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Bose l1 compact?
- Thread starter Wgtroutman
- Start date
My current group is using 2 Bose L1 Model I towers with 2 subs on each. The only drum mic'd is the kick drum and everyone else is going through a mixer and then into the PA (2 vocalists, guitar, guitar/keyboards). We're using powered Mackie spot monitors run from the mixer so everyone can hear how they sound in the mix.
Me and my GK MB115 used to run into it as well, but we found the sound was cleaner out front if I was taken out of the PA. I set my volume to the drummer and the system is then set relative to that and everything seems to be working fine. In the venues we're playing, I've never had to get the master volume over 1/2 much less drag out the heavy SVT stuff...
Me and my GK MB115 used to run into it as well, but we found the sound was cleaner out front if I was taken out of the PA. I set my volume to the drummer and the system is then set relative to that and everything seems to be working fine. In the venues we're playing, I've never had to get the master volume over 1/2 much less drag out the heavy SVT stuff...
We can be loud and there are 2 patches(Ric clone tone & a dirty mid-full patch) in my Line 6 that allow me to cut through and overpower everyone in the band IF needed. As I said, to get anything resembling a useful "bass" sound out of these you have to play with them for quite a while(took me months of 1 ~ 2 shows per week). I still prefer ACME's and SWR for "just me" or on a large stage with FOH.
Been through the full SVT + 2 cabs plus Acoustic 370 with two 18's on stage era with spandex pants. It was fun but I'm sure some folks got ear damage in the first 20 rows.
I know this thread is a bit old, but I'd like to answer the specific questions with regard to the L1 compact, the one with the integrated woofer.
Yes and Yes, or rather it depends and it depends. Will it handle bass guitar frequencies? Yes. Sound Effects? Yes. It's basically a 130 watt very high quality general purpose amp so don't expect it to out-thump a 1000 watt behemoth. Do expect it to fill a small venue and you can use the line out to feed a large venue PA, or second amp/compact unit.
I bought a Bose L1 Compact 4 months ago, I hesitated because I am suspicious of unbridled praise. I have used it with my pub duo (keys, rhythm acoustic gtr, harmony vocals plus guest fiddle) in a crowded, noisy Irish pub on St Patrick's day - one unit filled the pub amply - verified by disinterested, independent, tactless witnesses. For fretted and fretless bass guitar + vocals at open mics and jams and for piano and vocals in a jazz band, and more.
I bought mine used for £600 - they're £900 new in the UK. I wouldn't have actually bought it for the new price, but now if I was in that price bracket -considering an AER for acoustic, or an Acoustic Image bass combo, both of which I have checked out, I would get the Bose and a preamp (if needed).
I wouldn't have bought the b1/tower units, because I wanted quick setup/breakdown and one hand carry to the car.
Reasons - integrated design puts upper mids and highs above the crowd, so full range sound is projected - because of the separate units, vocals or keys can be fed in via a mixer or using adaptors on the input without noticeable intermodulation distortion - size and weight: pub landlords attesting that "I've seen guys with 20 times the gear come in here and this produces a better sound (that's one unit).
See, I'm old school, when I started out, 100 watts was a ridiculous amount of power. So I'm not after watts for watts sake. I also need to feel that every penny spent on gear works for me. And this does - on tiny pub 'stages' (corners), at 2 in the morning unloading on my own, at parties, when I have to rush from one gig to another and have 10 minutes to set up, by ensuring that I have foldback, which I have always found useful or essential even at small gigs, in repeat gigs as landlords comment on how good the sound is and re-book me/us. I now choose to take my Compact with me and set it up rather than use the house PA at most gigs and it simply works, my band can rehearse in the loft, because I can carry the pa upstairs in one hand, even with my trick back and dodgy ticker.
Caveats - GIGO - garbage in, garbage out, put a quality matched level sound in and it sounds fantastic, hiss or distortion has always been from sources, not from the unit - Manage gain stages - The times it's sounded bad have been when I didn't sort out the gain stages on the mixer I use, once rebalanced it was perfect - It's a 130 watt amp, OK for small clubs and pubs. If you want auditorium level gut-thumping, then try an additional subwoofer or two and or a second unit, I'd love to hook up two in stereo for stereo keyboard and panned vocal harmonies.
Expensive? Not compared to a decent drumkit or pro bass guitar. Or the value of time to build something Professional. Or the load on my back/heart when loading unloading repeatedly. Or the consistency across rehearsals and performances from using the same system. It's definitely justified itself. I only wish we paid US prices over here.
Yes and Yes, or rather it depends and it depends. Will it handle bass guitar frequencies? Yes. Sound Effects? Yes. It's basically a 130 watt very high quality general purpose amp so don't expect it to out-thump a 1000 watt behemoth. Do expect it to fill a small venue and you can use the line out to feed a large venue PA, or second amp/compact unit.
I bought a Bose L1 Compact 4 months ago, I hesitated because I am suspicious of unbridled praise. I have used it with my pub duo (keys, rhythm acoustic gtr, harmony vocals plus guest fiddle) in a crowded, noisy Irish pub on St Patrick's day - one unit filled the pub amply - verified by disinterested, independent, tactless witnesses. For fretted and fretless bass guitar + vocals at open mics and jams and for piano and vocals in a jazz band, and more.
I bought mine used for £600 - they're £900 new in the UK. I wouldn't have actually bought it for the new price, but now if I was in that price bracket -considering an AER for acoustic, or an Acoustic Image bass combo, both of which I have checked out, I would get the Bose and a preamp (if needed).
I wouldn't have bought the b1/tower units, because I wanted quick setup/breakdown and one hand carry to the car.
Reasons - integrated design puts upper mids and highs above the crowd, so full range sound is projected - because of the separate units, vocals or keys can be fed in via a mixer or using adaptors on the input without noticeable intermodulation distortion - size and weight: pub landlords attesting that "I've seen guys with 20 times the gear come in here and this produces a better sound (that's one unit).
See, I'm old school, when I started out, 100 watts was a ridiculous amount of power. So I'm not after watts for watts sake. I also need to feel that every penny spent on gear works for me. And this does - on tiny pub 'stages' (corners), at 2 in the morning unloading on my own, at parties, when I have to rush from one gig to another and have 10 minutes to set up, by ensuring that I have foldback, which I have always found useful or essential even at small gigs, in repeat gigs as landlords comment on how good the sound is and re-book me/us. I now choose to take my Compact with me and set it up rather than use the house PA at most gigs and it simply works, my band can rehearse in the loft, because I can carry the pa upstairs in one hand, even with my trick back and dodgy ticker.
Caveats - GIGO - garbage in, garbage out, put a quality matched level sound in and it sounds fantastic, hiss or distortion has always been from sources, not from the unit - Manage gain stages - The times it's sounded bad have been when I didn't sort out the gain stages on the mixer I use, once rebalanced it was perfect - It's a 130 watt amp, OK for small clubs and pubs. If you want auditorium level gut-thumping, then try an additional subwoofer or two and or a second unit, I'd love to hook up two in stereo for stereo keyboard and panned vocal harmonies.
Expensive? Not compared to a decent drumkit or pro bass guitar. Or the value of time to build something Professional. Or the load on my back/heart when loading unloading repeatedly. Or the consistency across rehearsals and performances from using the same system. It's definitely justified itself. I only wish we paid US prices over here.
For a gig with vocals, guitar and bass, I would definitely bring my Bose Compact L1 for vocals & guitar, and my GK MB150 amp for the bass.
I tried playing bass through the Bose Compact L1 (albeit at home only). It does sound like bass at small volumes, but I definitely liked the sound of my bass amp a lot more.
We did a couple of "acoustic" gigs with vocals, guitar, cajon and sometimes even saxophone all going through the Compact L1 (with the ToneMatch mixer), and a separate bass amp for me. No PA was provided, and around 70 people were in that small bar. It did sound great, although I had the feeling we couldn't turn the volume up as much as I had wanted to (as the crowd in the bar eventually got louder). We play a mix of funk and pop, btw. But overall, it worked great soundwise, and
was super easy to set up and handle.
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
See the comment by my name "BOSE Abuser".
I see you are using this outside. I thought the Bose concept requires walls for reverberation. How effective is it outside?
acmebass
Commercial User
