Old Bose 901 speakers help

[Jean-Paul]

hello guys. i am new in here and i have the following question.

I own a bose 901 system with two speakers. the one speaker has embedded in it an equalizer. this speaker connects to the other one with a cable. then from the speaker that has the equalizer in it, leaves a cable and goes to the source with a 8 pin cable. my question is how i can connect these speakers to a new amplifier in order to use these speakers as front speakers. sourround and subwooofer i already have. i only need an amplifier so that i can also connect via hdmi the rest of the items. but i need these speakers to be used as front ones. how can i do that ?


thank you so much and congratulations on the great site you have created !!!

regards,

JP

 

[XEagleDriver]

JP,

Welcome to the forum. I do not have 901s, but did a quick online search and you might find the answer you need either:

here
or
here.

Both articles basically say to ensure your receiver has a tape monitor function, and hook up the Bose EQ through this tape loop.

I don't know if HDMI capable receivers are still outfitted with a tape monitor function and connections (more of an old-school/legacy feature).

Cheers,
XEagleDriver

 

[Jean-Paul]

can someone help me in simple words and also check which receivers with hdmi will work ? i am really new to this area. what i can tell you for sure is that the equalizer is embedded in the speaker and i cannot seperate it.

 

[TLS Guy]

hello guys. i am new in here and i have the following question.

I own a bose 901 system with two speakers. the one speaker has embedded in it an equalizer. this speaker connects to the other one with a cable. then from the speaker that has the equalizer in it, leaves a cable and goes to the source with a 8 pin cable. my question is how i can connect these speakers to a new amplifier in order to use these speakers as front speakers. sourround and subwooofer i already have. i only need an amplifier so that i can also connect via hdmi the rest of the items. but i need these speakers to be used as front ones. how can i do that ?


thank you so much and congratulations on the great site you have created !!!

regards,

JP

We need to know the make model and brand of your receiver, and it would be handy if you could post a link to download the manual.

It is far more likely than not that you will be unable to use your 901s with a modern AV receiver.

The 901s are not good speakers anyway. They have cheap ($1.70) car radio type speakers, facing large to front and rear and an attempt to tame the mess with an equalizer.

A speaker like the 901 is not really suitable for a home theater system anyway. So if your receiver does not have a tape monitor loop, then you are forced to look for something better and more suitable, which will be a good outcome for you.

 

[walter duque]

hello guys. i am new in here and i have the following question.

I own a bose 901 system with two speakers. the one speaker has embedded in it an equalizer. this speaker connects to the other one with a cable. then from the speaker that has the equalizer in it, leaves a cable and goes to the source with a 8 pin cable. my question is how i can connect these speakers to a new amplifier in order to use these speakers as front speakers. sourround and subwooofer i already have. i only need an amplifier so that i can also connect via hdmi the rest of the items. but i need these speakers to be used as front ones. how can i do that ?


thank you so much and congratulations on the great site you have created !!!

regards,

JP

I had 901 Series II and 901 Series V but I did not have a cable with 8 pins as far as I remember. Which Series 901's do you own? You might have to get an external amp for your fronts and hook the EQ from Pre-outs of your AVR to EQ to power amp in.

 

[Jean-Paul]

guys please read to what i write.. i do not have a receiver yet.i have the one that came with these speakers which is from bose.

\ALSO the equalizer is embeded in the speaker. i cannot actually see the equalizer. i onl see what i have writen above.

can you explain the thing with the tape. ?

 

[Jean-Paul]

do you want some pictures ?

 

[Jean-Paul]

double post sorry

 

[Jean-Paul]

here. i have managed to upload two of them. the one is of rear of the bose unit and the other is of the rear of the speaker. at the rear of the unit you can see the 8 pin hole i am talking about. the plug is the same for zone 1 and zone 2

http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/1158/img1663i.jpg

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/4637/img1664k.jpg

 

[walter duque]

Your post states 901 speakers, do they look like these http://www.thrillingaudio.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=Bose+901+VI
That's the only 901's I know. I think I get it, must be a HTIB.

 

[jamie2112]

If you are serious about getting better sound you need to set a budget for youe system.The system you have now is a blows theater in a box.This is not a HT system whatsoever.In fact I was hesitant to even speak up because of my loathing for blows.I would like to know what you are using for a sub and what surrounds you have.For 1 you can't use these speakers in a 5.1 or 7.1 setup IMO as you have no center.Like I said I really shouldn't comment on the speakers in question anymore,but I am here to help if you decide to move to real speakers(not expensive just 200% better than the ones you have) Best of luck

 

[JerryLove]

I don't know if HDMI capable receivers are still outfitted with a tape monitor function and connections (more of an old-school/legacy feature).

Without looking, I'll assume we are discussing a pre-amplified EQ?

You could do the same thing with a pre-out and either an amp-in or external amp.

If you are single source, you could even place the EQ between the source and receiver/amp.

 

[TLS Guy]

Without looking, I'll assume we are discussing a pre-amplified EQ?

You could do the same thing with a pre-out and either an amp-in or external amp.

If you are single source, you could even place the EQ between the source and receiver/amp.

Those speakers are not worth the expense and trouble. They are junk.

 

[Jean-Paul]

guys I only asked if you could tell me how iI can connect them(and if) and what will I need. i cannot recxall asking your opinion about the speakers. in my ears they sound great, but this is not the point.
i want to know if i can connect them to an amplifier as front speakers and what amplifiers would that be. i already have a subwoofer and some bose satelites for sourround. i only need an amplifier to connect all of my items in it.can you help ?

 

[Jean-Paul]

Your post states 901 speakers, do they look like these http://www.thrillingaudio.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=Bose+901+VI
That's the only 901's I know. I think I get it, must be a HTIB.

the speakers look like this, but i do not have an external equalizer. please take a llook at the pictures i have uploaded and let me know what i can do for my case

 

[markw]

I have NEVER seen amy Bose 901's with external equalizers. ...and I was around for the Series 1 way back when.

They were always an external box.

I don't think you have 901's.

 

[Jean-Paul]

well i guess there is always room for more knowledge because the speakers are 901.

check it out

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/4283/img1667e.jpg

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/9783/img1671l.jpg

 

[markw]

well i guess there is always room for more knowledge because the speakers are 901.

check it out

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/4283/img1667e.jpg

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/9783/img1671l.jpg

Well, yes and no. And remember, that works both ways.

I see they say on the back that they are "powered". That's a different animal entirely.

They are not "standalone" speakers. They are part of a four piece integrated Bose "Lifestyle" system. For more info on that system, click here.

As you should be able to see, the amps (and the required equalizer) are part of the centeral control unit and/or a unit in the base of one speaker.

IOW, you can use them only with that system. If either of them are missing, you're pretty much boned.

 

[TLS Guy]

guys I only asked if you could tell me how iI can connect them(and if) and what will I need. i cannot recxall asking your opinion about the speakers. in my ears they sound great, but this is not the point.
i want to know if i can connect them to an amplifier as front speakers and what amplifiers would that be. i already have a subwoofer and some bose satelites for sourround. i only need an amplifier to connect all of my items in it.can you help ?

Do you live n the States? I suspect not. I see in your pictures you have a Philips unit with a SCART plug on the back. We do not have SCART in the US. Thankfully we never have and never will.

It seems from your last photograph your speakers have amplifiers.

Identify the line in on the speaker connections, by injecting signals into the input pins. You will need an input plug for the connector.

Then connect the left and right pre outs of your receiver to the line ins on the Bose input connector.

I can not find a pin wiring diagram for your speakers.

If the Bose head unit contains the Eq, you will be out of luck and not be able to use those speakers in a home theater set up.

It would be helpful if you could take a plug apart and let us know how many pins are connected. If it is more that three you will be totally out of luck.

Bose are renowned for producing gear that is non standard and can only be used with their equipment.

What would be helpful is if you could test the cable from the Bose head unit to the speaker that contains the power amplifiers, and see how many of those nine pins are connected.

 

[Jean-Paul]

Well, yes and no. And remember, that works both ways.

I see they say on the back that they are "powered". That's a different animal entirely.

They are not "standalone" speakers. They are part of a four piece integrated Bose "Lifestyle" system. For more info on that system, click here.

As you should be able to see, the amps (and the required equalizer) are part of the centeral control unit and/or a unit in the base of one speaker.

IOW, you can use them only with that system. If either of them are missing, you're pretty much boned.

is it possible ??? the good thing is that i have not paid for those speakers. the bad thing is that is too bad i cannot use them, because I will need to take them away, and it will be a shame to be staying somewhere and not doing anything. in other words they are useless. do what with them ? hear cd's ??? ia m so sad !