Audiophiles tend to be an opinionated bunch, but with decades of speakers, that’s also a good thing, because some of the most famous audio brands could easily be misinterpreted as always being great. However, audiophiles find some speakers overrated, including the Bose 901, B&W 800 Series, Klipsch Heresy and JBL L100. Typically, reviews of these speakers are usually about how it sounds, how everything looks. Audiophiles generally have an ear and understanding of how these speakers work.
They’re perfect when you want to know which Bluetooth headphones to avoid or which are the top audiophile headphones. Opinions often come from those who have actively used a product or have brief access to it to test it. Audiophiles are deeply connected to their setups; some online forum members and social media creators have spent thousands of dollars to acquire the best sound. Speakers come in all shapes, sizes, and styles that can be appealing, but no matter how good their marketing is, not every speaker will live up to the hype.
Bose 901
When Headphonesty asked its audience about overrated speakers, the largest percentage of votes went to the Bose 901, with 37.77% of the vote. Elsewhere, the Bose 901 has attracted criticism since its introduction in the 1960s. The Bose 901 has its detractors, as it requires a very specific setup to get anything decent out of it. On Reddit, one user said: “If set up correctly, they create a huge 3D soundstage. But only if they are configured in a very specific way. » Otherwise, they don’t sound good at all.
Another added that it’s a “demanding audiophile product,” meaning if you don’t know what you’re doing, it will perform poorly. So how did the Bose 901s become popular enough to warrant an overrated label? Well, it sold pretty well. Produced between 1968 and finally discontinued in 2016, the Bose 901 was a near-permanent mainstay on shelves, with the Series VI being the last edition made. In a review of the Model VI, noaudiophile called it a “timeless major” compared to expectations. A 60th anniversary edition was made, but it was limited to 12 copies and given to friends and family.
Bowers & Wilkins 801 D4
It didn’t take long to find those bashing the Bowers & Wilkins 800 series online. In a 14-minute video, Audio Excellence Canada, with experience selling speakers, says the 800 has been very successful in penetrating the minds of the general consumer through brand awareness. However, the host, Adrian, thinks they are too expensive, as they sell new for around $45,000. A common thread in all the discussions is that these speakers are particularly expensive. Bowers & Wilkins even recently announced a new edition of the 800 series, with many complaining about the price.
In the AVSForum, one user claimed that B&W 800 Series speakers, like the 801 D4, “never really disappear into a coherent soundstage.” Headphonesty’s audience voted as the second most overrated speaker available, with 14.46% of the vote. Audiences have stated that the woofer, tweeter and midrange components sound like individual pieces and not a unified soundstage.
Klipsch Heresy
With 10.54% of the votes on Headphonesty, it was relatively easy to find people immersed in Klipsch Heresy. One of the first searches on YouTube to get an audiophile’s opinion was a video titled “Why the Klipsch Heresy is Crap.” In the video, Rossi Audio explains that Heresy speakers “only reproduce half of the recorded music.” One Reddit user discovered that after two weeks, he simply hated the sound.
According to them, playing the Bee Gees was a bit like “white noise.” Another says they should modify the speaker, while another responds by saying: “So they’re great if you make a whole new speaker out of them?” Meanwhile, Erin’s Audio Corner said: “Look, the simple story here is that I don’t like this speaker. » Reasons include thin voices at certain frequencies, as well as “poor directivity control.” The more Erin thought about it, the worse the speaker became.
JBL L100
Featuring a legendary design, the JBL L100s are often talked about when it comes to overrated speakers. Skylabs Audio on YouTube says that some audiophiles might not like the sound they produce, as JBL designed them for rock, rather than anything. With that in mind, this means they’re pretty inaccurate when it comes to other forms of music. Headphonesty found that 6.18% of respondents thought L100s were overrated, and this mentality continues elsewhere online.
On the AudioKarma forums, one user states that “on the internet, people like what they think they’re supposed to like.” This was in response to a thread defending the L100s. In the same thread, someone points out that L100s were originally built on the back of studio monitors. It’s likely that some more attentive audiophiles won’t be happy with the sound, due to studio monitors bringing out imperfections for mixing purposes. The L100s have a huge fan base, but some still consider them overrated on certain parts of the internet. JBL is now owned by Samsung and in the years since has re-released speakers with the L100 design.
