All mentioned above, plus excellent value for the price.

Placement critical.

Ok folks, I have used these speakers for almost 2 years and find them to border on fantastic. They DO require a lot of power to produce to their full potential. I have my series VI pair hooked to two (2) bridged Adcom 5803 power amps, providing upwards of 600 watts to each 901. Yes they are expensive speakers that require QUALITY input to produce to potential. I use them in a surround sound system that includes two (2) Sunfire subwofers, so any weakness in the 901's base output is not noticed. Placement is critical and experimentation is required (my theater room is 30x25). What you get in the end is rich full range sound that rivals the finest electrostatic speaker system I have owned and heard. These speakers will bring out every nuance of recordings and you WILL hear them as never before. The dynamic range these babies are capable of is unbeleivable and with SACD and DVD Audio recordings your favorite selections will come to life. If you want one of the best loud speakers sold today, take a listen to a pair of 901's. This is an example of the system required to properly support these speakers. My system consists of: 2 Adcom 5803 power amps 1 Sunfire Cinema Grand amp Anthem AVM-20 Surround Sound processor/preamp Pioneer Elite CWR 737W CD recorder Pioneer Elite DV-47A DVD/SACD player DBX-4bx digital range expander 2 Bose 901 VI (front right/left) 2 Ess monitor (side right/left) Martin Logan Theater (center channel) 2 Sansui SP-Z9 (rear right/left) 2 Sunfire Signature subwofers (2700 watt) I only own quality equipment, the 901's are a wonderful addition to my system.

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All types over the years.

Value for money,capable of playing loud and long,fun speaker.

Can sound harsh and sloppy at very high volumes. Not the best speaker around but definately a legend in its own right.

I can't understand why so many people bash the 901's. I have had my pair for approx 10 years partnered with bridged 360W Rotel Power amps (oldish now but plenty of grunt) and Rotel CdPre amp. Ok at times played at LOUD levels they tend to sound harsh and you need to heavily back off the treble EQ.(as other reviews have said you NEED the partnering EQ box.)BUT having recently listened to B&W 802s and top notch Electrocompianet? gear,yes the imagery was precise,and yes it did sound good.I imediately went home and listened to the same disc on my 901s and I honestly could not Justify or hear the $40,000au cost difference.The 901s have a great in-yer-face realistic sound, but I do agree they need high amplification to make them clear. Do not buy them if you want precise central imagery. However I do intend to look at upgrading a level or two and will stress to the audio salesman he will have to blow me away to justify spending big bucks.(hopefully he can) Also if buying second hand check if cones are ok because they did have trouble with surrounds.Mine were replaced under warranty.Have been great since.

Strong powerful clean and natural reproduction.Voice and piano are superb! Bass is spectacular!Very efficient!!

Under extreme circumstances placement may be difficult but more flexible than most give credit for.Please do realize that you room does not have to be perfect.Just leave the space in back and around the sides relatively clear of drapes and teddy bears.

Simply put...The Bose 901 SERIES VI represents just about the best value for a top notch speaker system on the market today...PERIOD.Once you own them you will most definitely find out which of your recordings sound great and which DO NOT!Does this sound like the speakers are of MONITOR quality? You bet! Use high quality OFC wire with them and a very high quality amp[not necessarily high power... but high quality]and you won't be disappointed.I know of no other speaker system at any price whatsoever that can touch it let alone beat it!POWERFUL...POWERFUL downright natural clean realistic reproduction of music is this INDUSTRY REFERENCE speaker's forte.Personally I'm using mine with a Parasound CA-250 integrated amp conservatively rated at fifty [yes you heard right!] watts per channel.It kind of makes me laugh a bit because I keep hearing about how the speakers need these GODZILLA type amps!...NO NECESSITO!! QUALITY NOT QUANTITY will make your 901's sing properly as they have the unique ability to MAGNIFY the faults of either the SOURCE itself or the associated in-line equipment like your AMPLIFIER or PREAMP or in some cases...BOTH! The Bose 901-VI's are wonderful yet they are MERCILESS!No matter how much of a purist you think you may be, you absolutely need to purchase the appropriate 901-VI EQUALIZER.The bass is by far the most natural and powerful I've ever heard from anything and subwoofering the speaker would be incredibly unfortunate as there is no subwoofer at any price that can match its accurate discrete floorshaking abilities.Adding a sub will only detract from the 901's FIRST RATE accuracy and performance.Imaging is superb to the point where you can actually physically place each instrument in an orchestra.You have not heard the BEATLES or for that matter EUGENE ORMANDY AND THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA until you've listened to them through the a well designed amplifier and the BOSE 901 SERIES VI loudspeakers! Oh by the way, they sound wonderful at low volume levels too.I listen to mine for hours on end! It's like my family and I never wish to turn our stereo system off!Instead of going out to the movies it's like "Let's go over to Pete's house and listen to music on his Bose!"Nothing further need be said.Enjoy your hunt for great speakers[and there are a plethora of them out there]and God bless you!

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PARASOUND...PARASOUND...and more PARASOUND!

great spekers put it this way i had alot of high end and the all have pluses and minuses not one is perfect but remember enjoy the music not the specs

never had one but i guess if you must have 2 525 watt mono blocks then that will be one but i had them with 60 wpc tube amps i love it

HI FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO BASH THE 901S LET ME JUST SAY IS LISTEN FIRST OF ALL I BOUGHT MY FIRST 901 WHEN I WAS 23 YEARS OLD YES THEY TAKE ALOT OF POWER TO DRIVE THEM CLEAN POWER THAT IS I HAD 2 CARVER TFM 55 MONO BLOCKS AND THEY WORKED FINE BUT SINCE I LISTEN TO STEREOPHILE AND MY AUDIOPHILE FRIEND OH SO HE THOUGHT I SOLD THEM AND I HAD OTHERS SPEAKERS LIKE KLIPSCH LASCALLAS I LIKED ACOUSTAT I LIKE MAGGIES I LIKE YOU SEE I DIDNT SAY THEY WERE BAD EITHER PEOPLE PLEASE DONT DO LIKE I DID I BOUGHT ANOTHER PAIR OF 901S LAST WEEK AND IM HAPPY YOU KNOW WHY BECAUSE WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH THE HI END AUDIOPHILE STAGE I SPENT MORE TIME READING AND MOVING THINGS AROUND IN MY ROOM TO GET THE SO CALLED SWEET SPOT SOUNDSTAGE EFFECT BUT THEN IT CLICKED ON MY HEAD MY TRUE FRIEND DAVID MILLER TOLD ME THAT IF THE MUSIC TO MAKE YOUR HAIRS ON YOUR BACK RAISE AND MAKES YOU PART OF THE MUSIC THEN YOU DEFEATED THE WHOLE ENJOYMENT OF MUSIC BEFORE YOU CRITICIZE ME OR MY REVIEW PLEASE TAKE A PAIR OF 901S HOME ONE NIGHT AND TURN OF THE LIGHTS PLAY SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC SIT AND RELAX YOU WILL SEE I I ALWAYS HAVE SEEN THE MUSIC NOT THE SPECS OR THE 8.00 Mags that recommend you should buy speakers that cost anywhere from 900 to 150,000 dollars yes look at all that money sorry whoever buys those things have more money then sense i like my 901s i always have probraly always will i had mine place 16 inches away from the back wall and 8 feet apart just in case you get bored one night try it oh yes i had mine powered with dynaco mk111 tube ams 60 wpc oldies but goodies i love tube gear i would say the 901s did everything for me and i give them a five and if you have time read a subscrition of stereophile and those 30,000 speakers have there share of flaws the only best thing to to is hire a band to play live for you thank you didnt mean to bore you but i like to help out everyone oh buy the way i have at least ten years experiance with audio to and if you buy them use ask if the have been reconed also that might be why these people hate them the older ones usually have foam rot but if you get them before you spend alot of money call bose they take in the old ones and i think you can buy new ones really cheap like 500 or 600 with the trade in oh make sure you got the right eq to so if you have the old eq sent it too ok well now im leaving thanks

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klipsch paradigm acoustat dahlquist mcintosh dynaco marantz carver luxman i like the vintage items the new stuff is twice as much but you get nothing nowdays for your money

build quality warm smooth sound with crisp highs warm clean midrange and good bass [you will need a quality subwoofer to reach those really low excersions]

need a more than average power supply to get the most out of these

well i have read all of these reviews on this website and for a while thought of buying another brand of speaker. Boy am i glad that i took the time to audition a wide variety of brands. I had bought a yamaha RXV 3000 surround processor to power these 901s with with good results but not great.So to fill the sound field out i bought a pair of 701 series two speakers to run as my center channels front&rear.Coupled with an old pair of 601 series two loudspeakers for my rear channels.Let me tell you people complain about speaker placement on one pair of Bose speakers try three pairs. To say the least it was difficult however not impossible.My sound field went from good to terrific!!! then i read the reviews about the power problems that the 901s have.So off to the audio store i went in search for the right power amp to power all of this.My final choice for a power amp was a ROTEL RMB 1095 WOW!!!! 1000 WATTS OF REAL CLEAN STRONG POWER! . Now i can finally understand what some of you guys are saying these babys need power to realise thier full potential. All of the speakers have undergone a drastic change for the better. My next upgrade will be the preamplification area [looking at a citation 5.0] so to all you bashers out there you do have you"re opinion and i have mine i"ve just chose to take my hands off my ears so that im able to hear correctly Thanks for youre time.

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alot

incredible clear sound

must be placed properly

I have owned these speakers for about 5 years and bought them used. The sound these speakers make is incredible. At first I didnt have the equalizer hooked up right and they sounded like crap. And then I thought they sounded good but when I got them placed right they sounded unbelievable. I heard new things in songs that I had been listening to for 30 years. I am a big Beatles fan and it was wonderful rediscovering their music. Anyone who bashes Bose 901's must not have them set properly as I have listened to lots of Klipsch products and owned B&W products and these Bose speakers sound just as good for less money.

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Klipsch Heresy B&W 801's

Full live concert fidelity sound in a compact bookshelf size enclosure!

Must be used in conjunction with the supplied Bose Active Equalizer. You must have a Tape Monitor loop or Preamp Outs and Amp Ins on your receiver to be able to use the 901's properly. Without the Bose active equalizer installed, don't even bother buying the 901's !!!

The Bose 901 Series VI direct reflecting speakers (with Active Eq) is an awesome invention in this century. Truly a breakthrough in HiFi, mimicking live concert reproduction. I've had them placed above my entertainment system cabinet: 5.5 feet apart, about a feet and a half from the back wall upon which it reflects its sound, and just 2" from the ceiling. The result: Awesome bass and stereo everywhere! I have invited some guests to audition to my system with closed eyes (since I have a 5.1 surround sound system) to tell me their observations. (The living room is about 15 X 15 feet with open dining/kitchen on the right and hallway on the left.) The comments: "Wow! Solid wrap-around sound ... and I can even hear them coming from the back! (pointing to the surround speakers at the back, unknowingly to them that they were not turned on ... only the Bose 901's and a Yamaha Subwoofer were on!). Later, she convinced her husband to come and audition my 901's and he too was flabberghasted at the reproduction. He said, "These speakers could shake the whole house! I would sure want to have them for a Christmas gift." When I finally told them that the surround rear speakers were off, they won't believe me! The 901's deliver full concert fidelity despite their bookshelf size and compactness of their accoustic matrix design incorporating nine 4.5" full range helical drivers. That is the difference between the traditional speaker designs with woofer, midrange, and tweeters with their crossovers circuits which must be bulky and floorstanding speakers just to match the 901's "compact" reproduction. I would advise the audiophile to ignore every negative feedback from ignorant skeptics, and go audition to find out the truth for yourself.

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Cerwin Vega, Advent, Klipsch

SOUND!

none

The bose 901's always getting bad reviews from people who claim to be audiophiles. In truth these people probaby haven'tn heard these speakers because if they acutally listened they would know that the 901 is a very good speaker. One thing you need to know about the 901's is that they need a power amp to make them sound good. You cannot use a simple reciever from say Sony, Jvc, Aiwa etc. You NEED a power amp and ofcourse high quality cables. Another thing about the 901's (as with all bose speakers) is they are very sensitive to where you place them. I'd recommend placing the speakers 1 or 2 feet away from the wall. A high-end audio system would be ideal for the 901's but having only a power amp would put out great sound too. Bose is usually compared to Infinity, Polk Audio, Jbl etc. But the 901's should be compared to B&W, canton, martin-logans etc. I know the other audiophiles are probably freaking out at my saying that but get over it. These audiphiles seem to buy their speakers based marketing. It seems that they don't care much about sound but they care about what's less popular. Me on the other hand I go according to sound not marketing like alot of bose bashers. Am I saying that there is no speaker in the whole world better then the 901? No there are better speakers out there and there is better sound out there then bose but that doesn't mean ''bose sucks'' Bose is superior to anything in their price range and way beyond. The 901 is the best bose speaker made. If you want high-end speakers get the 901's

handles loads of power and maintains all the balance you would expect from high end speakers

doesnt fit everyones decore

one of the best balanced speaker systems, if you want to enjoy the full spectrum of sound, one should also make sure they have the active eq, if you do not you will experience the flat sound some reviews indicate, just follow the simple instructions included with all bose speakers and you will get a full range sound with balance found in no other speakers at any price, i would highly recommend bose speakers.

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i have had everything from klipschorns to old sansuis

If someone is looking for an all-you-can-eat-buffet type of speaker that can kick out loud music, with at-best mi-fi sound, than they are worth consideration. Buying these speakers will make Dr. (ha!) Bose richer.

As hi-fi speakers, everything.

I work in the Audio/Video industry and I am a former violinist. Bose has a reputation as a pure marketing company that produces and markets speakers. No speaker better represents the Bose BS than the 901. I have set up many pairs, always with the EQ, and at best the 901 is an average $400/pair of speakers. The produce a highly innacurate, bloated, and yes, huge sound stage with very diffuse imaging. There is nothing hi-fi about these speakers. The timbre is way off, there is piss-poor transparancy, poor sense of foundation, uninvolving, etc. Caveat Emptor.

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several hundred speakers