BOSE L1 PA system.

[james on bass]

Does anyone here have any experience with the BOSE L1 PA systems? I know it's been discussed here before.

 

One of my guitarists has been casually talking about these systems for about a year now, but now he's become obsessive about these being the way to go for our band. Says he saw a band using this system with 2 columns and 2 bass bins. I just can't see how that could work for our band of 3 guitars, 3 vocals, bass and mic'd drums for bigger rooms?

 

http://www.bose.com/controller?event=VIEW_STATIC_PAGE_EVENT&url=/musicians/technology/l1_technology.jsp

[JeffBass]

I saw my friend's band at a decent size club and they had them. Sounded very good actually. That's all I know about them.

[Darkstorm]

Is only useful for small clubs. For medium size ones might get by with it if not a loud band. Has heard many better sounding hifi type Pa systems to me that cost lot less and which have better air movement.

[JeffBass]

A pair of these, a mixer and some powered monitors would rattle your teeth.

 

https://www.carvinguitars.com/products/single.php?product=LS1523A

 

[james on bass]

A pair of these, a mixer and some powered monitors would rattle your teeth. https://www.carvinguitars.com/products/single.php?product=LS1523A

 

Yes, those would work as well.

 

 

We have a good sized PA.

2x15" + horn on top of a 1x18" on each side. 4 or 5 wedges. Lots of power.

We just keep discussing the BOSE thing during set-up and take-down every weekend. I still don't believe it could work for a full band.

[gspointer]

It will work, you will need a lot of bass modules, and I think for rock with DI'd or miced bass and miced drums you can do better with a conventional PA for less money. Have you worked on patching/cabling ?

 

My rig set up really easy.

 

I use NL-4's with 13-4 wire for cabs. I have monitors set-up as 1 & 2, the #1 monitor gets the #1 monitor signal, and passes both out through the paralleled Speakon to the 2nd monitor that is wired to use the monitor 2 signal. I use 3 IEM rigs. The Mains for the small rig use 1 cable for the sub and the highs, then I use a short jumper from the sub to the Hi-pac to pass the high. All patching including mic's is on the front, EQ's, comps FX are always patched. Power hooks up in front also. It takes about 5 minutes to wire it all up.

[Apendecto]

It will work, you will need a lot of bass modules, and I think for rock with DI'd or miced bass and miced drums you can do better with a conventional PA for less money. Have you worked on patching/cabling ? My rig set up really easy. I use NL-4's with 13-4 wire for cabs. I have monitors set-up as 1 & 2, the #1 monitor gets the #1 monitor signal, and passes both out through the paralleled Speakon to the 2nd monitor that is wired to use the monitor 2 signal. I use 3 IEM rigs. The Mains for the small rig use 1 cable for the sub and the highs, then I use a short jumper from the sub to the Hi-pac to pass the high. All patching including mic's is on the front, EQ's, comps FX are always patched. Power hooks up in front also. It takes about 5 minutes to wire it all up.

 

Holy tit. 3 power amps?! How big are those bad boys, baby?

 

Yo.

[gspointer]

Holy tit. 3 power amps?! How big are those bad boys, baby? Yo.

It depends on the speakers I use. The top amp is an RMX1850hd, for my small rig

I use it for my monitors it runs about 450RMS to each monitor. For my bigger rig, it delivers 150w rms to each tweeter in a pair of JBL SRX4733's.

 

The second amp down is a PL236, in the small PA it delivers 800 watts rms to my hi-pacs,(SRX715's) It delivers 1100 watts rms to each side (2-15's) of the pair of 4733's in the bigger PA.

The next 2 amps are RMX 2450's in the small pa I use 1 for a pair of JBL MP-418's at 750 watts RMS. In the small PA this is a spare. In the big PA, each one delivers 1500 w RMS to a dual 18 folded horn.

 

The max rated rms power of each is

1850=1800

2450's=2400

PL236=3600

 

I don't use them at 2 ohms or bridged so I don't squeeze every ounce out of them.

 

I guess the short answer might be. The little PA is 1550 watts RMS per side, and the big PA is 2750 watts per side RMS.

[Apendecto]

Wow.

 

Yo.

[Johnny_Crab]

We use them with one "set" for each member.

 

Pros:

Easy setup, teardown, unique ability to project off-axis better than anything I've heard in 40 years, fits in a car(one system), sets up where a regular backline+PA would NEVER fit or would be a royal PIA. Can run two members off of one system if you have a failure at a gig(we've had one "pole base" loose the low end). Vocals and bass run into mine.

 

Cons:

It took me about 1 year to find the right basses and build the right patches(Line 6) to make these sound acceptable to my ears when I'm on stage. With a wireless, you can walk out about 6~20 feet(depends on the place and volume) and notice the bass change from oomph to something acceptable to non-bassists(a good sounding jambox loud?). They work fine(except for the lack of large air movement) if I'm almost right in front of them.

 

Audio samples:

Bassy patch:

http://media.putfile.com/H4-1st-Use-UnProc

Brice T-Bird, large ballroom soundcheck, midrangey patch(& bass):

http://media.putfile.com/BriceAtBallroom02--02-20007

"Normal" patch(edge of distortion, Line 6 SVT model very tweaked):

http://media.putfile.com/Growl-Eyed-Girl

 

Pics:

 

 

 

Try this with backline and a PA:

 

I prefer an SWR Henry and ACME B-2's but those are my home and FOH-in-place rigs. For bass guitar only, Andy at ACME appears to be right in stating that a 10" speaker is the smallest one can get real bass out of.

 

There is at least one band in the Houston area that does use the BOSE as a "regular" PA(mixer-->BOSE on each side of the stage). I've not heard them only of them.

[james on bass]

Thanks for the info Mr. Crab. It looks like you are running 10 of the bass bins? A system like this will be way too much $ for us.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

Thanks for the info Mr. Crab. It looks like you are running 10 of the bass bins? A system like this will be way too much $ for us.

 

 

The PAS has been discussed to death in the Live Sound forum. I've heard and used them over a period of a few years.

 

The bass units are weak. Enough for a typical smallish bar, but that's about it. But you don't have to use them. Get some powered subs and you'll have better bass response for less money.

 

Mixing is also weak.

 

BUT, these systems really aren't intended for large loud rock bands in big venues. IMO as a general guideline, if the drums need to be mic'd, you're probably beyond its capabilities.

 

The pluses for it are many. Loadin/loadout is ridiculously easy. Monitoring is effective. Sound quality is very good. The line-array effect is key to the performance and monitoring capability. It does not extend to the bass unit, obviously, so you will notice bass drops off before mid-high as you walk away from the units.

 

If you can use them effectively without having to add many extra's like subs and mixer, then they may be a good solution.

 

Keep in mind that BOSE offers a trial period with 100% refund, so it may be worth trying them out.

[heyitbebt]

Agree with statements above....they can be used nicely for small bar and 3 to 4 piece...but are limited with bass response / air movement. Even set up is over rated IMHO...between cables, three pieces for towers, and then min. two base units per side...all 40-50lbs a piece.

 

My band, 5 piece bar band, used these for a few months and have switched to a bi-amp'd compact EV setup ZX1's over SB122's and one JBL PRX518 powered 18. The setup time is about half the time....and SOUNDS much better.

 

We mic amps, run bass (via Ampeg) and acoustic direct, 3 vox mics, and e-drums.

 

B

[gonzobassman]

For the money you would have to spend on the multiple Bose systems you would need,you could really do a lot better IMHO. that said,they do have a great sound if you are not trying to run a whole band through them.

[rsm777]

Considering one of these too: L1 Model II, 2 B1s (bass bins) and the T1 preamp/mixer.

 

Downsizing my live gear rigs (bass and guitar) as I no longer (at least for now) play live. I play bass, guitar and keyboards and with my live rigs I have very little room and too much volume in my home studio / office (soundscaping this room to absorb the reflected sounds is another project).

 

All my guitar/bass preamps can go direct out, and I'm down to a MIDI keyboard + software instruments on keys, which can go direct out of the laptop - so a small FRFR system is what I'm looking for. I no longer shred / play metal anymore so I don't need a large powerful live system; but I want more flexibility than low wattage boutique amps, combos or practice amps (still a rack unit user) since I need amplification for these different instruments. The T1 unit has just enough inputs for what I need too; and I've heard some of the presets after users have dialed them in, they don't sound too bad even if most are not my style...

 

The trial period is also worth giving this system a try (plan to give it a go once I sell some of the old live gear and have the space).

 

Let us know your experience if you go the Bose route.

 

Peace