What brand of speakers have the longest life or best quality (least likely to fail)?

901 speaker system image

JoffreM

I'm currently thinking about Bose, not trying to go all out and spend a grand on speaker system. I just want a solid 5.1 speaker system that will last me awhile.

Answer
Bose speakers are the speakers most likely to have the shortest life of any speaker at any price.

This is because Bose uses the cheapest lowest quality components in their products to maximize their profits.

With the exception of $20 boom-boxes, Bose is the only company that uses untreated paper cones in their speakers. The one & only reason Bose uses untreated paper cones is to literally save pennies, it doesn't cost that much more to build your cones with treated paper. There's nothing wrong with using paper cones in a speaker if it's treated paper.

Untreated paper is very sensitive humidity & it also dries out easily. Wet paper isn't stiff & dry paper becomes brittle.

http://www.firstadopter.com/fa/archives/001749.html

"Popularity of a name brand doesn't equate to quality. Bose mystique feeds off of its well-targeted audience: the ignorant, ill-informed, mass-market consumers who search for simplified hifi audio solutions in 'all-in-one' chain stores.. Audio newbies often throw out the 'But I heard that Bose is good!' defense, to which I respond 'From who?' Was it a sound engineer, electrical engineer, materials scientist, studio engineer, sound producer, recording professional, musician, Mark Levinson? Ray Dolby? George Lucas? Anyone credible? Or was it your neighbor with the GoldStar walkman, Teac boom box, Funai mini-system, and Sylvania receiver? Perhaps the ubiquitous Bose Ads that they find in completely irrelevant magazines such as Popular Science, Times, Playboy, GQ, People, Astronomy, etc, had some sort of subliminal effect against the better of their judgment?"

The most durable speakers you can buy are JBL speakers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JBL

"While Harman International does not break out the sales figures of their individual brands, it is believed that JBL is one of the largest, if not the largest selling loudspeaker brand in the world."

"JBL gained a reputation as being second to none in the quality of their home loudspeakers."

"By the end of the decade, recording studios in the United States used more of JBLâs monitors than all other brandsâ monitors combined."

"They greatly expanded their presence in the professional field to become the largest professional sound company in the world. JBL became the dominant supplier to the tour sound industry, with their loudspeakers being employed by the largest touring rock acts and music festivals. JBL products were the basis for the development of THX loudspeaker standard which resulted in JBL becoming the premier cinema loudspeaker manufacturer."

"In the home market, they produce a full range of products, from low cost iPod accessories to $30,000/pr statement loudspeakers."

There are other great speakers that are also durable, but JBL is the most durable speaker you can buy.

-edit
"some affordable speakers that will last AT LEAST five or ten years (maybe twice as long at that):"
- Jefferson

FIVE YEARS! Good lord I should hope so. lol Even my Bose 901 speakers I bought back in the 1970s lasted longer than that. It took about 7 years before I had to replace the cones.

With the materials they use to build speakers today, good modern speakers should last you a lifetime. I know if I was building a house & installing in-wall or in-ceiling speakers I wouldn't want to ever have to replace them.

I have a Denon 788 7.1 receiver and want to hookup a set of bose 901?

craig

I want the 901's to be the secondary set of speakers to just listen to music. Not part of the surround system. How can I hook up the EQ to make this work. Thanks for your time.

Answer
Well,
Number 1 - is that you need to get the Bose 901 analogue Equilizer.
You can try craigslist... or else it'll be an arm and a leg from Bose.

Then 2, your Denon 788 may not be enough power to power these inefficient 901's.
Here's a copy of wattage specs:
Product type: AV receiver .
Sound output mode: Surround Sound .
Amplifier output details: 90 Watt - 8 Ohm - THD0.08 % - 2 channel(s) (Front) 90 Watt - 8 Ohm - THD0.08 % - 1 channel(s) (Center) 90 Watt - 8 Ohm - THD0.08 % - 2 channel(s) (Surround) 90 Watt - 8 Ohm - THD0.08 % - 2 channel(s) (Surround back) 120 Watt - 6 Ohm - THD0.7 % - 2 channel(s) (Front) 120 Watt - 6 Ohm - THD0.7 % - 1 channel(s) (Center) 120 Watt - 6 Ohm - THD0.7 % - 2 channel(s) (Surround) 120 Watt - 6 Ohm - THD0.7 % - 2 channel(s) (Surround back)

This means that it can only output 90watts peak per channel.
As I remember, the 901's need more than that: my guess about 200watts RMS per channel.

But would 90watts peak [which is more like 40watts RMS] work??
Sure it will, but how will it sound after you've invested in the Bose EQ?

IMO, the 901's are dated and very inefficient even though they are Bose's flagship model.
There are total of nine 4" paper drivers with foam surrounds -per speaker- that requires an immense amount of power to push enough bass, and trebble [4" paper/foam/iron ferrite magnet drivers are NOT good at bass and trebble, OK for mids] --- this is why you need the Bose EQ.... this EQ is the thing that forces these 4" drivers to do bass and trebble.

If you plan to use a subwoofer with these 901's ... then it beats the point of having these speakers... but it is your perogative to work with them.

You're better off getting a set of Audioengine, Swan Hivi, M-audio, KRK, ... monitor speakers for dedicated music listening -- guarateed you'll be satisfied... + they come with built in Amplifiers...
Get the bi-amplified versions: like the KRK Rokit5 or higher and they'll be enough to fill a medium+ sized room!

Hope this helps!

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Title Post: What brand of speakers have the longest life or best quality (least likely to fail)?
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