Another Bose experience:

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nm2285

Senior Audioholic
A friend and I went to a Bose outlet this past week acting as a couple of college kids looking for a sound solution for the dorm. I knew ahead of time that the products would be lousy. They were worse than I remembered/expected. However, what really took me aback was the sales staff. Our salesperson obviously had no knowledge of audio or electronics. Here are a couple of prime examples:

We began with the 3-piece computer system (which was $249 and sounded no better than my $80 Boston Acoustics system). I angled the speakers in to us to listen, our salesman turns them out and says, "We like to have them like this, because it spreads out the sound." Of course the sound went from way overpriced to worthless with the adjustment.

I asked the salesman about the 901s and if they had them on the floor. He said no, they've taken them off since they've moved more towards home theater. He added that since they've been taken off the floor, they've sold more. Maybe because the consumer can't audition them now? He also said the Acoustimass systems really came close to the same performance of the 901s. This, if true, would make me seriously worry about the engineering and pricing of the 901s.

Lastly, he put a CD in an Onkyo player and it said "Mechanical Error" or something like that. I pointed it out to him and he said, "It's because I didn't tell it to play yet." Obviously no knowledge of how to use electronics, why would I trust his opinion of what to buy?

I was shocked at the lack of ability of the sales force in the outlet. I guess it's cause most people who buy Bose go and buy it; they don't need much convincing. Good thing they have their "reputation" or they'd be lost.
 
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Gatorchong

Audioholic
Yea I know how you feel. I went into one of those stores while my girlfriend at the time was shopping at the outlet mall. The guy would not stop trying to sell me that damn radio. My favorite comment was when he said that the Bose Wave Radio would outperform any audio equipment under $1000. I told him I already had an alarm clock. I'll have to admit though, some of their displays are pretty cool, like the one where the "bass module" or whatever it's called makes the styrofoam pellets form waves. As if only Bose woofers can vibrate at that frequency. But you can really tell what the sales guys get credit for because they won't let you leave without at least hearing certain products. They sell t-shirts too in case any of you are interested in doing some free advertising.
 
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nm2285

Senior Audioholic
Yeah, it's all about the marketing.

When you metioned the bass module, that reminded me. They had an illustration of the bass modules sending sound directly out from the woofers (or what they consider woofers) and sending it through the "tube system" before coming out a vent. I asked the salesman, "Isn't there a delay between when the direct sound comes out compared to the 'processed'?" He said, "Yes, they come out at different times." So I asked him if that makes for a longer, muddier bass note rather than a crisp one. He answered with one word: "No."
 
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