Horrific Confession and Question

I think Constantin is on to something with his suggestion of parametric equalizers--does anybody remember the Fletcher-Munson loudness curves? The "Loudness" button that used to be standard equipment, which boosted bass and treble at low volumes to compensate for the ear's roll-off of sensitivity? It worked. I suspect that the Bose system you heard, and the other background systems that seem to sound good, have boosted bass and treble. You might not want it in your pristine listening room, but it works in a distracting environment where your hearing is effectively hampered. Y'know, if I may question orthodoxy for a moment, sometimes I feel that we, with our rejection of tone controls and equalization, are kind of like the old joke of the foolish person who screws in a light bulb by having several associates rotate the ladder while he holds the bulb. Instead of accepting a little extra circuitry in the amp to facilitate flat response, we tune the *room* ;>) Of course, my preamp with two knobs does look kinda cool...

Try Playing The Who Who Are You ( or Ella if thats your thing) at realistic sould levels on the Bose ..... Then play them on a real audio system , any decent seperates with $ 1,200.00 & up loudspeakers. If you dont hear the difference... get a nice Yamaha mini system for $ 500.00

I think that just because Bose lies in there advertisment or have a huge markup because of reasearch and development doesnt mean it is a bad product. They may abuse there mark up but no more then any other mass market auddio product. I also think that most people would be suprised on how much of a mark up our high end gear has. All product are guilty of this regardless of weather it is a pair of $200 Nike shoes or a high end amplifier.

Few products dont lie or try to pusuade through specs in advertisement. Just open up to any high fi ad. I think watts is a bogus spec because every company measures it differently, it doesnt dictate quality, and is more dependent on the ohms of your speakers then the amplifier yet every company uses it. High end or not. At one time the FCC considered making it illegal to use this spec in advertising (I think) yet every high end company pushes this spec in reveiws and advertising.

Marketing is the most important part of a business and who can blame a cmpany for being great at it. We are all seceptable to it. How many times will you read an ad for a product you are interested in? Its unfortunate they lie but all companies do it. Isnt a hot women in a car commercial lying? Thay are trying to get you to relate that car with status and sex. Different but still a lie. Unfortunately it works but who is to blame? The company or the ignorant and influentual consumer. Im not saying its right but I try to take respnsibility for my own actions. If I get ripprd off I blame myself for not researching it.

I think Onkwy is right in that we should respect other people choice in Bose and also agree that if asked most people would be happy with their purchase. They are designed more to impress with the wow factor of intial listening like a new tv with the bightness turned up but thats what some people want. Its unfortunate that they dont know how to listen or that they dont understand the difference between intial impresion and living with it but ignorance is bliss.

So what if the bass and treble are exagerated. I make purchase based on what sounds the best. Not neutrality or what sounds like a live concert. I feel they are one in the same for myself but would recommend to anyone to buy what sounds best to them. Our high end systems dont need a boost in the bass or treble but I have mine cranked up in my car. If anything it makes cheap systems sound more like our high end systems.

Thank god everyone doesnt like the same thing. It would make product buying easier but I like the variety. I like that being an audiophile is unique.

To each his own.

Why do so many people hold it against a company that they're a marketing machine? It undoubtedly drives the cost up, since there are costs associated with extensive marketing, and it also undoubtedly drives the price that can be gotten for the product up because people now desire the product. But is seems like many people hold it against a company and their products because they're successful at marketing. If Bose products cost 1/2 as much, would they be any better or worse a product? It would cause those of us who understand how much better you can get for the same money a lot less angst, but it wouldn't change the performance of the product. People who buy the product apparently are well serviced, happy with their purchase, and have bought from a company that is going to be around for a long time - seems like, overall, it's not something to hold against the company.

As to the "mystery" of why sound can be so inviting in a public environment (Tower?). It reminds me of the feeling of anticipation I get when approaching the doors of a concert hall and hearing the sound check, or musicians tuning, there is a little adrenaline rush. In retail environments sound is usually up high and seems a bit distant, in much the same way. The size of the store is also a factor. Usually at least 10 - 100 times the size of most listening rooms. When you enter the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Friday evenings there is often a quartet playing near the lounge. The sound is everywhere, but difficult to locate. It must be similar to the sound at the court of Louis XIV at Versailles. Seeking out the source of the music is an exhilarating feeling, not to mention the effect and magic of large spaces. Though far from equal, there is a similarity when hearing music in some retail stores. * cLondon, check out a Denon receiver with 5 channel stereo mode and Gallo speakers, they are small, sleekly designed and knock the Bose systems out. The 5 channel mode basically gives you the same sound from 5 speakers, (different from Pro-logic). I also have a friend who has a very good stereo system and a B & O wall mounted system as well. It is overpriced, but served his need for an unobtrusive but decent sound system for entertaning guests and for casual listening. In his very tight living space it was a stylish solution. The road to discovering what good sound is can begin for some people on a Bose system, because if they they are willing to spend some money towards a good sound sound system, (even if they may not know what good sound is yet), sometimes, given a few years they will be curious about some much better sounding gear they will hear somewhere and want to get it for themselves, beginning a more serious interest in HiFi.