Ian,
Thanks for your post - now I understand what you are trying to achieve. Sounds like we play about the same type of music and have the same requirements.

I might just give it a try with mine.

Hammer

BTW, Ian, my last post was about the fact that most of us keep our PA's for far longer than our arrangers. There is certainly far more discussion about new arrangers, and more people post about new one's they have bought.

You are not the only one that buys a PA for the long haul... Though you may be right that Fran and I are the only ones here that one arranger is capable of satisfying for any length of time...

Yes, my friend, but you and Fran are more easily satisfied than the rest of us, and are more content to stick with what you have, although I must admit, the old G70 still sounds pretty good.

Of course, since Roland has not graced us with anything new, it may be more of a case of you guys having to stay with the status quo, rather than wanting to.

As much as I like my S900, and as much as I know it inside out, if Yamaha's next S-series has some things that I really like, I will most certainly get one. If it doesn't ring any bells, then, like you and Fran, I'm quite content with what I have... but, at least I will have been given a choice.

Nothin' wrong with that now, is there?

Ian

Well, I don't know about Fran, but I need more than just a new bell or whistle to jump ship. As you remember, I skipped the entire V/VA series while I had my G1000, simply waiting for something RADICALLY different, not just an incremental improvement.

If Roland's NEXT G-series is merely as gradual a creep forward as Yamaha's model improvements usually are (to be honest, it seems that even they are only willing to make a great leap forward every ten years or so... Mega Voices, SA, etc.) I will probably be skipping it.

In the meantime, there are LOTS of people happily playing T2's, PSR 3k's, PA1Xpro, etc., not to mention T1's and earlier, so I feel in good company with those that don't feel an urgent pressure to jump ship every new model comes out.

It ain't just me and Fran, you know!

Bringing the post back to it's topic - I just returned from another gig with my Compact and it really performed well. This time I was able to setup with the Bose about 2 feet behind me and it made all the difference in the world. The room was about 40 by 100 with a low ceiling.

I tried using just one cable from my L/R output into the Bose - did't sound good at all. Changed over to two cables into a combo gadget going into the Bose. Made a worlds difference in both sound quality and sound level. So much for that issue.

I am seriously considering picking up a second Compact on Monday from the local GC and trying the stereo approach. These systems are so light it would be very doable for me.

Anyway, I don't play again until Tuesday and I will post results.

Hammer

Have you been running an SMF and taking a walk out into the room while the Bose plays, Hammer? Is there any noticeable difference in coverage or depth of sound compared to the full L1 system?

I generally don't find CD's as good a way of testing this, as evenly EQ'd and compressed as they tend to be. Only the sound of YOUR arranger, playing YOUR music gives you the real skinny, IMO...

Hammer,

I haven't tried the Compact, but given how good my S900 (and the T3) sound through through the two L1's, I know you're going to love the results.

It takes me about 10 minutes extra, overall, to set up two systems....but it's worth it....and they aren't heavy....a big plus for me.

I am always amazed at both the clarity and spread of the sound, and the way the two systems seem to open up the stereo sound of the arranger...a buddy of mine has a Roland G-1000 and the two systems have the same effect on it....he's buying another L1 to match his first one, now that he's heard the substantial improvement.

Ian

The problem with this is that, to judge sound quality, you HAVE to compare at identical volume levels (you know about the 'perceived EQ/Vol curve' thing your ears do, don't you?). If the sound LEVEL changed a 'world of difference' when you went to the two cords and a mixer approach, you aren't REALLY comparing apples to apples...

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there ISN'T a difference between mono out and external summing to mono, but without eliminating this variable you can't be sure...

The other thing that puzzles me about the whole thing is, if this problem DOES exist (and is not simply a result of the volume jump two cords and a mixer will give you), why are Yamaha owners not INCENSED about this issue, and demanding a fix? The electronics to make a true mono signal from a stereo one costs a few pennies, hardly something an expensive arranger can't afford to have on it... And this 'mono out' issue seems to have been out there for at least the PSR3k era onwards.

It seems something that the Yamaha engineers would not ignore, if it WERE true... This is why, rather than endless 'anecdotal' reports of the phenomenon, surely just ONE person knuckling down and actually doing the DAW test would put it to rest once and for all. Either the flaw exists, in which case you have every right to INSIST that, even if they can't fix YOUR arranger, they make sure it never happens on any future model of Yamaha arranger, or it doesn't exist, and is merely a product of everyone's imagination after hearing the sound through a different mixer chain... (and mass psychology in action )

It will only take ONE person to put this to rest. Permanently. Surely SOMEONE gives a damn?

Diki,

Today I did get an opportunity to play Midi files and walk the room. I used some commercial Midi files and also some of my own midi files. I walked every corner of the room from front to back and the coverage seemed to me to be the same as I get with my Classic L1. It always amazes me that the sound levels do not change as I walk around and listen. I sounded good enough to me that I will probably sell my Classic L1 and use just the Compact. Please keep in mind I am not playing ear splitting heart thumping current dance or trance music - only the old standards. Hell, how much sound or bass do you need for Misty or Tenderly? Ha Ha.

So far it truly does look like a real winner for me and what I need for my gigs.

Hammer

Happy for you, Hammer. Interesting to hear that a $1000 system is capable of performing as well as a $2500+ one, at least at this volume level. It will be fascinating to hear what stereo sounds like with this rig... Imagine! A stereo Bose system for less than the price of a mono L1mkII

I wish that more of us would be as honest as you when it comes to describing our usual volume levels. I think there would be far less rancor on this and many other issues if we simply 'fessed up to what level we are playing at, what type of music we primarily perform, what age range we perform for... All those 'variables' that make considerable difference in what we need to play, and what we need to play THROUGH, and what we need to play ON.

This is a pretty braod spectrum forum, and there's far too much assuming that whatever works for 'ME' should work for everybody else, too...