Bose 601 Series IV DirectReflecting speaker system Sold from August 2001 to 2004 User Manual

							 
The Bose 
®  
601 
TM  
Series IV Direct/Reflecting 
® 
Speaker System 
Owner’s Guide
October 25, 2001 
AM257731_00_V.pdf  
						

							 
2 Oc tober 25, 2001 AM257731_00_V.pdf 
Customer Information
Declaration of Conformity
 
We, the offerer:
Bose 
® 
 Corporation, The Mountain, 
Framingham, MA 01701-9168 USA
Acknowledge our sole responsibility, that the product:  
Kind of equipment: Loudspeaker
Type designation: 601 
TM 
 Series IV Direct/Reflecting 
® 
 speaker  
In accordance with EMC Directive 89/336/EEC and 
Article 10 (1) of the Directive, 
is in compliance with the following norm(s) or document(s):  
Technical regulations: 
EN50081-1, EN50082-1  
Accredited by Bose Corporation
1 May 2001 
Bose Products B.V. Nic Merks
Nijverheidstraat 8, 1135 GE Edam Vice President, Bose Europe
The Netherlands Manufacturer’s authorized EU 
representative 
						

							 
AM257731_00_V.pdf October 25, 2001 3 
Contents 
Setting Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4  
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
Unpacking the speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Attaching the speaker grilles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
Placing the speakers   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Choosing the speaker cord   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Running the speaker cord through a wall or under a floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
Preparing the speaker cord  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Making the connections  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
Checking the connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
For use in home theater  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
For rear or surround speakers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
Setting your surround sound receiver or amplifier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7  
Reference Information  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8  
Troubleshooting  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
Technical information  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Customer service  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
Cleaning  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9 
Warranty 
Bose 
® 
 601 
TM 
 Direct/Reflecting 
® 
 speakers are covered by a limited five-year transferable warranty. Details of the coverage 
are provided on the warranty card that came with your speakers. Please fill out the information section on your card, 
detach it, and mail it to Bose. 
For your records 
The serial number is located on the label on the back of each speaker. 
Serial numbers:  and
Dealer name:
Dealer phone:  Purchase date:
We suggest you keep your sales slip and warranty card together with this owner’s guide. 
©2001 Bose Corporation. No part of this work may be reproduced, modified, distributed, or otherwise used without prior written 
permission. All trademarks referenced herein are the property of Bose Corporation. 
						

							 
4 October 25, 2001 AM257731_00_V.pdf 
Setting Up
Introduction 
Your 601 
TM 
 Direct/Reflecting 
® 
 speakers re-create a natural balance of reflected and direct 
sound energy for a lifelike, spacious performance. As with all Bose 
® 
 products, their design is 
meant to bring you high-quality concert-like sound. 
Figure 1 
A natural balance of 
reflected and direct sound 
energy. 
Unpacking the speakers 
Carefully unpack the contents of the shipping carton. 
• Individually remove each speaker.
• Retain the packaging material for possible future use.
• If either speaker appears damaged, do not use it. Repack both speakers in the original 
carton and notify your authorized Bose dealer immediately. 
WARNING:  
To avoid danger of suffocation, keep the plastic bags that wrap these speakers 
out of the reach of children. 
WARNING:  
Each speaker weighs 30 lb (13.6 kg). Use good lifting practice to avoid injury. 
Figure 2 
Package contents:
• 1 left speaker
• 1 right speaker
• Owner’s guide
• 2 front speaker grilles
• 2 rear speaker grilles 
Attaching the speaker grilles 
Each speaker has both a front and a rear protective grille. The rear grille is the larger of the 
two. To attach these grilles to your speakers, line up the top curve of the grille so that it 
matches the curve of the speaker. Align the pins on the back of the grille to the mounting 
holes on the speaker cabinet and gently push the grille straight on. 
CAUTION:  
Do not place objects into any opening on the speaker cabinets.  
Rear speaker grilles Front speaker grilles
Right speaker Left speaker
Owner’s guide 
						

							 
AM257731_00_V.pdf October 25, 2001 5 
Setting Up
Placing the speakers
 
The product label on the back of each speaker indicates LEFT or RIGHT. For best acoustic 
performance, place the left speaker on the left side as you face your speakers and place the 
right speaker on the right side.
Keep the speakers 6 - 15 feet (1.8 - 6 m) apart and at least 10 inches (25 cm) from side walls 
(see Figure 3). 
It is important not to block the acoustic components at the rear of each speaker. To avoid 
this, place each speaker at least 8 inches (20 cm) from the wall behind it. 
Figure 3 
Ideal speaker placement 
Note:  
Bose 
® 
 601 
TM 
 speakers are not intended to hang from walls, or to stand on shelves or 
tables. They are designed as floor-standing speakers only. 
WARNING:  
To prevent personal injury, do not place your speakers in high-traffic areas where 
they can be accidentally knocked over. 
Note:  
To prevent interference with your TV picture quality, place each speaker at least 2 feet 
(.6 m) from your TV screen. 
Figure 4 
Place each speaker at least 
2 feet (.6 m) from your TV 
screen. 
Choosing the speaker cord 
It is important to use the proper gauge (thickness) of speaker cord. Standard zip cord (2-con-
ductor, 18-gauge or .82 mm 
2 
 wire or larger) is recommended for most applications. You can 
find this wire at most electrical and hardware stores. 
If the length of speaker wire extends more than 20 feet (6 m) from a receiver or amplifier, refer 
to “Wire recommendations” on page 9 or contact your authorized Bose dealer for more infor-
mation. 
Running the speaker cord through a wall or under a floor 
Make sure you have enough cord to reach from the receiver to each speaker. For in-wall 
installation, check your local building code requirements. Before proceeding, you may want 
to contact an electrical installer for information about your local building or safety regulations.
2 ft
minimum
(.6 m)2 ft
minimum
(.6 m)
 
10 minimum
(25 cm) 8 minimum (20 cm)
6 - 15 ft
(1.8 - 6 m) 
						

							 
6 October 25, 2001 AM257731_00_V.pdf 
Setting Up 
Preparing the speaker cord 
Speaker cord consists of two insulated wires. The insulation around one wire is marked 
(striped, collared, ribbed, or may have writing on it). This marked wire is always positive (+). 
The plain wire is always negative (–). These wires correspond to the red (+) and black (–) ter-
minals on the speaker, receiver, or amplifier. 
Note:  
It is sometimes difficult to distinguish wire markings. Inspect both wires carefully. 
To prepare the ends of the cord, strip approximately  
3 
⁄ 
8
 
 to  
1 
⁄ 
2
 
-inch (10-12 mm) of insulation 
from both wires. Then, twist the bare ends of each wire so there are no loose strands of wire. 
WARNING:  
Never use broken or frayed wire, as damage or electrical shock may result. 
Making the connections 
Connect your speaker wire to the SPEAKERS A or MAIN (front) left and right speaker outputs 
on your amplifier or receiver. See your receiver owner’s guide for any additional information or 
instructions.  
CAUTION:  
Before making any connections, turn off your receiver and unplug it from the AC 
power mains. Failure to do so may result in damage to your system. 
Figure 5 
Wiring schematic 
Unscrew the hex knobs on the terminal posts (Figure 5) located on the back of the left (L) 
speaker. This reveals a small opening through each post where the wire goes. 
1. Insert the marked wire into the red (+) terminal. Insert the plain wire into the black (-) ter-
minal. 
2. Tighten the knobs to secure the wires.
3. Connect the other ends of the wire to your receiver or amplifier.
A. Attach the marked wire at one end to the red (+) terminal.
B. Attach the plain wire at that end to the black (–) terminal.
4. Repeat steps 1, 2, and 3 for the right (R) speaker connections. 
Note:  
Now is a good time to record the serial numbers of these speakers on page 3 of this 
guide and on your warranty card.
L
R
L
R
Right speaker
ReceiverLeft speaker 
						

							 
AM257731_00_V.pdf October 25, 2001 7 
Setting Up
Checking the connections 
Check all the connections from the receiver to the left and right speakers. Make sure all the 
wires are connected in phase (+ to + and – to –). 
Correct any wiring problems before you plug in your receiver and turn it on.  
CAUTION:  
601 
TM 
 speakers incorporate an automatic protection circuit, which guards against 
most kinds of damage from electrical stress or overload. This circuit activates at high volume 
levels to reduce output, causing a slight decrease in volume. You may also notice light com-
ing from inside the speaker cabinet. This is normal operation and indicates that power input 
may be exceeding safe levels. Sustained listening at these levels is not recommended. 
For use in home theater 
Your speakers are fully compatible with all surround sound formats. They may be used as the 
front left and right main speakers, or in larger more powerful systems as full-range surround 
channel speakers. 
For rear or surround speakers 
For use as the rear or surround speakers, connect your speakers to the “Rear” or “Surround” 
speaker outputs of the receiver or amplifier. For use with digital home theater systems, we 
recommend trying both “Large” and “Small” settings to determine the best performance with 
your receiver or amplifier. See your receiver owner’s guide for any additional information or 
instructions.  
Setting your surround sound receiver or amplifier 
After making the connections, you may try any additional surround sound modes that your 
receiver may have. These modes may have different names depending on the manufacturer, 
such as, ACTION, MOVIE, THEATER. Select the settings for music, movies or both that sound 
best in your listening environment. See your receiver/amplifier owner’s guide for additional 
information on selecting settings. 
						

							 
8 October 25, 2001 AM257731_00_V.pdf 
Reference Information
Troubleshooting 
If you are experiencing problems with your 601 
TM 
 speakers:
1. Turn off the amplifier or receiver and check all the connections between the speakers and 
the amplifier or receiver.
2. Check your amplifier or receiver owner’s guide, since other components may be the 
cause of the problem.
3. Use the chart below as troubleshooting guidelines. If this does not solve the problem, 
contact your authorized Bose 
® 
 dealer to arrange for service. Refer to the address list 
enclosed in the product packaging for correct phone numbers. 
Problem Possible cause How to find out Solution 
One speaker 
doesn’t play, or 
sounds distorted.Amplifier or receiver 
channel, speaker, or 
speaker wire may be 
defective.Switch the LEFT and 
RIGHT connections 
on the back of your 
speakers.If the previously 
“broken” speaker 
now plays properly, 
and the other one 
does not, one chan-
nel in the amplifier 
or receiver, or that 
speaker wire is 
probably defective. 
If the original 
speaker still does 
not play properly, 
call Bose or your 
retailer to arrange 
for service.
Both speakers do 
not play, or sound 
distorted.Amplifier or receiver 
may be defective.Disconnect the 
amplifier or receiver 
from the speakers.Reconnect the 
speakers to another 
amplifier or receiver 
that works properly.
High sound volume 
drops suddenly.The automatic pro-
tection circuit has 
activated to protect 
the speakers from 
electrical stress or 
overload.Lower the volume. If 
it returns to normal, 
your speakers’ auto-
matic protection cir-
cuit caused the 
sudden drop. This 
volume reduction 
protects the speak-
ers from electronic 
stress and overload.Return the volume 
to a reasonable 
level; avoid 
extremely high vol-
ume settings.
No bass or dimin-
ished sound quality.Wiring may be out-
of-phase.Check connections. 
They should be in 
phase (+ to + and – 
to –).Adjust connections, 
if they are out of 
phase. 
						

							 
AM257731_00_V.pdf October 25, 2001 9 
Reference Information
Technical information 
Features 
• Direct/Reflecting 
® 
 speaker technology 
• Stereo Everywhere 
® 
 speaker technology
• Proprietary bass reproduction
• Automatic protection circuitry
• Syncom 
® 
 computer quality control 
Speaker driver complement 
• Two 6 
1 
⁄ 
2 
 (16.5 cm) woofers
• One 2 (5.1 cm) ferrofluid tweeter per cabinet 
Compatibility 
Compatible with A/V receivers and amplifiers rated from 10 to 200 watts per channel, rated 
from 4 to 8 ohms.
Power rating: 100 Watts IEC 
Finish 
• Graphite gray
• Light cherry 
Dimensions/Weight 
32H x 8W x 13.75D (81 cm x 20 cm x 35 cm)
Each speaker weighs 30 lb (13.6 kg) 
Wire recommendations 
Based on maximum frequency response deviation of 0.5 dB 
Customer service 
For additional help in solving problems, contact Bose 
® 
 customer service. Refer to the address 
list enclosed in the product packaging for correct phone numbers. 
Cleaning 
Wipe the 601 
TM 
 speaker cabinets using a dry cloth. Do not use solvents or chemicals. Do not 
allow liquids to spill on, or objects to drop into the speaker grilles. You may vacuum the grilles 
carefully; the drivers are directly behind the grille cloth. No other maintenance is required. 
Gauge Length 
18 (0.82 mm 
2
 
)20 ft (6 m) maximum
16 (1.3 mm 
2
 
)30 ft (9 m) maximum
14 (2.1 mm 
2
 
)50 ft (15 m) maximum
12 (3.3 mm 
2
 
)80 ft (24 m) maximum 
						

							 
10 October 25, 2001 AM257731_00_V.pdf 
Reference Information