Bose Wave System

Black Bose Wave Music system displaying RDS info for the German radio station SWR3

Bose Corporation's Wave Music Systems are table top audio systems which were first released in 1984. Various Wave systems comprise CD players, DAB tuners and inputs for computer sources, and in addition most models contain an AM/FM tuner.

Wave systems use a folded waveguide (a series of passages from the speaker driver to the speaker grill), in an attempt to replicate sound from larger systems in a compact design. Bose claims the waveguide "produces full, clear stereo sound from a small enclosure by guiding air through two 26” folded wave guides".^[1] In 1987, Amar G. Bose and William R. Short won the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation's Inventor of the Year award for the waveguide loudspeaker system.^[2][3]

Timeline of Bose wave systems

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 radio. It uses two 2 inch tweeters, and a four inch woofer (which is the only speaker utilizing the Wave Guide), a cassette player, and an AM/FM radio into a mid-sized tabletop stereo system.^[5] In 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 Boselink port and a headphone output. The Acoustic Wave Music System II was judged to be expensive and lacking in performance and features compared to its competitors.^[9][10]

Wave Radio

In 1993, the Wave Radio (which has since become known as "Wave Radio I") was introduced. It was smaller than the Acoustic Wave, and used two 2 1/2" drivers. The left-hand speaker provided bass through a 66 cm tapered waveguide twisted around the inside of the unit, which exited the unit on the front next to the right-hand speaker. The right-hand speaker does not use a waveguide and is limited to providing mid- and high-frequency sounds.^[2]

Wave Radio II

By 2005 Bose introduced the Wave Radio II, which is a Wave Music System without the CD/MP3 player. This system features a dual tapered waveguide and revised drivers. Aside from the lack of a CD player, the Wave Radio II is identical to the Wave Music System.

Wave Radio/CD

In 1998, Bose introduced the Wave Radio/CD, essentially Wave Radio with a CD player. The end of the waveguides were tapered by 2%.^[11]

Wave Music System

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. Revised drivers were used, as well a 66 cm tapered waveguide for each speaker which terminated at the rear of the unit.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. This system was awarded the 2005 Red Dot award for design philosophy^[12] (note that audio quality is not a judging criteria for this award).

Bose Wave/PC

The Bose Wave/PC was a system to play mp3 files and digital radio from a Windows PC. It was released in 2001 and based on the Wave Radio design. The system could find local radio stations based on one's zip code.^[13] The Wave/PC connects to the computer via a serial data cable and an audio plug directly into the sound card.^[14] Bose later upgraded to a USB cable, which did not need to be plugged into the computers sound card, though the option remained.^[15]

The system was reviewed to have good sound quality, however it was difficult to transfer commonly used files such as WMA. Furthermore, its high purchase price was a contributing factor to its limited success.^[16]

Wave Music System SoundLink

On October 22, 2009, Bose released the Wave SoundLink upgrade kit^[17][18] Designed as a wireless audio link from the computer to a Wave Music System, the SoundLink adapter features a Bluetooth USB key^[19][20] for the Wave Music System, Wave Radio II ^{[nb 1]} and Acoustic Wave Music System II (via the Boselink port on the back of the system).^[21][22]

The system acts as a computer's sound card, therefore it disables the PC's speakers. The Wave's remote can send basic control commands (play/pause, skip) to iTunes and Windows Media Player software.^[23]

For existing Wave owners, Bose also launched a $149 Wave SoundLink upgrade kit to add wireless streaming to an existing Bose linked Wave system. (Only Compatible with AWMS II manufactured after a certain date) ^[21][22][23]

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 module.^[6] It is specifically designed for sale in the UK and works with the Boselink port found in the WMS, WRII^{[nb 1]} and AWMSII.

Notes

1. 1 2 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.

References

External links

• Official Bose Wave site
• Wave/PC report
• Wave Music System Review