This was the first Bose product I worked on (UI). I still had one of these until the CD mech stopped working.. This thing gets SUPER loud. Perfect for large rooms or small venues. Sounded incredible in addition to being loud. Internally it was called Frank (for Frankenstein). It's a majestic beast. There was even a nice carrying bag made available for it. Answer from eric-dolecki on reddit.com
🌐
Bose
bose.com › wave-music-system-iv
Bose Wave Music System IV | Bose
However, the iconic Wave Music System, released in 2004, introduced the ideal stereo CD player, combining AM/FM, compact disc, and MP3 player format CD capabilities.
🌐
Amazon
amazon.com › Bose-Radio-Player-AWRC-1P-White › dp › B0009I9AY0
Amazon.com: Bose Wave Radio and CD Player AWRC-1P White : Electronics
Buy Bose Wave Radio and CD Player AWRC-1P White: Stereo Shelf Systems - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
Discussions

What was the point of the Bose Wave Music System?
This was the first Bose product I worked on (UI). I still had one of these until the CD mech stopped working.. This thing gets SUPER loud. Perfect for large rooms or small venues. Sounded incredible in addition to being loud. Internally it was called Frank (for Frankenstein). It's a majestic beast. There was even a nice carrying bag made available for it. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/bose
35
72
July 16, 2025
Bose Wave Audio Systems - any good?
One possibility is a Bose Wave system, maybe AWRCC5 or AWRCC6. They seem quite reasonably priced second-hand. Specifically I would like to know: - Is the sound quality as good as Bose make out? - Do the CD players die on these after a few years, and can they be replaced without taking out a ... More on tapeheads.net
🌐 tapeheads.net
24
March 20, 2021
Bought a Bose Wave Music System III with CD today for $100
Bose snobbery aside, they are really nice sounding table radios. Get a Bluetooth adapter so you can stream music from your phone and you’re all set. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/BudgetAudiophile
50
102
July 9, 2023
Is the Bose Wave Radio/CD Worth It? - Pelican Parts Forums
The Bose wave radio with single cd disc player is a pretty pricey unit these days, but I have to wonder if they are worth the price. The only way to More on forums.pelicanparts.com
🌐 forums.pelicanparts.com
December 1, 2008
🌐
Amazon
amazon.com › Bose-System-Multi-CD-Changer-Titanium › dp › B004JNZHRK
Amazon.com: Bose® Wave® Music System with Multi-CD Changer - Titanium Silver : Electronics
Distinctive and elegant design: streamlined styling with a thin, slot-loaded CD player · Changer allows uninterrupted listening from up to four CDs in succession · Single remote operates Wave system and CD changer--extra remote included
🌐
eBay
ebay.com › electronics › tv, video & home audio › home audio › compact & shelf stereos › bose wave radio cd player
Bose Wave Radio Cd Player for sale - eBay
Experience seamless entertainment with Bose Wave Radios, featuring AM/FM CD players and sleek designs. Elevate your audio setup. Shop Bose Radios on eBay!
🌐
Bose
products.bose.com › pdf › customer_service › owners › og_wrcd.pdf pdf
The Bose ® Wave ® Radio/CD Owner’s Guide TM
Wave Radio/CD. ... Radio/CD outputs. DO NOT USE THE · THIRD CONNECTOR. ... Radio/CD farther away. ... CD player, and alarms. Aim the remote control at the display of your Wave Radio/CD.
🌐
Quora
quora.com › I-own-a-Bose-Wave-music-system-Although-the-internet-is-full-of-people-giving-bad-reviews-I-find-it-to-be-a-great-system-So-why-is-it-hated-then
I own a Bose Wave music system. Although the internet is full of people giving bad reviews, I find it to be a great system. So why is it hated then? - Quora
Answer (1 of 5): See, the entire music equipment industry is divided in two major sectors, one is enthusiast community( pro grade products, but generally are less marketed), and second one is consumer focused which is more marketing oriented and you pay for the beautiful advertisements and beauti...
Find elsewhere
🌐
Porter Electronics
porterelectronics.com › home › home av equipment › stereo shelf systems › bose › bose wave radio/cd player - awrc1g - black
Bose Wave Radio/CD Player AWRC1G – Premium Compact Stereo System with CD Playback and AM/FM Tuner - Graphite Gray
Bose Wave Radio/CD Player - AWRC1G - Black
The Bose Wave Radio/CD Player AWRC1G combines elegant design with rich, room-filling sound in a compact all-in-one unit. Engineered with Bose's acclaimed waveguide speaker technology, this model features a built-in CD player, AM/FM tuner, and intuitive controls. Ideal for use in bedrooms, kitchens, or offices, the AWRC1G delivers impressive performance from a small footprint. Key Features: Top-loading single-disc CD player (CD, CD-R, CD-RW compatible) Digital AM/FM tuner with 6 presets per band Waveguide speaker technology for clear, full-range sound Large, easy-to-read display with clock and
Price   $379.99
🌐
Reddit
reddit.com › r/bose › what was the point of the bose wave music system?
r/bose on Reddit: What was the point of the Bose Wave Music System?
July 16, 2025 -

I recently finished fixing the CD drive and lid on a wave system I got off of the side of the road.

For free, I love this thing. It’s neat, it sounds plenty nice. I love the detachable base just because it has an air of opulence to it, like driving a car with a CD changer. It reads CDs a little slow but that’s mostly because WD-40 isn’t a great replacement for the original track grease.

But I’m curious about it from a 2006 perspective. Who was this product even made for?

As far as I can tell, given the detachable base with multiple audio inputs and a built in power strip, this was meant to be a speaker system, not just a really nice CD Player.

At its original $1,000 dollar price point, is it not demonstrably worse quality/$ than a more standard home audio system? Hell, even if you wanted to stick with Bose, I think it still would have been cheaper to get one of the smaller Waves and then wire that into a Bose speaker system.

The only real benefits I see to it is that it’s mildly more compact, and marginally less complicated than a bespoke stereo system (you don’t have to run any wires but the power cable, I suppose), but I just feel like that is not a large enough benefit to justify this product existing or purchasing it.

Does anyone else have some other perspective that I might be overlooking, or is this just a relic to the fact that people have been buying expensive things that have brand recognition for decades now?

Top answer
1 of 24
32
This was the first Bose product I worked on (UI). I still had one of these until the CD mech stopped working.. This thing gets SUPER loud. Perfect for large rooms or small venues. Sounded incredible in addition to being loud. Internally it was called Frank (for Frankenstein). It's a majestic beast. There was even a nice carrying bag made available for it.
2 of 24
17
I think it was for the customer who wanted the Bose Brand (and sound) and wanted an everything all in one audio system. My grandparents bought that model (the CD-3000) in 1996 and bought every single accessory, the pedestal as shown, the powered microphone, the carrying case, and the battery pack. They used this for everything. Of course 99% of the time it was used to listen to their CDs in their living room (and it definitely was loud enough to hear throughout the house) but for events such as the family Christmas party they'd put it in the case, load up the microphone and turn it into the PA system for the Christmas party. For the 4th of July they'd put it in the carrying case with the battery and take it to be the radio to listen to that were synchronized with the fireworks. It was a beast for sure. Theirs had to have the CD mechanism replaced once in the early 2000s by a service center and the CD mech died again in roughly 2010 so at that time we just got them a new AWMSII. Unfortunately that unit no longer supported the power mic, but it did support MP3 CD which was nice. My grandparents are sadly gone but I did keep their AWMSII and it still is in my game room to this day.
🌐
Amazon
amazon.com › bose-acoustic-wave-system › s
Amazon.com: Bose Acoustic Wave System
Bose Acoustic Wave Music System and 5-CD Multi Disc Changer II - Graphite Grey (Black) (Renewed) · Bose Acoustic Wave Music System II with 5-CD Multi Disc Changer, Platinum White, Compatible with Alexa (Renewed)
🌐
Best Buy
bestbuy.com › product › bose-wave-music-system-iv-platinum-silver › J7C5V6GFG5
Bose Wave® Music System IV Platinum Silver WAVE MUSIC SYSTEM IV SLV - Best Buy
Customers admire the Wave Music System IV for its exceptional sound quality despite its compact size. Setting up the system is a breeze, making it user-friendly. The integrated CD player adds to its functionality. While some consider the product pricey, many find it worth the investment for ...
🌐
Amazon
amazon.com › Bose-Wave-Music-System-IV › dp › B011IH6MBO
Amazon.com: Bose Wave Music System IV - Espresso Black : Electronics
The Wave music system features award-winning Bose waveguide speaker technology for clear, high-performance sound. It comes with a CD player and AM/FM radio tuner with text capability for song and artist information.
🌐
Bose
bose.ca › home › wave® music system iv
Wave® music system IV | Bose
Wave music system IV · Remote control (with battery) AC power cord (multiple cords included for certain regions) AM antenna · DAB antenna (for applicable regions) Antenna adapter (EU and UK only) Demo CD · Support · Download ·
🌐
Tapeheads.net
tapeheads.net › forums › general audio discussions › all-in-ones, midi-sized and console units
Bose Wave Audio Systems - any good? | Tapeheads.net
March 20, 2021 - I inherited my mom's Bose Wave radio. It's in the kitchens and I have a compact CD-SACD disc player attached to it. I find the sound to be surprisingly good from such a small unit. I remember that Bose never disclosed or discussed prices in its ads.
🌐
Bose
products.bose.com › pdf › customer_service › owners › wrv3_guide.pdf pdf
The Bose ® Wave ® Radio Owner’s Guide TM
Select your CD player, tape player, or other auxiliary source by pressing the AUX button. Adjust the listening volume with the VOLUME buttons. Control all other functions, including · on/off, at the source, referring to its owner’s manual, if necessary. Control your auxiliary powered speakers ...
🌐
Pelican Parts
forums.pelicanparts.com › off-topic-discussions › 444039-bose-wave-radio-cd-worth.html
Is the Bose Wave Radio/CD Worth It? - Pelican Parts Forums
December 1, 2008 - The Bose wave radio with single cd disc player is a pretty pricey unit these days, but I have to wonder if they are worth the price. The only way to
🌐
Steve Hoffman Music Forums
forums.stevehoffman.tv › threads › bose-wave-music-system-review-from-a-non-audiophile.204042
Bose Wave Music System review from a non-audiophile. | Steve Hoffman Music Forums
December 31, 2009 - I'm not really an audiophile in the sense that a lot of you are, but I always appreciate a wel-mastered album. I just bought a Bose Wave Music...
🌐
Bose Latam
boselatam.com › en_ar › products › speakers › wave › wave-music-system.html
Bose Wave music system IV
You can also contact us by phone ... guide, which are still available to download. ... Aside from its built-in AM/FM radio and CD/MP3 CD player, the Wave music system IV can play audio from most of today’s portable music ...
🌐
JustAnswer
justanswer.com › home-theater-stereo › p9c3e-bose-wave-music-system-plays-radio-cd-s.html
I have a Bose Wave Music system that plays radio + CD's. Had for a while. I got an adapter to connect to my iTunes on my
My bose music systems don't play the radio or cds anymore, it just have a PLEASE WAIT message scrolling · My Bose Wave Music system no longer will play CD's.