Wow! Just home from my restaurant gig ... Like most folks here, I play a variety of venues. I'm in my 10th year at a 120 seat restaurant, I do several Italian outdoor festivals a year, as well as several weddings a year about half outdoors - tents and all that. Frequently for weddings, I do the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner music then do a combo of live and DJ for the reception. About 5 times a year I do an oldies dance gig, country club dinner dance etc. Then there is the occasional house party or office luncheon gig. So, Most of the time, the compact is adequate and other times, I may need a 'thump'.
I do this for a living so I want to use the best tools for the job. I'm fortunate in that I can justify the investment for good equipment. I've owned many sound systems over the years and I think that the Bose systems have a great sound quality-wise compared most of the systems I have heard. At this point in my life, I'm trying to make hauling this stuff easier and Bose does that too. Those years of carrying that Leslie piece of furniture (God bless Dave McMahon - still hauling one) and those Ampeg quad 12's have taken a toll.
Sorry to ramble on so - some of the restaurant patrons provide me with some great wine ...
Ciao,
Jerry