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Question about using Bose L1 PA


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Hello Live Performance forum.  I haven't played in a band in about 5 years, but looks like I just pulled down a gig in March with some guys I met earlier this winter.  We're a 3 piece 'geezer' classic rock group, playing songs from the 60's to the 80's.  Each of us has at least 30 years experience on the local bar scene level - nothing special, just guys who miss playing out.

The club we've booked is not huge, maybe 200 capacity in the room we're playing. I used to play this joint using a couple 15" cabs on sticks (EV or PV) 1 or two subs (Yorkville powered), + monitors.  Used about 5 mics on the drums, ran bass direct, mic on the guitar amp.

The club owner told me that he's got one of those new Bose PAs.  He didn't know the specifics, but I gather it's the L1 or a variant.  He just knows that he paid 2 grand for it, and that all I need to bring is a mixer.  He said he was tired of bands playing too loud and this is his way of controlling the volume. 

He doesn't book entertainment every weekend, and it looks like just acoustic acts will be featured on weekends before we play, so I don't think I'll learn much from watching others use this setup.

So anyone use this kind of PA for a band before?  I'm hoping that the way you hook a mixer up would be fairly conventional. Do I need monitors?  Would you mic the drums, bass, guitar, or just play a bit louder than usual and rely on the PA for vocals only?  I'm out of my comfort zone on this one.  Any advice would be appreciated.

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I've jammed with some guys who use an L1 of some sort (a single array tower, maybe 1 or 2 bass modules, and it's NOT the compact model).

 

Electronic drums, three+ guitars, bass, keys, some additional electronic percussion, plus 5-6 vocals, all through a relatively large mixer (maybe 32 channels?).

 

The system seems to handle the range of input reasonably well. Loud and with decent tone in that small room; no info on how much L1 (how many towers, subs) would be required to cover a venue of 200, though...

 

-D44

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I've probably got as much experience as anyone here with the L1 systems with a rock band in a club setting.  My band uses them exclusively - and we love them. 

That being said - I'd have reservations about using the L1 approach - fresh off the street so to speak.  I'd really have reservations about trying to funnel a large number of inputs into a single L1 - they are simply not desigened for that.  Just like any system - there is a learning curve towards optimization.  It is probably a desparate act of the managment to try and foist these upon the performing acts.

If you are going to be forced into this - and you have any specific questions - I would be happy to help you work your way through.  You can post questions here - or send me a PM.

For the record - my 4 pc band uses three L1s, three T1s, 8 B1s and two A1s.  We play venues that seat upwards of 350 and are occaisionally asked to turn down.  The only backline that we use is the lead guitar player who uses a Fender combo amp - probably in the 50W range.  The bass player and I (r. guitar/lead vocals) go direct.  Drummer only mic's the kick.  We also use the system outdoors - and it does well.

Best of luck to you.

 

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Thanks for the offer n8cJohn. It is my intent to get over to the club sometime this month to see what he's really got. I will PM you after I do the recon, and hopefully you'll be able to get me through this. If we end up using the L1 exclusively for vocals, so be it - that's kind of how we did things when I started playing (crank up the backline to match the drums, and hope the vocals can be heard thru the PA)

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Brave Ulysses wrote:

 

 

Hello Live Performance forum.  I haven't played in a band in about 5 years, but looks like I just pulled down a gig in March with some guys I met earlier this winter.  We're a 3 piece 'geezer' classic rock group, playing songs from the 60's to the 80's.  Each of us has at least 30 years experience on the local bar scene level - nothing special, just guys who miss playing out.

 

I'm out of my comfort zone on this one.  Any advice would be appreciated.

 

rumor is:

You're too old to play Gigs when?

1. It becomes more important to find a place on stage for your fan than for your amp.

2. Your gig clothes make you look like George Burns out for a round of golf.

3. All your fans leave by 9:30 p.m.

4. All you want from groupies is a foot massage and back rub.

5. You love taking the elevator because you can sing along with most of your play list.

6. Instead of a fifth member, your band wants to spring for a roadie.

7. You don

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