Call me crazy, but DonM was correct. The Podium 8s in stereo sound MUCH better than the Bose mono (to me).

I did the test in my studio with my PA800 keyboard. The Bose was first with its terrific clarity and great bass. I thought it was the winner and was ready to pack it in the car.

But I decided to check the Podium stereo and it CAME ALIVE. The first thing I did was acoustic piano and it blew me away through the Podiums. I then played the same songs through both and listened closely. Many of the fine details I work hard for to use in arrangements were totally lost in the Bose mix (pads, chimes, pans, etc). The mono piano and guitars were not as good and seemed to lose their high register.

ONLY FACTORY DIRECT put up with my nonsense in this whole deal and took care of me. I have to say that I was difficult and they were not and showed their true colors. Thank you OFD.

Now off to a gig, where the Bose sits at home and both 8s go out. They are just too nice sounding to not use, even if close together.

Maybe I'll keep the Bose and go Bose stereo. I won't keep it to use mono - it is just not me and I knew it

Jim,

I wasn't satisfied with the Bose Compact in mono...and, when I love what I hear, I always play better...hence the two Compacts.

They aren't as loud as the two L1's I just sold, but they still fill a room like no other system, and my keyboards sound great...the stereo effects, like chorus and rotary, as well as delay, sound like they should.

Your PA-800 would sound awesome through two Compacts...ya gotta try it, before you dismiss it.

Ian

I hear ya Ian. I can imagine the Compacts in stereo being the ticket. Decisions ahead and I do want to check out Roland's BA-330 I have on order. My jobs are almost all small and 2 Bose would be so uneccesary.

In all fairness, you are hearing something tweaked for stereo through a mono system when you play through the Compact.

Other than the true stereo pianos (don't really know about the PA800, but the Yamaha's have terrible phase issues going to mono), you aren't really having THAT much phase issues, but you WILL get volume and mix perception differences.

If you tweak your setups to sound their best through a mono rig, a lot of the bad you hear will mostly go away, at least as far as losing pads and effects. Yes, you lose the stereo, but you'll actually be able to HEAR the pad, EQ up the bells, etc.

No, IMO it won't ever sound as good through the mono system, but you CAN make it sound better than simply using your stereo performances untouched on a mono rig.

YES, as good as the Podiums sound, two Bosi are much better. Of course they SHOULD be at the price.
Is BOSI plural for Bose?
DonM

But there is the rub...

Two Compacts, $2000. Two L1's, $4000+ (and you STILL need a mixer for reverb)

Two Podium 10"'s, about $400. (in fact, two Podium powered 15"'s, about $500).

Are the Bose between four and TEN times better?

There's a whole MOTL arranger in the price difference between the 15"'s and a stereo Compact rig..!

Don't get me wrong, I quite like the Bose systems. But I always think of them as the Wersi of PA systems. There is NO WAY they are good value for money. Just good if you can afford them (and haven't got anything else you could use the money for)

I wouldn't say the Bose are ten times better...but, they achieve what a conventional speaker system doesn't do...fill the room.

Now, if you don't want/need this feature or your gig does not warrant room filling sound...sometimes the people want to sit away from the music, for instance, then conventional speakers are the ticket...I have a pair of Yamaha MS60S powered monitors for jobs like those.

But filling the room with a nice balanced sound, with a very wide stereo sweet spot, if you go with two, seems to be the Bose's forte....not many other systems can do it quite so good.

Considering most players will keep a sound system through the course of several arranger changes, it is a good investment, in my opinion.

Diki - (2) Podium 10s - $259 delivered

In anticipation of my Compact arrival all this week, I thought, "what the hey, I might as well just use (1) mono Podium and get used to it". But when I took the stereo Podium route again this afternoon, the difference was INCREDIBLE. For my gigs, I could never justify stereo Bose and won't use just one, so back it goes.

I look forward to getting my BA-330 in November, so stayed tuned for more mixed up reviews from me

In the meantime, I'm totally content with the 802s and will next try the Mackie SRM150 next week

So, Jim, will you be using two Podium's (stereo) for your gigs; at least the jobs that justify using them?

Yes, seems all I play anymore are very small venues. Unless I just play super soft, I can't believe the power you all use in your gigs

I do believe and hope the Roland BA-330 does it.
http://www.musiciansbuy.com/roland-ba330.html?gclid=CO7Rtf-CiJ0CFR9N5Qodj0wBbw#Warranty

One true stereo cabinet with (supposedly) adequate power to handle 80 (enough for me).

[This message has been edited by zuki (edited 09-25-2009).]