Guinea pigs for Bose

JimmyM · #1 10-30-2005, 10:35 PM

In about 9 hours I'll be on a plane headed for Houston so I can try out this new sound system from Bose:

http://www.bose.com/controller?event...ble_live_music

My band is doing some gig at the Hard Rock there in Houston, and we're trying it out. For what purpose, I'm not sure. I guess I'll find out when I get there. I'd invite you Texans out to come check it out, but the vast majority of gigs I do with this band are private conventions, so it may not be open to the public and I won't get a guest list. Sorry.

Anyway, apparently the highs and mids come out of these 7-foot cylinders, and the lows come out of those two small woofer boxes. I will say one thing for Bose...they never cease to be radical. I'm looking forward to trying it out, if for no other reason than I want to hear how well a pole-shaped object can pump out live audio for a 4-man band in a small club.

Man, small room live sound reinforcement sure has come a long way. I remember when to play a small club we'd have to carry around these huge 18" folded horn enclosures, a mid box with 2 10"s, and these huge horn tweeters. Now you'd go into these same clubs with a couple full-ranges light enough to stick on stands and a medium sized sub on the floor for the larger places. Now we've graduated to poles. Hey, fine with me if it works. They look really easy to lug around.

lefty · #2 10-30-2005, 10:59 PM

i`ve been curious about thse things. make shure and give a report on them. thanx

willgroove2 · #3 10-31-2005, 10:27 AM

I was using one of those bose systems at a duo gig i was playing for the last few months(bass and keys)I just plugged right into it,they only had one bass unit but it sounded pretty good and full.we were not playing loud and they only thing i didn't like about it was that it had no EO on the chanals but i have ative eq on my bass's so it didn't matter too much.

Bruce Lindfield · #4 10-31-2005, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lefty

i`ve been curious about thse things. make shure and give a report on them. thanx

I'm curious about the Guinea Pigs - how about a report on them!

Fo' Shizzle · #5 10-31-2005, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lefty

i`ve been curious about thse things. make shure and give a report on them. thanx

It's Bose, note Shure!!

**MAJOR METAL** · #6 10-31-2005, 11:11 AM

Do you think they will get into Instrument Amplification?

Christopher · #7 10-31-2005, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

My band is doing some gig at the Hard Rock there in Houston, and we're trying it out. For what purpose, I'm not sure. I guess I'll find out when I get there. I'd invite you Texans out to come check it out, but the vast majority of gigs I do with this band are private conventions, so it may not be open to the public and I won't get a guest list. Sorry.

Are you guys getting these as Bose endorsers, or did you just buy them?

roger winkler · #8 10-31-2005, 06:42 PM

This system will change your whole perception on sound, and I mean this in a good way. It took a little getting use to how the system works and playing around with the presets, but once you learn how to actually listen with your "ears", you will be amazed. I play in a classic rock band, and have lugged around my share of speaker cabinets, monitors,rack cases, you name it. NOT EVER AGAIN. With the Bose PAS [Personal Amplification System] you don't need monitors or pa cabs. What you hear is exactly what the audience hears, which will make you a better player. The sound coming from this thing is cd quality. I suggest going to the Bose website and see for yourself just how many people are changing to this system. I was a skeptic at first, not anymore. Check out our website, www.recklessunion.com and listen to some of our cover tunes. This is what we sound like playing live through the Bose system. thanks Roger Winkler

Passinwind · #9 10-31-2005, 08:08 PM

There have already been a number of threads on this subject, the L1 system isn't all that new at this point.

Bose L1
Bose - Personalized Amplification System ???
Bose?

I've tried the system and have already weighed in, FWIW.

Hambone · #10 11-01-2005, 02:43 PM

Just keep in mind what all of the audiophiles say about Bose...

No highs, no lows - must be Bose!

Jazzin' · #11 11-01-2005, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hambone

Just keep in mind what all of the audiophiles say about Bose...

No highs, no lows - must be Bose!

People tell me that Bose is all highs and lows but no mids.

But I live in Canada, so it's hard to find anything by Bose, and I those people are also from Canada.

JimmyM · #12 11-01-2005, 11:36 PM

OK, I'm back and here's my report:

First off, we are neither Bose endorsers nor do we own the system. We just did a gig where Guitar Center (who was providing backline and PA for the gig) asked the regional Bose rep if he would set us up with the system, and he said yes.

Now let me set up the situation. We as a 4-pc band were given a pole and a sub each, with another pole for the singers. The drummer and I were also provided with 4 sub cabs to help propel the bass frequencies. I ran direct with a SansAmp DI (it would be a great box if it had a mid control, and the lack of it only makes it decent instead of great).

THE GOOD:

This system does exactly what it says. What you hear onstage is pretty much identical to what the audience hears. And unlike most Bose products, the highs and lows are very much in evidence (although they did have a bit of that Bose characteristic high/low cut, there wasn't nearly as much as other products they have). There is a slight dropoff in SPL's if you get really far away from the PA, but other than that, the volume in the audience is identical to the volume onstage, which is a good thing. The amps used to power the system are tiny little 250 watt amps that are slightly bigger than a person's hand. I asked the Bose guy if Walter Woods designed them, and he laughed and said Walter's designs were definitely an influence.

THE BAD:

If you are a really loud band or play really large venues, this system is not for you. Though it does have some ass to it, I can't imagine doing anything bigger than a 1000 seater room with this system. Part of the selling point of this system is that you don't need monitors because you hear exactly what the audience hears with the poles set up behind you. While this is true, unfortunately, you have to get used to the idea that you won't be the loudest thing on the stage, whereas with monitors you can get as much of yourself as you want. Our singers were constantly asking for more volume and blowing everyone else out. And though I didn't try to goose up my bass and vocal because the balance was good, I could have used hearing much more of both. It wasn't so bad when I was singing harmonies, but when I sang leads I blew my throat out. So unless you're a single or duo, you will still need monitors. Also, the bases that the poles sit in are quite large and take up at least as much floor space as a large full-range speaker. it would be nice if they could make the bases much smaller.

THE UGLY:

Each personal system comes with its own volume control where you can adjust your volume yourself the way you see fit. The potential for abuse is enormous. I can easily envision volume wars with each person having control of their own volume rather than a soundman acting for the common good.

SUMMING UP:

This is by far the best Bose live sound product I've ever used. But it's not perfect, and quite frankly, it's really suited best for singles and duos, or maybe a low volume jazz trio. Get a full rock band using it, and things can get hairy really quick unless the band disciplines itself to act for the common good rather than for their own interests. And we all know how much rock musicians care about the common good

Mike Money · #13 11-02-2005, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

In about 9 hours I'll be on a plane headed for Houston so I can try out this new sound system from Bose:

http://www.bose.com/controller?event...ble_live_music

My band is doing some gig at the Hard Rock there in Houston, and we're trying it out. For what purpose, I'm not sure. I guess I'll find out when I get there. I'd invite you Texans out to come check it out, but the vast majority of gigs I do with this band are private conventions, so it may not be open to the public and I won't get a guest list. Sorry.

Anyway, apparently the highs and mids come out of these 7-foot cylinders, and the lows come out of those two small woofer boxes. I will say one thing for Bose...they never cease to be radical. I'm looking forward to trying it out, if for no other reason than I want to hear how well a pole-shaped object can pump out live audio for a 4-man band in a small club.

Man, small room live sound reinforcement sure has come a long way. I remember when to play a small club we'd have to carry around these huge 18" folded horn enclosures, a mid box with 2 10"s, and these huge horn tweeters. Now you'd go into these same clubs with a couple full-ranges light enough to stick on stands and a medium sized sub on the floor for the larger places. Now we've graduated to poles. Hey, fine with me if it works. They look really easy to lug around.

A local high school has that. It sounds great. Its even loud enough to amplify the entire pit for marching band...

they've had it for atleast 2 years, though....

FriscoBassAce · #14 11-02-2005, 12:03 AM

Poles, Schmoles. Give me a Les Paul cranked through a Marshall half-stack any day. Not to mention the thunder from a full-blown PA system sub...

I think he's right. If you're playing small, intimate gigs, and don't want to lug around a PA system, this would probably work.

Just my opine though....it may differ from yours!

BTW...I used to work for BOSE in their retail stores selling Home Theater systems. I get more bad-assed sound from my $300 Sony Surround Sound System than I could ever have gotten with a $3000 Bose HT system.