Anyone play acoustically through a Bose L1?

[tonemeister]

I am debating buying the newer Bose L1 system for playing acoutic music ... I have a Santa Cruz with a K&K Western, a Gibson Blues King with the same, and a Huss & Dalton yet to be determined. I tried my Cruz through the older model, and it sounded great ... I could fingerpick or flatpick without the guitar sounding sterile or choppy ... very impressive ... but ...

It cost so freaking much for the system!!!! Tough to commit that much money without being sure ...

Any experience with these? Thnx ....

[RGB]

Best purchase I ever made for my acoustic stuff...expensive and worth every penny, IMO. It's more than paid for itself in re-bookings that I attribute to the use of the system. Not to mention that I now show up 1/2 hour before show time instead of 1-1/2 to 1 hour before, and haul the whole rig in the back of my pickup with lots of room to spare.

I'm betting that if you try it you'll never go back to a conventional system.

[Structo]

I was in a band where we had two Bose PAS L1 + sub systems.
I hated them.
They convert everything to digital and it sounds like it.
A distorted electric guitar sounds like a fizz machine.
Plus, I didn't like the fact that the mains were behind me an blowing out my ear drums.
Besides, how in the heck are you supposed to adjust your mix from the stage?
We finally drug out our old Mackie 24/8 board and went back to the snake.

I eventually quit due to the leader insisting that we use the Bose.
For what he spent on the two L1's he could have updated our existing three tier system up to top drawer.
Just MHO
YMMV

BTW, I think for a small acoustic combo (2 or three musicians and singers) they sound all right and are extremely portable.
Although I think a piezo equipped acoustic guitar sounds terrible.

Beware that when the guy bought the Bose system the guy was sent there with the money to buy upgrades for our existing system.
The GC employee steered him to the Bose.
There have been accusations that GC will have nice JBL monitors hooked up to fill out the sound in the room to fill out the sound but not tell you about it.
All I know is we sent him there with $4K and he came back with it.

[RGB]

Also keep in mind that there are people who can make any system sound like crap....all the rules of gain structure, etc. still apply. We've even used a single system in a small venue with the full band, (power trio with full drum kit), and it still blows people's minds that all of that sound is being produced by that system. Need more low end?...Add a couple of 18" subs and go!

If it was behind you blowing out your eardrums, then the system wasn't being used properly.....or maybe you guys are just too freakin' loud for this type of system!:)

I wouldn't recommend it for a thrash metal band or the like, but it works amazingly well for every use I've tried....besides, the OP is asking about use for an acoustic show and my UST equipped Taylors and Turner sound beautiful to me, (and my audiences). I'd recommend taking your guitar down to GC and trying it out....although watch out for those hidden monitors!;)

[tonemeister]

I appreciate the info, guys ... I am just doing a 1-2 piece acoustic gig, and I have to admit the ease of setup seems is a huge plus. Setting up in libraries or coffehouses with people already there can be tough, there isn't a ton of room for carrying in 50 lb speaker cabs without feeling like you will clobber somebody. Outside would be s different story, but I have heard the sound carries very well with the Bose even at an outdoor gig.

Thnx again ...

[RGB]

One of the nicest features of the system is the way the sound doesn't drop off like a conventional system. Very 3D and non-directional. The subs don't carry as far as the tower though, so the low end does drop off a bit faster than the tops...probably the only negative I can think of for me. We play Tiki bars all summer long and it excels for this type of thing....in my opinion, of course!

[Structo]

The one thing we did that really helped and cleaned up the sound was adding another two subs, piggy backing them to the ones already hooked up.
I measured the SPL one time during rehearsal and we were getting hit with 115db!
Yeah, there was a learning curve to these and the leader was a bit of a pucker butt.
So in the end, I just dropped the band because he wouldn't listen to suggestions.

I guess I just couldn't get used to it.
He insisted on having the towers behind us and not out to the side where they would hammer our ears less.
We were six musicians, and according to Bose we probably should have had at least one or two more towers.

I think they can be good for the right band and situation.
Just not my cup of tea.

The new controller looks interesting for these.
Looks like it has a lot more adjustments for them.

[RGB]

I think it works great behind us at lower volumes, but if we use it with the band we put it out front like a regular PA and use conventional monitors...probably should've clarified that....behind us it's too prone to feedback when trying to keep up with the drummer. it's capable of some pretty serious volume when used this way!

I wish I could get the other guys to buy one each, so we could try it as it was designed to be used, but I'm the only one who spends any money in the band...unfortunately!

I have the old original system and have no experience with the Model II, but you're right, it looks very interesting!

[buddaman71]

I play 2-3 acoustic solo gigs per week. I used the original L1/Sub system for 2 years. I really, REALLY tried to love it. It's a great idea, but I recently sold it and replaced it with a small board and 2 JBL EON 10G2s.

The first gig I played with the JBL rig no fewer than 6 people made a point to come up and tell me it was the best I had ever sounded in that room. I can carry and set them up just as fast, and the rig cost less than half as much. Just my experience.

Good Luck!

[tonemeister]

I play 2-3 acoustic solo gigs per week. I used the original L1/Sub system for 2 years. I really, REALLY tried to love it. It's a great idea, but I recently sold it and replaced it with a small board and 2 JBL EON 10G2s.

The first gig I played with the JBL rig no fewer than 6 people made a point to come up and tell me it was the best I had ever sounded in that room. I can carry and set them up just as fast, and the rig cost less than half as much. Just my experience.

Good Luck!

But then you need monitors, right? Or do you just use the JBLs?

Thnx

[MichaelK]

I think it's a great sounding acoustic system, but the cost is utterly insane for a system with only 2 mic inputs.

For one person it might make sense... IF you're gigging solo every night of the week at venues where you have to supply your own sound system!

But $3000 for a sound system for an acoustic duo?? No way. JMO.

[jpfeiff]

I've been tempted by the L1, but just couldn't justify the cost. I've been doing acoustic gigs with one guitar and two vocals, sometimes with a second guitar or mandolin, through a Fender Passport PD-250 for several years now--love it. Compact, easy to set up, and no need for monitors--we just set the speakers behind us much like the Bose is supposed to work, and we can hear the mix just fine with no feedback problems--check it out--ends up costing less than a grand even when you throw in a couple of speaker stands and mic stands....

[bunuel]

I really liked the concept of the L1s, but as much as I wanted 'em to work for me, I thought they sound way too crisply digital for my tastes & I'm not really that picky for stage sound. They didn't have enough oomph on they bass end without shelling out for the woofers. For the rooms I play in (30-50 folks), my old standby acoustic amp covers the ground easily enough (plus it has a decent onboard 'verb & chorus), even when I play with the gal that plays tenor sax w/ me occasionally plays through it too, for way less than a third of the price of the Bose system. & actually, she sealed the deal: when we tried it out, she blew through it for about 2 minutes & said she'd never use it. Whenever I really wanna get the sound dialed in with a few more players, we just go thru my mackie & a coupla pa spkrs & sounds much fuller than L1 did when I tried it (repeatedly).

[mrmuzikhead]

I was in a band where we had two Bose PAS L1 + sub systems.
I hated them.
They convert everything to digital and it sounds like it.
A distorted electric guitar sounds like a fizz machine.
Plus, I didn't like the fact that the mains were behind me an blowing out my ear drums.
Besides, how in the heck are you supposed to adjust your mix from the stage?
We finally drug out our old Mackie 24/8 board and went back to the snake.

I eventually quit due to the leader insisting that we use the Bose.
For what he spent on the two L1's he could have updated our existing three tier system up to top drawer.
Just MHO
YMMV

BTW, I think for a small acoustic combo (2 or three musicians and singers) they sound all right and are extremely portable.
Although I think a piezo equipped acoustic guitar sounds terrible.

Beware that when the guy bought the Bose system the guy was sent there with the money to buy upgrades for our existing system.
The GC employee steered him to the Bose.
There have been accusations that GC will have nice JBL monitors hooked up to fill out the sound in the room to fill out the sound but not tell you about it.
All I know is we sent him there with $4K and he came back with it.

Happy to see someone here hears that too. Your description hits the nail on the head. I think they sound awful. I think everything through it sounds like a fizz machine,not just electric guitar. I'd have quit too.

[MichaelK]

FWIW I thought it sounded pretty darned good. I've heard only the L1.

It converts to digital? I never heard that before. What on earth would be the point??

[uncletele]

I own two of the original Bose PAS from 2005. Best system I've ever owned. Transparent and unforgiving, so you better know how to play.
People who don't love these should invest in lessons first!!

[jpfeiff]

I heard a guy play through one at a bar two nights ago--he had one of ther outboard bass units, too. Just one guitar and one voice--sounded damn good to me and filled the bar with sound quite nicely!

[TwinandTwang]

Bose?
No.

[RGB]

Bose?
No.


Love these informative replies!:rolleyes:

[buddaman71]

But then you need monitors, right? Or do you just use the JBLs?

Thnx

In small rooms, I actually prefer to just play with the room sound and no monitor. I actually own 3 of the JBLs and sometimes use the third as a monitor in a larger room.

If the room is really large, I use a larger active QSC system and feed my mix to the JBLs as stereo on-stage sound and then just send each JBL pass-thru output to the house system. I don't care about having separate aux sends, as it's just me solo. I prefer hearing exactly what the house is hearing.

I have a '99 koa Taylor K14ce into a Zoom A2 for verb and compression into a Boss RC20XL looper DI'd into my Mackie mixer. Works great and other solo performers constantly ask me how I get such a rich fat tone live. A couple have even purchased the exact same rig for their gigs and love it.

:AOK

PS: For the record, I REALLY wanted to like the BOSE, expecially since it cost so much! AB side-by-side it was absolutely no contest though. Sorry, but true. You can buy a whole 'nother decent guitar for the difference in price and the weight and set up is as fast or faster IMHO.

PPS: I know this is an acoustic thread, but I also use the JBLs as my main on-stage monitors with my full 4-piece band. I can't say enough about them. The G2 series is SO much louder and crisper to me than the older ones I used to have. All I care about in a live band is crisp vox, some acoustic from my rhythm player and a bit of hat/snare in my mix, so the small Eon10 G2 is perfect. My bass player sits his spare cab on my side behind me next to my rig, and I send one of my Tech 21 Power Engines on his side. We both GREATLY prefer doing it this way, as opposed to putting electric guitar and bass in the front monitors. It also makes the actual sound coming off the stage sound much fuller, rather than having all electric on one side and all bas on the other.

[tonemeister]

Thanks, I will check out the JBLs for sure ...

I owned a Taylor K14CE once, it was a great sounding guitar ... great looker too ...


In small rooms, I actually prefer to just play with the room sound and no monitor. I actually own 3 of the JBLs and sometimes use the third as a monitor in a larger room.

If the room is really large, I use a larger active QSC system and feed my mix to the JBLs as stereo on-stage sound and then just send each JBL pass-thru output to the house system. I don't care about having separate aux sends, as it's just me solo. I prefer hearing exactly what the house is hearing.

I have a '99 koa Taylor K14ce into a Zoom A2 for verb and compression into a Boss RC20XL looper DI'd into my Mackie mixer. Works great and other solo performers constantly ask me how I get such a rich fat tone live. A couple have even purchased the exact same rig for their gigs and love it.

:AOK

PS: For the record, I REALLY wanted to like the BOSE, expecially since it cost so much! AB side-by-side it was absolutely no contest though. Sorry, but true. You can buy a whole 'nother decent guitar for the difference in price and the weight and set up is as fast or faster IMHO.

PPS: I know this is an acoustic thread, but I also use the JBLs as my main on-stage monitors with my full 4-piece band. I can't say enough about them. The G2 series is SO much louder and crisper to me than the older ones I used to have. All I care about in a live band is crisp vox, some acoustic from my rhythm player and a bit of hat/snare in my mix, so the small Eon10 G2 is perfect. My bass player sits his spare cab on my side behind me next to my rig, and I send one of my Tech 21 Power Engines on his side. We both GREATLY prefer doing it this way, as opposed to putting electric guitar and bass in the front monitors. It also makes the actual sound coming off the stage sound much fuller, rather than having all electric on one side and all bas on the other.

[TwinandTwang]

Love these informative replies!:rolleyes:


OK. It's crap. Buy an Esteban instead of that Huss and Dalton. Bose is all marketing. They are really good at marketing-presenting an image of quality, but it is poor quality. I know it's hard for some to believe.

[RGB]

OK. It's crap. Buy an Esteban instead of that Huss and Dalton. Bose is all marketing. They are really good at marketing-presenting an image of quality, but it is poor quality. I know it's hard for some to believe.

What makes your "opinion" hard for me to believe is the fact that I've been using this "crap" technology for 5 years, (10-15 shows per month), with absolutely no issues and have had nothing but positive responses to said use. I also happen to love the sound and ease of use of the system. Esteban never sounded so good.:rolleyes:

Maybe your "opinion" would hold more water if you'd elaborate on your obviously extensive personal experience with the L1. Sorry, but I get a little tired of uninformed opinions from self-proclaimed experts that have spent all of 5 minutes at GC forming these "opinions".

Many of the haters of this system seem to be a bit bitter because of the fact, (and I happen to agree somewhat), that the L1 is pretty damned expensive, and they can't justify the cost. Still, in MY opinion, it was money well spent and I have no regrets whatsoever.

So please, enlighten us further.

[Bob V]

Good timing. If you're not in a rush, wait until the new Fishman Solo packages hit the stores. Sounds good on paper: 220 watts, bi-amped, weights only 25 lbs (plus another ten pounds for the included stand and wheeled gig bag). Minimum advertised price seems to be a grand.

[TwinandTwang]

What makes your "opinion" hard for me to believe is the fact that I've been using this "crap" technology for 5 years, (10-15 shows per month), with absolutely no issues and have had nothing but positive responses to said use. I also happen to love the sound and ease of use of the system. Esteban never sounded so good.:rolleyes:

Maybe your "opinion" would hold more water if you'd elaborate on your obviously extensive personal experience with the L1. Sorry, but I get a little tired of uninformed opinions from self-proclaimed experts that have spent all of 5 minutes at GC forming these "opinions".

Many of the haters of this system seem to be a bit bitter because of the fact, (and I happen to agree somewhat), that the L1 is pretty damned expensive, and they can't justify the cost. Still, in MY opinion, it was money well spent and I have no regrets whatsoever.

So please, enlighten us further.


Okay go here.


http://srforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/mv/msg/37282/0/0/0/

[DavidE]

Best purchase I ever made for my acoustic stuff...expensive and worth every penny, IMO. It's more than paid for itself in re-bookings that I attribute to the use of the system. Not to mention that I now show up 1/2 hour before show time instead of 1-1/2 to 1 hour before, and haul the whole rig in the back of my pickup with lots of room to spare.

I'm betting that if you try it you'll never go back to a conventional system.

Ditto in every way. Sound disperses better, volume isn't cutting heads, no messy cables and monitors, you get used to the lack of effects on vocals and it sounds better in many ways. We've been using mine in my duo (two vocal, one guitar) for a couple of years now and we're very happy with it.

[DavidE]

Good timing. If you're not in a rush, wait until the new Fishman Solo packages hit the stores. Sounds good on paper: 220 watts, bi-amped, weights only 25 lbs (plus another ten pounds for the included stand and wheeled gig bag). Minimum advertised price seems to be a grand.


The who claims he invented in and was ripped off by Fishman is coming out with his own system that will be much less expensive. I want to see that.

[DavidE]

What makes your "opinion" hard for me to believe is the fact that I've been using this "crap" technology for 5 years, (10-15 shows per month), with absolutely no issues and have had nothing but positive responses to said use. I also happen to love the sound and ease of use of the system. Esteban never sounded so good.:rolleyes:

Maybe your "opinion" would hold more water if you'd elaborate on your obviously extensive personal experience with the L1. Sorry, but I get a little tired of uninformed opinions from self-proclaimed experts that have spent all of 5 minutes at GC forming these "opinions".

Many of the haters of this system seem to be a bit bitter because of the fact, (and I happen to agree somewhat), that the L1 is pretty damned expensive, and they can't justify the cost. Still, in MY opinion, it was money well spent and I have no regrets whatsoever.

So please, enlighten us further.

Funny thing is..... when people saw the bookings we were getting and then came out to hear us, several of them ponied up and bought Bose systems for themselves and love them.

[DavidE]

Okay go here.


http://srforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/mv/msg/37282/0/0/0/


I did. I would never use the Bose sticks for my full band. No way. We play loud and we need/want a kick ass conventional system with bass that hits you in the chest. This thread asked about the Bose sticks in the acoustic contest and that's where they shine in my opinion AND years of experience.

Now, maybe a wedding band, or a furry animal club band that isn't playing at loud volumes and knows what they're doing. So many people run into mixers before their Bose units and totally screw up the gain staging and eq and make them sound terrible. Lots of user error out there.

And gee, what would these guys know about quality sound:

"Steve Miller has made very positive comments regarding the Bose L1.
Adrian Belew of King Crimson fame also uses a pair of the Bose L1 on stage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwjUrnWC0uE&feature=relat ed (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwjUrnWC0uE&feature=related)

http://www.rolandus.com/flash/player/?path=http://media.rola ndus.com/flv/adrian_belew_interview_hd.flv (http://www.rolandus.com/flash/player/?path=http://media.rolandus.com/flv/adrian_belew_interview_hd.flv) "

[RGB]

David has hit on exactly why the haters are hating in most situations....these folks generally want to use the system in ways that it wasn't designed to be used and they're screwing up the gain staging, using effects improperly, etc. Steve Miller is using them on stage as personal monitors and we're doing the same thing when we use the full PA...it augments the sound, provides great monitoring and gives the overall sound an almost surround sound feel. We've used it in low volume situations for the full band and it's worked great for us. Operator error can definitely be an issue if you don't know what you're doing.....I guess we do because we all love the thing!:D

[TwinandTwang]

Ok you are right. It's really great. It says Bose on it.

[RGB]

For crap's sake, what is your problem?.....I couldn't care less who builds the freakin' thing. Why does it bother you so much that it works for some people? If it doesn't work for you, fine, save your pennies!

...or should I say, "Ok you are right, it sucks...it says Bose on it".:rolleyes:

You know, you still haven't explained how you came to be the expert you claim to be, either....that might help your spiteful little argument somewhat, although, try as you might, I don't think you're going to convince anyone who's had a successful experience with the L1 that it's junk just because Bose builds it.

[RGB]

Now back to the OP's question....sorry to the rest of you for allowing myself to get drawn into this childish bickering....I've got a couple acoustic videos up on the Dewey, Rockem and Howe site...see link in my sig...that were shot with a regular point and shoot Canon using the internal mics. Even with the poor quality mics, I think the L1 sounds pretty good here. Might give you an idea how it works for us anyway.