X,
You sound like an addict. lol. Really I am just kidding, I managed to get a chuckle out of the sincerity of your question with the thought of the many answers your in store for. I have long defended my appreciation for Bose. My contention is that Bose is just fine for what I want it for. Someone who spends $4,0000 on stereo equipment is a different animal than a person who fits the Bose profile. Take for instance the Bose Flat screen tv for $4000 plus. It is by far the best sounding all in one flatscreen on the market bar none. Bose took the time to associate sound and video putting together a muscular audio video product. Mind you, the person who fits the Bose profile would pay $4000 for said flat screen likes simple. The person who is an audiophile would only use the Bose flat screen as a tombstone over their dead body. To the person who fits the Bose profile just turn it on and it works. No moving parts or very little and it looks fine and sounds great. Simple is the operative word. The same could be said for the wave guide systems. Just turn it on and it works, noting to tweak, tune or figure out, just plug and play. The Bose Companion 20 speakers, plug them into the usb port of your laptop and they sound really great as a near field set of speakers. The Bose Companion 3 an 5 same thing. Can you see the pattern?
For many consumers they can't figure out how it all comes together. They have experiences of getting something like a flat screen or receiver, you have remote for this, a button for that, aspect ratios, surround sound format all these inputs on the back of the receiver and flat screen and so forth. Conversely, Bose niche in the market is simple. Secondly, as long as it works and sounds good, the record speaks for itself, people will buy Bose. They don't care what its made out of as long as it works, flawlessly. For the most part Bose is so simple very few things snap or break. They tend to last a long, long, long time. Which leads me to my next point, value. Because the Bose "thing" sits there nobly minding its own business, reliably working, turning on and off, the buying public associates it with Apple products, too. Apple allows Bose to advertise the iphone right next to Bose product. This is brand association.
Bose doesn't suck people just hate that Bose can get over. The same has been argued about Harley Davidson, you listen for five minutes to people who ride a bike and they will tell you Harley is junk. Harley Davidson has this trademark sound, but really its a rattle trap. PC lovers who hate Apple will tell you exactly the same thing as Bose haters. Overpriced, you can do so much better with a netbook over an ipad for the money. No different here. Is Bose the best? It is when it comes to simple. Does Bose suck? Not everything Bose makes is defensible, neither is Altec Lansing and Phillips or Sony for that matter. I would say that Bose can be complimentary to other brands if you have the good Bose stuff, namely the wave guide products for the most part. I am speaking of the Bose Sounddock 10, The large Bose Wave System, the Bose Wave Radio with an amp can be an outstanding set up, this is where Bose excels. I recently listened to a B&W Zepplin and it sounded muffled. I looked at the settings. I wouldn't buy the Zepplin today. A year or two ago I heard the Zepplin and it was surreal. It all depends on what you listen to, where and from what source. I like Bose and see no reason to change course.
Best.