HIFI review magazine: original opinions on the Bose 901 back in 1968

original bose 901s – not the greatest audiophile sound for the money, but surely interesting to look at with its horizontal approach and beautiful cabinetry.

in the light of the new hyped-up kith + bose collab reissues of this classic speaker we thought we’d share a bit of its history, as i myself once considered buying a pair, almost a decade ago, but instead opted for a pair of magnepans instead… but here it is non-the-less… “there may be no singular product in modern audio history that has generated more accolades, derision, or pure controversy than the bose 901 loudspeaker. introduced in 1968 by a then four-year-old concern named after its MIT-educated founder, the 901 neither looked, nor sounded, like any speaker that had come before it. with its pentagonal cabinet that faced eight of its nine identical 4-inch, full-range drivers at the reflecting wall behind the speaker, its designer amar bose sought to have it mimic the way we hear in concert halls and imbue its sound with a giant soundstage and spatial realism that was unsurpassed.

amar bose and his 901’s in a clear cabinet

copy of bose 901 series III owners manual

beyond any success of its spatial trickery, the 901 had its issues — the combination of its small cabinet and unusual dispersion pattern required equalization at both ends of the frequency spectrum, and it was (not surprisingly) room and placement sensitive. some sophisticated audiophiles bemoaned a perceived lack of detail and veiled quality to its sound. j. gordon holt, founding editor of our high-end sister publication stereophile, noted in a 1971 commentary that the 901 “produces a more realistic semblance of natural ambience than any other speaker system, but we would characterize it as unexceptional in all other respects.” my own mentor, harry pearson, jr., told me in the early 1980s that he bought a pair of first-generation 901s after reading the positive reviews in the mainstream audio press and was so disappointed that it prompted him to found the absolute sound as an alternative voice.

you are looking at he BACK of the speaker here

in the legend and mythology of the bose 901, the review we’ve reprinted here, written by julian hirsch for hifi stereo review’s september 1968 issue, looms large. it has been suggested by some observers that few factors beyond bose’s own advertising contributed more to the speaker’s huge commercial success. while the review retained hirsch’s usual dispassionate and professorial voice, it was certainly as close to a rave as he ever got. in 1998, when sr celebrated its 40th anniversary and hirsch was asked to reflect on the most noteworthy products he’d encountered, he cited the 901 right alongside such classics as the original shure v15 cartridge, the marantz 10b tuner, and the dynaco a-25 bookshelf speaker. back in ’68, the 901 review appeared without fanfare and was mixed among the several featured each issue in hirsch’s “technical talk” department, which always began with a brief essay (not reproduced here), followed up by a handful of product tests.”

above sound dispersion and positioning – positioning the 901s, which fire backwards, in a standard room can be challenging as the 12-inch gap necessary between the apex of the speaker and the wall places the front of the speaker about 30 inches from the wall. you need to be sure to have a room that can accommodate that. over all a great consumer level speaker system, with some proper positioning and staging however in my opinion “too much electronics” to make this a true pure sound audiophile unit

original  hifi stereo review magazine review from 1968

“depending on one’s viewpoint, the bose 901 speaker system might be considered a revolutionary approach to sound reproduction, or simply a workable combination of well-established (and sometimes deprecated) techniques. the bose 901 enclosures house nine small, specially designed drivers that have 4-inch cones and powerful magnetic structures. eight of the drivers are angled to the rear, while the ninth is mounted on the front of the enclosure facing the listening area. this arrangement is intended to achieve approximately the same ratio of direct to reflected sound that exists in the concert hall…” to see the rest of the review by julian hirsch, in the 1968 issue of hifi stereo review magazine, click on the link. by ss

wilmington 1898 how North Carolina’s democratically-elected, multi-racial government was illegally ousted

american coup wilmington 1898 

directed by brad lichtenstein and yoruba richen

you can watch the full film on PBS website – link in copy below

the film, which is a part of american history seldom displayed, tells the little-known story of a deadly race massacre and carefully orchestrated insurrection in north carolina’s largest city (wilmington) in 1898 — the only successful coup d’état in the history of the united states to date. stoking fears of “negro rule,” self-described white supremacists used intimidation and violence to destroy black political and economic power and overthrow wilmington’s democratically-elected, multi-racial government. black residents were murdered and thousands were banished.

the story of what happened in wilmington was suppressed for decades until descendants and scholars began to investigate. today, many of those descendants — black and white — seek the truth about this intentionally buried history. the film is available on pbs website for viewing,

 

Maurizio Cattelan: Be Right Back film worth a watch

be right back documentary

see the full film for FREE (click here) if you have AMAZON PRIME or just $3 if you dont have prime

“i was cackling throughout this whole thing. this man reminds me of the freaks of the dada movement and i love it endlessly! its so dumb but i love artists who are just purely chaotic and do whatever comes to mind. its hard to give it a better review, but i couldn’t help but see the dark side of warhol, in here with trickles of trump, jeff koons, kanye, vito accunchi and elon musk basically all those sensationalist desperados begging for your attention at any price. ideas that are often so silly i would have rejected it it my small shop… like the fascist finger sculpture infront of the stock exchange,  or the perfume ad at the venice biennale. while i still highly recommend this film and while i fully enjoyed the guggenheim show which i attended at the launch, i will always consider maurizio a french fry – and not a proper meal. by uh

RIP in memory of aaron bushnell

aaron bushnell was just 25-year-old when he set himself on fire in front of the israeli embassy in washington on february 25, 2024

bushnell’s act was the second self-immolation protesting united states support for israel in the 2023 war, which has killed over 40,000 palestinians to date (with more than half being women and children *PBS) and resulted in a major humanitarian crisis. in december 2023, another protestor set herself on fire at the israeli consulate in atlanta.

aaron bushnell was a U.S. air force devops engineer, troubled by what he saw. he died after setting himself on fire outside the front gate of the embassy of israel in washington, D.C. immediately before the act, bushnell said that he was protesting against “what people have been experiencing in palestine at the hands of their colonizers” and declared that he “will no longer be complicit in genocide”, after which he doused himself with a flammable liquid and set himself on fire. as he burned, bushnell repeatedly shouted “free palestine!” after he collapsed onto the ground, two secret service officers attempted to extinguish the flames while a third covered for them with their weapon. bushnell was transported to a local hospital in critical condition and was declared dead in the evening. despite the media ignoring this act of defiance, this selflessness should not be forgotten in this selfish world. to peace and safety for all innocent israelis and all palestinians. by xy

Japan’s Hidden Listening Bars are coming to New York

a dive into japan’s hidden listening bars

sponsored by resident advisor

shelter bar an audiophile venue on the quiet outskirts of tokyo japan – all blues bar new york city

resident advisor exploring japan’s rich culture of listening bars and audiophile venues. it’s a culture rooted in the joy of discovering music, and listening to that music in the best possible environment—that means precision-made speakers, amps, turntables and mixers. tucked away in basements, back-alleys and high-rise buildings, these bars come in different shapes and sizes, but they are united by their pursuit of quality, with owners endlessly fine-tuning their audio setups to create an enriching experience for anyone who visits. these are wonderful settings for people to share their love of music, serving as a “third place”—somewhere to unwind in between their time at work and home. though they’re the result of long-standing traditions, listening bars offer a glimpse into progressive japan, one of the world’s most vibrant places for music discovery. by dd

 

mike giant: limited edition of 100 deck shapes print

mike giant ‘deck shapes’ print 1/100

– “what do you hope people get from your art?”

“not so much. it is so personal how people react. i don’t know if i can have any control over that. skateboards beg for artwork and inherently with skateboards, it’s going to be used and destroyed. it’s not meant to last.”

mike giant x FTC skateshop skate series

mike giant with his tatoos

very cool print that belongs on my wall…. sold out look for it on ebay – media: 1 color screen print on natural 100# cover stock, size: 24″ x 18″ edition of 100, signed & numbered by mike giant year: 2021 printed by x bloom press / oakland, CA. by nk

the case for donald trump 2024: Richard wolff talks rene magritte, hegel, young frankenstein, kissinger, punchin judy, and the american empire

“hump? what hump?”

“everything is wrapped in mystery… the arrogance of the human experience to think we can dominate nature”

“who are the “savages”?”

“…these elections are a form of choreographed escapism, for the public to avoid and evade facing the real problems of the society… its like a safe place you take children to when they are frightened by real issues in their lives, and you give them something to focus on..”

georg wilhelm friedrich hegel – just observing

hulk hogen “…its a way of calming a population that’s getting increasingly nervous… the show changes nothing, it calms the public, it distracts, you hope that they forget, and then its over, and pretty quick, like trump, biden, bush obama…”

richard wolff is a professor emeritus of economics at the university of massachusetts amherst, wolff has also taught economics at yale university, and the sorbonne in paris, and more  – click here if video not available richard wolff: the final case against donald j. trump

henry kissinger – war criminal

this interview reminds me of adam curtis’ incredible documentary called “hypernormalization” which i am sure richard is a fan of too… if you have not seen that, it means you’re new to TS, so here is the link to that post from some years ago – more relevant today than ever  – must watch a work of art in its own right. enjoy this interview, its genuinely thought provoking… by dd

 

Straight To You : interviews and documentary on nick cave and the bad seeds

“…most people learn to deal with life and relationships… the artists doesn’t, because he is unable to spend the time to do that…”

“my personal life tends to remain in a state of chaos – and i never seems to have the time to put it all together…”

“i understand people more, before i was incredibly naive, i would fall in love at the drop of a hat, or give myself fully to people… i now know the way of the world these days”

this was the first ever authorized nick cave documentary directed by nanni jacobson

nick cave with iggy pop

above – nick cave and anita lane. the film spans nick caves career from birthday party onwards.

above – a young brad pitt and nick cave in and early film : johnny suede

nick in berlin

this docu was broadcasted on tv stations in various countries (germany, australia, israel, switzerland, austria, italy)

nick cave straight to you documentary – if not available here click here

the macabre crooner documented here with his favorite outfits and gorgeous lyrics, the highs and lows of life are all captured here… some nice insights on an intimate level with nick cave. nick reveals how he has finally aged and knows the world a bit better, burned by love, still unable to manage his personal life, and disappointed by the outcome of his rehab, he still finds himself in his depths of darkness, but he feel he has now a good grasp on life and is finally a well-adjusted citizen of sorts. the footage is not beautifully shot but the substance and insights are all there. recommended for any nick cave fan. by xy

Watch How Democracy was extinguished in Iran and elsewhere, and who was to blame

stars ralph fiennes, walter murch, and winston churchill amongst others

ralph fiennes reads the transcripts of norman darbyshire who was a british spy who worked for the SOE and the MI6. he played a key role in the 1953 coup d’état that overthrew mohammed mossadegh, the democratically-elected prime minister of iran.

the cia is quoted acknowledging the coup was carried out “under cia direction” and “as an act of u.s. foreign policy, conceived and approved at the highest levels of government”.

watch how the MOSAD worked with iran in helping the shah to remain in and grip to power.

coup 53 documentary directed by taghi amirani – if unavailable click here

must watch… riveting, provocative and revelatory, coup 53 plays out like one of john le carré’s spy thrillers and is one of the most important and relevant documentaries of our time. 10 years in the making, the film – a meta textual account – seeks to uncover the past and expose the underhandedness that went into staging a coup d’état, by british and american forces, in 1953 iran- overthrowing the democratically elected government of prime minister mossadegh, reinstating the shah as head of the state, and ultimately leading to the revolution.

through a series of video interviews and transcripts – some aired as part of a documentary-series ‘end of empire’ and some that never saw the light of day, but were carefully preserved – the film’s director – taghi amirani – stitches together an intricate yarn that is gripping, powerful and extremely detailed in both its analysis and its cinematic scope. this is what documentaries need to be. riveting, provocative and revelatory, coup 53 plays out like one of john le carré’s spy thrillers and is one of the most important and relevant documentaries of our time.

10 years in the making, the film – a meta textual account – seeks to uncover the past and expose the underhandedness that went into staging a coup d’état, by british and american forces, in 1953 iran- overthrowing the democratically elected government of prime minister mossadegh, reinstating the shah as head of the state, and ultimately leading to the revolution.

through a series of video interviews and transcripts – some aired as part of a documentary-series ‘end of empire’ and some that never saw the light of day, but were carefully preserved – the film’s director – taghi amirani – stitches together an intricate yarn that is gripping, powerful and extremely detailed in both its analysis and its cinematic scope. this is what documentaries need to be. by nw

Dashwood books: Whatever You Say, Say Nothing & Telex Iran by Gilles Peress

gilles peress’s seminal publication documents life under the iranian regime during the late 1970s including the american embassy hostage crisis. telex iran is an extraordinarily personal document of a public event. the photographs peress took over a five-week period during 1979-1980 focus on the seizure of the american embassy and a number of hostages in tehran by student proxy groups of the new iranian regime. however, the book forms neither a study nor an analysis of that singular event. peress’ photographs do not purport to tell the story – any story – but are the nearly seismographic record of the photojournalist’s perceptions, encounters, and not least, his emotions as he moves through the city and the countryside of a nation in upheaval. involved one day, alienated the next; insightful in tabriz, at sea in qom; attracted to one subject, repelled by another, telex iran beats out the raw rhythms of iran’s dislocations, both historical and individual.  first published in 1984, this exceptionally designed book established gilles peress’ reputation as a documentary photographer. originally published by aperture and contrejour in 1984. this is the scalo edition from 1997 published in the same trim size but in hardcover. price $1,250 signed at dashwood books. by ar

two tone britain documentary: rock against racism, black and white hate turned into jamaican influence british made rockin beat

less rasta more rude-boy – margaret thatcher’s england fueled the fire behind the two tone ska back in 1979 – with a distinctive look and an original sound

anti racists, all inclusive, with a jamaican influenced british made beat

“two tone britain (2004) – ska 2tone documentary” if not available click here

the two-tone music genre and movement originated in the late 1970s in coventry, england, when young musicians combined reggae, ska, and rocksteady with punk and new wave. the term “two-tone” was coined by jerry dammers, the keyboard player for the specials, one of the most prominent bands in the two-tone movement. the name represented the racial unity and harmony that came from black and white musicians working together. by dd