well thats it really i can remember a time on the forum when they were talk off the town, hmm what happened there then? dose anyone who forked out thousands on them still use them are they standing the tests of time would be interesting to know?
chris.

I have these - original L1s - great speakers when used for the right event.
But if I want a good, rich bass sound, I'm conventional all the way!
It still amazes me when you can use one system in a venue - and no one notices!
Or when a couple of ladies are dancing in front and still having a conversation without shouting at one another!
Biggest downside for the L1s are the venues with the low ceilings.
Other than that, they are very nice and no, I don't sleep with mine!

Still use them, in fact I have today just brought a flightcase for the poles.

Fantastic speaker.

Have had my model 2s nearly a year and love em. Never before have i had so many comments on a speaker system....or a particular piece of my equipment.


And i think the main reason why people dont "talk" about them, is mainly due to the amount of negative and rude comments about the product from people who just dont understand about it.

Had my L1's for getting on a year and haven't used my conventional speakers since. Every gig still brings positive remarks about them and I reckon I've probably made half the cost back already from people booking me because of them.

Downsides lots of pieces to carry in and low ceilings (I always check a new venues ceiling height before taking them).

One thing that really makes them stand out is the ability to set up your rig in so many different ways to suit your needs or look. I recently tried the old uplighting trick with them - it looked great but was a bit of a magnet for the kids.

well looks like the bose still have it!! they are a crackin bit of kit! i remember when steve just got his and very kindly brought they up to our little northwest meeting for a quick demo! brilliant sound but like Dukesy say hes still got the conventional set up when he needs the power, but don't think i'm ready to make the leap yet.

I do



Had mine for over two years now and don't regret the investment - ideal for Ceremonies, Wedding Breakfast and Evening Disco.

have had mine for 18 months - and i still love them.

The original L1's - would have loved the later version but that was one upgrade tooo far.

Very happy with them - a pair almost filled the grosvenor ballroom (3 would have sufficed)

Low ceilings I hate - but then its almost the same problems with the lights - the overhead and the speaker stand to the same heigh.

I've had one amp fail in the base..... but bose were good - send me packaging, picked it up and dropped it off - all in the 2 year warranty.


There are lots of bits to carry though. And uplit the kids love them too much (but it doesnt stop me)


where is the flightcase coming from Mr Harris - and why are you buying one now?

The flightcases are stand flightcases, from Flightcase Warehouse, the L1's fit perfectly.

I have already damaged mine, as I throw stuff about, I am one of those who believes things you buy are for working with, so flightcase everything so I can chuck it about a bit more !

If you want a link/photo call me on 0797 0717 448

Andy

I've recently started doing pub quizzes. I currently use my normal speakers Mackie 450's. These are fairly weighty although I do carry the pair in to pubs in one go.

I've looked at getting the Rcf 310's, considerably lighter but in many respects similar to 450's. So I've widened my hunt and have considered the Bose L1's. Currently the coffers do not allow me to go a full set of an L1 plus B1 circa £1700.

So, my question is this..... Could I use the L1 on it's own to do the quiz with the only music being played being very low background tracks plus 3 times a night I play the 'bits and pieces' music quiz, this lasts for about 6 minutes each time. Would it sound tinny alone doing the quiz? How would the music sound with no base unit? Give it a couple of months and I'll have the cash to get the B1.

I have never run one of my L1's without a bass unit - but i would be inclined to say yes....

best way would be to try and listen to one as it is a big investment without being sure.


The B1 is the smallest cost in the setup - really can't wait a bit longer?

Saw a dj using them three weeks ago. Still very un-impressed with these PA speakers. Not very "disco" sounding to me.

Everyone has their own idea of sound........

So you are saying they'd be no good for running quizzes?

I have done functions with just 1 L1 and no bass speakers before many times due to time and space, and customer wishes.

I can't see why you can't run 1x L1 for a quiz. After all, a quiz is not a 'disco'.
You'll also find you have more output without the B1, but don't just take my word for it - why not borrow one / see if there is a DJ who can provide one for you one night for a quiz?

Like YBE, I've used one all night quite happily. What you have to remember is that this type of speaker is not a conventional speaker. It uses clever technology (linear array).

I personally like a good bass sound hence, my earlier comment. The only thing I've heard from a modern conventional type speaker to give the Bose a good run for the money is the EVZ5s 15-inch, 2-way speakers. Very impressed. Then again, every bodies hearing is different, so best try before you buy.

I frequently use an L1 without bass bins for ceremonies. The frequency starts at 100hz if B1s are not connected.

Cheers, there is a supplier (Absolute Music in Poole) not too far away so I think I'll pop in and have a listen.

Thanks again

On again horses for courses BUT

In my case I have liked this system ever since I first saw it think it was about 4 years ago and it was goal to ge a pair of them which we did in JUNE this year, have to say it was to best investment we have ever made.

The proof when we got the Bose we were taking bookings at normal pace and ticked over quiet happily but some dates were free and some weekends we were totally blank. If we look at this time last year we were doing some thing like 2-3 bookings a month from September till end of December. In the same period this year we have got 25 bookings, averaging 8 bookings per month and we have put our prices up as I now think we very good value for money. Before we were very under priced in my opinion but again horses for courses etc.

You could argue that maybe our name is getting around etc but the only thing that changed is the Bose and the upsurge was about a Month after putting the Bose on our web site. All I can say is that it has certainly worked for us and we are very pleased with it.

To add also we did a gig last night in a marque. 18th. Birthday party playing mainly on the club drum and bass and the Birthday boy was very impressed and could stop thanking us.

This was a last minute booking as the original DJ was a club DJ with no equipment and he was going to charge in excess of £700 and wanted the client to hire the equipment, This meant it would take the cost of the night to over £1000 which she was not prepared to do.

Not only was the client very happy we got tipped as well.

I owned the PAS for over a year and completed well over 200 jobs with them. They aren't an all-round speaker system, even with 8 B1s I found it struggled with over 350 people especially if they were a noisey or young crowd. The problem is the bass, it is very good bass at close quarters but it doesn't travel and its not sub. Another issue I found was the excessive noise when working behind, I got a reading of 109db in front and 103db behind which is unacceptable to me. The L1 does not go down to 100hz either, its 120 raising to 180 when a B1 is detected.

The PAS is a Personal Amplification System, it was never intended to be used by DJs, the idea being that each band member would turn up with their own PAS and depending on the range of their voice and/or the frequency response of their particular instrument is how many B1s they would use. The advantages being that each band member could hear each other, they can achieve a good mix resonably easily using the R1 thus doing away with a big system and monitors. There are curves pre-loaded on pre-sets for most common instruments and its pretty simple to write ones own and load it onto the PAS.

I often find myself doing a Wedding in a nice venue for 100 people and the next night doing a student night for 1,600 at MMU. I don't have room in my van to carry 2 systems and am often too knackered or don't have time to load up something different so I sold mine and bought a lightweight JBL PRX system which is a genuine tool for all jobs.

OOH!! You be careful there, I made this exact point two years ago and was almost cremated for saying such a thing!!!

And I agreed with you, the fact is, it is not a good all-round speaker, ideal for conferences and weddings, which is all I do.

I hope anyone doesn't misunderstand...I wasn't Bose Bashing, it does have its uses apart from a hat stand

If I could afford to keep the PAS as well or had enough room in my van or could be bothered to keep swapping and changing what I carry I would have the PAS for smaller Weddings and seramonies and the JBLs for the larger functions that need more of a thump.

I know lots of DJs witht the PAS but very few with no other PA system or at least some decent bins they can add to it.

And now I have sold them! I hated them! I now use Martin Audio Blackline plus.. Well better sound IMO.

Didn't we chat about this when you were considering buying them????

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!

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:



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!!

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?"

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!

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

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

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.

"are a tad expensive"

For a crowd of teenagers - probably.

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.......

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.

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

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!

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.

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 ?

Hi Andy,

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

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...

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.

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??

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.

Except that the drivers are over-rated...

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