Clean sound, and lasting build quality

You have to adjust your reciever's bass and treble to get the most out of these speakers (as with all speakers).

First of all, I feel really sorry for those of you who have nothing better to do than write biased uninformative reviews for speakers that you don't even own. But I'm not surprised that you come up with your pre-determined conclusion that 201s are junk when you've never given them a chance.

Anyway, I've had these speakers for the past 3 years and I'm very impressed with them, the sound is both rich and clean.

To address some of the arguments why these speakers are junk:

Cheap paper drivers & construction: The 201s do use paper drivers, however they sound excellent and even if the cones in paper drivers do flex, the human ear isn't sensitive enough to pick up on it, period. If you have 2 identical looking speakers one with paper drivers and one with poly (or any other material) drivers NONE of these people complaining could tell the difference, I guarntee it. My conclusion is that they are upset that Bose surpasses "their" brand and all others as the best selling speakers in the world, and you have to think there must be a reason behind Bose being #1.

They don't last: Some have said b/c of the "cheap construction" that Bose will not last (again how would they know considering they don't have a set in their home). Well my 201s were made in 1984 and they still sound excellent. Lasting 17 years tells me that Bose knows how to build quality speakers that stand the test of time, other brands might last as long too, but I'm impressed with mine and have never had to consider anything else.

As a final note to people actually looking for informative reviews, remember the people posting these petty reviews are not audio experts, they are just people whose lives amount to nothing more than being a nuisance to those looking for real information. Anyway, remeber its just a pair of speakers, no amount of internet research is going to make up your mind. Just go out, listen to the speakers, and buy the ones that sound the best to you, no one out of all these people is going to have to live with your decision, so don't let them make it for you.

Similar Products Used:

Polk, Infinity, and Cambridge SoundWorks

I am not rich, nor a PHD. I am an electronics engineer that still has to watch my budget. I would consider Bose to be a bad consumer choice at any price. Buying Bose for economics would be like buying a Corvette body with Ford Aspire drive train. An easily comparable under achiever.
I fail to see why any educated person would buy these. Someone that has studied the scientific meathod, and economics right off the bat would make qualitative comparisions to get the best possible candidate.
Nor do I feel a mature audience makes up a large demographic of Bose clients: the mature buyer is less swayed by Glossy ads and claims without proof.
It is very easy to find many brands better than Bose-because almost everything I auditioned was remarkably better. There is too much competition out there for me to piffle away hard earned money on a speaker with very poor components (make that very inexpensive also).
I urge young and new consumers to look around as much as possible-and ignore the ads. A few posts here tell the truth: BOSE products simply cannot by design, and do not cover the 20hz-20khz spectrum very well at all. A moment of listening for me was all it took.
Because BOSE has transducers (drivers) that do convert electricity into some form of sound, I will award thier product a solidly deserved single star.

to anyone who's saying that these speakers will sound better if you place them good. these speakers where specially designed for small rooms and is "supposed" to fill your room with lifelike sound. personally i think the direct/reflecting technology is just 2 speakers put together and given a name. these speakers CAN go above 5khz and can go to 19khz but is SH*T compared to the Eosone Bookshelf Speaker which cost $198 and produces the BEST Sound for the price. these speakers are the Worst i would never buy these speakers. i recommend either the Eosone RSB200, RSF600, RSF1000, or the RSS705, and for subs the RSP912

There is not one, I'm not lying

Everything

I got these at best buy for my little system for all of my video games. The only reason why i got them was that they were out of stock of the jbls i wanted and i just got that stupid MSN internet so i had 400 bucks to waste. As soon as i got home i connected them played a cd (David Grey, White Ladder) I was shocked. THis is what all the Bose hype is about! People acclaim these speakers like they are Jesus and i could not tolorate listening to them for more than 5 minutes. I spent a total of about 35 minutes attempting to get a better sound and it never happened, just worse. I do not recomend these so called speakers to anyone not even my worse enemy and all the bose lemmings out there need to go and listen to some real speakers from a real speaker store not best buy.
Here is the best way i can describe the sound, take a paper cup put a napkin in it and hold it to your ear, walk around and hear how everyone sounds and that is what you get from bose oh yeah i forgat about the realy muddy nasty bass and the ear peircing descusting sharp so called hi's.
So as you can guess i took them back within an hour and just going to hold out on the speakers for now.

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Nothing i ever used was this crappy so none

For its size, well bass output, tinkley highs, nice power handleing

Doesnt handle low frequencies below 40hz very well, which for its size isnt bad

I have these 201's hooked up to an Onkyo reciever (TXDS-676)and these things kick with whatever type of music I pump to them they rock. When it comes to movies, just the same. Put in the new Star Wars Episode 1 and the new THX opening just sounds awesome. The 201's cant handle alot of power simply because of there size. I have a pair of 10" Pioneer speakers and the Bose play louder and have better bass response than the Pioneers.

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JBL, Phase Research, MTX, Infinity, Pioneer

Very realistic and textured sound, GREAT for listening to classical music

Bass is textured, but there is not enough of it, and it doesn't give the "kick" that serious HT requires

This speaker is truly great at sound reproduction, everything sounds very realistic and nice ( especially for the price). I use these speakers for my gaming system, which they flunked ( I'm buying new ones). Don't get me wrong that their bad. They just don't have a lot of kick to them. I watched TV and listened to music with them, and they passed with honors.

Final verdict:

GREAT for realistc sound, classical music and such. Terrible for applications where "kick" is needed aka video games/watching "The Matrix" Buy it if you love classical music or some mellow TV programs.

I only give 2 stars to "overall rating" cause the purpose I bought 'em for really needed more POWER!!!

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Bose 301s

Excellent sound reproduction and minimal directional nature to sound, small size

Room needs to be compatible with reflecting speaker design. Rectangular rooms with four walls better than my "open" floor plan

Plain and simple the best set of speakers I've had, and I've
had a few. Got tired of the "bigger is better" mentality of
some makers (who needs an 18" woofer, anyway?). Bass is more accurate and less overbearing than a satellite/sub system. Speaker positioning and orientation relative to
walls is important in getting the most out of them,
especially for high frequencies. I've abused these and
they've never missed a beat. Not all Bose products are
a "good deal," but I feel these are.

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Bose 151 Environmental Speakers

WARNING!!!
If you are not an ardent BOSE proponent, and you have posted a negative review of a bose product, you may be subjected to the wrath of an individual who goes by the moniker "Mr. Bose". He will come to you in stealth, with a foul tongue and an equally lacking vocabulary totally void of any degree of usefull coherency. This person is evidently either retarted or perhaps a crack adict.

Mr. BOSE: We know your out there, however your cowardice is evident in the fact that you don't give anyone the opportunity to respond to you maniacal ravings. This will not be tolerated. At least When I write a to reviewer I give them a chance to retort. Mr. Bose, it is well that you are devoted to your cause, nevertheless, it is unfortunate that you lack the intelligence to convey your ignorant beliefs. It is advisable that you consult a dictionary which, just in case you weren't aware, is a book which may bestow upon you startling revalations about the mechanics of intelligent expression. I await your response.

I am not here to say that BOSE is by any means the "Best" speaker Co. I would buy Eosone or AR before bose, however I wouldn't knock 'em too much. I have compared them to Infinity, JBL, and Cerwin Vega and for the price, they are the best. I have 201's in my room, and my friend has 601's "from about 15-20 years ago?" in his room. Both of these are very good sounding, they reproduce treble cleanly and bass very smooth. So before you totally dis them, listen to them at an electronics store, and then decide. (Note: I wouldn't recommend any Bose sub/satellite system, the 141's or the V100, or V300 package. They are too harsh sounding, and the Infinity Minuette would beat them any day!!)

I own a pair of Bose 201's and I enjoy their sound. They came with the system that I bought. I paid about $600(cdn) for the dual cassette deck, 200W
reciever (both Sony) and the Bose speakers. In the store they seemed to have
the best sound for my limited funds. Once I put them in my bedroom I was
very impressed at their sound. They were very clear at all volumes and for
their size provided reasonably smooth base. Three years later I still have
the same opinion, they seem to be a good all around speaker. I wouldn't
set them up in a stadium or anything but all around I have no complaints.
School will be over for me soon and I intend on moving out and buying a
better system, if some of you have any good factual advice please
let me know.