money you'd spend on a lifestyle system, you can do so much better.

While just about every one of us here is anti-Bose, we have no ulterior motives. We have nothing to gain or lose whatever you buy.
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 273
Registered: Feb-05
the Lifestyle 48 is $4000, you would be better off spending that money on:

5 MartinLogan Vignettes = $3500
1 HSU research STF-2 = $400

And from there, investing just a litle bit more in a reciever and DVD player.

There are many options of decent, but inexpensive recievers that can be paired with this combo, as the vignettes are easy to drive, with a 6 ohm load. I have heard that the new panasonic digital recievers are quite good. If you are interested in this, give MartinLogan a call. They will be able to point you in the right direction.

You would end up spending a little more than what you would have at first, and have ended up with a system that will BLOW anything away that Bose can put up against it (including the 901's)



Sorry for really going on about this, but I just realised now the price of the lifestyle 48, and the Vignettes wil be right up your alley with looks, and especially, sonics!

www.martinlogan.com for more information
 

Silver Member
Username: Touche6784

USA

Post Number: 699
Registered: Nov-04
bill, have you ever heard of these speakers? have you heard any speakers besides bose? do you know how big the companies i listed are and how wide their selection is? do you know what real bass sounds like, not the crap from the plastic box? you obviously dont if you make the generalization that your setup will look have to like a concert hall. each company i listed sells speakers geared towards wall mount and flat tvs like plasmas. again, research companies outside of best buy and please do not be another ingorant bose buyer.
 

New member
Username: Bill984

Post Number: 9
Registered: Oct-05
thanks everyone, this is why i come here. i will go to tweeter and gramophone tommarrow. for starters.
 

Silver Member
Username: Kano

Post Number: 716
Registered: Oct-04
Polk has released a line specifically for complimenting flat panel tvs esthetically while preserving sound quality.

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/products/flatscreens/
 

Silver Member
Username: Chitown

Post Number: 392
Registered: Apr-05

Bill you may want to also do some shopping on-line. Unlike some people here I do care how the speaker and how it matches my room and needs and this is not due to WAF factor. However I would never consider a Bose. I let a guy at a high end hi-fi shop talk me out of them years ago and have never gone back.

I am trying a pair of Aperion satellite speakers for my bedroom. I ordered them at least partially because it matched my furniture and the price was right for a small 2 speaker system which I will match with my 15 year old Rotel and a used NAD CD player that I picked up.

However having said this there are physics involved in pushing air out (how the sound is produced) that highly the likes of a tiny cubes that Bose offers. Of course that is not Bose's only problems.

Now buying from the internet only company can leave a lot to be desired, however Aperion covers the shipping back and I will have no hesitation to do so if I don't like these speakers and will go with something else.

I'm not sure what you will find that is good and decent priced at Tweeter. Hopefully the other store may have some options. If you were near Chicago I could point you to some really good stores.

 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 280
Registered: Feb-05
Bill, Tweeter carries the MartinLogans that I have rec'd to you! Be SURE to check them out!

Tweeter is a fine place to start your research, as they carry many different brands. Mine has Bose (for your comparison sake), MartinLogan, Mirage, Vienna Acoustics, and Boston Acoustics.


 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2785
Registered: Mar-05
Bill,

go to Tweeter to listen, but buy online as much as possible.

BestBuy/Circuit-City = Average Joe R ape Zone

Tweeter = Yuppy R ape Zone
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2786
Registered: Mar-05
PS. oh and Bill, after you have bought yourself some real hi-fi gear, I guarantee that the first thing you'll want to do is to eBay every last piece of Bose junk that you currently own.
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 283
Registered: Feb-05
Tweeter= Yuppy R ape zone


LOL Edster! That shows how much you know about Tweeter, at least the one by me.

Are you in fact saying that you reccomend going to a private dealer when you can get better service, and better prices on the same gear at Tweeter? MartinLogan comes to mind :-) They will frequently have sales up to 20% off the price, and sometimes will come down more, depending on what it is.

I am referring to the one in Saratoga, NY. The salesman there are non-pushy, let me do my own thing, carry mid to high end gear (MartinLogan, B&K, Vienna, Sonus Faber, Mirage, Boston Acoustics high end, etc.) and above all, are EDUCATED ON WHAT THEY SELL! I would like to think that my local Tweeter is a representation of the whole chain.

The listening rooms are set up quite well too!

and about buying online: Many audiophile brands are NOT available online! MartinLogan is the example I will stick with. They arent available online brand new, except from a closeout website that I found through yahoo, and don't carry a warrenty.



I DO agree with ebaying the bose junk though
 

New member
Username: Bill984

Post Number: 10
Registered: Oct-05
just got back from tweeter and i think i am going with the martin logan "clarity" speakers. and the new dennon 200w reciever wit hdmi connection. he also has me leaning towards the pioneer "elite" 43" plasma.
all this visit did was change my mind on all my selections.

i have always wanted to get away from bose but my wife just loves the small speakers. all she ever talked about was bang and olafson but she fell in love with the martin logan's today. they also had a sweet pair of "focal" speakers.
 

Silver Member
Username: Touche6784

USA

Post Number: 704
Registered: Nov-04
good for you bill. the martin logans will probably be awesome. hope you are very happy with your purchase. let us know what you think of them when you get everything.
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 285
Registered: Feb-05
arent the MartinLogan speakers great? The sound is just phenomenal, not to mention they look great.
 

Silver Member
Username: Touche6784

USA

Post Number: 705
Registered: Nov-04
i just realized which ones you got, i am very envioius.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Bill984

Post Number: 11
Registered: Oct-05
yeah they sound really sweet. now, they had them set up without a sub woofer and sounded fine. do i need to get one though? they come with an 8"woofer as it is.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 2113
Registered: Feb-05
Good job Bill. You kept an open mind and now you will benefit from it.
 

Silver Member
Username: Touche6784

USA

Post Number: 706
Registered: Nov-04
if what you use them for doesnt extend beyond the 46hz bass extension there is no reason. but its always nice to have a sub. i think any of the martin logan sub will work well, even the grotto.
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 286
Registered: Feb-05
Bill,

If you are interested in pairing your new speakers with a sub, this will give you some info on the ML line of subs, which I feel are some of the best in the world.

MartinLogan has subwoofers in all price ranges:

$599 Dynamo (1x10) 25--120 Hz ± 3 dB.
$999 Grotto (1x10) 22--150 Hz ± 3 dB
$1800 Depth (3x8) 20--150 Hz ±3 dB
$2795 Decent (3x10) 18--150 Hz ±3 dB

All the subs except the dynamo are servo controlled. The Dynamo has a unique configuration that enables it to be used in a downward firing OR front firing manner.

at each of their respective price points, these subs are absolutly fantastic. I can't recommend them enough, especially if you do 50/50 HT/music.

I used to reccomend SVS for their lower priced models, but now that MartinLogan has come out with a model that is only $100 or so more expensive than their least costly, I only do that when HT is the primary concern, not music.

I can't urge you enough to track down a local ML dealer and see what they have to say, and try to at least audition their subs. They are BLINDING fast (great transient response), and can really deliver in HT as well.
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 287
Registered: Feb-05
that was cut and paste from another post in a different thread, so some of it may be repetitive.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Bill984

Post Number: 14
Registered: Oct-05
thanks, love this board!!!
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2790
Registered: Mar-05
Gavin,

you are right about the listening rooms and really high end stuff like the ML speakers.

I was thinking more along the lines of say, Denon receivers, which you can get for much less online.

Also the insidious thing about Tweeter is that they'll also try to mix in overpriced junk which does not appear so overpriced next to the high end stuff, like Sapphire and Polk Monitor speakers, not to mention Bose of course. Basically the real high end stuff helps sell the low end junk.
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 288
Registered: Feb-05
My Tweeter has a Bose Acoustimass in with the MartinLogan believe it or not! I think that this is a great way for people to see what garbage Bose really is!

 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2792
Registered: Mar-05
you should ask them how many people buy the Bose crap anyways. I'm sure the ML makes Bose look like a great deal price-wise, that's probably why they have them side by side, the devious basstards! lol
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 289
Registered: Feb-05
I did the last time I was in there. The salesman told me it helped them sell more of the lower end ML's (montage and mosaic), which are in there with Clarities and Aeons, and THAT makes the bose look like a $hitty value because the ML montage is $1400 a pair.


I was told that they sell quite a few of the Mosaics and Montages after people compare them to Bose.

The Mosaics are $2000
The Montages are $1400
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2795
Registered: Mar-05
in that case I wonder if Tweeter moves much Bose at all, esp. compared to the likes of Best Buy where Bose is presented as top-shelf.
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 291
Registered: Feb-05
eddie...

The other part of this is that they are supposed to stay out of the decision making process, and not let their biases show. All of the reps in the Saratoga Tweeter despise Bose, and will only demo it when a customer requests it. Then, they will point out better options. If the customer still insists on the Bose, they will of course go with it.

Paul Fink, the rep that I dealt with last year that told me all of this, told me that ML is his speaker of choice.
 

Silver Member
Username: Chitown

Post Number: 398
Registered: Apr-05
That's interesting Gavin and is a good attribute of a salesperson that really cares about sound. Most salespeople are concerned about 3 things in this order:

1) Identify a real buyer. Is the person here to buy or should I not waste time with them.
2) What is their preferance? Did they come in with their mind and heart set on something that I can help facilitate in buying.
3) What is the markup and my commission on brand x vs. brand y.

Salespeople usually hate the brands where their commissions are too low for selling.

Abt appliance outside of Chicago has a pretty good selection of speakers (as well as other stereo equipment). I went in there sometimes in Spring looking for smaller surround speakers. At first the salesperson pointed me to the Bose. As soon as he saw the look on my face he immediately turned to M&K and other speakers. That told me that Bose must have a good commission structure for the sales force.

If you found a good guy in a hi-fi store that makes all the difference in the world.

 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 292
Registered: Feb-05
Thats why I continue to go there. Even if I call up with questions, and don't purchase anything, they still treat me as if I were a real buyer, and THAT is something that I cant say for the majority of places that I have been, especially because I am only 21, and look young. People tend to look at me and say to themselves "oh he's just in here to look," and avoid me...

at Tweeter (saratoga) they treat me as if I was their only customer, and have even been told over the phone not to come in on a given day to audition equipment because it would be crowded, and I wouldn't be able to spend a decent amount of time to myself.

Granted, I called THEM (not them calling me) with questions about a MartinLogan model they had, and was told to wait and come in during the week.

People may harp at tweeter for carrying Bose with 'Logans, and Sonus Faber, but its reasons like that that keep me going back there. At least the rep that I have dealt with is outstanding.
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 293
Registered: Feb-05
I read somewhere that the salesmen make somewhere between 20% and 30% for selling bose speakers.
 

Gold Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 6414
Registered: May-04


"I read somewhere that the salesmen make somewhere between 20% and 30% for selling bose speakers."


Between 20% and 30% of what?


On several ocassions I've worked in shops with Bose as a selection among the other brands. I never came across an extra commission structure on Bose. Bose is sold at retail and the store will possibly (probably) be disenfranchised if they discount Bose. It is a product people come in with their minds set on because they have heard of Bose and not Dynaudio. Bose also sends mystery shoppers to make certain Bose is not misrepresented; so a salesperson never knows who they are speaking to concerning Bose. With a product people ask for by name and no discount offered, there is no need to "spiff" Bose products. The store usually makes more profit on other speaker lines and it would benefit the store to sell other products over Bose. However, the incentive to carry Bose, and to actually sell Bose, is always there.


 

Silver Member
Username: Timn8ter

Seattle, WA USA

Post Number: 596
Registered: Dec-03
I can vouch for that. Stores are prohibited from discounting Bose (unless Bose authorizes the discount)and I never saw extra commissions being paid.
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 294
Registered: Feb-05
ok...

thanks for setting me straight

it was some random thing I saw online about commissions (or store profit) at Circuit City.

The sales people at CC and BB arent even commissioned...are they?


I do know at Tweeter, they are.

I almost applied for a job there. Had I gone to Skidmore College (Saratoga), I might have done so.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 2128
Registered: Feb-05
I don't like any of those chains and don't deal with them. I try to buy only from locally owned audio stores where I can buy directly from the owner. Over the years I've developed good relationships with the owners at my 3 favorite stores.

Between them they sell:

B&W
Paradigm
ProJect
Music Hall
Rega
Naim
JM Focal Labs
Boston Acoustics
Vandersteen
Magnepan
Era
Rotel
NAD
Rogue
Prima Luna
Arcam
ProAc
Spendor
Musical Fidelity
Creek
Marantz
Integra
Denon
Cambridge Audio
Nottingham
Tannoy
Sonus Faber
Audio Refinement
Ayre
Audioquest
Tara Labs
Analysis Plus
Kimbe Kable
Tributaries
Studio Tech
Lovan
Salamander
Grado
Goldring
Simaudio
Meadowlark

To name just a few.
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2798
Registered: Mar-05
> The sales people at CC and BB arent even commissioned...are they?

Actually I think CC does go by commissions, that's why you get pounced on when you walk in the door. BB does not, which is why you usually have to search to get some assistance and they have the least knowledgeable sales staff I've found.
 

Anonymous
 
They don't carry Bose??? Must not be very good stores you shop at Arthur. Even Best Buy carries the most respected name in sound. You should look one up some time and see what you're missing.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 2132
Registered: Feb-05
Sorry no Bose or Panasonic. I have 2 CC's and 2 BB's within a 1/2 hr drive...ick.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Fps_dean

Post Number: 14
Registered: Oct-05
It used to be that any Bose would be a real good speaker, and cost $1000 or more. In the past 10 years, they have dropped their price down below the $1000 mark, not even made any of the cheaper products, just subcontracted someone else out to make them the cheapest P.O.S. they can, throw their name on it and put it on the shelf.

They now sell a lot of stuff in the price range that most people can afford. And since it has the name Bose on it, people recognize Bose as a quality name although it is becoming less and less, and jump on it.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Fps_dean

Post Number: 17
Registered: Oct-05
Art Kyle... I want to go to your music store! :-)

And bill, if you don't have a whole lot of money to spend check out the Infinity Beta 50s. At $500 a pop, they really sound like a speaker twice that.
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 295
Registered: Feb-05
If he likes the ML, he won't like the Infinity, they sound too colored in the mids IMHO.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Fps_dean

Post Number: 19
Registered: Oct-05
They're not colored in the mids though. If you run a cheap amp with them then maybe. But they benefit from a good amp :-)
 

Bronze Member
Username: Fps_dean

Post Number: 20
Registered: Oct-05
Oh unless you mean the ML... those things are pretty colored in the mids.

My uncle has an older model of the same thing. Forked out a lot of cash for them but could have got a larger speaker that would sound 1000 times better for less.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Fps_dean

Post Number: 21
Registered: Oct-05
Scratch that last post. I was thinking the ML was some sort of dubbed name for the Bose Acoustimass and not realizing it's Martin Logan.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Fps_dean

Post Number: 22
Registered: Oct-05
Gavin... (it wont let me type your full username, it says the following words are not allowed in this post! haha!) I think most people can sell a lot of anything after comparing them to Bose...
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 296
Registered: Feb-05
but, I am not a really big infinity fan per-say.
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 297
Registered: Feb-05
LMAO!!!!

dean, you arent the first person to tell me that! Thats too funny!

Yeah, around here, MartinLogan are commonly shorthanded as ML.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Fps_dean

Post Number: 23
Registered: Oct-05
I don't think you can beat them for the buck unless you want something brighter ;)

Some of it ends up being the room it's used in. I just found my mother a pair of Beta 50s. Had it been for a smaller room, there's a pair of $600 Paradigms that I would have jumped on but they are heavy in the midrange department... very smooth mids, but a lot of them too but damn they sounded great with a Mcintosh MA6900 or MA6500 in the listening room!
 

Bronze Member
Username: Fps_dean

Post Number: 24
Registered: Oct-05
Yeah I'm new to the audio forums world.

I'm fairly new to the hifi world too. I'm a poor college student :<

In western Massachusetts, we have a couple good local hifi stores. One of them carries whatever they think is good and maybe receivers by 20 different companies so it's whatever they get in at the moment, and the other carries just a few brands (Infinity, Paradigm, and they have a $4000 Mcintosh that I am still plotting a way to obtain, legally or not, lol jk), but other than that we have to drive to Albany (NY) or Boston to get anything else.

I've never actually seen or heard a Martin Logan. I had to look them up. They make some really wierd speakers that almost look futuristic (if they were just a flat panel they would!).
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 298
Registered: Feb-05
LMAO

I live beteeen Saratoga and Utica NY, and frequent Albany! You can find MartinLogans at the Albany or Saratoga Tweeters.


I am a college student myself, this is wierd, there arent too many of us on here!

Personally, I use Rotel gear with Magnepan speakers for serious listening, and used to own a pair of MartinLogan Scenarios, but they were returned quickly as I didn't care for the bass. The new models are much improved, with faster, lower distortion cones.

I have my mother set up with a Pioneer component system driving Paradigms for casual listening, improving the TV sound. She USED to like Bose, and LOVED my ML (never noticed the bass integration issue) :-)
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 2135
Registered: Feb-05
"Art Kyle... I want to go to your music store!"

C'mon over to the Willamette Valley here in rainy ole Oregon. Actually a block from one of those stores is another one where you work with the owner, Mernerd England...he's the local Mac dealer. Life is good in audio Nirvana.
 

Silver Member
Username: Chitown

Post Number: 402
Registered: Apr-05

"Bose also sends mystery shoppers to make certain Bose is not misrepresented; so a salesperson never knows who they are speaking to concerning Bose. "

Does that answer your original question Bill?

 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 299
Registered: Feb-05
MartinLogan used to make a model called the CLS, which was just the electrostatic panel. They discontinued it due to enormous power requirements, the fact that it was really limited in the dynamic range, and had almost no deep bass.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Fps_dean

Post Number: 32
Registered: Oct-05
Gavin.... I am not up that way too much anymore but next time I am I will stop by and give them a listen.

I've had a 40 or 60 watt (forget where i found it, does not say that or a model # on it) Philips receiver from the late 70s or early 80s (keep thinking '79 for whatever reason).

My uncle gave me some Infinity Column II's that he paid $1k or more for in the late 70s, but my receiver does not have enough power for them so my father has them at the moment. I ended up with my father's Boston Acoustics A70s and he got the Column IIs.

Today I bought a Mcintosh 1900 in real good condition for $400. Puts out a min of 55 watts, so I should be good with that. Only problem is my father's going to kill me for taking the Column IIs back :0
 

Bronze Member
Username: Fps_dean

Post Number: 33
Registered: Oct-05
I wish I could edit posts :P

My mother had a cheapo Philips walmart unit. She just built a new house and wanted an upgrade. I found a pair of Infinity Beta 50s on Ebay (which is why I know all the ebay prices!), and gave her my father's old Yamaha CA-1010 which he said I could have if I could fix, but I never knew a tech who could do it until now. The local guys couldn't figure it out. I've always thought that was a good sounding amp, so it should sound pretty good especially in her room with all wood floors :-)
 

Silver Member
Username: Stu_pitt

NYC, NY

Post Number: 727
Registered: May-05
Dean -
Where in Western MA are you going to school? I went to North Adams State (I refuse to call it Mass College...). I grew up in Watervliet, which is next door to Albany. Any way, thier are a few very good hi-fi shops in the Albany area. If you are going, let me know, I'll help you get there. Hippo's, Clark Music, and Oasis Hi-Fi are very good shops.

Gavin -
The Albany (Crossgates Commons) Tweeter isn't anything like the Saratoga one. Their are a few knowledgable people their, but it's hit or miss. They aren't pushy at all, but they tend to improvise a lot when you ask them something they don't know about. I'm pretty sure the person you mentioned at Saratoga worked in Albany. He was very good.
 

Silver Member
Username: Stu_pitt

NYC, NY

Post Number: 728
Registered: May-05
Art - None of those shops carry McIntosh?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Fps_dean

Post Number: 37
Registered: Oct-05
I go to the old North Adams State College too!!!! Wow, lot of northeasterners here!

I live in Williasmtown though.
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 304
Registered: Feb-05
I agree stu! I hardly ever go to the Crossgates Commons Tweeter because the last time I went in there I came out with the same amount of knowledge as I did when I walked in there.

The Saratoga Tweeter is much, much better. But I think that quite a bit of that has to do with the very high profile area that it is in.

The rep that I dealt with... His name was Paul Fink, and is outstanding.

I have become somewhat less interested in the Albany store as of late, not because of bad service, but I think the Saratoga one is fantastic.

FWIW, I will still go into alb if I want to audition some new equipment, and I am in that area.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 2137
Registered: Feb-05
"Art - None of those shops carry McIntosh?"

England Audio, a couple of blocks from Bradford's in Eugene..Mernerd England proprietor.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Ptarmigan

Post Number: 27
Registered: Nov-05
FPS DEAN: I've got a Yamaha CA-1010. If you can fix it at a reasonable price, I think it will be worth it. It has wonderfully smooth, warm sound.
With mine, there are problems with lose connections on the RCA inputs. Also, there were noisy switches, including the bridge switch for the preamp to amp. Try moving it back and forth some, and see if that helps - it can get corroded from disuse. You may need to remove the plastic block attached with a screw to free the switch. I also highly recommend Caig DeOxit and ProGold to clean your switches.
With mine, the bass is a little weak, leading me to wonder if the caps are getting old - this is a 25-year-old model. But it also has parametric tone controls, so you have more control.
As to Bose speakers, just take off the grill and look at the cones. Last time I did that, they were still made of paper.
Then look at any other speakers in the store.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Fps_dean

Williamstown, MA USA

Post Number: 94
Registered: Oct-05
J Pi, I can't seem to find anyone who can fix it that is the problem. It turns on and occasionally both channels short out and the right channel is always shorting out, more than it works.

My father has since bought a Denon DRA-685. The Yamaha sounded much better when it worked. Now it sounds very flat in comparison and had absolutely no bass. Could be that the caps are totally dead, and you probably have the same problem.

At this point she would rather buy something new than spend a lot to fix it, and I don't need it as I got a Mcintosh 1900 that is the best sounding amp that I have ever had in the house between mine and my father's Yamaha and Denon.

The shorting out is internal. My tech was unable to find a schematic to do more work on it but he redid a lot of the soldier connections and cleaned it up real good and got it so it turns on. It's actually not the inputs or anything though, which is the problem.
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