Bose Wave® music Shelf System

I have re-written this epinion to be less sarcastic and more helpful to the potential buyer. You will see that I have rated this product as 'below average'. I have done so not because of the quality, but rather because of the cost/performance ratio. It is a lot to spend for the sound that I heard, in my opinion.

I have never understood the fascination with this BOSE table radio.

First of all, for around $400-$500, there are a lot of options out there.

Secondly, the sound is amazingly lackluster.

A friend owns this radio. Knowing that I am into electronics, this person showed off this radio to me.
My thoughts were: why did this person throw out their money? I think this because of the cost effectiveness of this product, not entirely because of the sonic quality or build quality.

BOSE has been around a long time. I remember auditioning their DIRECT/REFLECTING speakers many years ago. Those speakers did not impress me.

The BOSE table radio is a small table radio. That is it. The two small full-range speakers can only do so much. Most good quality small speakers can now reproduce nice voice tones and some detail. After listening to the BOSE radio, I did not notice anything significantly better in that regard. My son's IHOME IPod/table radio is very small and has two small 2 inch speakers. Those speakers are also of better quality. The IHOME radio sounds very good. My point? The IHOME radio only cost me $79 on sale. That's about 1/5th of the BOSE price.

BOSE pushes the 'simplistic' approach as do some other high-end designs. I don't necessarily agree with such designs. They are supposedly simpler to operate. Less time wasted on adjustments and more time to enjoy the music is the reasoning. Personally, I can't swallow that. Less is less in my book.

No tonal adjustments. No one hears the same. You wouldn't want a TV if that TV picture could not be adjusted to your liking. Why would you want an audio system that cannot be adjusted either? If you placed a TV near a bright open window, the light from the outside will effect the picture. You may have to adjust the brightness or contrast to compensate. And so it goes with audio equipment. Placement can greatly effect the audio performance. Sometimes, a simple move away from a wall can make an enormous difference in the sound output. That is because of the reflective nature of sound waves. Therefore, to me, tonal adjustments are not an intrusion. They are a means to finely tune the sound to my preference and my room acoustics.

No programming ability of the CD player. This I cannot justify. If I can buy a cheap GPX CD boombox for $30 and that GPX unit has a 20 programmable CD player option, then why can't this expensive BOSE unit have it? I see no reason not to incorporate it. It doesn't have to be employed if the owner doesn't want it.

Since the owner of this BOSE radio has had it for some time, I am assuming the quality is good. That is definitely a plus. But, is it worth $500? My wife owns a PANASONIC boombox of moderate size. She's owned it now for over 10 years. The digital radio, CD player and tape deck all still work. The unit sounds fine. In my opinion, it sounds very close to the BOSE radio, and is only very slightly larger. What's my point? This PANASONIC boombox only cost me $120 when I bought it new for her birthday.

At a party, my friend brought the BOSE radio outside. This person turned UP the volume. Everyone there went 'ooh' and 'aah'. I kept my opinion to myself. To me, the radio just sounded distorted. Its amplifier was 'clipping'. The speakers could not play the bass tones at the louder level. I thought it sounded bad.

I am guessing that BOSE makes a quality product. That is not the point of this epinion. However, I must re-iterate, why spend $500? There are a heck of a lot of boomboxes, table radios, IPod capable radios, Sirius radios, etc, etc, that can perform as good or better, sonically, in my opinion, for much less. Many now employ small full-range drivers and separate small subwoofers for enhanced bass and fuller sound. Many have decent power outputs and can attain a decent volume level without distortion. I recently auditioned and wrote an epinion on a Sirius radio that incorporated tiny midranges and tweeters as well as a small subwoofer, all in a package no larger than the BOSE radio. This Sirius radio provided excellent sonic characteristics. I was very impressed. it's only flaw, in my mind, is that it did not have a CD player. Otherwise, I'd have bought it for myself. It was $99, its everyday price.

At $500 a pop, I don't see anyone as getting what they paid for with this BOSE table radio.

BOSE does make a larger WAVE GUIDE unit which I have never auditioned. It is more than double the price, but, by the looks and design, it may be much better sounding in my opinion. It features a separate subwoofer which is loaded into a lengthy labrynth which may generate better deeper bass and fuller sound. It may also feature higher power output and, if I remember correctly, a built-in equalization curve which adjusts the sound output. I am guessing this unit will far outperform the small BOSE table radio. It also comes with some nice matching optional equipment.

So, if I were going to plunk down half-a-grand on a BOSE product anyway, then, why not go all out and buy the larger unit? If I had to have BOSE, I'd try the larger WAVE GUIDE system. I still think it is overpriced, but it may provide much better music reproduction. That is my opinion, anyway. I can't afford such a radio, myself.

One last point. I can never find any specifications on the BOSE table radio or its larger sibling. That always worries me. Over the last 30+ years, I have become accustomed to specifications. They are usually the 'bragging rights' of an audio manufacturer. They brag about the power output, the CD response range, etc. I have also come to learn that what a manufacturer does not tell you is equally, if not greater in importance. The manufacturer knows what the specs are for their products. If they don't wish to disclose them, then I become somewhat suspicious. If I'm going to spend $500-$1,000 for a piece of electronics, I see no reason why I shouldn't know its specifications. Maybe that is part of the 'simplistic' approach. Why worry about such things? I have a right to know as a consumer. I understand the specs. To me, it would make a purchase decision easier, not more difficult. The more you know the better. That is always the case when shopping for anything.