Bose 501 Original Series Help?!!

[Jeffrey S. Albaugh]

The Bose 501's did not need an Equalizer. It was the Bose 901's do need the Bose EQ. It is a totally different animal. It's debatable if it's worth fooling with. Old technology. 1 cheap rear facing $1.00 paper cone tweeter with teh ability to direct the tweeter sound. 1 front firing woofer.

If you go to a new woofer without paper cones is better, but it will change the character of the sound that you may or may not like. IMHO, I would just move on and buy something new.

Interestingly enough, Parts Express sells a speaker that is designed by famed speaker designer, Alex Jones. The speaker is very inexpensive (less then $100.0/ pair) and the reviews are damn good, believe it or not.

Note: I, in no way like any Bose speakers and more. I could go on for at least an hour if I would want to, but here, I will not. It was only about 2 years ago that Dr. Amar Bose died. He fell off the mountain. Just kidding (Bose is located on the mountain in Framington, Mass. Don't even get me started.

 

[lovinthehd]

The Bose 501's did not need an Equalizer. It was the Bose 901's do need the Bose EQ. It is a totally different animal. It's debatable if it's worth fooling with. Old technology. 1 cheap rear facing $1.00 paper cone tweeter with teh ability to direct the tweeter sound. 1 front firing woofer.

If you go to a new woofer without paper cones is better, but it will change the character of the sound that you may or may not like. IMHO, I would just move on and buy something new.

Interestingly enough, Parts Express sells a speaker that is designed by famed speaker designer, Alex Jones. The speaker is very inexpensive (less then $100.0/ pair) and the reviews are damn good, believe it or not.

Note: I, in no way like any Bose speakers and more. I could go on for at least an hour if I would want to, but here, I will not. It was only about 2 years ago that Dr. Amar Bose died. He fell off the mountain. Just kidding (Bose is located on the mountain in Framington, Mass. Don't even get me started.

Yep, 901s had the outboard eq unit.

Andrew Jones perhaps? Which model?

 

[Dan Madden]

I think older speakers that were made with paper cones and foam surrounds did indeed 'break in' over time. Modern speakers using ceramics and metal cones and rubber surrounds are less so likely to benefit much from this said 'break in' period.

 

[Jeffrey S. Albaugh]

Yep, 901s had the outboard eq unit.

Andrew Jones perhaps? Which model?

Yes, my mistake.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yes, my mistake.

The model?

 

[everettT]

FWIW there are still many manufacturers that are using paper cone drivers. As for yours not sounding right after the reforming, it would be more likely that it was done incorrectly. As for the bose, there are lots of kits available for them, and at a cost of 35 per speaker; id put that $70 and an hours worth of work towards a new pair. If a new woofer is recommended that would be completely cost prohibited vs buy new.

The only thing I can say is that I had a speaker re-foamed once and it did not sound the same after. A speaker breaks in all together along with the foam surrounds and sounds better over time. A new foam surround will be substantially stiffer and change the overall sound of the speaker.

In the case of his old Bose 501's , I would be more inclined to change out the woofer for something more modern. The old Bose used paper woofers with foam surrounds and I would think that a modern, higher performing woofer would likely perform much better. Obviously, the original Bose crossover could be problematic and might need to be changed out.

 

[vmax84]

I have a pair of old 501's down in the basement. Had to refoam the woofers. They are ok for basement speakers. That's about it.

 

[sholling]

Recently found a pair of Bose 501's in the house from 1979.

If they are original and unrestored then there is a very good chance that the foam speaker surrounds are rotten, you should be able to tell just by inspecting them yourself. If they're shot you want to replace them but the good news is you can do it yourself for $15-25 if you're handy and very careful.