Bose 301 Bookshelf Speakers Reviewed

Bose was founded in 1964 by Amar Bose (MIT professor of electrical engineering).

It has been a huge success and has received a lot of criticism for its sound reproduction approach.

Bose 301 Bookshelf Speakers Reviewed:

Bose believes that sound should be akin to a concert hall regardless of whether the recording is made by an artist, sound field, or material. Bose’s success speaks louder than the benefits of this philosophy, depending on what the listener(s) prefer.

Bose’s actual sound quality is almost forgotten when combined with the brand’s outstanding marketing and lifestyle packaging.

Bose 301 Bookshelf speakers have a front-firing 8-inch woofer, a front-firing 2-inch tweeter, and a rear-firing 2-inch tweeter.

To increase bass extension, the 301 has two ports at the back.

These 301s have matching stands as well as wall brackets. They can easily be placed on a bookshelf.

The 301’s the build quality is not up to the standard set by its rivals.

The knuckle-rap test revealed hollows and too-alive sound.

The vinyl overwrap, which is dull, and the push-pin speaker connectors which are somewhat cheap don’t indicate value.

Neither does the lightweight construction and paper woofers.

This approach, although providing the safety of Automatic Speaker Protection circuitry but sacrificing overall signal purity, adds complexity to the circuit.

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Sound

The 301s have a diffuse sonic presentation that lacks focus. The 301s aren’t great at one frequency.

The rolled-off highs and hollow midranges of the 301s get all over the soundstage, and the loudspeakers don’t disappear.

Although the 301s do sound large and expansive, they are not able to sustain music or play movies or games.

According to the manual, the 301s cannot be magnetically shielded.

This means that they must be placed at least 24 inches from any television.

According to the manual, the rear-firing tweeter requires at least 18 inches from the walls.

However, the sound did not seem to differ that much at shorter distances (at least half).

The 301s are a good choice for background music or casual listening. Its big sound and apparent high sensitivity make it a great fit for this crowd.

However, I couldn’t find any information about the actual sensitivity specs (or frequency response) anywhere.

Comparison

Compare the Bose 301 speakers with the competition by reviewing the Boston Acoustics CS26 speakers as well as the JBL ES20BK speakers.

You can also find information on a variety of products in our Bookcase Speakers section.

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High points

* The 301s produce a very large sound with wide dispersion that is pleasant to the ear.

* Available in Light Cherry and Black, the 301s can be incorporated into many decor styles. Although they don’t have the most options, the ones that do exist are quite good.

Low points

* Bose 301s have a sound that is less focused and more detailed than other audiophile speakers of the same price.

* The soundstage is uneven and the overall sonic picture is lacking coherence and musicality when compared with B&W and Paradigm as well as PSB and Orb Audio, which are all in the same price range.

* Subwoofers are required for movies and games. Inconvenient placement may be necessary due to a lack of magnetic shielding. Guessing can make your TV look purple.

Conclusion

Bose 301 delivers a big, rich sound in a small package that fits easily into most home spaces.

Its sonic qualities lack the raw frequency response and dynamics as well as imaging and soundstaging required for high-end music listening or home theatre applications.

Bose 301s can be very comfortable for your lifestyle. You can find a more precise, low-reaching, and powerful speaker for the same price as the Bose 301s.