The Bose PAS Preview

[ChrisPointon 0]

I had a similar "run in" with a top end Hi-Fi company a few years ago, with regard to one of their products which was retailed for almost £1000.

 

You would have had a fit if you knew (a) What the trade price was and (b) What the actual manufacturing cost to the company was even assuming a conservative 25-33% mark up on the trade price http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/smile.gif

 

I purchased several of these units via a legit trade source and sold them on Ebay for £600 and still made a very reasonable profit, and of course the public recognised a huge bargain and snapped them up.

 

This was fine until the "High Street" retailers got together and reported it to the manufacturer who then threatened action against my supplier, and my supply chain was cut off. All because I dared to offer Joe Public a bargain and undercut the retailers.

 

Had I have had a posh shop in Hammersmith and offered my clients cappuccino sprinkled with a 99 flake then it would have been different, However products being sold mail order for £100's below RRP on Ebay!!! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/scared.gif - No Sireee!

 

I am not saying BOSE are doing the same thing, but their products are only available through selected approved professional BOSE outlets, and so I doubt you'll ever find them being retailed by Terralec or your high street retailer at a discount and so what I am saying is that this does negate the flexibility of the end customer haggling for a discount or shopping around for the best deal.

 

Every product manufacturer has competitors and I reckon as Paul has already said, that there will be an opportunity for cheaper generics to flood onto the market eventually, and just like trainers, a large part of the cost is down to brand marketing.

 

If what Paul has also said is correct and these are of Chinese Origin, then the manufacturer is obviously keen to cut production costs!, these are not hand built to order in Germany!.

 

Usually, a little patience until similar products appear on the market can save money.

[Jimbo55 0]

TEE have you listened to the product yet?

It is different and it is a 'New' approach to Mobile PA.

 

Bose Hype, is it any different to any other manufacturer?

Most of the products that DJ's use I believe is down to cost as the No1 consideration. Where this is not an issue it is down to Personal choice.

If the product does the job and the DJ/preformer is confident with their choice it will go a long way to helping the DJ/performer do their job well.

 

The customer is the deciding factor. No comment or sounds great or great night is about the best we can expect to hear no matter what equipment we use, if the customer is happy then we we have done our job well. It is nice to be able to point potential customers to a web site that specifically deals wth the product that they may choose to hire. I posted earlier that the 'Bose is greater than the sum of its parts' The prospective clients and the public in general tend to believe that bigger or more expensive is best. The more enlightened will question.

 

Discussions about the pros and cons of new products is good and enlightening. We all learn from this. Bose state clearly that it will take time to adjust to the new approach and the PAS forum clearly shows this. You can dismiss this as a marketing ploy by Bose (but its a Good one).

 

Refering to the HSE guidelines in the UK. Where there is no definintive direction in law the courts will take guidlines issued by recognised Govering Body as safe working practice. You may choose as an individual to ignore those guidlines But a company cannot issue statements or encourage individuals to work outside those guidlines without leaving itself open to prosecution in the event of any claim or mishap. By simply reading the leaflet and making a choice as an individual you will have complied with the guidlines. A company or any employer MUST issue notice or provide training in Moving and Handling where moving and or handling of equipment is involved. A phone call to the local hse officer will prove this.

 

'Scare mongering' No

'Going way over the top' No

Bring the issue to the attention of the members of this board I think is prudent and relevant.

 

Jimbo

[Kingy 0]

One of the interesting points not mentioned is that the Bose rigs are being compared to existing kit by two of the users. Richard used Mackie 450s, ok as a PA speaker but never really designed as a disco cab- in fact no 1 x 12" is really a disco cab. Eskie was using JBL Eons. Again, a cab that produces too much top compared with its ability to compete bass wise. Designed by JBL as a PA cab.

 

Now you see, sound is such a personal thing. What sounds good to me may sound poor to someone else.Vice versa. Unless I was in a VERY small room I would not dream of doing a gig with "just" a pair of 12" cabs and expect realistic bottom end that is needed. Mid/top, yes, bottom end, no. Thats why so many people who bought 12" cabs for disco applications used to come back with blown components, often changing back (or upgrading) to 15" cabs.

 

I used 4 x 802s on a regular basis as part of an install in the early-mid 80s. Nice quality until you turned them up. Oh dear! they definatley needed something else on the bottom end. For conference work-great, disco-no, unless you only had 50 people in a relatively small room. Same could be said for the Mackies really.

 

Next time you have a gig with 250 people really going for it, go to the back of the dance floor. Take a listen. Thats where it matters. Happy? Good!

 

I have used many many different makes of speakers and amps in 27 years, constantly finding something that frustrated me with all of them. And in retail, I probably sold 500+ pairs of speakers of varying degrees ( and mended God knows how many, but that's a different story!).

 

If I was to turn up to do one of my regulars, a 12 piece soul band who often perform to crowds of up to 700, with a PAS or 2, I think that someone somewhere would raise an eyebrow! I certainly cant see them competeing with 8 x 15" bass drivers and 4 x12" tops, can you?

 

Dissapointment is a bitter thing. I would not like to think that any of you guys out there have spent your hard earned cash on a system which will let you down. I forsee problems in a couple of aspects. Firstly the poles themselves getting damaged, secondly the mating of the poles to the bottom plates wearing and thirdly the electronics being over driven. Gallon out of pint pots etc.

 

Whilst the excitement of having a new piece of kit exists currently, who will be the first to decide that "bugger! Maybe its not for me after all!" Someone will. You know it and so do some of us on here. Time will tell.

 

Back to taking MY business seriously...... http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/whistling.gif

Edited May 2, 2006 by Kingy

[Jimbo55 0]

Kingy. Have you listened to the product yet?

 

My Previous set up was/is 4 x 15" with mids and tweeters (Cerwin Vega's 1200w rms total). I totally agree that the PAS is not a 'cure all' (stated that earlier).

 

You goto a gig that requires more bass/sound You increase the number of cabs and amps. So use more PAS or B1's if you need it. What is the difference there?

See Outside gig

As you say time will tell. With any NEW product there is isssues but the Pas is not new it has been in the USA since 2004 and under test for longer that. Check the PAS forum. The only issue reguarding he conections is when it has been assembled in the wrong order. The connections then push out and can be pushed back in. The poles are extruded aluminum. There are concerns about damage to poles but as yet none have actually been damaged unless Bose have deleted the post http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/rolleyes.gif

 

Jimbo

[Gary 0]

QUOTE (discodirect @ May 2 2006, 12:00 AM)

'I'll stick with the current rig thanks!"

 

That's a key point Dan, and in fact in the eyes of some marketing bods, "reason for change" is one of the valid buying motivators. Its perhaps equally valid to say, "whats wrong with the old one?" and "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

 

So, whats "broke" with traditional speakers? They're loud if you sit on the table infront of them. That might not be enough motivation for some to change a fully working set of speakers right now.

 

I've no reservations that the theory behind the PAS may be sound (no pun intended) but I think the physical design (rather than the sound design) is the major "Anti-sale" factor for me. The huge 2ft square base unit, which according to Boses own manual should be positioned out of the way (of public tripping) behind the performer, but probably wont be for dJ use (wonder what PLI would make of a performer not setting the gear up as per the manufacturers instructions)

 

In the same thread, we've also read about what Brian thought was a mere homourous witiscism 2 or 3 weeks ago about the Bose uprights being jepordised by dancers took physical form, in the (interesting) shape of a pair of have-a-go "pole dancers" within his PAS's first few gigs (wonder if Bose do a barbed wire attachment).

Edited May 2, 2006 by Gary

[Eskie 0]

QUOTE (transeurope @ May 2 2006, 04:46 AM)

What can I say to Eskie? Where did I personally attack him?

 

What annoyed me was Transeurope's complete lack of respect of my opinion and of others that have both chosen to use this product and also that are happy with it.

 

QUOTE (discodirect @ May 2 2006, 06:48 AM)

QUOTE inane Eskie, to class my comment in the same context as meaning ridiculous, idiotic, stupid, mindless, childish and immature comes across to me as a little more than discourteous, or am I wrong? Why insinuate I was justifying the whole of TEE’s post. To insinuate I was saying you were justifying the whole of his post I would have quoted the whole of his post? the fact that I didn't obviously means I wasn't!   Any word can be taken out of context and given precise dictionary descriptions which make the word sound far harsher than was used in the original context of the conversation!   QUOTE (transeurope @ May 2 2006, 04:46 AM) Am I wrong to be suspicious of BOSE products? Are the literally millions of people who paid top dollar for them in the 80s and then fled the brand wrong? Did I and hundreds of other people imagine this amp defect? Are we wrong to be annoyed?   You have a right to be annoyed about whatever you like, however reasoned argument on the actual item in question would have been of more interest to this topic and more valid. It would seem that you're saying once a company makes a mistake they should never ever be used again, well fair enough, that's your choice but most companies make mistakes at one time or another and many learn from them and improve their product/service as a result. You have given scant respect to the opinion of 5 DJs here who actually own and use the Bose PAS while you yourself have never even heard/used it.   There's a big difference between pointing out weaknesses/flaws in a product and completely rubbishing it.

[ChrisPointon 0]

@ TEE - Have you heard /used / demoed this product?, or are you speaking from past experiences

 

I'm not digging, just curiously wondering whether your previous comments were based on recent BOSE company developments and products or, as you quote in your posts, 80's technology and experiences?.

 

Like any manufacturer there is mixed reaction and opinion towards Bose products, in both commercial (refered to as Professional) and hi-fi sector, and members on a forum will always question the validity of negative comments, especially where they use the product themselves.

 

It would be very easy (and tempting) for me to name and rubbish the products of the aforementioned Hi-Fi manufacturer based on my snobbish, aloof, and unprofessional experiences witnessed from them in the past, so I feel your pain http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/smile.gif .

[Award Entertainment 0]

QUOTE (transeurope)

Bose is a shadow of its former self now.

I'm curious, because I know a bit about this subject. What precisely are you basing this remarkable statement on?

 

QUOTE (transeurope)

When put up against a crowd all that nice sweet sound just becomes white noise.

What a load of nonsense!

 

QUOTE (transeurope)

So this company, which yes, I did have very bitter experience of in the late 80s, thank you very much

You're hiding your grudge very well sir! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif

 

QUOTE (transeurope)

Not even BOSE say this is for a disco. Where on the website do they recommend DJs use it?

There's a Bose PAS users forum specifically for DJs within the Bose website.

 

QUOTE (transeurope)

The bottom line is that DJing is one of those jobs where heavy gear is often required.

Not for this happy DJ! Not any more at least. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/thanks.gif

 

QUOTE (transeurope)

If you need a small speaker, any small speaker will produce directional, mid range sound. That is a fact.

Ah yes, but what about a line-array of 24 acoustically coupled speakers? That produces a massively different set of parameters totally. That's just one of the things that makes the PAS so incredibly different and so much more useful for my application as a mobile DJ.

 

QUOTE (transeurope)

All that's new in this design is only of interest to those musicians who are tied for space both onstage and in the car and need monitor.

Oh, whatever! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/rolleyes.gif

 

Incidentally BigBen, I've just set my PAS up in my lounge as I don't have any functions on for a few weeks and I can't bear to not hear it. My wife's not happy... http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/oops.gif

Edited May 2, 2006 by Rendezvous

[ChrisPointon 0]

QUOTE

My wife's not happy...

 

So the next question, if faced with a dilemma which one of these choices stays in the spare room for the night.

 

Wife or PAS?

 

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/071.gif

[RobbieD 0]

Interest to read more views.

 

However it is also interesting that the negative posts are from those who have not yet heard the product.

 

OK, I'll disappear back in to my hole now.

[Gary 0]

QUOTE (Chris_Pointon @ May 2 2006, 11:18 AM)

QUOTE My wife's not happy...   So the next question, if faced with a dilemma which one of these choices stays in the spare room for the night.   Wife or PAS?   http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/071.gif Could it be that "W.i.f.e." and P.a.s share similar features: http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif     1) Requires no external assistance to make loud noises.   2) Moving away from the sound source doesnt seem to reduce the volume   3) Comes apart easily at the end of gigs   4) Can ride in the front of the car, but so much better in the back.   5) Not cheap   6) Original fabric outer wrappings no good for 2 gigs in a row ("I've already worn that one once")   7) Its associated other 'alf gets concerned when 2 females drape themselves around it.   8) Plug things into the wrong holes, or the right holes at the wrong times, and you'll get "rewarded" by a terrible distorted noise.   9) Can be quietened from any level of output by skilled fingertip manipulation on the small but sensitive controls.

Edited May 2, 2006 by Gary

[Award Entertainment 0]

Gary, you have a fertile imagination! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Gary 0]

QUOTE (Rendezvous @ May 2 2006, 12:01 PM)

Gary, you have a fertile imagination! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif

..and a photographic memory...

 

...it needs developing... http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/huh.gif

 

 

 

Question...from a brief glimpse, the two upright poles are not interchangable eg: There is a definate "top" pole, and a definate "lower" pole. Is that correct?

[Paul Smith 0]

QUOTE

Question...from a brief glimpse, the two upright poles are not interchangable eg: There is a definate "top" pole, and a definate "lower" pole. Is that correct?

 

Yes the 2 poles are different and will only fit in one way.

[transeurope 0]

I started off by asking, somewhere back along, what was NEW about the sytem [of interest to us as DJs]....

 

About the only person that attempted to answer that question was Richard. Sure BOSE say that it is a precision-engineered line array product. But does anyone else?

 

Line array is notoriously difficult to organise and most respected observers would say that the organisation of a line array is location-specific. Perhaps BOSE have come up with the secret, but given their past performance, is it not just more than a bit likely that they are overhyping the product?

 

Sure I have done gigs where people wanted very low volume. I can conceive of a DJ like Richard, like Eskie having a whole book full of such engagements. However, there is also a volume knob on any system. That's how I fulfill those engagements currently.

 

To all the people who ask me have I heard the system? Well the honest answer is "no".

 

Why? Because BOSE don't recommend it for DJs. Again I ask where does BOSE say it is a system for DJs? Not even they think they could get away with that. Anyone can set up a forum on their bulletin board. They ain't gonna object.

 

But if they DID recommend it for DJs, then by US law they would have to back it up.

 

Richard, BOSE used to have a major global plant in Ireland. I personally know their former Irish distributor. He went bankrupt. He is a good man. He is back on his feet now working in another sector of the sound industry. I know a LOT about BOSE. And how they lost market. And how they made promises. And how they got very angry customers.

 

But ya see, large corporate customers don't hack each other to death on internet bulletin boards like DJs do.

 

They don't get mad, they get even. With lawsuits. And invoice delays. And snag lists.

 

Now fair enough if this system works for you guys. Great.

 

But don't you feel even the slightest responsibility to your fellow DJs to owe it to us, not BOSE?

 

Your needs are very specific. And I would feel that responsible posting and guidance to fellow members would emphasise not only some trite comment like "these speakers are not for ravers", but more along the lines of "these speakers can work, if you are dealing with extremely specific volume-sensetive markets who are into aesthetics".

 

I would change my mind if any of you guys could show me even BOSE recommending their use, as a single system for general DJ use. At least at that stage I might make it my business to hear the system.

 

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/grouphug.gif

[Jimbo55 0]

Recommendations from the Bose Web Site

 

For playing recorded music:

As background and foreground music, (for example between live sets) use a Single Bass Package.

For DJs working larger parties, use two Double Bass Packages (one per stereo channel).

For DJs doing loud rock, house, or techno: two Double Bass Packages (one per stereo channel) with an additional 4 B1 bass modules (for a total of 4 bass modules per side).

 

Jimbo

 

[Award Entertainment 0]

I am very well aware of that volume knob- I had 2 PAS running for a full night at about 85% (red lights juuuust appearing on huge peaks on the PS1s) and it sounded superb. It sounds better at every volume than the Mackie/Wharfedale powered system I'b been using, which incidentally cost more than the Bose.

 

As for your Irish friend, I'm hardly surprised he doesn't say much good about the product now if he's had problems with the company. Bose as a company became who they are today by reinvesting all of their profits int research & development. That's right- they weren't a profit-making corporation. That massive R&D spend is why they've been cutting edge since 1968 with their revolutionary 901 speaker.

 

Dr Amar Bose didn't only study the speaker technology like everyone else, he studied how humans perceive sound and why live sound differed from pre-recorded sound. Then he sought to bring that live sound to the consumer. Bose are still cutting edge and still lead the market with new concepts like the noise cancelling headphones (now much copied) and this new PAS.

 

So it was designed for live musicians? SO WHAT? They play music, we play music. Really, it's not like one of us cooks and another cleans.

 

 

Is the PAS perfect? No, and I've never said it is.

 

Is the PAS a massive improvement for me and my presentation as a mobile entertainer? ABSOLUTELY YES!

 

Do my clients and venue managers love it? ABSOLUTELY YES!

 

Is it easier on my back and easier to transport? ABSOLUTELY YES!

 

Will I be buying another one? ABSOLUTELY YES!

 

transeurope, I'm no fool and I don't spend my money lightly. If I wanted devastating volumes and chest-crushing bass, I might have invested in Meyer or similar, but that's not my market. I sell "loud enough to party, quiet enough to converse" as a major selling point.

[transeurope 0]

Richard, you may be misreading me. Or perhaps not linking the content of my earlier posts with my later ones.

 

I don't want this to turn into a tennis match between us.

 

I am raising what I feel are RELEVANT points to THIS FORUM.

 

Excuse me if my questioning is persistent, it is not meant to be aggressive.

 

I pointed out that the PAS was designed primarily for acoustic musicians, not bands in general. For a cabaret band, BOSE recommend one PAS per musician. Their material is most like ours.

 

You keep on harping on about loud sound systems. At the risk of being repetitive having a "conventional" sound system is no more about loud volume than having a BMW is about driving down the M1 at 180mph. It's all about having power in reserve to handle transients.

 

 

Jimbo, without being pedantic I would like that quote contextualised. The BOSE website says with very easy reference that the PAS is for musicians. Sure a DJ can use it. We have come across 4-5 here who do! I have no doubt that those are the optimum arrangements for a DJ who chooses to use it.

 

However where does BOSE say that the system is designed for DJ use? They make quite a big deal about it being designed for musician use. Specifically acoustic musician use.

 

When they start talking about other users, like cabaret bands or DJs, that's where all the fine print and qualifications come in. Heck, I knew a DJ that played gigs in a bar using a guitar combo. Nothing to stop the manufacturer of that recommending settings for DJs either.

 

It is not at all the same thing though as saying it is designed for DJ use.

 

I'm gonna stop now.

 

I have made my point and I don't see anyone answering my specific questions.

 

This could go on forever.

 

[Dukesy 0]

I've sourced the following sample quotes from an American music forum where musicians discussed the BOSE PAS briefly last year:

 

QUOTE

"So far, the only thing that's 'crystal' about Bose PAS: If you say anything negative about it, you are more than likely to get flamed by people (mostly users) defending it and their purchase. If you say anything positive about it, you are more than likely to get flamed for it by people defending conventional systems and suspicious of Bose and the system capability. If you are stupid enough to share both positive and negative opinions, then you are likely to get flamed by both camps.

 

Let's move on.

[brianmole 0]

Guys, I think you are getting buried too deep into discussion here. It works really really well for those of us who are using it for DJing despite being designed as a band thing.

 

If you are curious - 21st May 2006, come and hear/see it.

 

 

Nuff said!

 

Edit: Dan's summed it up!

Edited May 2, 2006 by brianmole

[Jimbo55 0]

Yes this discussion could go on for ever. Even when the recommendations by Bose are posted you still ask for proof.

 

 

Both camps are raising some interesting points that when put together will enable prospective buyers to see both negative and positive views based on technical and practical views. The Paragraph I posted above was taken from the FAQ section after a very short search. I know that there is much being made of the fact that Bose say that if used for Djing, the system will have some of the inherent issues of conventional systems. In fact Bose freely admit that the PAS is BOTH array and normal as the Bass modules are conventional. Bose are saying that......

 

I will leave it there. Much has already been written. Great to get the mind working through the mixture of pain killers and valium.

 

 

Jimbo

[RichardP 0]

QUOTE (Rendezvous @ May 2 2006, 08:31 PM)

Bose are still cutting edge and still lead the market with new concepts like the noise cancelling headphones (now much copied)

Just to set the record straight, allegedly Sennheiser invented noise cancellation technology for airline pilots, and Sony was the first to champion noise-cancelling headphones. (Lotus experimented the noise-cancelling concept yonks ago in cars, though IIRC the drivers missed the growling sound of the engine, so they didn't pursue it.)

 

PAS discussion aside, the way BOSE appear to market themselves, they would have you believe they invented Hi-Fi ... however though their products have rarely been included in serious HiFi magazine/press review articles.

 

Marketing aside... when I check out the PAS, it'll be with closed eyes, unblocked ears and open mind. Hopefully the SEDA meeting will have enough bodies around to ascertain the sound dynamics & quality with a sizeable audience present http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/smile.gif

[Award Entertainment 0]

QUOTE (transeurope @ May 3 2006, 09:44 AM)

For a cabaret band, BOSE recommend one PAS per musician. Their material is most like ours. You keep on harping on about loud sound systems. At the risk of being repetitive having a "conventional" sound system is no more about loud volume than having a BMW is about driving down the M1 at 180mph. It's all about having power in reserve to handle transients.

A band has one major challenge that we as DJs don't typically have to deal with and that's the issue of not being able to play any quieter than their loudest instrument, which is typically the drums. We can (and usually SHOULD) play at a much lower volume on average, leaving us (as DJs) a lot more headroom in our PA.

 

As I have only once run my PAS at 80%, usually using no more than 40%, I have power in abundance. My Mackies were almost always running at 75% to 85% in the same exact scenario.

[HeadlineDJ 0]

QUOTE

I had 2 PAS running for a full night at about 85% (red lights juuuust appearing on huge peaks on the PS1s)

 

Does this mean the system capability had been reached?

 

Red Lights?, were these the Clip lights?

 

If so headroom reached and used.

 

Something Transeurope stated earlier was about headroom and having plenty in reserve, if at 80% - 85% you were already seeing red lights even for rare peaks, it was still running out of steam.

 

So does this mean you have found the limitation of your PAs sytem, or rather the one you have plus the borrowed PAS system? Where do you go from here, more PAS or more rental to provide the headroom required.

 

I played one of my largests venues I cater for a few weeks ago and I still only had to use 50% of my available power, thus allowing for a good amount of headroom. This is a good thing for the dynamics of the system, I would hope to never see a red light anywhere on the signal chain.

 

Not being agressive Richard, but if the light turned red it turned red and that's never a good thing really.

 

How many people and what size venue was it, when the limitations were practically met?

 

Do you do larger venues?

 

If so how often?

 

Also if possible could you explain the Red lights in more detail?

 

Input compression, output protection, thermal, clipping, PSU saturation?

 

I would just liek to fully understand what was happening during the Activiation of the red lights you mentioned.

 

 

[Jimbo55 0]

It should be pointed out that Richard does not use the full capability of the system as he does not use the remotes. Can you confirm this please Richard? this means the controls without remotes default to the '12 oclock' position.

 

For a full technical explianation it would probably best to visit the Bose web site. The PAS is not included in the General speaker pages. It has its own pages.

 

The following may be a start. It is taken from the PAS FAQ page.

 

 

'The system delivers 750 Watts continuous power, broken down into 3x250 Watts (RMS). Each of the two sections of the L1 Cylindrical Radiator® loudspeaker handle 250 Watts and another 250 Watts are delivered into up to two B1 bass modules.

 

This is both the power rating of the power amplifiers and the loudspeakers. Each rating has been established individually through industry standard measurements. These ratings do NOT reflect the actual power that is typically produced by the power amplifier and consumed by the loudspeaker.

 

We also would like to point out that the power amplifiers, loudspeakers and internal limiters are exactly matched. This makes it virtually impossible to overdrive the loudspeaker and to clip or overload amplifiers while at the same time using all available resources very efficiently'.

 

The way I see it is that the Red and Green led indicator are are used to set the gain levels and are not an indication that the PAS has reached full power. It is explianed fully on the the web site in one of the many tutorial video's. It is done in three stages with the last being the overall volume. If the previous two stages are done correctly Bose state clearly that is OK to see the red on peaks. The internal processing then takes care of the rest ensuring even at maximun output you have a clean audio output.

 

The other factor about the system is this....taken from the Bose web site.

 

'If a conventional source and a L1 Cylindrical Radiator® loudspeaker are set to produce the same sound pressure level at three feet (about 1 meter) distance, the L1 Cylindrical Radiator® loudspeaker will be at least twice as loud (10 dB more) at 30 feet (about 10 meters).'

 

If you want to go into more detail about the inherent gain over a conventional system you can read about it on the Bose web site.

 

 

Jimbo