• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Boston Acoustics A100 -- what a sound!

D

drec

Member
Just picked up a pair of Boston Acoustic A100s... lots and lots of detail in the top and mid (a bit less so), much more than the Bozak B300s that I just kicked out of the house. While these A100s don't provide near the soundstage that the Bozaks gave, they give accuracy to strings that wasn't there before. Surprise surprise-- I don't find the bass to be that bad in these speakers.

I also find them to be less forgiving toward poor recordings than my Bozaks, which were so conservative in their sound that they made everything sound good. For these A100s, poor recording/mixing means poor playback.

I'm playing them right now on a NAD C350-- will be getting a T-amp in the next couple of weeks which, I'm hoping, will make the CD quieter while giving even more separation of instruments, as well as richer bass. Because, right now, the string quartets and solo piano sound really good; full orchestra concertos and symphonies, however, are much muddier sounding. While that's a limit with these speakers, I imagine, I also think it has to do with inferior driving by the NAD. Too bad my Sony 6060F's goose has been cooked...

So, just wanted to plug these 2-way speakers-- great sound on smaller ensembles and less bassy music at medium listening levels. I'm sure they'll get better from here as I slowly upgrade other system components.
 
Register to hide this ad
Congratulations on getting a great speaker.

That T-Amp might have a hard time driving the A-100s. Efficiency isn't their strong point.
 
Interesting to hear the difference between "romantic" and more "accurate" speakers?

BA's are very nice speakers.
 
Did you recap your Bozaks? They might have sounded much better all up to spec. I like the BA stuff also but that would be a tough swap for me.
 
Nice find!!!! :) I also have a pair of A-100's and they are one of the pairs of speakers that will always reamain "In The House".. A speaker that does very well on all types of music:)
 
Re re-capping the Bozaks, no, I didn't... I imagine that would have helped, perhaps greatly. It's just that my wife (and, uh, I... I guess) determined that they were just too big for the room, or any room, that they were in. These A100s are great because they have such a slim profile.

Re T-Amp and speaker efficiency, the A100s are 90db/w/m... which is on the edge of what most reviewers say is adequate... but others have said that they've driven less efficient speakers quite well, provided that an adapter, and not batteries, are used... I don't think it'll be a problem with the music I listen to, at the volumes that it's played at.
 
A100s were Boston's first "no compromise" speaker in their book- the a40 was clearly a size compromise, but still are excellent, The A70s, a size compromise over the A100s, a slightly less-robust cabinet and a smaller woofer, but a big sound nonetheless, with much easier placement over the A100. The A60 was a compromised A70- the answer to the public's desire for a smaller, easier to place A70-size speaker. sound does compromise a bit though, going from an A60 to an A70.

The A100, however, is no-compromise. Sturdy, tough cabinet, decent size, and great sound. a classic.

The A120 added a passive radiator to the design, but didn't fare too well for BA. People feel mixed about them.

The classic A150 was the first 3-way in the lineup, followed by the excellent A200, and then the bi-ampable, dual woofer A400.

I have two pair a40s (first and second series- the second series being the rare v-more later), two pair a70s (first and second series), a pair of A150s and a pair of A200s.

The pair of A40s I recently picked up are the rare A40vs- video shielded. They'll pull duty in my HT setup.

After what I imagine to be my new favorites, the Dahlquist DQ-10s, which are awaiting their virgin play, I'd vote my BAs my favorites, so far, followed by my ADS L630 3-ways and L570 II 2-ways.
 
drec said:
I'm sure they'll get better from here as I slowly upgrade other system components.
Click to expand...
if your main source of music is cd, one thing you might want to add to your system is the digital/analog converter. if you haven't heard your cd's through any one of those, you have no idea how much it'll improve the sound. instead of spending lots of $$ on high-end cd players and amps, get a used d/a converter for about $150.
 
thedelihaus said:
After what I imagine to be my new favorites, the Dahlquist DQ-10s, which are awaiting their virgin play,
Click to expand...

OMG Paul, you still don't have those singing. :tears:
 
Had some inexpensively purchased a100's in a back room with deteriorated surrounds and your thread has prompted me to repair them and give them a listen. They are series ii. I hope that doesn't make too large a difference. If anyone's interested I'll let them know how they turn out.
 
Good find! Big A-series fan here - 2 pair of A40's, a pair of A70's and a pair of A150's. The A150's really sound great and I'm hoping to find a pair of A400's at some point. Enjoy!
 
I need a tweeter for my newly acquired a100's. It is the rectangular type not the circle shape. Im assuming since it was a well liked speaker that there should be something out there...
 
I would have to score one heck of a set of speakers to replace me A400s.

They are king of all Boston speakers.
 
Yes, i agree....i found them at the goodwill for $9.00 3 weeks ago. They are 8.5/10 cosmetically. Surrounds seem nice...i noticed a tweeter not working so i pulled it out to make sure connects were good. When i reconnected it it worked but it seems to be wonky, meaning doesnt sound as strong as the other one. There was a pinhole in the dome and i placed a tiny tiny drop of glue on it as suggested by other ak'ers but it just doesnt sound right. I didnt test the tweeter with my meter. Im just going to replace it. I hooked them up with my klipsch quartets when i was testing them. Im running an adcom amp through my pioneer elite ht so it was easy to do....my wife was not impressed because it looked like the grateful deads "wall of sound" in my living room for a day or so....i want to A/B the A100's with my large advents which are in storage seeing as they are both 2 way speakers. I doubt they will give the advents any trouble but i do like how they sound. I will keep them for backups or project speakers.
 
Do any BA aficionados know if the rectangular tweeter from the a100 is interchangeable with any of the other A speakers? I noticed a tweeter for an A70 has the same writing as the A100...25mm ferro fluid ......the A40's say 19mm....it would make my search easier if i can expand my search from A100 tweeter to other matches...
 
honestabe316 said:
Do any BA aficionados know if the rectangular tweeter from the a100 is interchangeable with any of the other A speakers? I noticed a tweeter for an A70 has the same writing as the A100...25mm ferro fluid ......the A40's say 19mm....it would make my search easier if i can expand my search from A100 tweeter to other matches...
Click to expand...

Look at the A100, A150, A70 speakers, and A200s. The rectangular tweeter was made by BA (the round one was a SEAS tweeter, IIRC). BA customer service was still selling those tweeters just a couple of years ago, so check with them first.
 
Lol good luck with BA customer service.

Get on ebay and find the right one. There were 2 different sized rectangle tweeters so watch out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom