This may shock some of you, but this is the first Bose product that probably won't find it's way into my lineup. I WANTED to like it, and I sorta do ... I just don't like the auto EQ that changes with orientation. My thought was to use this in monitor position at the club facing me, and my guest performers, or for NH facilities.
The bass drops off too much to satisfy me, when it's on it's side. If I was using just a guitar and vocal, I might reconsider, but the overall tone change was to much to keep my interest.
A question to those who use it (them):
Are you plugging your kb into the XLR combo jacks? Perhaps using EQ to restore what is taken away might be an option, but my plan was for single jobs, using the bluetooth for my ipad, and my guitar and voice in the other channels. That leaves my tracks sounding thin.
Any advice from satisfied users?

Here's my current NH rig ... the speaker fits in the box, it's on wheels, the ipad stand came from 5 Below, and the bottom of the box has a custom wiring harness with a wireless mic receiver, and all power for the ipad and speaker (which can also be battery powered)
I was hoping the Bose had more punch, but it did not.
It's literally a ONE minute setup. Two, if I bring banjo, or guitar.

*** This pic has a wired mic, but I normally use the wireless.

Looks kool & compact for small NH rooms but...
Where's the KORG keyboard?

Some of the many comments I read about the Bose S1 that I decided to pass.... Purchased the Marantz Professional Voice Rover, instead..

I like it!!!!

I stopped bringing a KB. It's just not worth it (to me) for an hour show. It's more setup, more bulk in the room, longer time frame, and no difference in the show's potential to entertain. I often bring a banjo, and I plan to bring my sax and clarinet on special occasions, but the simple truth is - the show is, and always was ... my voice, and my read of the crowd. I can do just as good as a front man. If there is a piano in the room, I'll run over and play a spotlight number on it, but I have seen no down side to my lightening of the load. Audiences love it, and the STAFF especially loves how quick I can set up/tear down. When summer starts, I'll be playing 7 nights a week, so I don't need to set up that gear any more than absolutely necessary!

I think the niche market is guitar vocalists in small venues ... like coffee houses, and speeches, and background music. It's probably great in those settings, but I don't believe it was ever intended to offer a scaled down version of the Compact. I think I'd use it for acoustic guitar, but I doubt that I could justify it as a legit KB setup.

If the Bose S1 had an auto EQ bypass... then it would be good for keyboardists! Unless, after it does its thing, you add the EQ you are missing with a 7 or 10 band EQ pedal. Will the Bose adapt the EQ again? Or is it just a setting it goes to when laid in the monitor position?!?

Hmmm, someone with the guts to say it. And yet, some who do 1 hr. NH gigs exclusively, spend 3-5000.00 and tons of hours of preparation and setup to do basically the same job. Why? For 3 and 4hr CC/Bar/Restaurant/event/Festival gigs, sure, I can see it, but if SINGING is your main 'thing', for a 1 hr. NH gig, how does this make sense? In most of the cases I've seen, the AKB is little more than a playback machine, with very little 'playing' going on. Some people (like ME) would feel very insecure without some kind of 'prop' such as a keyboard, and some would view it as karaoke without a playable instrument involved. Still, UD is the first and only one I've ever heard state clearly and without apology, that for these 1hr NH gigs, a 5k keyboard is "just not worth it". He DID state that he only meant 'for himself'. In the words of the great DNJ, "thoughts?".

chas

I work as a soloist with my keyboard, and also with a female vocalist using backing tracks ... the duo gigs are all booked by her ...
When I work solo, I use mostly styles 'live', and during 99% of the songs I perform, I play at least one instrumental verse using any of the appropriate voices on the board ... when I work with the female vocalist, I have no problem being a 'front man', except during the instrumental parts of the backing tracks - I don't quite know what to do - ... I'm not a 'dancer' so that's out of the question ... sometimes I will engage in a little patter or tell a story about the song I'm performing ... My vocals (although not as good as Dave's) are also the main part of my performance, but I don't know if I could do a whole hour with using the keyboard ... Yes, it can be a bit much for a one hour gig, but it's what I do ...

I get paid more than I think I'm worth to sing, but I would not be comfortable without a guitar or keyboard.

My perception is, I'm a musician, not an entertainer or singer.

Next week, I'll be singing a regional score for a pizza company all of you know about. It's for an internal training film.


It's part of the job, but I'd rather not do it.


Russ