BOSE = box only sound extra

[MoosePond]

Originally Posted by Robinson_A

From an editorial stand point Bose set a legal precedent that a writer or publication is NOT always entitled to their opinion which is quite dangerous,

Which is why you almost never see their products reviewed. Most editors are very aware of their past litigation history (even though the CU lawsuit happened - in the late 60s - before some current editors were even born!) and don't attempt to write about them. And, of course, Bose never submits their products for review, just as they never publish detailed specifications. However, to their credit, they own one of the most recognizable brand names on the planet and it's one that many consumers (perhaps even a majority) regard as "high end" or "the good stuff". I've never encountered a normal consumer (i.e., someone who's not employed in our industry) who owned a Bose product who didn't think that they had purchased high end.

[Robinson_A]

Not to extend this debate further, I just wanted to clarify that Bose sued Consumer Reports in 1981 and won the first trial, finding Consumer Reports guilty of libel. However, the appeals court overruled the first verdict and found CR not in the wrong and thus cleared their reputation. Since then Bose has been rarely reviewed from CR or any other publication for that matter. Just wanted to clear that up.

[MoosePond]

Originally Posted by Robinson_A

Not to extend this debate further, I just wanted to clarify that Bose sued Consumer Reports in 1981 and won the first trial, finding Consumer Reports guilty of libel. However, the appeals court overruled the first verdict and found CR not in the wrong and thus cleared their reputation. Since then Bose has been rarely reviewed from CR or any other publication for that matter. Just wanted to clear that up.

my error, I mistakenly recalled that the lawsuit began in the late 60s; however, the "offending" review of the 901 appeared in Consumer Reports in 1970 and the ensuing litigation took until 1984 to wind its tortuous way through various courts to the ultimate showdown in the U.S. Supreme Court. Bose lost the lawsuit but won the war.

btw, the Bose marketing reaction to the review was to issue their sales team and dealers large lapel buttons that read something like "Ask to hear my wandering 10-foot violin!"

[deacongreg]

It doe seem like Andrew and MoosedPond that BOSE is a little stuck on themselves and their reputation. Maybe even a little defensive. But you know what, at the end of the day, they are still doing their thing. We will see how this era of HD plays out and see if for no other reason, than more competition for them to face today, how they will react to it.

If they don`t want their products reviewed, so be it. But, who knows, in the future, it could be their down fall.

My two cents again.