Hey Tony,
On my Korg PA 80 and my Yamaha PSR 750 there are left and right stereo outputs. On both keyboards the Left is labelled as L/mono. Does that mean that the keyboard already routes both channels to a combined mono output or would I be wise to plug a Y connector in to both outputs before plugging into the Bose?

As far as sending out a stereo sound image throughout the room you would never hear the stereo image like you do on headphones even if you were in the sweetest of "sweet spots"

All I know is what I hear from slightly behind and to one side (without feedback) from the Bose is the best sound I have heard from my setup. My friend checked it out in a church hall where I was playing. He told me the sound he heard from anywhere in the room was the same as what he heard when he stood beside the speakers. Combined with the fact that I was hearing myself better than ever before that info was enough to convince me to turn my rental into a purchase.

God Bless,
Don

That is what I was wondering. But if you did do that test and could distinguish the stereo image as you walked around the room then my doubts were unjustified. I just wondered if anyone had done that test so thanks for correcting me and letting me know. You are correct Donny. Sounds like you have an ideal stereo sound system now. I will always admit when I am wrong.

Take a song like Billy idols Mony Mony.....toward the end at 2:54 there is a break at 2:54 that sounds like a jet airplane passing by left to right......now without a STEREO setup you would totally lose the effect for sure,....just sayin that's one example..losing the "chorus efx" on electric pianos is another like in the "Just the Way You Are" intro, etc, etc, ..

I have to admit that I was both surprised and impressed with what I heard from those two L1 systems.

So did the stage manager, who is also an old friend from high school, and had never heard two Bose systems set up that way (in stereo). He said there were quite a few performers (mainly guitarist/singers) who used "the stick" as he called them, but they only used one.

Dave has been stage manager at the venue for well over 20 years.

He also dished out some good natured ribbing to "Mr. Yamaha" (me) about using a non-Yamaha PA system. The concert was not connected in any way with Yamaha so I was free to use what I wanted...and, and believe me, I now wanted those Bose L1's at every show.

I had used a Yamaha Stagepas 500 a few weeks earlier in a fairly large showroom, and had done the same thing (record/playback) as I did when testing the Bose, and after about 30ft, or maybe less, there was pretty much no definitive stereo separation that I could hear, although the system did sound fuller (and better) than when in mono.

Whatever kind of dispersal thing that happens from the two Bose L1's, it manages to keep the stereo imaging, not only at a greater distance, but also at nearly every point in the room.

It not only impressed me and my stage manager buddy, Dave, but I had several local players come up to me after the gig and who commented on the great sound...and, all I was using for those gigs was a MOTL PSR-S900.

I'd love to run my Tyros4 through the same setup.

Two of the L1's are very expensive, but we keyboard guys spend nearly that amount on our high end keyboards and their peripherals...and, with the Bose, it is a one time purchase as you should only need to buy a PA system once...plus, with the Bose you eliminate the expense and hassle of a separate monitor system.

The Bose L1 is of very high quality construction and should last a long, long time.

I not only had a great keyboard amplification/monitor system, but I had an awesome stereo PA system that could be used in almost any gigging situation.

I don't think I would have to advise anyone here on SZ that, if interested, one should actually try the Bose system out before making such a big investment, but I will say that when I return to gigging, that's what I'm using for my PA.

Ian

PS...it would be interesting to hear if two Bose Compacts behave in a similar way in producing such a wide stereo field.

I did use two of the Bose L1s together on several larger shows, but it is just overkill for 99 percent of the stuff I do. Once I tried using two Compacts together I never had occasion to use the big ones again, so I eventually sold them both.
Having said this, the sound with two of the large Bose systems is just so good it is scary.
If you are not hearing mids, there is something wrong with your hearing or your e.q. I ran them flat and only e.q.d from the keyboard a little.

Don ... I haven't really tested it with the KORG, but with my kn6000 I definitely heard a fuller, more rich sound using the Y connector and I have been doing that ever since, even when I went to the KORG ... I will have to give the KORG a test one of these days ...

As far as the sound disbursement of the BOSE, you are definitely correct, and I think that has been well documented ... I always do a sound check before starting a gig, and the very first time I used a BOSE - not mine unfortunately, just filling in for a friend at his steady gig - I put a midi file of "Breezin" on the kn6000 and as I walked around this long, fairly narrow room I was really amazed at how it sounded ...
When I am using 2 speakers (Podium 10's), I only hope the audience is hearing some of the same separation I am hearing ...

One two cha cha cha ....

???

... and how did this thread get started? ... just sayin' ...

I'm not one to waste money on gear, so when I buy, I try to buy long term and in so doing, also maximize my profit.

I think two Bose L1's would be a great investment for my needs.

The sound of the two L1's was as you described..."so good it is scary".

The Compacts just wouldn't cover enough gig situations in my case, although we did try a set in the store a while ago, and the sound was very impressive, especially considering their size and weight.

With the L1's, I had no issue whatsoever with any mid-range loss...it was easy to fix things with a simple adjustment on the S900's Main Equalizer.

The parts that seemed to benefit the most from stereo were the guitars, both as Right Hand sounds and in the styles, although I do have a special stereo string patch combination (two different string sounds) that really has a nice "bigness" about it when played in stereo.

The Electric Pianos that use stereo chorus (or panned delay) also benefit nicely, as do the Drawbar Organs that use the Rotary Speaker emulation.

When you think about it, all these arranger instruments were originally designed to sound at their best in stereo, so there is bound to be some loss when played in mono.

Good to see you back posting, Don...you gave us (and quite likely, yourself) a bit of scare with your health issues. I'm glad to see you are on the mend.

Ian