Hartmut Jatzke-Wigand

The new Bose ’WAVE Music System’

As a result of steadfast basic research, the Bose Corporation has brought about another impressive achievement by taking the sound quality of the 'Wave Radio/CD' music system to an even higher level, while this system has been a world success long before. The key innovation in the new 'WAVE Music System' was the development of magnetically shielded high-performance speakers each of which is equipped with a 66 cm multiple-folded waveguide. The port of these waveguides is led to the rear panel of the device. This technology ensures that pure and rich bass is delivered without distortion. Proprietary signal processing makes sures that the desired hifi sound quality is available even at low volumes.
The 'Wave Music System' comes with an AM/FM tuner, easy-to-program wake-up features, and a MP3-capable CD player with automatic slot loading mechanism. The CD slot with its clear-cut design is located beneath the easy-to-read, high-contrast display on the front. The system is designed for intuitive operation using a remote control featuring a few buttons in a logical arrangement with a clear graphic layout for easy identification.
It was the designer Seth Green who redesigned the proportions and the rear panel of the classic 'Wave Radio/CD' housing while refining certain other details on the outside of the device. The 'WAVE Music System' has a lower base, with a subtle radius on the top surface and more precise and more compactly arranged grille ribs, to reduce the visual height and to make an even more elegant impression that its predecessor. This achievement will also be honored by the prominent jury that chose this system to be awarded the "red dot: best of the best" in July 2005 as an outstanding innovative design product.

Text: Hartmut Jatzke-Wigand
Photos: Bose and Jo Klatt

A special edition of „Design+Design" coming out in July will deal with this 'WAVE Music System', giving a comprehensive description of the design principles, prototypes, and the design process, in combination with the technological development behind the system. As a complement to the analyses, the edition will include a reprint of the article "Function Implemented into Form – Bose's 'Acoustic Wave Music System' and the Wave Radios" (Design+Design 53). The Design+Design spezial 2 can be ordered for € 5 directly from the publisher.

Source:
Jatzke-Wigand, H.: The new Bose 'WAVE Music System'. In: Design+Design 72, Hamburg June-September 2005, 8-9