Bose 901 powered speaker system Sold from 1996 to 2003 Zone 2 User Manual

							 
901 
® 
 Powered Speaker System 
Owner’s Guide
November 19, 2001 
AM264271_00_V.pdf 
						

							 
2 November 19, 2001 AM264271_00_V.pdf 
Safety Information 
WARNING:   
To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose the system to rain or 
moisture.  
These CAUTION marks are located on the back of the pedestal of the powered (left) speaker 
of your 901 
® 
 powered speaker system:
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is 
intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within 
the system enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of 
electric shock.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle, as marked on the speakers, 
is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and mainte-
nance instructions in this owner’s guide.   
CAUTION:   
To prevent electric shock, match wide blade of plug to wide slot, insert fully.  
WARNING:   
No naked flame sources, such as lighted candles, should be placed on the 
apparatus.  
Additional safety information  
See the additional safety information on the   
Important Safety Instructions  
 sheet enclosed 
in the shipping carton.  
Please read this owner’s guide  
Please take the time to read this owner’s guide carefully. It will help you set up and operate 
your 901 powered speaker system properly. Save your owner’s guide for future reference.
CAUTIONCAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK).
NO USER-SERVICABLE PARTS INSIDE.
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
 
©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. 
						

							 
AM264271_00_V.pdf November 19, 2001 3 
Contents
Where to find… 
Setting Up 4
Before you begin   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Unpacking the speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Placing the speakers   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Connecting the speakers to a music/media center  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Connecting the speaker system to power  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Operating Your 901 
® 
 Powered Speaker System   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Listening to your 901 powered speaker system   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Adjusting the sound quality   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Treble and bass controls  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Compensating for room acoustics   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Reference 10
Cleaning your speakers   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Troubleshooting  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Customer service  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Warranty information   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Technical information  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 
For your records 
Serial numbers are located on the back of each speaker.
901 powered (left) speaker serial number: __________________________________________________________________
901 accessory (right) speaker serial number: ________________________________________________________________
Dealer name:____________________________________________________________________________________________
Dealer phone: _________________________________________ Purchase date: ________________________________
Bose 
® 
 recommends that you keep your sales receipt and warranty card together with this owner’s guide. 
						

							 
4 November 19, 2001 AM264271_00_V.pdf 
Setting Up
Before you begin 
Thank you for purchasing the 901 
® 
 Direct/Reflecting 
® 
 powered speaker system. The 901 
speakers are the finest speakers produced by Bose 
® 
. Their legendary status is the result of 
our research commitment to reproduce lifelike and spacious music along with elegant and 
sleek styling.
Please take the time to read this owner’s guide carefully. It will help you set up and operate 
your 901 speakers properly. Save your owner’s guide for future reference. 
Unpacking the speakers 
Carefully unpack the contents of each shipping carton (Figure 1):
•Remove each speaker carefully.
•Retain all packaging material for possible future use.
•If either speaker appears damaged, do not use it. Repack each speaker in its 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 52 lb (23.6 kg). Use good lifting practice to avoid injury. 
Figure 1 
Items included in your 901 
powered speaker system
®901® DIRECT REFLECTING®POWERED SPEAKER SYSTEM
100 - 120V~50/60Hz
350W MAX.OUTPUTTO
ACCESSORY
SPEAKERFROM
LIFESTYLE® MUSIC
CENTER INPUT BASS
–+NORMTREBLE
–+NORM
POWERON
OFF
RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCKCAUTIONRISQUE DE CHOC ÉLECTRIQUEAV I S
MAY BE COVERED BY PAT. RIGHTS ISSUED AND PENDING
INCLUDING U.S. PAT.3,582,533 4,061,890 4,146,745 4,158,756
4,739,514 AND RE31679. PATENTED IN CANADA 1974, 1980
© 1994 BOSE CORPORATIONSERIAL NUMBER
D.O.M.BOSE CORPORATION, FRAMINGHAM, MA 01701-9168
MADE IN U.S.A.®
Powered (left) speaker
Accessory (right) speakerPower cord*
Audio input cable
Speaker interconnect cable
50-foot variable extension cableIn-line variable adapter
* Power cord shown is for USA/Canada/Japan. Dual voltage systems include 2 power cords. Other 
power cords are as follows:
Europe UK/Singapore Australia 
						

							 
AM264271_00_V November 19, 2001 5 
Setting Up
Placing the speakers 
Place your 901 
® 
 powered speaker system according to the following guidelines (see Figure 2):  
CAUTION:  
To protect the high gloss finish, do not place a LIFESTYLE 
® 
 media/music center or 
other objects on top of the speakers. 
•For good stereo separation, place the powered speaker on the left and the accessory 
speaker on the right, along one wall of your room, spaced 4 to 12 feet (1.2–3.6 m) apart. 
Place the left speaker within reach of an electric outlet.
•Aim the V-shaped rear panel of each speaker toward the wall behind it. Do not aim the “V” 
toward a corner. Ideally, the tip of the “V” should be placed 8 to 16 inches (20–40 cm) from 
the wall.
•Place the speakers 2 to 4 feet (60–120 cm) from the side walls.
•Place the speakers at least 2 feet (60 cm) or more from any sound-absorbent furnishings. 
Figure 2 
Recommended speaker
placement 
When your speakers are placed properly, their sound energy will reflect off the walls of your 
room in a pattern that will provide a distinct stereo image throughout the listening area. Bose 
® 
 
Direct/Reflecting 
® 
 speakers are designed to produce the proper balance of reflected and 
direct sound energy to approach concert hall realism in your home. Bose 901 speakers per-
form best when there is space around the speaker cabinets to allow sound to flow freely 
around the room.
The acoustics of your room will have a significant effect on the sound reproduced by your 901 
powered speaker system. Hard materials – wood, brick, glass, wallboard, and paneling – 
reflect sound most effectively. Upholstered furnishings and heavy drapes are more sound 
absorbent. For more discussion of room acoustics, see “Listening to your 901 
® 
 powered 
speaker system” on page 9.
16 in. (40 cm) preferred
8 in. (20 cm) minimum
2 – 4 ft
(60 – 20 cm)4 – 12 ft
(1.2 – 3.6 m)2 – 4 ft
(60 – 20 cm)
Powered 
speaker 
(left)Accessory 
speaker 
(right) 
						

							 
6 November, 19, 2001 AM264271_00_V.pdf 
Setting Up
Connecting the speakers to a music/media center 
Once you have selected locations for your speakers, connect them to your Bose 
® 
 
model 20 music center (see Figure 3) or model AV28 media center (see Figure 4): 
CAUTION:  
Make sure all components of your system are unplugged from the AC power 
(mains) source before you begin connecting them. 
1. Plug the small multi-pin connector on the audio input cable into the jack marked 
“SPEAKER ZONE 2” on the back of the media/music center. If you are connecting to an 
AV28 media center, make sure you use the in-line variable adapter.
2. Plug the right-angled multi-pin connector on the other end of the audio input cable into 
the jack marked “FROM LIFESTYLE 
® 
 MUSIC CENTER” on the back of the pedestal of the 
powered (left) speaker. If you need more cable length, use the 50-foot extension cable.
3. Plug one end of the 30-foot speaker interconnect cable into the jack marked “OUTPUT 
TO ACCESSORY SPEAKER” on the back of the pedestal of the powered (left) speaker.
4. Plug the other end of the speaker interconnect cable into the jack marked “INPUT FROM 
POWERED SPEAKER” on the back of the pedestal of the accessory (right) speaker.  
Note:  
Be sure that all connectors are inserted completely into each jack. 
Figure 3 
Connecting the speakers to 
a model 20 music center 
CAUTION:  
If you have a dual-voltage system 
, make sure that the voltage selector switch 
(115V/230V) on the bottom of the pedestal of the powered speaker is in the proper position 
for the voltage supplied by your local electric utility. See “Connecting the speaker system to 
power” on page 8.
LRTAPE IN
®901® DIRECT REFLECTING®POWERED SPEAKER SYSTEM
100 - 120V~50/60Hz
350W MAX.
OUTPUT
TO
ACCESSORY
SPEAKER
FROM
LIFESTYLE® MUSIC
CENTER INPUT BASS–+NORMTREBLE
–+NORM
POWERON
OFF
RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCKCAUTIONRISQUE DE CHOC ÉLECTRIQUEAV I S
MAY BE COVERED BY PAT. RIGHTS ISSUED AND PENDING
INCLUDING U.S. PAT.3,582,533 4,061,890 4,146,745 4,158,756
4,739,514 AND RE31679. PATENTED IN CANADA 1974, 1980
© 1994 BOSE CORPORATIONSERIAL NUMBER
D.O.M.BOSE CORPORATION, FRAMINGHAM, MA 01701-9168
MADE IN U.S.A.
LRTAPE OUT
FROM
POWERED
SPEAKERINPUT901® DIRECT/REFLECTING®POWERED SPEAKER SYSTEM
ACCESSORY SPEAKERBOSE CORPORATION, FRAMINGHAM, MA 01701-9168
MADE IN U.S.A.®
Black connector into 
SPEAKER ZONE 2Audio input cable
Powered (left) speaker Accessory (right) speaker
FROM LIFESTYLE
® 
MUSIC CENTER
jack
Power switch
AC power 
jack
Right-angled 
connector
OUTPUT TO
ACCESSORY SPEAKER
jack INPUT FROM
POWERED SPEAKER
jack 
						

							 
AM264271_00_V November 19, 2001 7 
Setting Up 
Figure 4 
Connecting the speakers to 
a model AV28 media center 
CAUTION:  
If you have a dual-voltage system 
, make sure that the voltage selector switch 
(115V/230V) on the bottom of the pedestal of the powered speaker is in the proper position 
for the voltage supplied by your local electric utility. See “Connecting the speaker system to 
power” on page 8.
®901® DIRECT REFLECTING®POWERED SPEAKER SYSTEM
100 - 120V~50/60Hz
350W MAX.
OUTPUT
TO
ACCESSORY
SPEAKER
FROM
LIFESTYLE® MUSIC
CENTER INPUT BASS–+NORMTREBLE
–+NORM
POWERON
OFF
RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCKCAUTIONRISQUE DE CHOC ÉLECTRIQUEAV I S
MAY BE COVERED BY PAT. RIGHTS ISSUED AND PENDING
INCLUDING U.S. PAT.3,582,533 4,061,890 4,146,745 4,158,756
4,739,514 AND RE31679. PATENTED IN CANADA 1974, 1980
© 1994 BOSE CORPORATIONSERIAL NUMBER
D.O.M.BOSE CORPORATION, FRAMINGHAM, MA 01701-9168
MADE IN U.S.A.
FROM
POWERED
SPEAKERINPUT901® DIRECT/REFLECTING®POWERED SPEAKER SYSTEM
ACCESSORY SPEAKERBOSE CORPORATION, FRAMINGHAM, MA 01701-9168
MADE IN U.S.A.®
TV
SENSOR
IR
EMITTER
SERIAL
D ATA
SPEAKER
ZONES 1
2 1.1A 33V DC POWERAMFM 75ANTENNA
OPTICAL OPTICAL
INPUT
OUTPUTAUDIO OUTPUTSDIGITAL DIGITAL
RL
RECORD
DIGITAL
RL
DIGITAL
RL
DIGITAL
RL
DIGITAL
RL
TAPE
AUDIO INPUTS AUX VCR TV
VIDEO INPUTSCOMPOSITE S-VIDEO
COMPOSITE S-VIDEO
VIDEO OUTPUTS
Audio input cable
Powered (left) speaker Accessory (right) speaker
FROM LIFESTYLE
® 
MUSIC CENTER
jack
Power switch
AC power 
jack
Right-angled 
connector
OUTPUT TO
ACCESSORY SPEAKER
jack INPUT FROM
POWERED SPEAKER
jack
SPEAKER
ZONE 2In-line variable adapter 
						

							 
8 November, 19, 2001 AM264271_00_V.pdf 
Setting Up
Connecting the speaker system to power 
CAUTION:  
DO NOT plug the power cord into an AC (mains) outlet until you complete 
all connections. 
CAUTION:  
If you have a dual-voltage system, make sure that the voltage selector switch 
(115V/230V) on the bottom of the powered (left) speaker is in the proper position for the volt-
age supplied by your local electric utility. See step 1 and Figure 5. 
1. 
If you did not purchase a dual-voltage system 
, go to step 2.  
If you purchased a dual-voltage system 
, set the 115V/230V voltage selector switch on 
the bottom of the pedestal of the powered (left) speaker (Figure 5) to the correct position 
for your region:
If you are not sure about what setting to use, contact your local electric utility for the 
appropriate voltage setting.
2. Plug one end of the AC power cord into the AC power jack located on the back of the 
pedestal of the left speaker.
3. Plug the other end of the power cord into an AC (mains) outlet.
4. Turn the power switch to ON (I). It is recommended that you leave this switch in the ON 
position. The powered speaker system uses less than 11 watts in standby mode. 
Figure 5 
Dual-voltage selector 
switch settings 
North & Central 
AmericaEurope & 
Australia 
115V 230V
Bottom of pedestal 
of powered (left) 
speaker
Location of dual-voltage
selector switch
(under the grille)
Use the 230V setting 
for Europe and 
AustraliaUse the 115V setting 
for North and Central 
America 
						

							 
AM264271_00_V.pdf November 19, 2001 9 
Operating Your 901 
® 
 Powered Speaker System
Listening to your 901 
® 
 powered speaker system 
The 901 powered speaker system is intended to be used as a ZONE 2 speaker system. A 
ZONE 2 remote control is recommended. Please see your LIFESTYLE 
® 
 system’s owner’s 
guide for complete instructions or contact Bose 
® 
 customer service for assistance. See the 
address and phone number list included with your system. 
Adjusting the sound quality 
In most situations, placing your speakers according to the guidelines given in “Placing the 
speakers” on page 5, will result in excellent sound quality. 
You do not need to adjust tone settings for different volume settings. Bose patented signal 
processing technology provides a natural tonal balance over the full range of volume settings. 
If you wish to fine-tune the tonal balance further, use the TREBLE and BASS controls. 
Figure 6 
Powered (left) speaker
control panel 
Treble and bass controls 
The TREBLE and BASS controls are located on the powered speaker pedestal (Figure 6). 
They allow you to adjust the treble (high frequencies) and bass (low frequencies). In the nor-
mal setting, the dot on each control is in the 12 o’clock position. You can also locate the nor-
mal setting by feeling when the control settles into the notch at this position. Turn the controls 
clockwise to increase, or counterclockwise to decrease the amount of treble or bass.  
Compensating for room acoustics 
The acoustics (sound qualities) of your room can affect the overall sound quality of any 
speaker system. In general, you can reduce many problems with acoustics by the cautious 
use of the TREBLE and BASS controls. 
Too much or too little treble 
Rooms with few sound-absorbing furnishings, especially those with bare floors and walls, 
may sound overly shrill or “bright”. Turning down the treble control (toward –) decreases tre-
ble sound.
Rooms with a lot of sound-absorbing furnishings, such as upholstered furniture, wall-to-wall 
carpet, or heavy drapes, may reduce the treble sound of your system. Moving speakers far-
ther away from soft furnishings increases treble. You can increase treble sound by slightly 
turning up the treble control (toward +).  
Too much or too little bass 
You can decrease bass sound by turning down the bass control (toward –). To increase bass, 
turn up the bass control (toward +). 
Speaker placement affects the amount of bass you hear. Placing the speakers closer to the 
corners of the room will increase bass. Keep the speakers within 2 to 4 feet (60–120 cm) of 
the side walls (see “Placing the speakers” on page 5). If you want to increase bass further, 
starting at 16 inches from the back wall, move the tips of the V-shaped rear panels slightly 
closer to the wall (but no closer than 8 inches).
®901® DIRECT REFLECTING®POWERED SPEAKER SYSTEM
OUTPUT
TO
ACCESSORY
SPEAKER
FROM
LIFESTYLE® MUSIC
CENTER
 INPUT BASS
–+
NORM
TREBLE
–+
NORM
POWER
ON
OFF
RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK
DO NOT OPENCAUTION
RISQUE DE CHOC ÉLECTRIQUE
NE PAS OUVRIRAV I S
MAY BE COVERED BY PAT. RIGHTS ISSUED AND PENDING
INCLUDING U.S. PAT.3,582,533 4,061,890 4,146,745 4,158,756
4,739,514 AND RE31679. PATENTED IN CANADA 1974, 1980
© 1994 BOSE CORPORATION
SERIAL NUMBER
D.O.M.
BOSE CORPORATION, FRAMINGHAM, MA 01701-9168
MADE IN U.S.A. 
						

							 
10 November 19, 2001 AM264271_00_V.pdf 
Reference
Cleaning your speakers 
•Clean the surface of your 901 
® 
 speakers only with a soft, damp cloth.
•You can use an ammonia-free window cleaner on a soft cloth to maintain the finish.
•DO NOT use any sprays near your speaker system.
•DO NOT use any solvents, chemicals, or cleaning solutions containing alcohol, ammonia, 
or abrasives.
•DO NOT allow liquids to spill into any openings.
•If necessary, you may vacuum the speaker grille panels carefully. 
Troubleshooting
Customer service 
For additional help in solving problems, contact Bose customer service. See the address and 
phone number list included with your system. 
Warranty information 
Your 901 powered speaker system is covered by a transferable limited warranty. See your 
warranty card for details. Please be sure to fill out the information section on the card and 
mail it to Bose. 
Problem What to do 
No sound•If you have a dual-voltage system, make sure that the voltage selector switch on the bot-
tom of the pedestal of the powered (left) speaker is set in the right position for your 
region. See “Connecting the speaker system to power” on page 8.
•Make sure the power cord is plugged securely into the left (powered) speaker and the 
other end of the cord is plugged securely into an operating AC (mains) outlet. Also, make 
sure the power switch on the back of the left speaker is set to ON (I).
•Make sure the audio input cable is firmly seated in the media/music center zone 2 output 
jack and the right-angle multi-pin connector on the other end is firmly seated in the pow-
ered speaker FROM LIFESTYLE 
® 
 MUSIC CENTER jack.
•Check the cable connections between the two speakers.
•Check the connections for any external components. Make sure you select the correct 
source for the desired input.
•Increase the volume.
•Check to see if MUTE is lit on the display of your Bose 
® 
 media/music center. If it is, press 
the MUTE button on the remote control to unmute the sound.
•Disconnect any headphones from your Bose media/music center.
•Make sure that the power switch on the Acoustimass 
® 
 module is set to ON (I).
Sound is distorted•Make sure speaker cables are not damaged and the connections are secure.