[Music Fanatic]

I was an early adopter of Bose QuietComfort 2's. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I find that these headphones have superior comfort and noise reduction (based on my experience with a wide variety of noise reduction headphones.)

As an early adopter, I had a model that differed from later models. In time, the headband cracked, and the headphone became loose (although still listenable).

On a recent trip, I saw an airport Bose stand. I walked right up and showed my heavily used Bose headphones. The clerk took a look at it, and asked, "Do you have a receipt?" I said "No, but I think they are still under warranty." She said, "OK," and proceeded to give me a new pair of headphones.

Later (on the plane), I carefully examined them and found them to have a superior design (with reinforcements to prevent the sort of failure I experienced.) I was so impressed that the Bose clerk was willing to immediately replace my headphones, with no receipt or documentation at all.

I have to say that despite the frequent carping against Bose, I am impressed by both their customer service and by the quality of the Bose QuietComfort 2. With the improved design of the newest QuietComfort 2s, I really see no flaws at all with the product (although it is certainly pricey.)

 

[bhd812]

im impressed with BOSE having a stand in a airport....lol


great customer service they do have, I agree

 

[dj_mocok]

i think thats why you pay extra money for BOSE products that by headfiers sense, the price doesnt equal to the performance.

 

[jjcapurro]

I don't think anyone here doubts that Bose (or any big company for that matter) as a company has some good customer service. I'm sure there are people here who have experienced horrible service as well. Personally, I enjoy dealing with esoteric audio companies because if something goes wrong (very rarely I might add), you call and talk to the guy that designed it! How's that for customer service (try that with Bose hehe)! My opinion, which I believe is fairly common among audiophilic types, regarding Bose is that they make quite decent mid-fi products that people who are not in the know fully enjoy. My problem with them is in their marketing and their self positioning in the market. They are a mid-fi company trying to make people believe that they are the best money can buy simply by charging alot more than equivelent products, and throwing a crap load of money at their marketing dept. This is not how (IMHO) a business should be run, and I feel they should either make a better product to justify their pricing scheme, or lower their prices to be more inline with the rest of the market. But alas, I do have to commend Bose... In the world of business, it all comes down to the bottom line, and if they can make people believe they are better than all else, with tiny little form factors to boot, well then I can rest assured that Capitolism as an institution is still alive and well. Caveat Empor. It's good that you enjoy your phones though because regardless of the bickering that happens in audiophile land THAT IS TRULY WHAT MATTERS!

Regards,
Jeremy

 

[bhd812]

But Jeremy you must respect BOSE and Monster cable for bringing in more people to the real audiophile market.

Once there eyes open up and see there and great companies out there for a high price they are addicted to the hi-fi seen.

When I was 14 and bought my Bose acoutimasswhatever, I woke up and thought "wow there are some companies who take this crap seriously.


a lot of people who buy Bose dont know that these companies exsist, ask a customer at sears if they Like the NAD amps, the look you'll get I am sure you already know...lol

let bose market their product the way they are, after all the more people brought in to this "hobby" the better products we get

 

[jjcapurro]

Indeed, I will whole heartedly admit that people buying Bose and Monster Cable creates new stereophiles... i just wish they didnt have to get burned with less than stellar equipment in the process... I too have bought my share of Monster cable (no bose, but I came close a couple times... eek!). In my perfect fantasy world everyone who was in the bose price range buying group would be brought to the hobby by B&W 600's, Monitor Audio Silvers, Vandersteen, NAD, Cambridge Audio, Cobalt Cable, Kimber Kable PBJ, and of course Grado SR-60's & Senns.

I can dream,
Jeremy

 

[dj_mocok]

its similar like the kind of extra service when you are buying Lexus cars...

 

[Sovkiller]

Wow, I was reading and I couldn't believe this is happening here in head-fi, the last time someone mentioned Bose here, was stoned to death, and now everybody is praising them, for sure something had changed in head-fi since them....LOL...

IMO Bose keep on doing the same overpriced crap as before, and will keep on doing that, that way, unless we stop buying it, in which case they will drop the prices to the real world competitive prices.....

Guys what is wrong with you? Good customer service is fine, of course at those prices they sell, is the less thing they are obligated to do, but the rest about introducing you to the audiophile world is all BS....period....I have never owned any Bose product and my gear sounds 150 times better than theirs, with a fraction of the cost of any Bose all in one product, what are you advocating for, please......????

 

[ProParadox]

I had some fun at a local bose store the other day...

So i walked in, went to the headphones, had a listen for a bit. Three models were out, the "high end" sounded ridiculously bass heavy, and the bottom of the line model sounded tinny. The middle one, suprisingly enough, didnt sound too bad. Regardless, this is irrelevant.

So I went over to the guy working the counter... and I ask:

"Can i get some sort of documentation, with SNR, frequency response on your headphones?"
Him "No, we dont provide those numbers, as we have found that those numbers can be influenced by room dynamics, etc."
Me: "Room dynamics with headphones?"
Him: "You bet"
Me: "Oh, so you just suggest i blindly follow your brand name, to know what sounds best?"
Him: *blank stare*

I then walked out of the store, with a bit of a smirk.

 

[Sovkiller]

I had noticed that too, I don't know what is the catch on that, but in all the stores nowadays, unless Harvey, J&R, B&H, etc....they hire the first stupid on the street that want to work for 5.00 an hour and put them there, I was not able to get any single, straight, decent answer from any of them, all the times I went into those big stores, IMO this is a complete lack of respect, that a seller came besides you, asking if he or she can help you, and knows a rat *****$ about what they are selling there:

-this Cd player has two lasers????....
-can i see the manual where they claim that?
-Sorry but this is not in the manual
-Well how do you know that?
-Well we received a training of all the equipment here....great...!!!


-This amp is 450watts per channel??? (with 120 watts of AC power rating in the tag)

That was in Harvey electronics in route 17 NJ:

-This RA-1 is the best headphone amp in the world for all headphones"???
-But you do not have any other?"
-You do not need any other"
-Thanks"

-you name it, it plays it" (talking about universal players)"
-What about DVD-A? (I asked)
-DVD-A?"
-there is no DVD-A yet????"
-No? what about this one????...LOL..."


The other day I went in to rat-shack, asking for a power connector, I went into the bunch of cables they have hanging there with the walkman in my hand to try the right one, it was the letter "B", then I asked the guy:

-I want a connector B, to replace the one in my wallwart...."
-Sorry Sir, but we do not sell those connector, only the whole adapter.....
-OK how much is the adapter?....16.99...
-Are you nuts, 16.00 for this crappy wallwart???...
-that's the price...
-OK, what about the connector alone???......
-nope we don't sell those.....
-are you sure?.....
-yep
-OK would you mind to look in that drawer there that says power connectors in the shelf, and let em know...
-holy cow, yes you are right, here it is......
-how much 2.97 for the pair.....

Do you know how many times do I have applied to get a part time job in Rat Shack.....many times about 3 or 4, but they never had even called me, where they get these amazing guys that have no idea of what they sell there....?????.

 

[ProParadox]

Well, i know how that is. I work at a local compusa, (commision based) and we have guys that just dont know anything about computers. Great salesmen though.

I'm the nerdy guy who cant sell anything, but everyone comes to me with their questions.

 

[Sovkiller]

Well if to be salesman means to be a liar, I'm against that...
IMO a salesman is a guy who offer you the product, try to sell it to you, and convince you of what he is selling is good for you, but based on facts, and knowing what he is selling, and what is best for your needs. Sometimes to be a good product doesn't mean to be the best suited for your needs. I prefer that a guy try to sell me a product that is best suited for me, even if he try to rip me off with the price later, if that guy was trying to sell me the RA-1 for a Grado headphone, that should be another story, and is OK for me, as of course you could find other amps for Grados, that may sound better, but the RA-1 offer an exceptional good match for them, and in some way he is not lying 100%. But he don't even asked me, what I was going to hook on it, what about if I was looking an amp for the K-1000, this amp is not even suited for that, so this is a whole lie in this case. What happen? well the next time I go into the store, and he ask me, if he can help me, I will say, of course not!!!! Sorry to be arrogant, but simply you can't help me...you don't know a rat ***** of what you are selling here.....

That is why the commission based hiring, is killing or trust and confidence, day by day, is not fair that you go into any store to get a product that you may or may not know well, and the salesman lie to you, and sell you any other carp to get a better commission. This IMO is not honest at all....

 

[Oddball]

Personally, the only reason that I'm not adamantly anti-Bose is that they create a product in a small market. I mean like, the Bose Quiet Comfort2s are one of the few over the ear noise cancellation phones out there. It's nice for people who don't like sticking stuff into the ear. They're not the best, but I don't think they're the devil. It's a bit annoying to deal with people who think Bose is the end-all of sound quality, but it's better than people talking about how cool their Sony Streetstyles are.

 

[WmAx]

Quote:

That is why the commission based hiring, is killing or trust and confidence, day by day, is not fair that you go into any store to get a product that you may or may not know well, and the salesman lie to you, and sell you any other carp to get a better commission.

Hold on...... do you think you will get better service if their is no commision?

If you believe that, hurry into any Best Buy or Circuit City. They have both eliminated commision..... the results IS NOT better service. Best Buy is a 3D Pop-Up Ad! Your custom title, Sov, could be very fitting for them! They try[mulstiple times in one visit!] to shove every service they have down y our throat! Circuit city? Well, I can only speak from my experiences..... since they removed the commision.....it seems like the salepeople are even less knowledgable[and try to avoid you?]....... not suprising since when CC wewnt no-commision last year, they terminated most of the senior sales staff that made over a certain amount in commisions...... surely you can not expect the few knowledagable salespeople to come back and work for the low base pay that is without commision?

-Chris

 

[ProParadox]

Compusa is still commision based, but i dont think it really helps the consumers. I find it to be more of annoyance, because customers get asked every 30 seconds if they want help, by salesmen who want that extra few bucks on their paycheck.