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Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

arstechnica.com

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Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#141

Post by bayindirh »

filoleg wrote: post #132
bartread wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly this. "Bose blows" is a popular comment amongst the audiophile community but, to me, it seems like they don't blow at all[0]. In fact quite the opposite: this is a fantastic example for other companies to follow. Top marks, Bose! [0] What is actually true is that they are opinionated about sound reproduction in ways that a bunch of people don't agree with but which in the right context are often effective and…

> "Bose blows" is a popular comment amongst the audiophile community but, to me, it seems like they don't blow at all[0] That comment is not wrong, you are imo just not making an important distinction that the criteria on which audiophiles judge Bose as “blowing” (which is almost purely the sound profile + a few other smaller things like physical comfort/connectivity/price/etc.) vs. what you judge it on (which is mor…

Came here to say exactly this. I consider myself an audiophile (the sane kind) and, if I want “that sound” and have time, I use my HiFi, but if I want to enjoy music and just relax, I use my Bose headphones with whatever thing I have close.

I like how they color sound, and how they use psychoacoustics to do what they do.

Audiophiles using music to listen their systems are missing the point.

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#142

Post by nemomarx »

dahcryn wrote: post #61
dTal wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, it's kinda sad how much applause this is garnering when publishing API specs should be bare minimum for any smart device, never mind EoL concerns.

what more do you actually need? Unless you want to actually develop ON the device (and build binaries etc...), this completely allows you to use the device and connect it to whatever, so I don't know what more we should expect. No one else is doing this, so yeay applause

Open sourcing the server code would make getting your own instance of it way easier, and maybe opening the app code so people should change the controls?

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#143

Post by Wowfunhappy »

lelanthran wrote: post #100
kiney wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know about Bose. But sound quality in general is absolutely objectively measurable.

> But sound quality in general is absolutely objectively measurable. Sound quality is not the same as music quality. To be more specific, Sound Reproduction Fidelity is not the same as Pleasant Music To be even more specific, Signal Reproduction is not the same as "Pleasant Sounds* The goal of music is not always high fidelity of reproduction; if it were, over-driven valve amps would never have been a thing. The only…

> To be more specific, Sound Reproduction Fidelity is not the same as Pleasant Music

If a speaker reproduces some music with 100% accuracy and the result is unpleasant, doesn’t that just mean the original music—as created by the artist—is unpleasant?

Where possible, I’d prefer a speaker that respects the artist’s decisions instead of inserting itself into the creative process.

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#146

Post by aethrum »

DiabloD3 wrote: post #69
jeffwask wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This def needs to be celebrated and rewarded. I am more likely to purchase Bose now.

Bose hardware quality is rather low and, and their sound quality is sub-par, while forcing you to pay the Bose brand tax, riding the corpse of Amar around for profit. I'd avoid, even if they happened to do this.

I'm an audiophile and very happy with one of their portable speakers. I wouldn't buy Bose monitors, though

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#147

Post by JodieBenitez »

Teckla wrote: post #75
DiabloD3 wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bose hardware quality is rather low and, and their sound quality is sub-par, while forcing you to pay the Bose brand tax, riding the corpse of Amar around for profit. I'd avoid, even if they happened to do this.

My experience is the opposite: Bose hardware and sound quality seems excellent to me. This may be subjective. Bose might sound good to some people's ears and less good to other people's ears.

Bose in general (there are many models...) is not what I'd call high-fidelity. It doesn't mean you can't enjoy your music or your movies with it. Just don't buy this if you care about transparency, otherwise it's usually a pleasing hearing experience. Their PA line is IMO overpriced and sacrifices too much to the design and weight.

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#148

Post by freedomben »

castillar76 wrote: post #129
inanutshellus wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A better way to say that is "This will boost the second-hand value of older Bose speakers". Budget-aware folks will buy these second-hand, neophiles will buy new, confident that long term solutions will exist even after "long term support" is over. Heck, even knowing there's a second-hand market makes me more likely to buy Bose new.

Many companies miss how important this is, too: they get caught up in "but if they buy it second-hand, they're not buying our new stuff!". When people buy the stuff second-hand, though, they become Bose fans — that means when the second-hand Bose stuff dies, they're more likely to replace it with new Bose stuff. That's particularly true with audio equipment, where people become attached not only to how something work…

Indeed, and also people buying second-hand are pretty unlikely to buy brand new if they aren't able to find the second-hand item (or use it). It's similar to piracy in that respect, that some people who pirate might have actually bought it, but the majority likely would not have anyway so can't just say "1,000 people pirated our thing, therefore we lost 1,000 sales". The cynic in me thinks they know that and just use it as a convenient way to over-inflate the damage piracy is doing to them, but that's a separate topic

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#149

Post by bri3d »

They're not really "open-sourcing" anything in the sense that I would think about it. As far as I can tell they're doing two things:

* Removing cloud-server dependency from the app.

* Publishing API documentation for the speaker.

I actually think this is worth noting not so much in a "well aktshully it's not open source!" kind of way, but as a good lesson for other manufacturers - because this is meaningfully good without needing to do any of the things manufacturers hate:

* They didn't have to publish any Super Secret First or Third Party Proprietary IP.

* They didn't have to release any signing keys or firmware tools.

* They get to remove essentially all maintenance costs and relegate everything to a "community."

But yet people are happy! Manufacturers should take note that they don't have to do much to make customers much happier with their products at end of life.

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#150

Post by marcosdumay »

port3000 wrote: post #6

Good for them. Makes me more likely to consider buying a Bose in future, not just because I know it won't be bricked, but also for the environmental impact of this. Kudos.

If I'm understanding it right, any new speaker you can buy from them will still be dependent of some cloud service.

On that case, no, that wouldn't make me consider buying them. Because the one I can buy lacks exactly the feature that would make me consider it.

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