Double Bass Bose 802 for $100. is it worth it?

[blizzard_rw]

I was offered one 802 for $100. Is this a good deal? I thought it might make a nice cab for small venues. Any thoughts? I know they were semi popular at one time. Also, when using the 802 as a bass cab, is it necisary to us the Bose controler/eq unit they came with?

 

[Ed Fuqua]

If the speakers aren't blown, that sounds like a great deal. You don't need the little EQ box. I used one of these a million years ago (and occasionally use one when the sound company has one available at a gig), the little box was the first thing to go.

 

[SAlcott]

Remember when the hot rig was two 802s and a Walter Woods?

 

[Ric Vice]

Remember when the hot rig was two 802s and a Walter Woods?

I used my Walter Woods MI-400-8 with a pair of 802's first with a Underwood pickup and then with a BP-100. Not my favorite sound, but then that's really cheap for that speaker. Most of todays amps and speakers sound infinitely better than the Bose 802 did/does. They take a considerable amount of power to fire up too, not efficent at all. That's the reason that Walter built the MI-400's and MI-600's. because IMHO you can't use a 100 watt amp with an 802. Just my take though.

Ric

 

[251]

I was offered one 802 for $100. Is this a good deal? I thought it might make a nice cab for small venues. Any thoughts? I know they were semi popular at one time. Also, when using the 802 as a bass cab, is it necisary to us the Bose controler/eq unit they came with?

Short $$ for a hi-fi amphitheater speaker. They need 200+ watts which shouldn't be hard with a modest size bass amp. My 100 w/channel stereo would not produce descent sound. I sold a pair of 802s ($200 for the pair) & bought B&W speakers for the stereo. Very nice!

 

[Happy Steve]

I have a pair of old 802s and an 802C controller. They have seen better days, but still sound great when I fire them up. The reason they recommend 250-odd watts each is because of the big eq that the 802-c controller applies. Around 16dB at some points. Without the controller, your 802 is going to be ~16dB away from a flat response in some parts of the spectrum.

I had a Behringer DSP1124P feedback controller/multi channel parametric which I was able to program to get very close to the 802C response curve. You might find one of those cheaper than the 802C original.

good luck

Steve

 

[TimmyP]

There's no way of knowing how long the foam surrounds will last. At that price, I expect it's pretty old.

The empty enclosures do make nice planters.

 

[Mark Carlsen]

I used my Walter Woods MI-400-8 with a pair of 802's first with a Underwood pickup and then with a BP-100. Not my favorite sound, but then that's really cheap for that speaker. Most of todays amps and speakers sound infinitely better than the Bose 802 did/does. They take a considerable amount of power to fire up too, not efficent at all. That's the reason that Walter built the MI-400's and MI-600's. because IMHO you can't use a 100 watt amp with an 802. Just my take though.

Ric

You know I never had a problem w. my 1982 WW into a Bose 802 w. no EQ and I did big bands, sm. groups you name it....Not my sound now, but I never had a problem. I think the power rating is bogus ... 100 watts is any thing..... WW is clean power.