You might know Kith for its emblematic sneaker collaborations but in the past decade-plus, Ronnie Fieg’s fashion brand has explored the realms of automobiles, cereal, and, now, home audio. Helping Bose celebrate its 60th anniversary, the New York-based studio has been tapped for a special-edition reinterpretation of the brand’s 901 speaker.
A Brief History of the 901
Today, Bose is mostly known for promulgating active noise cancelation with its headphones and proving that size doesn’t matter with its compact surround sound home speakers. However, in the 1960s, the Massachusetts-based company was just beginning.
Debuting in 1968, the 901 was Bose’s first stereophonic home speaker system but aimed to be much more than everything else that was on the market. Designed to bring the live concert experience to your living room, the 901 utilized nine drivers per unit, with one on the front and eight on the back.
While the one in front was intended for direct sound, the rear-facing drivers were angled in such a way that it reflected sound, giving the effect of ambient stereo that immersed the listener while obfuscating the actual locality of the speaker itself. Living through six generations, the 901 was ultimately discontinued in 2016.
Kith x Bose 901 by Ronnie Fieg
Called upon by Bose for its commemorative release, Kith’s Ronnie Fieg has now reimagined the speaker. He tapped his fellow New Yorker and custom furniture designer Mark Jupiter to help with the task, bringing a “fresh perspective to this project.”
While there’s not a lot of spec info for the speaker thus far, the new Kith x Bose 901 has a design that will be highly familiar to fans of the old 901 models, especially the earlier generations from the ‘70s and ‘80s. I can’t imagine much changing in terms of audio technology but the materials used feel thoughtfully planned.
With two wood finishing options, the base and head frame come in either white-washed ash wood or natural air-dried walnut. As opposed to the squared-off frames on the tops and bottoms of vintage 901s, the frames here appear to be more rounded. Likewise, Fieg changes up the stand design. The stems that connect the base to the speaker’s head come from rubbed brass that will elevate any home stereo setup. And of course, a period-correct mesh fabric will cover the drivers in front and back.
Spec Sheet
Model: 901
Base: Ash wood or walnut
Stand: Brass
Cost: TBA
Release Date: TBA
Pricing & Availability
Nothing is known as of yet in terms of pricing or release date, but you can view more photos on Ronnie Fieg’s Instagram page.
Recap
Kith x Bose 901 Speaker by Ronnie Fieg
Bose is celebrating its 60th anniversary by reviving its 901 with the help of Kith’s Ronnie Fieg, featuring a vintage appeal similar to the 1968 original.
