Using Bose classic speakers with Crown power amp

[buzzman]

Retiring the 10 year old Bose Classic and not able to afford a new one. I've enjoyed it for a solo act with voice and acoustic guitar but want something smaller and lighter than the base unit. Thinking about adding a Crown XLS 1002 power amp to my Yamaha MG12/4 mixer and using the speakers from the Bose. Need some advice though:

1. Think it would sound as good as the Classic or would it not be the same without the Bose preamps/presets,etc?

2. Could someone tell me how to wire the speakers for optimum performance?

3. Is this a good or bad idea?

Thanks for the help.

[Mike M]

You will not find much love for anything Bose on this forum but I like (and use) Bose 402's and 802's in my applications. Although I have limited experience playing through the Classic system I can tell you that as with your current unit, you will have to deal with some weight in powered speaker or mixer power amp, or powered mixer. There is no way around weight.

Solo/duo acts around my area like those Bose (stick) systems because they can usually put the stick behind a performer to act as a FOH and monitor rig. My limited experience with a Bose stick system made my ears hurt after a while standing in front / slightly off axis to it...

If you are doing a solo guitar/vocal thing pick up a pair of used Bose 402's (get the older series, not the series II) plus controller which are readily available on ebay. You could get a Yamaha powered mixer (6 channel) and be all set.

Just my TCW

Mike M

 

[Craig Vecchione]

I would sell the system completely rather than trying to fudge up some way to support the speaker tower and connect the speakers. I'm seeing complete L1 Model 1 with single B1 selling for about $1,200 in the used market.

 

The L1 Compact sells for $1,000. Sure you can't use that? Total weight is under 30lb.

[Shaster]

Retiring the 10 year old Bose Classic and not able to afford a new one. I've enjoyed it for a solo act with voice and acoustic guitar but want something smaller and lighter than the base unit. Thinking about adding a Crown XLS 1002 power amp to my Yamaha MG12/4 mixer and using the speakers from the Bose.

Thanks for the help.

 

Let's start with why you are retiring the Bose Classic. Is it broken, is it too heavy (as you've stated) or is it something else? Separate from that, I'm questioning whether a power amp properly racked, with a mixer will be lighter than the Bose base unit. Then there's the possibility that your idea just won't work to your satisfaction, if it even works at all - without some serious surgery.

 

Many of my experiences with Bose have been negative, and I've always been irked by how much money they charge in relationship to the actual sound they deliver. However I've been using the Bose compact two or three times a month (the one Craig mentioned) and it's definitely my favourite Bose product. I would say that it's actually worth the money (or close to it) and is quite suited sound and budget wise to a solo performer. The internal mixer is IMHO dreadful, but paired with a Zed 10FX or something similar it compares quite favourably to a traditional powered speaker IF and only if, you don't need the volume of a traditional $1000.00 powered speaker - and many folks do not.

 

I realize you said you can't afford a new Classic, but I'm with Craig on this on - check out the Compact, and see if it suits. It's certainly light enough.

 

Otherwise maybe try the Yamaha Stagepass series - I've used those in a drummerless trio and they pleasantly surprised me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[buzzman]

Thanks a lot for some great advice and information. I'll give some thought to these options and come up with a plan. I had thought about the Compact, but for some reason thought it would lack punch in an outdoor setting. I'll investigate it further.

That's the short response….

 

To answer a couple questions and clarify, I'm retiring the Classic regretfully because it got wet once and has done a few weird things since then. A bartender at a place I was playing at opened a window behind the small stage area and when a squall blew in forgot to close it. When I arrived to play an hour later my whole rig was very wet. I dried it the best I could for an hour with a fan and turned it on. It didn't crank up but a half hour more with the fan blowing through the base vents and it worked. Since then it's made some clicks and pops several times and 3 times the volume dropped noticeably…I was able to get through the gig by unplugging it and plugging it back in. So I've lost confidence in it's reliability, no one wants to work on it, Bose doesn't support it anymore and I don't want to sell it to someone so they can have frustrating intermittent electrical issues.

 

In addition, I'm 65, have a back that works and want to keep it that way. The Classic base unit is a bit heavy and is also an awkward size and shape for lifting in and out of a vehicle. I see that all the newer models are significantly lighter. So that's the weight thing….

 

I guess I don't get the "lack of love" for Bose stuff but I know it's out there. I almost didn't post this because of that sentiment. I bought the classic because I heard 3 different acts using it in various settings and really liked the clarity and range, without sounding harsh. The people that do like it seem to be the audience, club owners and acoustic acts. I've been very happy with my rig.

 

Thanks again for a great experience on your forum!

 

Buzz

[RoadRanger]

Had a acoustic guitarist show up with a original one last Sunday when I was doing sound outdoors. Yah, the base is pretty big but I'm not sure it's heavier than the new ones?

 

One of my bands played out Saturday night and we had our two "H" base L1's cranked as loud as they would go without feeding back - plus I was playing bass in stereo through them no prob even with only a pair of the B1 bass modules. We don't put them behind us - they seem to work better at the front pointing at each other, maybe turned a few degrees towards the front. We still use a separate monitor for the drummer...