The Good Old Bose L1s

[Steve_Mitchell 0]

A "told you so" is in the air.

 

I wasnt impressed with the power of them in the demo room but clarity was good,funny how they always put ambient music on the demo,s so it sounds clear.Love to hear a rock demo with lots of different things going on.

 

Paul

Its a bass demo in a full room is what you need to listen too (or try to) , then judge!

 

[Award Entertainment 0]

I'm still absolutely smitten with mine, almost 3 years into my ownership. On 4th October I had the pleasure of working at a wedding along side one of New Zealand's big name contemporary rock bands at a wedding. Here's a picture of our two rigs side by side:

 

http://www.disco.co.nz/images/Stoneridge_04045.jpg

 

When their first set finished, I kicked in with my single Bose L1 playing a Buena Vista Social Club mix of Coldplay's Clocks and the groom came up to me right away. He said (to my delight); "Unbelievable! The band sounded great, but your little Bose sounds AS loud, and clearer than the band's PA!"

 

Man I love my Bose.

[Kingy 0]

I'm still absolutely smitten with mine, almost 3 years into my ownership. On 4th October I had the pleasure of working at a wedding along side one of New Zealand's big name contemporary rock bands at a wedding. Here's a picture of our two rigs side by side:

 

http://www.disco.co.nz/images/Stoneridge_04045.jpg

 

When their first set finished, I kicked in with my single Bose L1 playing a Buena Vista Social Club mix of Coldplay's Clocks and the groom came up to me right away. He said (to my delight); "Unbelievable! The band sounded great, but your little Bose sounds AS loud, and clearer than the band's PA!"

 

Man I love my Bose.

 

Sorry Richard, I don't want to start an arguement, but having also worked along side these Bose poles I know that cant't be correct! If so, the band should sack their PA man because that band must have sounded dreadful!!

[Spear 0]

Sorry Richard, I don't want to start an arguement, but having also worked along side these Bose poles I know that cant't be correct! If so, the band should sack their PA man because that band must have sounded dreadful!!

 

Could it not be that the Bose were not set up properly !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I've not heard any system that sounds better and that includes EV and RCF's.

[Kingy 0]

Could it not be that the Bose were not set up properly !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I've not heard any system that sounds better and that includes EV and RCF's.

No, I have heard two different sets at different venues. Great for vocal work and low level PA but NEVER designed for Disco use, and it shows. The people who swear by thenm are usually former users of 12" based systems (ie mackie 450 etc) which I also don't rate for disco use when used alone.

 

Just my opinion, but as Haris says..."What do I know?" tongue out icon

[dj.silver 0]

No, I have heard two different sets at different venues. Great for vocal work and low level PA but NEVER designed for Disco use, and it shows. The people who swear by thenm are usually former users of 12" based systems (ie mackie 450 etc) which I also don't rate for disco use when used alone.

 

Just my opinion, but as Haris says..."What do I know?" tongue out icon

 

I've recently invested in an L1 and B1 and for certain types of gigs I think they are top notch. 95% of my gigs are pub gigs, playing to a dance floor that can hold say about 50 people maximum and for those they work fantastically well. I use them for pub quizzes and again they are just the ticket - I know quizzes are not 'discos' but again they're are so much easier to set up than 450's and give a much superior sound quality.

 

So to say they are NOT designed to do discos, to me is a tad strong for a sweeping statement. Probably for a hall with 200 plus people in then I would probably agree with you unless you had a set in each corner maybe.

 

On the rare occasions I play to that size of audience, then yes I would use my Mackie 450's and an RCF 705.

 

I have to say I have had people come up and complement me on the sound quality more in the month I've had them than in many a year. Okay I appreciate some could look at them and say "Bose oh well they must be good" and base their opinion on the marque alone.

 

All said and done they ROCK for me! http://planetsmilies.net/music-smiley-1306.gif

[Kingy 0]

 

 

So to say they are NOT designed to do discos, to me is a tad strong for a sweeping statement. Probably for a hall with 200 plus people in then I would probably agree with you unless you had a set in each corner maybe.

 

 

 

Just ask Bose themselves then............

 

 

[Bouncy Dancefloor 0]

if you look at that band PA, they only actually have 2 small FOH speakers

 

the rest is foldback or monitoring

 

the monitors will be ok for FOH, but one big speaker will do one guiter, another big speaker will do bass guitar etc

 

so alot of band speakers, wont necessarily equate to such a loud sound, i can see how the Bose compared against this band

[Andy Westcott 0]

Despite sounding OK, these Bose systems just can't cut the mustard when high-level sound with good deep content is required - modern R n B for one with those deep bass sweeps, being played to a crowd of teenagers.

 

I believe they do have a place at events where a smaller, more discreet setup is required, where high levels of deep, thunderous bass are not required.

 

They aren't for everyone, and are a tad expensive if all you want is a smooth-sounding PA.

[Dukesy 0]

"are a tad expensive"

 

For a crowd of teenagers - probably. :bouncy:

 

 

[Kingy 0]

if you look at that band PA, they only actually have 2 small FOH speakers

 

the rest is foldback or monitoring

 

the monitors will be ok for FOH, but one big speaker will do one guiter, another big speaker will do bass guitar etc

 

so alot of band speakers, wont necessarily equate to such a loud sound, i can see how the Bose compared against this band

 

As you look at the picture there is what looks like a 15" bin on the right under the top cab and I think the same is on the left hand edge of the stage but the top cab is on a stand.......

[Award Entertainment 0]

Bose always have and always will polarise opinion. Those who hate them do so with an almost obsessive and vocal hatred that you'd assume that their mummy had run off with a Bose technician when they were a kid.

 

Those who love them and use them generally rave about them as if they WERE that Bose technician.

 

 

Bose were originally caught very much by surprise that the L1 was taken to so strongly by the DJ community as that wasn't part of their original design brief, but as soon as they realised that they'd created something that delighted thousands of DJs all over the world, they set to work improving it for DJs and supporting them.

 

The Bose L1 official forum has had a dedicated DJ/KJ section for a couple of years now and the last range of presets released had specific settings for 'high volume pre-recorded music'- in other words for DJS.

 

In my experience, the product has amazing brand recognition, sensational build quality, incredible spread of sound and reliability to make Toyota envious. Clients love it, as do venues. It's a fantastic point of difference.

 

 

HOWEVER.... as I have written many times before, if you're wanting nightclub volumes, chest pounding bass or intimidating size and looks, then it's never going to be a good system for you. No speaker is everything to all purposes. For my part though, there's nothing else on the market at any price that I'd swap for. Nothing.

[YourBigEvent 0]

 

 

In my experience, the product has amazing brand recognition, sensational build quality, incredible spread of sound and reliability to make Toyota envious. Clients love it, as do venues. It's a fantastic point of difference.

HOWEVER.... as I have written many times before, if you're wanting nightclub volumes, chest pounding bass or intimidating size and looks, then it's never going to be a good system for you. No speaker is everything to all purposes. For my part though, there's nothing else on the market at any price that I'd swap for. Nothing.

 

 

100% agree.

 

I don't want, apart from one gig per year, a bass thumping chest pounding sound, and even at the one gig with about 160 14yrs-16yrs old it will do the job better than most.

[Spear 0]

100% agree.

 

I don't want, apart from one gig per year, a bass thumping chest pounding sound, and even at the one gig with about 160 14yrs-16yrs old it will do the job better than most.

 

 

And you only use one :flirt:

[Kingy 0]

100% agree.

 

I don't want, apart from one gig per year, a bass thumping chest pounding sound, and even at the one gig with about 160 14yrs-16yrs old it will do the job better than most.

 

:wall:

[Spear 0]

:bouncy:

[Award Entertainment 0]

Personally I like that the Bose L1 splits opinions in the industry so effectively. I love that most of my competitors don't like them (or most commonly, don't understand the advantages) for whatever reason. It means that I can maintain a degree of exclusivity and a point of difference in the eyes of my venues, my clients and other event professionals.

 

They are perceived by these people as being some of the best equipment available (I'm not saying that they are, just that's the perception) and that's something I can really bank on. Long may my competitors NOT understand that!

 

:Thumbup:

[Andy Goodtimes 0]

I don't think the build quality is that good, they must be knocking on for 4 years old now and units are failing, the zips on the bags fail and the bags themselves tear, the doors on the amps/stands break, the plastic coating on the B1s cracks and reveals nasty MDF behind it, the clips where the L1s join together fail, drivers blow and it takes more than 1 to blow before you notice and the amplifiers are failing. They are built in China. I reckon its about time Skytech or American DJ made their own version for a fraction of the price and showed the 'White Coats' at Bose how its done

 

The pre-sets are nothing special, its just EQ, you can easily write your own and down load them to the PAS and they do nothing that you can't do on your mixer, on my Pioneer mixer it has more cut and boost than the Bose anyway and I am constantly adjusting the EQ for different tracks and different moods.

 

Richard...me old mate You are about the only DJ I know that is well matched up to a PAS, what you do is specialised, you stuck your neck out and went for it 100% and its worked for you and you are very good at it but I have never yet come across another DJ/MC like you. The whole system is brilliant for the elegant Weddings that you do but the majority of us do a little the same as you and then we also do proms, student nights, birthdays, young farmers etc. Anyway when the hot NZ summer evenings draw on you have to have somewhere to hang your jacket.

 

It was a very difficult decision to part with my Bose and I bought the JBL as it was almost perfect for me, in fact its certainly more suitable for my specific needs than the Bose ever was...its stylish and looks quality, it plays lovely and smoothly at low volumes but hammers it out at big younger events...I can just use a top and plug a mic and/or MP3 in it and people do recognise the brand as being pro quality and do remark on the look.

 

Bose for the Pose!...lol.

[bluejools 0]

 

 

 

It was a very difficult decision to part with my Bose and I bought the JBL as it was almost perfect for me

 

 

 

 

isnt that what Richard just said about his Bose ? Each to their own with everything in life. I am glad we are all different.

 

 

 

Now - updating these presets - I have read it can be done - but never tried it........ so - who has - where can i get them from and instructions on how to do it ?

Finally are they worth having ?

[RobbieD 0]

The pre-sets are nothing special, its just EQ, you can easily write your own and down load them to the PAS

Hi Andy,

 

That sounds interesting. Can you post details on how to create your own presets?

 

[Steve_Mitchell 0]

 

It was a very difficult decision to part with my Bose

Bose for the Pose!...lol.

it wasn`t for me.. Infact I was sweating I would get stuck with them! Luckily I got shut at a £400 loss but thats life jim...

[Award Entertainment 0]

Andy Goodtimes, what the hell are you doing to them? If you (or your roady) are so grossly abusive to your gear that you can make a substantial hack of them in such a short time, then clearly you need something industrial and don't deserve the Bose!!! Mine are years old and are still looking brand new.

 

Speakers blowing? Never once heard of that happening to any of the dozens of users I speak with, including guys like Cap Capello, who runs several pairs of L1s and was one of the first mobile DJs to adapt to the new technology. Amps failing? I know on not one user who has had that issue. Not one. I don't know about the Bose bags- I don't use them, with the exception of the bass modules and their bags still look as new.

 

My Bose sound as good as the day I bought them and look virtually immaculate. I look after my equipment and it rewards me with cosmetic longevity and total reliability. I've not got a single complaint about the build quality.

Edited November 8, 2008 by Award Entertainment

[Kingy 0]

I wish I had £1 for every 802 driver I had replaced when I was in servicing and retail..... they are only drivers Richard, nothing is indestructable.

 

And as for the quote "you dont deserve Bose.." shouldn't a product with such a high price tag be hard waring or do they ralistically need to be encased in cotten wool??

[Award Entertainment 0]

One of the great things about the 802 is that you CAN replace a driver, ever on a 15 or 20 year old speaker and get it sounding as good as new. The 802 is also one of the most rugged speakers on the market, designed for outdoor use in the most testing of circumstances.

[Andy Westcott 0]

Except that the drivers are over-rated... :ads:

 

Must admit here that I have no experience of the 802s, but I like a bit of banter!