I played a really big Catholilc Mardi Gras party Saturday night. There were 312 tickets sold, plus workers, so about 350 people there. It was at a Knights of Columbus Hall, a large, cavernous building, with all cement floor, high ceilings and hard surfaces everywhere. No windows.
I used two Bose Compacts and they did fine, particularly on the large dance area right in front of me.
But I have to admit by halfway through the night, I wished I had brought the big Bose L1s.
By then, I needed REALLY loud, and while the compacts made it through, I had them cranked as loud as they would go without over-driving. The input indicators went into the red now and then.
I even had an older man come up and say they were sitting in the back of the room and they could hear, but could I turn it up some.
I took a break, put on MP3s and walked to the back, and you could hear everything clearly, but I would have liked a little more room to blow people away.
Anything larger or more demanding would have been beyond the Compacts' ability.
Of course this is not what they are designed to do anyway, but I found they do have their limitations. Line dancing for hundreds of semi-inebriated revelers is pushing it!
DonM

Very interesting Don. I only use one, and it does fine with 250 people in a smaller room than yours, but had the feeling my L1 might give me a fuller sound. Nonetheless, my compact sure is adequate for most of my venues.

Your findings are what I was told by the Bose rep when I called them just prior to getting the compact. The rep said "Audiences to 250 are no problem with the L1 compact, but if you anticipate going above that number, I would suggest using the standard L1.

Great report Don,

Gary

Well this is essentially what I always thought (and what Bose always said) Re the Compact, although I remember at the time of (assertively, yet respectfully) saying it, I got undeservedly howled down by a few members of this Forum - well ONE especially, (where is Hammer these days anyway??)

I wish I could use the Compact, I really do. It would save me time and room, not a lot (the L1 Model 2 is still fantastically small and light compared to most other solutions that suit me) but still, gigs would be even MORE of a breeze.

Unfortunately, the gigs we do, the Venues we need to fill, the audience numbers we (generally) get, prohibit this.

Thanks for the Post (and the Honesty) Don.
Much appreciated.

Don thanks for that informative report.

I would think room size would have more to with it than number of people. Right?

Thanks for that report Don. I'm happy I kept my L1 for those bigger venues. Did you use the M-10DX?
Ciao,
Jerry

Along with being a FABULOUS performer, Don is as HONEST as the day is long ...
thnx,
Don ...
t.

I just wish that more attention, by buyers AND manufacturers, was payed to the ONLY spec that really matters... SPL at a particular THD amount.

HOW loud does it get BEFORE you hear any distortion...

250 seniors don't need what 250 kids do, and no amount of hype from a manufacturer replaces TRUE specs...

No, I used my Peavey. I'm more familiar with it and I had a wired mic, a wireless mic, and a CD player to hook up. The theme was Cowboy/Cowgirl this year, and there was a square dance demonstration and they had their music on a CD. My little laptop doesn't have a CD drive. Also, the reigning King took the wireless mic all over the building.
DonM

Well yes and no. If it were a room that size with people just sitting and listening, no problem. But, as I'm sure Diki knows, a few hundred screaming Mardi Gras partyers are a different story.
I played "When the Saints Go Marching In" and they paraded for ten solid minutes. I changed the words of course: When the Saints win the Super Bowl, when the Saints win the, etc. Oh,the Colts are gonna take a fall, the Saints are gonna win it all, I want to be in that number, when the Saints win the Super Bowl!!
Nobody parties like Cajuns at Mardi Gras.
DonM

That's cute, Don ... but, truth be told, I am rooting for the Colts ...
betcha the price of a shrimp po' boy lunch the next time I'm down there ... ...
t.

Tony,

I think the Saints will kick their @ss and I'll bet you a steak dinner when I get to your neighborhood this summer or fall.

Gary

You're on my friend! Who Dat?
DonM

Don (as a Compact owner)I would never expect a pair of compacts to handle that type of venue!! But still to even come close says a lot!! Don ... you always tell it like is!! Thanks

The deeper issue is, IMO, it is SO hard for many Bose owners (or to be honest, owners of almost any gear!) to admit ANY limitations, no matter how apparent and obvious they are...

I keep bringing up the fact that these THINGS are not your grandkids, they are merely pieces of equipment. And, as such, shouldn't be invested with your protectiveness. NOTHING is perfect, nothing does all things well, and even though something might be perfect for YOUR usage, what is the problem in discussing in an adult way what it also CAN'T do? Every one of us has quite different needs and usage of equipment, what suits one does not suit all, and I simply wish that, when faced with a criticism of a much loved piece of gear, we MIGHT make an effort to understand that the other person's viewpoint might be valid FOR THEM.

I realize that, under the right circumstances, a 2X15W PA might be just the ticket. But the person with that equipment might also acknowledge that it has limitations. Same with a 100W PA, same with a 1000W PA.... Let's just keep it civilized, and perhaps acknowledge that 200 people means NOTHING unless accompanied by better info about the rowdiness of them, the music they want to hear or dance to, their age, the size room, etc..

Most of us with these smaller PA's have come from much larger ones at some time or another. And, maybe just once or twice, we had a gig that we NEEDED to crank these bigger PA's up to close to THEIR limits. So, in fairness, maybe we ARE in a position to be honest about the upper limits of our smaller stuff. But getting that honesty is like pulling teeth!

Regard it as equipment, and not family, and perhaps it might be easier to talk frankly about its' good AND bad points...

Most of us with these smaller PA's have come from much larger ones at some time or another. And, maybe just once or twice, we had a gig that we NEEDED to crank these bigger PA's up to close to THEIR limits. So, in fairness, maybe we ARE in a position to be honest about the upper limits of our smaller stuff. But getting that honesty is like pulling teeth!

Can't argue with that. I've owned loads of PA systems over the nearly 50 years I've been playing, and each and every one of them was considered as THE LAST PA SYSTEM I'LL EVERY NEED! And, each time I purchased a new one, which on average was about every three years, I considered it a step up. Each ensuing system was more powerful, had more features, and weighed considerably more.

Most of the additional weight, however, was not in the electronics. Instead, it was primarily the material the cabinet was constructed from. The vast majority of the cabinetry was made of dense, very-heavy particle board, which is nothing more than sawdust and glue. Some tipped the scales at more than 100 pounds, which was brutal--even when I was younger.

I have to admit, the highest wattage I ever used was less than 3,000, which easily handled some of the rowdiest crowds of drunks anyone can imagine. Fortunately, I no longer have to contend with drunks, late nights or cigarette smoke.

The largest crowd I performed to with the standard Bose L1 was just over 1,000 people. They were loud, rowdy, plastered, rich and were housed within a massive, big-top-tent constructed from heavy, rubber-coated canvas. It was set up on the parking lot of a large fishing center in Ocean City, Maryland. I had played this job using a variety of PA systems for nearly 4 years.

The last job I performed there was the same year I purchased the Bose L1 standard system with a single sub. To be on the safe side, I also carried a pair of Barbetta Sona 32SC power speakers with me. (450-watts RMS each, Bi-amped, 15-inch with 10-inch horns).

Despite the boisterous crowd of rowdys, the Barbettas never came out of the van--I didn't need them. People were dancing at the far end of the tent, young gals in very skimpy string bikinis started a conga line to Hot Hot Hot and I had the place rockin' until the marina manager said we're outta' booze--the party's over!

Yes, I cranked the Bose L1 standard up fairly high, but never to the point where the red came on--got into the yellow a few times, but never red. It was way too loud for me, and also for some of the folks trying to sleep aboard their motor yachts moored 500 feet away at the end of the pier. The kids, both young and old, loved the music and didn't want it to stop.

Bottom line: Since buying the Bose L1 standard, and more recently the L1 Compact, I've sold everything other than a single Barbetta Sona 32SC, which I purchased from Hank The Lurker about two years ago for a backup system--just in case. As Dirty Harry said "A Man has to know his limitations." Same holds true with sound systems.

Cheers,

Gary

OH MAN ... a shrimp po boy AND a steak !!! YUMMMMMMMMMMM ...
Gooooooo Peyton !!!
t.

Diki you are on the mark!! Everything has its place and limitations!! I never go with the "one size fits all" comment". I absolutly hate when someone says" ..it blows "whatever" away!!! I own 2 Bose compact L1's. Are they overpiced ... yes are they light ... yes. Do they sound great ... yes!! Are they for everyone .... Nooooooooo!

[This message has been edited by JCkeeys (edited 02-03-2010).]

Like Gary, I’ve been gigging for over 50 years and probably have used almost every amp and PA system made - with the exception of Marshals. The Bose Compact suits me for my regular restaurant gigs and for most of what I do now. But, IMHO the L1 with two B1’s produce as much sound as anything I’ve used in the past.
Ciao,
Jerry