I can't believe I'm reading a trashing of the 601s!
I've always considered them the only good product Bose ever made. I drooled over the 601s back in the late 70s when I couldn't afford them. I wound up getting something called Radian Research; which I liked but have no idea if they were really any good.

By the time I could afford the 601s I didn't have a good place to put direct reflecting speakers. Then came kids, so nothing. And then I lucked into hearing about Axiom.