This afternoon I had what looked like an average 50th aniversary party. When I got there, it was for 200+ people. I have to say the little compact really kicked ass. There were 3 DJ's there as guests and they were amazed by it. They all said that I more than covered the room. I think I could have sold it to one of the guys. The party rocked, and I got an extra half hour out of it and it was a 4 hour party. I don't think I'd use it for anything larger, but it sure did the job today.

Joe

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Songman55
Joe Ayala

Sounds like its really working out well for you...

How do you think a quartet of keyboard, bass, drums and a sax/clarinet/flute guy-all of whom sing would sound?

Would it overwhelm it?

Would it be loud enough for a fairly large ballroom?

Thanks-



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Bill in Dayton

Few arranger players have any idea of just how loud a REAL drummer is, let alone on amplified by a PA!
Does anyone honestly think that a 120w PA (total) could even get just the drums up to live level, let alone the rest of the band? A kick drum acoustically can put out more than 100w of sound energy. Stick your head next to one if you don't believe me!

Once again, don't get me wrong. For what it is SUPPOSED to do, it seems a great (if pricey) product. And if you have a drummer with no mikes, playing brushes for cocktail volume music, it might get the rest of the band, as long as the bassist and guitarist had their own amps and didn't need to be in the PA. Then you are only amping the keys and vocals (what it is designed for).

But please! Bose haven't altered the laws of physics..! It will only go so loud before distortion kicks in (pun intended ), and real drums are already louder than it could go.

What wattage are you already using for the PA for the ballroom? Would 100w do?

Oh yes, on this one I agree with Diki... The SPL's coming from the usual drummers kick drum mic are huge...

But then I DONT think the L1 Compact is for that, I think it is for the solo performer OR someone like one of us on the SZ using arrangers/keyboard backing tracks where there is some degree of control of the lower frequencies.

Personally I will be seriously checking out a pair of these when they hit Australia, sometime this month.

Dennis

I'm running the whole band through the L1 and it kills...We have way more headroom than we need...

If I got this, I need to know if it'll handle my quartet needs or do I need to have a different system for those gigs?

Remember, we play blue haired, ballroom dance stuff. Yes, we get fairly loud for this type of crowd, but its close to a rock band output...

The drums have a kick drum, set very low and an overhead....Bass player goes direct into the Bose base unit...My keys go into the tone module as do all our vocals and the horn...



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Bill in Dayton

The only caution I would have Bill is, as you would know, the kick which has the most potential for "blowing" this system.Be very careful as I think it is only an 8" sub speaker in that box/s.

Knowing Bose it will more than likely have quite generous excursion limits, but no speaker is immune to , shall we say, "over-zealous" drummers

As long as the kick level is kept down, maybe even run a limiter (built-in on the Tonematch???) across just the kick mic's line. That would give even more protection.

If this thing sounds anything like the L1, I can see why you would want to run the band. GREAT live sound.

Dennis

Well if it IS anything like the L1 I imagine it would be almost impossible to blow any speaker in the system as it would merely go into compression and essentially shut down if the sound got too loud.

Bill, I'm curious as to why you're asking such a question here and not on the Bose Forum?



[This message has been edited by hellboy44 (edited 06-09-2009).]

Dennis-Good ideas...I should add we already have the kick drum level very low...we're not looking for definition so much as a presence, if you will.

Hellboy-Mostly hadn't got to it...I check the SZ a few times every day, the BOSE forums, not nearly as often. If this became a serious consideration, I certainly would jump on there and get some feedback, plus-I'd probably want to talk to the people at Bose directly...

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Bill in Dayton

I believe one of the Compacts would handle what you describe. I know two would.
I played an anniversary party Saturday night with a couple hundred people. After four hours of 50's music, the "usual suspects" wanted Brick House and Electric Slide, so I dialed them up on the laptop for the last two songs. You could "feel" the kick drum and bass guitar. I had the Compacts set at 12 o'clock and the mixer barely cracked. The sound was amazing. I can't imagine a live drummer generating more kick without breaking a foot bone or two. And yes, I've played with some of the best live drummers around. And with some of the loudest. Not necessarily the same ones.
Now, I have a REALLY big party for July 4th, with up to 20,000 people, some indoors some outside. I plan to take at least two of the big L1s for inside, and then route the sound outside as well. I will have on hand 3 L1s and 2 Compacts. After I see the venue, I'll decide what to use and where to place them.
BTW, I am speaking from experience in using them myself, in live situations, not trying to interpret numbers and guessing what they mean.
I feel the Compacts will handle up to a couple hundred people, as a general rule.
Hope this helps,
DonM

Ah, the wisdom of experience. Thank you Don.