Bose wave systems
Encyclopedia
Bose Corporation's Wave Music Systems are table top radios
that have been selling from its inception in 1984 to today. The wave radios are considered all-in-one systems with "A decade of research" that allowed for better sound in a smaller unit.
In 1993 Mazda
unveiled the third generation of its RX-7 sports car
, featuring an optional Bose designed sound system. This included a unique Bose "Acoustic Waveguide" rear subwoofer
system. Instead of a traditional large subwoofer (typically eight inch or more diameter), this system makes use of two small subwoofers mounted in an enclosure with two long wave guide tubes extending to the passenger and driver's sides of the car.
. It utilized two 2" drivers (speakers), and a four inch bass driver which is the only speaker utilizing the Wave Guide
, a cassette player, and an AM
/FM
radio into a mid-sized tabletop stereo system. It was not until 1992 that Bose replaced the cassette player with a CD player, the CD2000, but Bose continued to sell a cassette player version, the CS2010, as an alternative to the CD version until the Acoustic Wave Music System v3 (CD3000) replaced both of them in 1996.
In 2006, Bose introduced the new Acoustic Wave Music System II, which added MP3 CD
playback, a bigger screen, and improved acoustics, a Boselink port, as well as a headphone output.
By 2005 Bose introduced the Wave Radio II, which is a Wave Music System without the CD/MP3 player. It is identical to the Wave Music System in every way, including sound quality and inputs, it just lacks the CD; instead having a silver plastic cover plate installed.
In 2004, Bose redesigned the Wave Radio/CD, naming it the Wave Music System (temporarily called the Wave Radio/CD II). It utilizes a front-loading CD/MP3 CD player, the buttons were removed from atop the Wave. The sound quality was improved with new high performance transducers and adopting twin 66 cm tapered waveguides (one for each speaker), terminating at the rear of the unit. This effectively doubled the power handling capacity in the bass and provided a half-octave improvement in the bass extension. Sound imaging and clarity were also enhanced. A headphone jack was added, as well as Boselink compatibility and MP3 playback. It is criticised however, because the first series featured dual alarms, while the Wave Music System only has one.
A docking station for the iPod was released in October 2006. It uses standard audio cables and charges the iPod while it is docked. The remote can control basic the functions of the iPod and the Wave system.
In 2008 Bose released the Wave DAB
module. It is specifically designed for sale in the UK and works with the Boselink port found in the WMS, WRII Older Wave Music System & Acoustic Wave Music system II require a CD software update to work with this accessory. The Wave Radio II cannot be updated and the accessory will only work with systems made after a certain manufacturing date. & AWMSII.
On October 22, 2009 Bose released the Wave SoundLink upgrade kit. Designed to bring music from your computer to other rooms, the SoundLink adapter features a Bluetooth USB key and connects to a Wave Music System, Wave Radio II or an Acoustic Wave Music system II via the Boselink port on the back of the system. The USB key requires no software because it acts as a computer's sound card, though this will disable the PC's speakers. Thus it will play PC-stored protected and unprotected music as well as Internet music sources accessed via the PC. The Wave's remote will send basic control commands to a PC's iTunes or Windows Media Player software, allowing users to skip tracks or play/pause PC-stored songs even when the computer is in a different room.
Receiver (radio)
A radio receiver converts signals from a radio antenna to a usable form. It uses electronic filters to separate a wanted radio frequency signal from all other signals, the electronic amplifier increases the level suitable for further processing, and finally recovers the desired information through...
that have been selling from its inception in 1984 to today. The wave radios are considered all-in-one systems with "A decade of research" that allowed for better sound in a smaller unit.
Overview
The year 1993 saw the first Bose "Acoustic Wave System" developed for an automotive application.In 1993 Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
unveiled the third generation of its RX-7 sports car
Mazda RX-7
Series 1 is commonly referred to as the "SA22C" from the first alphanumerics of the vehicle identification number. This series of RX-7 had exposed steel bumpers and a high-mounted indentation-located license plate, called by Werner Buhrer of Road & Track magazine a "Baroque depression."In 1980...
, featuring an optional Bose designed sound system. This included a unique Bose "Acoustic Waveguide" rear subwoofer
Subwoofer
A subwoofer is a woofer, or a complete loudspeaker, which is dedicated to the reproduction of low-pitched audio frequencies known as the "bass". The typical frequency range for a subwoofer is about 20–200 Hz for consumer products, below 100 Hz for professional live sound, and below...
system. Instead of a traditional large subwoofer (typically eight inch or more diameter), this system makes use of two small subwoofers mounted in an enclosure with two long wave guide tubes extending to the passenger and driver's sides of the car.
Acoustic Wave Music System
In 1984 the original Bose Wave system, called the Acoustic Wave Music System (AW-1), was Bose's first-ever tabletop radioRadio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
. It utilized two 2" drivers (speakers), and a four inch bass driver which is the only speaker utilizing the Wave Guide
Waveguide (acoustics)
An acoustic waveguide is a physical structure for guiding sound waves.- Examples :One example might be a speaking tube used aboard ships for communication between decks....
, a cassette player, and an AM
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
/FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
radio into a mid-sized tabletop stereo system. It was not until 1992 that Bose replaced the cassette player with a CD player, the CD2000, but Bose continued to sell a cassette player version, the CS2010, as an alternative to the CD version until the Acoustic Wave Music System v3 (CD3000) replaced both of them in 1996.
In 2006, Bose introduced the new Acoustic Wave Music System II, which added MP3 CD
MP3 CD
An MP3 CD is a Compact Disc that contains digital audio in the MP3 file format. Discs are written in the Yellow Book standard data format , as opposed to the Red Book standard audio format ....
playback, a bigger screen, and improved acoustics, a Boselink port, as well as a headphone output.
Wave Radio
In 1993, the Wave Radio was introduced. It was even smaller than the Acoustic Wave, and used two 2" drivers (speakers) without the woofer, the left-hand speaker providing bass through a 66 cm tapered waveguide twisted around the inside of the unit and terminating on the front next to the right hand speaker (which was band limited).By 2005 Bose introduced the Wave Radio II, which is a Wave Music System without the CD/MP3 player. It is identical to the Wave Music System in every way, including sound quality and inputs, it just lacks the CD; instead having a silver plastic cover plate installed.
Bose Wave/PC
The Bose Wave/PC released in 2001 was a modified wave radio designed to connect to a Windows PC. It included software that allowed the Wave/PC to bring up internet radio stations by using the remote & would play mp3s stored on the computer. The system would even find local radio stations by inputting one's zip code. The system connected to the computer via a serial data cable and an audio plug directly into the sound card. Bose later released a replacement cable that featured a USB connection. This cable had an added benefit of not needing to be plugged into the computers sound card, though the option remained.Wave Radio/CD
In 1998, Bose introduced the Wave Radio/CD, essentially Wave Radio with a CD player. With the Wave Radio/CD Bose managed to add a CD player into the system without drastically increasing the size and managed to keep the same sound quality, without causing the CD to skip from speaker vibration. One way that this was done, was by tapering the end of the waveguide by 2%.In 2004, Bose redesigned the Wave Radio/CD, naming it the Wave Music System (temporarily called the Wave Radio/CD II). It utilizes a front-loading CD/MP3 CD player, the buttons were removed from atop the Wave. The sound quality was improved with new high performance transducers and adopting twin 66 cm tapered waveguides (one for each speaker), terminating at the rear of the unit. This effectively doubled the power handling capacity in the bass and provided a half-octave improvement in the bass extension. Sound imaging and clarity were also enhanced. A headphone jack was added, as well as Boselink compatibility and MP3 playback. It is criticised however, because the first series featured dual alarms, while the Wave Music System only has one.
Wave accessories
In October 2005, a multi CD changer was released for the wave music system. It connects via the Boselink port on the back of the Wave music system, but does not work with the Wave radio II.A docking station for the iPod was released in October 2006. It uses standard audio cables and charges the iPod while it is docked. The remote can control basic the functions of the iPod and the Wave system.
In 2008 Bose released the Wave DAB
Digital audio broadcasting
Digital Audio Broadcasting is a digital radio technology for broadcasting radio stations, used in several countries, particularly in Europe. As of 2006, approximately 1,000 stations worldwide broadcast in the DAB format....
module. It is specifically designed for sale in the UK and works with the Boselink port found in the WMS, WRII Older Wave Music System & Acoustic Wave Music system II require a CD software update to work with this accessory. The Wave Radio II cannot be updated and the accessory will only work with systems made after a certain manufacturing date. & AWMSII.
On October 22, 2009 Bose released the Wave SoundLink upgrade kit. Designed to bring music from your computer to other rooms, the SoundLink adapter features a Bluetooth USB key and connects to a Wave Music System, Wave Radio II or an Acoustic Wave Music system II via the Boselink port on the back of the system. The USB key requires no software because it acts as a computer's sound card, though this will disable the PC's speakers. Thus it will play PC-stored protected and unprotected music as well as Internet music sources accessed via the PC. The Wave's remote will send basic control commands to a PC's iTunes or Windows Media Player software, allowing users to skip tracks or play/pause PC-stored songs even when the computer is in a different room.
Awards
- 1987, Amar G. BoseAmar BoseAmar Gopal Bose is an Bengali American electrical engineer, sound engineer and billionaire entrepreneur. He is the founder and chairman of Bose Corporation...
and William R. Short won the 'Inventor of the Year' award from the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation for the 'Waveguide' loudspeaker system employing a folded acoustic waveguide. This is the technology behind the Bose Wave family of audio systems. - 2005 Red Dot award for design philosophy on the Wave Music system
- 2005 Red Dot award for product design on the Wave Music system