Bose has been selling stereo speaker packages since 1966 and surround sound speaker packages since 1992. Since that time the company has produced a range of stereo and surround sound speakers to be powered by a receiver or amplifier.
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Timeline of Bose stereo speakers
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Stereo speaker packages
Bose has been a manufacturer of stereo speakers since the late 1960s. In the current range, the 201, 301 and 901 systems use the unique design where most of the drivers face away from the listener. The Acoustmass 3, Acoustimass 5, 191, 791 and 161 systems use a conventional design, where the drivers face the listener.
2201
Bose's first loudspeaker product, the model 2201, dispersed 22 small mid-range speakers over an eighth of a sphere. It was designed to be located in the corner of a room, using reflections off the walls to attempt to increase the apparent size of the room. Electronic equalization (with user controls labelled "Bass", "Mid-bass" and "Treble") was used to flatten the frequency response of this system. The results of listening tests were disappointing (a later Bose publication presents theories regarding these results), which led to Bose conducting further research and, ultimately, developing the 901 speaker system.
901
The 901 Speaker System is a hallmark for Bose and was released in 1968. The speakers were a huge commercial success for Bose, contributing significantly to Bose's rapid growth throughout the 1970s.
Despite being released in different series (now up to Series IV), the 901's basic design has not changed since the 1970s, still featuring cloth speaker grilles and woodgrain appliques.
A separate amplifier and equalizer unit, included with the system, needs to be connected to the home theater receiver, and the speakers themselves connect to the amplifier and equalizer unit.
A "powered" 901 system was also offered, but was discontinued in the 2000s, as well as a Lifestyle 901 system, featuring the Lifestyle master control center, but with 901 speakers instead of traditional single or dual jewel cube speakers and a separate Acoustimass bass module.
The 901 speakers could also be ceiling or wall-mounted via special brackets and support systems.
Design
In researching a successor to the 2201, Bose proposed that a dominance of reflected sound arriving is important in emulating live performances. This led to a speaker design in which eight identical mid-range drivers were aimed at the wall behind the speaker while the ninth driver was aimed toward the listener. The purpose of this design was to achieve a dominance of reflected over direct sound in home listening spaces. The pentagonal design used in the Model 901 was (and remains) unconventional compared with most systems where the mid-range and high-frequency speakers directly face the listener.
An electronic equalizer was implemented by Bose to modify the speakers frequency response. Bose's marketing term for control of acoustics within the cabinet (a design process which is undertaken for all brands of loudspeakers) is termed "Acoustic Matrix Enclosure".
Review
Bose's flagship 901 speaker system was criticized by Stereophile magazine in 1979. In a review of the 901 system, stating that in the magazine's opinion, the system was unexceptional and unlikely to appeal to perfectionists with a developed taste in precise imaging, detail, and timbre; and that these shortcomings were an excessive price to pay for the improvement in impact and ambiance generated by the large proportion of reflected sound (to on-axis sound). However, the author also stated that the system produced a more realistic resemblance of natural ambiance than any other speaker system.
Acoustimass
The Acoustimass 3 and Acoustimass 5 are stereo speaker systems. The Acoustimass 3 is a single cube 2.1 speaker system with a bass module that contains one 5.25" speaker. The Acoustimass 5 is a double cube 2.1 speaker system with a bass module that contains two 5.25" speakers.
The Acoustimass 3 and Acoustimass 5 were the only Bose Acoustimass Systems to retain the classic Acoustimass bass module design, as opposed to the new Acoustimass bass module that was introduced in the mid-2000s. The Acoustimass 3 System was discontinued after 2016, leaving the Acoustimass 5 System as the only "classic" Acoustimass System.
The Acoustimass 6 is a true 5.1-channel system, consisting of single jewel cube speakers (which were redesigned in 2015), and an Acoustimass bass module.
The Acoustimass 10 is a true 5.1-channel system, consisting of dual jewel cube speakers (which were redesigned in 2015), and an Acoustimass bass module.
The Acoustimass 16 was a true 7.1-channel system that consisted of dual jewel cube speakers, and was discontinued after a short production run.
Bose also sold the Acoustimass bass module as a separate component up until the mid-1990s, to be paired along with any pair of Bose stereo speakers.
Finally, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Bose produced a line of powered Acoustimass speaker systems that could be connected to a user's computer for playback of media.
For its home theater systems, Bose has introduced a wireless Acoustimass bass module, allowing the module to be plugged into any AC outlet in the same room as the home theater system, and would be wirelessly connected to the master control center, eliminating the need for extra wiring. The single or dual jewel cube speakers (which were redesigned in 2015) plug directly into the master control unit with a single connection for each speaker.
Timeline of Bose surround sound speakers
Surround sound speaker packages
The Bose Acoustimass Home Entertainment Systems are Bose's line of surround sound speakers. The original Acoustimass speaker set was introduced in 1987, as the Bose Acoustimass 5 Series I. This was a stereo speaker system. It had two direct-reflecting speakers that connected to a passive bass then to the receiver. In 1995 Bose released a surround sound version called the Acoustimass 6 & 10. It wasn't until 2001 that a powered bass module was introduced allowing for true 5.1. The speakers are connected directly to the bass module, which is connected directly to the receiver.
Systems
- The Acoustimass 6 is a single cube 5.1 speaker system. The Bass module contains one 5.25" speaker.
- The Acoustimass 10 is a double cube 5.1 speaker system. The Bass module contains two 5.25" speakers.
- The Acoustimass 15 is a double cube 5.1 speaker system, it has the option to add on another speaker making it into a 6.1 system. The Bass module contains three 5.25" speakers. This model was replaced in 2004 by the Acoustimass 16.
- The Acoustimass 16 is a double cube 6.1 speaker system. The Bass module contains three 5.25" speakers.
Stereo Speaker Systems
Bose manufactures several different 2.1-channel stereo speaker systems:
- The 201, Bose's first 2.1-channel stereo speakers introduced in the 1970s, feature five-inch (5.0") woofers and small tweeters, and are bookshelf speakers, though a wall mounting kit is also available. The current series is the Series V.
- The 301 were Bose's second 2.1-channel stereo speakers first introduced in the 1970s, and feature eight-inch (8.0") woofers and larger tweeters than its 201 counterparts. A wall-mounting kit is available, though these are meant to be bookshelf speakers. The current series is the Series V.
- Bose's Environmental Series of speakers are outdoor-rated, surface-mount speakers. First introduced in the 1980s, the 101 was the first Environmental Series speaker system. Current models in the Environmental Series include the 151SE, 251, and Free Space 51 In-Ground Speakers.
- Bose offers a line of wall and ceiling-mounted speakers called the "Built IN-Visible" Series. Speaker grilles can be painted to match the homeowner's specific decor, and can be connected to separate volume controls. Models in this series include the original 191, 691, 791, and 891. The 191 includes square speaker grilles and housings for in-wall mounting, and round speaker grills and housings for in-ceiling mounting, and rough-ins are sold separately. The 691 and 791 are specifically designed to be mounted in a wall, while the 891 is specifically designed to be mounted in a ceiling.
- The 131, part of the Environmental Series speaker family, are a pair of marine-rated loudspeakers that are specifically designed to be mounted in most pre-cut mounting locations in boats, and can easily connect to any marine-rated receiver to replace existing boat speakers.
- The Free Space series of loudspeakers are 25 Volt (25 V) or 70 Volt (70 V) loudspeakers designed to be installed in commercial locations, and were first introduced in the 1980s. Speaker designs are essentially identical to their residential 8 OHM counterparts. Separate amplifier units and volume controls are available, though these lower-wattage loudspeakers can easily be connected to any 25 Volt (25 V) or 70 Volt (70 V) commercial audio amplifier of most manufacturers, with tap (voltage) setting dials on each individual loudspeaker.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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