# Is the Bose Wave system worth the steep price? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 1, 2013, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829 "2013-06-01T01:28:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/21 "2013-06-02T18:50:20Z")
For the jingles of course. :rolleyes: šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/22 "2013-06-02T19:17:44Z")
> [@For You](#): > > You are a senior citizen? Then you must get [a McIntosh](http://www.mcintoshlabs.com). It is for old people, it has _tubes_. I had one, but as I got closer to 60, I found myself unable to lift it. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/23 "2013-06-02T20:34:55Z")
And carry it on your shoulder? ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/24 "2013-06-02T20:38:29Z")
I bought this [Sangean WR-3](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OLPYKG/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) a few years ago and like it. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/25 "2013-06-02T20:48:48Z")
If you _have_ to have a small, one-piece system, itā€™s one of the better choices. There might be some better ones out there but Iā€™m not sure and it would depend on exactly what you need (do you need a radio, a CD player, an Ipod dock etc). If you can live with 3 small boxes instead of one, I would recommend that you get a micro or ā€œexecutiveā€ stereo system like one of these: > **[Amazon.com: KEiiD Stereo Shelf System Powered with Bookshelf Speakers RMS 2X 25W...](https://www.amazon.com/KEiiD-Bookshelf-Speakers-Entertainment-Bluetooth/dp/B07SQ9WKLV)** > > Buy KEiiD Stereo Shelf System Powered with Bookshelf Speakers RMS 2X 25W for Home Audio Entertainment with CD Player and Bluetooth / FM Radio / USB / SD / AUX,Remote Control: Stereo Shelf Systems - Amazon.com āœ“ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible... > **[Amazon.com: Attcny CS-445 CD Receiver System : Electronics](https://www.amazon.com/Attcny-CS-445-CD-Receiver-System/dp/B004BD9W4W)** > > Buy Attcny CS-445 CD Receiver System: Home Theater - Amazon.com āœ“ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases > **[Amazon.com: Denon D-M39S 192kHz/24-Bit Micro Component System for High Quality...](https://www.amazon.com/Denon-D-M39S-Component-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B008PQAB3C)** > > Buy Denon D-M39S 192kHz/24-Bit Micro Component System for High Quality Sound (Discontinued by Manufacturer): Stereo Shelf Systems - Amazon.com āœ“ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases They have all of the electronics in one box, plus a pair of bookshelf speakers. You can get real stereo separation, deeper bass, and much better overall sound quality if you hook up a good pair of bookshelf speakers. I have a few systems like that, but theyā€™re older ones I bought used so Iā€™m not familiar with the current models. Iā€™m not sure exactly how good the speakers are these. The Denons and Yamahas tend to have better speakers thank the Onkyos. Personally, Iā€™d buy the Onkyo and then buy a good pair of speakers such as these: [PSB Alpha B1 Bookshelf speakers at Crutchfield](http://www.crutchfield.com/S-E2Yx5g9aHmo/p_760ALPB1B/PSB-Alpha-B1.html) which would add up to not much more than the Bose Wave radio version that has a CD player. (I buy used, so Iā€™d spend less than that, but I donā€™t know if you want to spend the time watch for used stuff). ---
**Author:** ![svd678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@svd678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svd678)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/26 "2013-06-02T20:56:19Z")
Bose gives OK music, but speech sounds like talking in a rain barrel - you want to adjust the treble/bass, but you canā€™t, since it doesnā€™t have it. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/27 "2013-06-02T21:22:57Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > If you can live with 3 small boxes instead of one . . . Onkyo looks nice and has both AM and FM - which is good since I like to listen to Bloomberg sometimes. Plus old people like AM. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/28 "2013-06-02T22:00:28Z")
> [@svd678](#): > > Bose gives OK music, but speech sounds like talking in a rain barrel - you want to adjust the treble/bass, but you canā€™t, since it doesnā€™t have it. It wildly exaggerates the upper bass in order to compensate for the fact that it canā€™t produce deep bass. (Nothing that size can.) It can sound impressive with some music, but annoying sometimes, especially with male voices. ---
**Author:** ![Jorge\_Burrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Jorge\_Burrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorge_Burrito)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/29 "2013-06-02T22:00:31Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > There are a few Dopers that have worked at Bose headquarters. I say the following as a person that is still pissed at them because they laid me off but I do know the way they operate. A lot of the criticism directed at them in general is not justified in the least and I would say it is completely misguided. Bose is not a company that runs consumer scams. It is basically an offshoot of an MIT research lab that Dr. Bose started and became one of the largest held private companies in the U.S. and by far the largest one that does true academic research as a part of its core mission. It has always focused on easy to use consumer products that deliver impressive results from small packages. In short, it is like the Apple of the sound world except it is older than Apple so maybe comparison should be turned around. > > It is completely inaccurate to call any of their stuff junk. You have to see all their R&D facilities to appreciate why that is not true. It is like the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory of the sound world. Bose invests a tremendous amount of money in the best R&D labs that money can buy. Quality control is an obsession. They make much of their money not through consumer products but through exacting products like military aviation headsets. They invented many of the sound breakthroughs that you see in other products like effective active sound cancelling headphones. > > Their stuff could be considered over-priced because their are so many near copies out there for cheaper but they invented the ideas. Audiophiles tend to hate Bose products mainly because they tend to be mentally ill but also because they like tinkering with equipment to get just the right sound to their ears even though that is an impossible task. Bose doesnā€™t play that game. It is strictly plug and play and you get what your system does. Some people like that and some people donā€™t. > > BTW, saying that Bose produce frequency charts of their equipment is missing the point. The whole idea is about _psycho-acoustics_ rather than just acoustics. Simple acoustics are easy. You just pile a bunch of speakers backed up with a whole bunch of other equipment in a room and let it rip. _Psycho-acoustics_ is way harder. It is a real branch of neuroscience that tries to mimic a large sound in a small package. That is what Bose tries to do and most people think they do it well. Bose does have some nice facilities and does a lot of research, I agree with you on that. I think in certain instances their products are good choices, although overpriced. Their noise cancelling headphones are still some of the best out there, and if you absolutely have to have tiny speakers, the sound from Bose is among the best you are going to get, although severely lacking compared to similarly priced (or cheaper in most cases) bookshelf sized speakers. They can also go surprisingly loud considering there size while keeping distortion at reasonable levels. You are very wrong about simple acoustics being easy. Getting a near flat frequency response out of a speaker is extremely difficult challenge, even when in an ideal room. While frequency response may indeed not be the end all to a speaker, their is no pscho-acoustical trick that can be used to make up for the fact that most Bose speakers have a gaping hole of sound in the 100-400 Hz frequencies. This unfortunately is where both male and female voices show up in the spectrum and I think is Boseā€™s greatest failing. Various instruments can sound pretty nice on their speakers, but the human voice tends to be shortchanged. They also lack a true low end, but this is difficult to get without a decent sized sub, so I will cut them some slack here. I will end by just saying that Bose speakers would be a lot cheaper if not for the massive amount spent on marketing. This is a large reason their costs are so much higher. Nothing wrong with that necessarily, but something to keep in mind when you are making a purchase. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/30 "2013-06-03T00:42:32Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > And carry it on your shoulder? Itā€™s not like I can carry the 8 track player! ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/31 "2013-06-03T01:05:18Z")
> [@seal\_cleaner](#): > > Itā€™s not like I can carry the 8 track player! Serves you right for getting the model with quad. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/32 "2013-06-03T01:16:15Z")
Agree with those who said good but overpriced for most peopleā€™s likely application. Like **thirdname** said if the small footprint is a critical requirement it may be a better value. Still, dammit, itā€™s something \*Paul _&^%$# Harvey_ used to advertise! No wonder everyone thinks its for oldsters!šŸ˜› ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/33 "2013-06-03T02:36:21Z")
> [@Jorge\_Burrito](#): > > I will end by just saying that Bose speakers would be a lot cheaper if not for the massive amount spent on marketing. This is a large reason their costs are so much higher. Nothing wrong with that necessarily, but something to keep in mind when you are making a purchase. Did I mention my job there was in the Direct Marketing Group? That is a strange company in that technology innovation is a #1 priority but they have to fund that some way and they do it through some of the most brilliant marketing strategies ever designed. Again, think Apple but Bose is older than Apple so I am not sure who copied who. It is the same basic plan though. I know quite well how they operate. It is an impressive business plan on several levels. I have several Bose products but I have never bought one. They were all given to me by Bose itself or others and would not buy them myself because I am too cheap for that and know where the money goes. The products are genuine however (probably overpriced though) and can be the best for individual goals plus they have a lot of designer appeal in some circles. My current company gave me a pair of Bose MP3 headphones that cost about $150 as en employee appreciation gift. I would never buy that for myself because they look like something you can get the equivalent of for $20 for another reputable brand. I have had those things for two years and they are one of my favorite possessions. They turn my smart-phone into a concert hall or a movie theater. I usually fall asleep with them on my every night and would not do without them. No other small, dumb headphones sound nearly as good because they process the input and translate almost anything into something that sounds great plus they are remarkably durable. That is what Bose products try to accomplish and they usually do it well. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/34 "2013-06-03T02:44:36Z")
> [@ratatoskK](#): > > I bought this [Sangean WR-3](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OLPYKG/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) a few years ago and like it. This one looks good, but several Amazon reviewers had problem with cds not playing. Did you? ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/35 "2013-06-03T04:17:45Z")
Iā€™m on the hunt for a pair of Bose 901 speakers, not so much for the sound (I have some fantastic Aussie made speakers and mosfet amp in my study for that) but for their decent sound and 1960ā€™s styling. Iā€™m redoing my house in mid century modern and these fit right in. Could I buy better sounding speakers for the money? Yep but that ainā€™t the point. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829/36 "2013-06-04T01:28:01Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Audiophiles tend to hate Bose products mainly because they tend to be **mentally ill** but also because they **like tinkering** with equipment to get just the right sound to their ears even though **that is an impossible task**. None of those points can be overstressed, especially the crazy part (see my anecdote). It took me decades to get to the, ā€œFuck it, thatā€™s close enough,ā€ stage, and then it was because I started to mostly use headphones. > [@sisu](#): > > Could I buy better sounding speakers for the money? Yep but that ainā€™t the point. [Maybe, but donā€™t sell them short.](http://www.tonepublications.com/review/we-review-the-bose-901/) But place them like they are supposed to be placed, not as pieces of furniture. I know you know that, especially since proper placement will enhance the Playboy bachelor pad look you are trying for, but lurkers might need to know. Speaking of placement, had a friend who hung these cheap, $17 for the pair, Rat Shack cubes with single, 4" drivers from his ceiling in macrame hangers. He used his new-found engineering skills and a [SR-52](http://www.rskey.org/CMS/index.php/exhibit-hall/7?manufacturer=Texas%20Instruments&model=SR-52) with red LEDs to calculate where, exactly, in the corners he should hang them. Not a lot of bass and the highs couldā€™ve been higher, I suppose, but marvelous sound for under $20, including string. Of course, the $395 (1974 dollars) calculator was not included. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-bose-wave-system-worth-the-steep-price/659829.md?page=1)