Excellent PA- Bose L1

[cockroach]

Played a gig on Friday evening, sort of corporate sports function..

Our bass player (who also owns and runs the band PA) is away on holiday in Europe at present, so another mate of ours is standing in for him on bass and also provided his PA for us at the show.

He has a compact multi channel mixer and a couple of small JBL wedges for foldback- however...the FOH is a couple of Bose L1 columns..didn't really need any foldback as we could clearly hear ourselves via the column units and it easily coped with the venue..and it was a large crowd in a large room (function room in a grandstand pavilion at a major horse racecourse)

Thoroughly recommended! Not cheap but so compact, lightweight and easily handled...we normally use a system with a mixer and a number of QSC active speakers for FOH and monitors-good sound, but it's hernia time when loading out!

Anyone else used or own these excellent Bose sound systems?

[Didier]

I have heard someone using a single Bose L1, the sound was good but lacked width (too "mono").

Didier

[RUSSET]

A friend of mine operates a 'two Bose' system to amplify his band's output. He has a guitarist, keyboard & lead vocalist, plus backing tracks. It works well for his trio, & the columns stand just behind each side of the band, so it covers the monitoring too. As you say, it is a useful lightweight solution which requires no large heavy cabs, so it can be easily transported in cars, & does not break the back of us old guys. You will need a processor pedal with amp & effects modelling in front, for the guitar, & probably one for the vocals too.
I understand from my brother, who has studied PA sound systems & had tuition from a professional sound engineer, who worked for several pro, top-twenty bands, that the Bose is not a PA system, but an individual instrument amp & vocal amp. However, if it works for you, go for it.

Tony.

[cockroach]

We had three vocal mics and acoustic rhythm guitar going through the Bose L1s, and the drum kit (not mic'd) and my small Marshall 50w combo and an Eden bass amp which also were not DI'ed or mic'ed up- worked great!

[noelford]

I've had my Bose L1 Compact for quite a few years now. It does everything I need, brilliantly, and I would never go back to a normal guitar amp and PA.

[nivramarvin]

I once played a gig with a band with these Bose columns. The problem was: I couldn't evade them, when they were too loud. When a floor monitor is too loud, I go a step besides.

[apache]

I've been using a Bose L1 model 1S with a B1 bass unit since December 2012. I also have the Tone match T1. Whilst I only do local gigs, more for fun than anything, I am very happy with the sound and the weight is more manageable than the Mackie 450's and Vox ac15 heritage that I used before. Even outdoors in the middle of a playing field I have never used more than about 60% volume. Accepted that the guitar sound is not quite Vox but dialing up the Fender Strat option on the T1 gives a very good Shadows sound. It's also brilliant for vocals and the backing tracks take on a new dimension when played for the first time through the Bose.
It was expensive but worth it for me.

[noelford]

I once played a gig with a band with these Bose columns. The problem was: I couldn't evade them, when they were too loud. When a floor monitor is too loud, I go a step besides.

The thing about the Bose system is the even distribution of sound throughout the venue. If it was too loud for you on-stage, it must have been too loud for the audience too... or is that not possible these days?