Anyone Driving a Compact (Bose L1)

[steve mac]

For the last couple of years I have pretty much only performed at venues that have their own PA, some great...some less so. I rock up only with guitar, mike , pedal board, iPad and small mixer. Essentially with this set up I have a single jack out into the venues mixer and off I go. Perhaps not the best sound in the world but more than adequate.

However, I am now hankering to both take total control of the sound and also play venues that to date haven't had live music.

Most places will either be indoors or in season, patio gigs catering for in the region of 50 to 100 , more than that and I would be plugging into the house systems.

I have been looking at a couple of Yamahas but the weight and of course the necessary stands are bothersome.

This led me to looking at The Mackie Reach but a review on YouTube (please be aware I can't just go and try because of my location) was pretty damming, then I looked at the specs for the Fishman stick but again some good reviews some not so.

Finally I came across Bose's Compact L1 line array and it seems to be too good to be true. Easily portable, no stands, sets up in seconds. Combine this with zero feedback and little drop off and it looks on paper and YouTube as just the ticket.

Now colour me cynical but I can't remember anyone on here ever mentioning using one and that makes me cautious.

So please has anyone got any practical experience of this system and can offer me an unbiased opinion.

Thanks as always.

[STM86]

I tried one out at Guitar Center and was blown away by how natural it sounded. But it was just so darn small I couldn't trust it to be loud enough. I ended up with the Fishman and couldn't be happier. I've grown to prefer the more "live" sound for what I do, but the compact still sounds pretty amazing to my ears. I don't know how true the no feedback claims are. Unless there's active cancelation, there's no marketing that can undo the science of feedback. If you see it in person you'll understand what I mean about the size- the array is like a little 12x3" segment. I just couldn't believe that it could possibly fill a room the way I'd need it to. By reading some reviews I may well have been wrong about that. Also, make no mistake, the compact does have a stand, albeit a lightweight one that doesn't add to the footprint.

[kbeaumont]

The biggest complaint I have heard from L1 Compact owners is it isn't loud enough, two people I know sold theirs and got the bigger and more expensive L1. I have heard a lot of good reviews of the Fishman Solo. Craig currently has a review for the Reach under 'Pro Reviews' he is giving it a thorough run so I would keep an eye on the results as more users chime in. I have seen that review on you tube, the guy doesn't like phone apps and he is plugging into the thing at 'instrument level' not line level. You plug that mixer into a Reach and your experience would be drastically different from his. In Craig's review he points this out. To use it you need a line level input.

[Shaster]

I have used the Bose L1 compact in a house gig (about fifteen to twenty times) and I rented one for a month. Of all the Bose products the L1 is my favourite, which may or may not be saying much.

 

Reason number one: the price to performance ratio is comparable to other speaker offerings. Normally I consider Bose to be way overpriced, but in the L1 Compact you actually get what you paid for.

 

Reason two: the Bose L1 is crossed over much lower than other Bose tower systems (IIRC around 400 hz) because of the smaller top speakers. this means that more of my vocal went through the eight inch speaker instead of the super middy Bose top speakers.

 

Reason three: the normally middy Bose top speakers are a little smaller (again IIRC) on the L! and while they have a little too much high end, they don't have as much of that dreadful (IMO) Bose mid. The old saying, saying No highs, no lows, must be Bose, doesn't really apply to the L1 Compact.

 

Reason four: The L1 Compact is also quite light, and can be configured three different ways. I was able to take it on our local subway.

 

Cons regarding the L1 compact. You need a mixer. The onboard "mixer" is terrible IMO, so it's really not an all in one solution. However all the onboard Bose mixers are terrible - how else could they sell their Tonematch mixers? Not being cynical or critical, just pragmatic. I never ran out of gas with the Compact, but I came close, so that's a consideration. The other con, from my perspective is that it's a one trick pony. It can't do double duty as a band monitor, or as mentioned handle larger venues and crowds.

 

I am very familiar with Bose systems as many of the places I play have them. I prefer the sound of the Compact but with a lot of EQ the other Bose systems will sound as good, or better and have more headroom. The Compact is handy dandy though, and I got lots of favourable comments when I used it.

 

Happy hunting.

[daddymack]

The Compact exists because Bose was getting killed by the Fishman SA 220 on pricepoint. I does not work as well as the original L1, and yes, the onboard mixer is a joke. That said, if you are already comfortable with your mixer, then it should work okay, but if you are feeding it tracks, be prepared for a total dearth of deep clean bass.

The Fish-Stick suffers the same fate as far as reproduction of deep bass, but they admit voicing the unit for guitar and vocal reproduction [which was why I bought mine]. The Fishman als ocomes with its own bag that has wheels and a shoulder strap , and the unit is selfcontained including the stand, plus pockets for cables.

The Mackie Reach looks awesome on paper, and of course they have had plenty of time to size up the competition and pack in more bang for the buck [the wattage alone is an eyeopener at 720W!], but in SteveMac's case, they're currently only available in the US, and nowhere have I found the actual weight of the unit stated, which begs the question of portability, because if this weighs in near the weight of a Thump, it could be an issue. Also, if you want a carry bag, that is extra.

[STM86]

There's also the LD Maui 28, which used to be exclusive to the UK, or at least not available near me. I don't know much about it except that the footprint is more Bose-like.

[Bob Dey]

Never tried the compact, but I've seen demos showing how easy they are to set up. From reviews I've seen their great for gigs that don't require much volume.

 

Had an L1 and an L2 for a couple of years and got rid of them both. It's easier for me to set a couple of Yamaha DBRs on stands. In fact one is sufficient for small gigs. Part of the reason is one L1 isn't stereo. Also when you add up the power stand (35 lbs), the two radiators (30 lbs) and the bass module (28 lbs) it's a lot more stuff to bring in and set up.

[steve mac]

Thanks all for the insights

[Mikeo]

I have a Fishman Solo amp or what they now call the SA 220. I like it and it's voiced for the acoustic guitar and vocalist.I have been using it off and on since Aug of 2009.

 

 

Set up is like 5 minutes, if you take your time. I take my time with extra TLC and it's a 10 minute set up

 

 

[daddymack]

ah, another happy member of the Fish-stick owners club...yeah, the SA220 was designed for a very specific purpose, and it excels there, but, honestly, I wish it had the 700w the new Mackie has...because the one issue I have run into is room size and reach/not cutting through background noise. In a small room setting [house party, coffee house, small restaurant] it works great, but a room that seats 100+ will swallow it ... whole. Which prompted me to invest in 2 600w pwrd boxes on poles...the things I do to maintain flexibility...

[moogerfooger]

I have the L1s with the B2 sub. its awesome. I also use a eon 610 as a wedge allowing me to get further away from the L1. I was using eon 15s with eon 15 subs -- everybody says the bose sounds much better. and it can cover a huge area

[STM86]

And around we go. Just be realistic about what your needs are. I've played loud beer tents with the Fishman, and nobody complained about lack of volume. I got compliments from people listening two blocks away after one. But certainly a larger PA would have been better suited for the gig. The larger the gig, the more the limitations become apparent, though it will likely do the job. If you've mostly got house systems available, then the compact will probably do the job for the small stuff.

 

Like daddymack, I often wish I had more, especially at my primary spot. So far I have stuck with the convenience. I have enough power to be audible throughout, but not enough to dominate the room. Should an acoustic guy dominate the room? I don't even know. When I'm playing dance numbers, they probably should. But knowing most of the people are there for the food and drinks and not for me, I'm still mostly content with being audible.

 

I would get out and try it and see if you think it will do the job. You'll long for more kick sometimes, and when you have all the power you'll ever want you'll long for more portability. So it goes.

[daddymack]

well put. There is no one solution, as I have found. The Fish-stick has served me well, but on the occasional outdoor gigs and bigger rooms, the 2-box on a pole approach is better. The 'real' L1 covers an amazing amount of potentials, but even it has limitations and drawbacks. The 'Compact' fares much worse, but is certainly a viable option to the SA220, but if you are looking for simplicity, control and portability, they would both work. Had the Compact existed when I was looking, I would have certainly considered it...even though I am not a huge fan of Bose...[except their old 301 bookshelf speakers].

[steve mac]

 

I would get out and try it and see if you think it will do the job. You'll long for more kick sometimes, and when you have all the power you'll ever want you'll long for more portability. So it goes.

 

If only I could "just go and try it" then I guess I wouldn't have asked, unfortunately it's just not possible for me. So far I have been lucky with the advice given here and then buying mail order although sometimes it does go wrong.

Thanks for your response though, it's hard to disagree with anything you have said.

[STM86]

If only I could "just go and try it" then I guess I wouldn't have asked' date=' unfortunately it's just not possible for me. So far I have been lucky with the advice given here and then buying mail order although sometimes it does go wrong. Thanks for your response though, it's hard to disagree with anything you have said.[/quote'] Sorry, Steve. I thought you were just in the UK. I didn't realize where you were currently. I have been really happy with the Fishman. I do wish for more low end at times. I know a sub can be added but it's not really designed with that in mind. I've been real happy with how it projects, bass notwithstanding. As for the Bose, I think I had a thread on here somewhere and ended up being talked out of it by Potts. (though he recommended the full sized L1 B1). For me I just couldn't trust an array that small to do what I needed. The Fishman does it but could use more bass. The compact I didn't trust to do it at all, though I'm positive the bass response is better for what it can do.

[STM86]

This video won't tell you much about the Fishman. It's the mic from the Canon G7X, which is a nice point and shoot camera, but obviously not geared toward to capturing audio. I'm certainly audible, but I'm not exactly commanding the room. Maybe that's a good thing. I don't know.

 

I was so pumped about this tune when I added it that I posted a video of me screwing it up.

[daddymack]

I looked at the MAUI '11' when they became available here [about 1 year and a half ago, IIRC], but it seemed to be lacking in 'portability: the sub weighs in at 50# [22.7kg], and the '28' uses the same sub...and no casters...

The MAUI 11 was scaled down specifically to kick the Compact's butt, which it does quite well, btw. The 28 is pricier, but with better specs.

[daddymack]

you might want to drop that a whole step to G...seems like you are having some challenges with the top end in A...I'm jus'sayin'....

[STM86]

It's in Ab already. That's actually pretty comfortable for me though. Some friends of mine play a weekly trio gig at a nice Italian place. They play jazz and standards; amazing musicians. Like I said to them, "We have the exact opposite job. I take incredibly simple material and make it look difficult."

[gypsyjohn]

I used the Bose L1 classic for years and I still love it.

But I found a deal on a pair of Fishsticks and for a solo acoustic and vocal gig , for me, it's a no brainer.

I a/b ed them against a compact with a friend that pulled the trigger on the smaller Bose.

He returned it the next day.

If I was trying to carry a band or trying to DJ it wouldn't work, but with what I'm trying to do these days it's a good fit.

[steve mac]

Blimey, I thought I was decided but having read your experiences am back to square one. I am willing to compromise somewhat on sound in order to have an easy in/out, setup/teardown. But not too much. I may just go with a single quality speaker on a pole. At least it will be a known quantity and easy to sell on if it doesn't work out. Thanks for posting.

[STM86]

I now run the TC Helicon Play Acoustic into it. No more mixer needed. I then use both channels on the Fishman and find it easier to tweak for the room that way. I plugged straight in at first and was thrilled with it then, too.

 

The Internet is a blessing and a curse. Used to be we could only rely on things we'd seen for ourselves and buy what was available. Now we have access to so much knowledge and so many opinions and so many options. It's great.

 

But the weight of opportunity costs is just overwhelming sometimes now that we know what is all out there. So often I wish I had this or wish I had that. But only because I know this and that exist. In a vacuum, I love everything in my chain. I still do; I'm thrilled with it. It's just those what if's.

 

If you buy a compact or a Fishman or a Reach or a Maui or a Fender Expo, or a speaker on a stick, you'll be happy. It's just a matter of forgetting what you could have had. That's the real challenge for me.

[steve mac]

As an aside, how is the PlayAcoustic working out for you? I have been a voicelive gtx user since they came out and last year added a cheap acoustic modeler in front of it which has rounded out the sound somewhat, but it is one more thing to carry around and plug in. As my voicelive gtx is getting on a bit and certainly doesn't owe me any money. I was considering the acoustic as a replacement for both, I am particularly interested in the bodyres.

Cheers Steve

[STM86]

I have really liked it. I was able to pay for a really good chunk from selling my GTX. You lose some of the electric flexibility and gain the bodyres, which I really liked a lot. It definitely sounds much more full and natural with it. I use Style 2 primarily.

 

I am not necessarily blaming the unit or the Bodyrez, but sometime, somewhere along the line, after (but not immediately after) switching to the Play Acoustic, I started having feedback problems. First with the band, then also at solo gigs. The filter on the pedal didn't seem to do anything to help. I started from scratch with my levels and that took care of it. I also employed the notch filter on the SA220 to some success before that.

 

One big limitation that they've addressed is you can have different guitar settings per-preset. So now I can use a thinner preset with the band and the big full one for the solo act. That wasn't originally the case. Five out of six people I asked prefer the body-rez. The other said "I think I've just grown so accustomed to that piezo sound that I actually prefer it."

 

If you integrate the GTX with tracks using midi, the Acoustic doesn't have that capability. TC does make a standalone Bodyrez pedal, which obviously wouldn't eliminate anything for you.

[daddymack]

The BodyRez pedal is a very nice addition...I have actually used it with solidbody electric guitars to great effect, as well as sweetening my acoustics [it makes my Stratacoustic sound like a Gibson jumbo!]