Last night at my Wildwood, NJ job (Alfes), I set up the three current sound systems I use...this venue is with the band (Just In Time)...

Our most recent primary set up are the Podiums 1204's (pair)..they replaced the Yorkville's NX520p (pair)..

Saturday at Alfes brings around 150-175 patrons in the lounge and adjacent restaurant areas..

I use the Edirol M-10dx mixer and a Alesis sub mixer for addition vocals (when needed)..

I started the night with the Podiums (just the Podiums)...with the usual great results, great coverage and great bass response...I have these on tripod poles..

after a little time past, I blended in the Roland BA330 (This is the Pa I wanted to test in this venue...I could hear the BA330 cut thru the Podium mix easily without pushing the BA330 at all..

Second set, I switched my keyboard set up to my "old" pair of Roland Cubes..using the Edirol mixer with the RAC feature...let me tell you I have always been a fan of my Roland Cubes...but the RAC feature sets them up perfect...there is literally no other system I would trade for what I get from the "oldie but goodies...."

I ran the vocals out of the Podiums (singers like their voice on poles...and my vocals and keyboard from the Cubes..
I also tried the BA330 as an accent to the cubes, giving a nice presence...The only thing I noticed ..the sound using the BA330 with the Cubes, I needed to defeat the RAC (room acoustic control), because it was used to set up the Cubes only, and had an extreme eq curve with the BA330...

It did sound terrific...

I might add the Podiums 1204's with the RAC also sound great..

I used the BA330 exclusively on breaks...and it was great, plenty of volume and good bass too..

Alfe's has a fairly large room with adjoining dining rooms..the sound was heard thru out the place even back to the second lounge area ..4 area locations away...It even sounded good in the rest rooms ..at least the men's room ..

The last set with a lot of folks leaving for the night, I used the BA330..only ...for the band including vocals...and never exceeded half volume...I still had plenty of head room ...and a great full sound to boot..

What I learned experimenting in a live venue...

Though the Podiums are our go to system (owned now by the band)...The given choice with shear power and coverage..not to mention..the best bass you will find...the Cubes under the Edirol RAC...are simply unbeatable...

Patron consensus ..folks that knew what I was trying to test..confirmed 100 percent unity..that the Rolands were the best of the systems I used..

I also know now I would not hesitate to use just a BA330 in any room, even 200 plus people, were coverage is a must..the quality of the sound fills the room nicely and bass is good..not a thumping bass that the Podiums and needless to say the Cubes ..but more than adequate..

One of our SZ members were there with his lovely wife ...maybe Bill will add his comments..they may be different than my view...

Great review Fran.....Tues Ill check it all out also after dinnner.......cya

Fran,

How about recording something using a Zoom H2 or similar recorder and post it so we can hear the results.

Gary

Gary, how would recording show the results of a live test...a comparison would be difficult at best..I think I can verbally describe a comparison.. then what a recording can tell...after all the listening of the results would be as good as the compressed file and for the most part...a pc sound system...


Is my logic wrong?...

Gary...of course we could have a PA shoot out...and do live comparisons... We can all get together...and have dinner too..

Donny and I are going over Gary M's house Tuesday..and Donny will get a first hand look/sound of an improved Bose set up..and also a hands on demonstration of the Helicon Live 2....

I know you think I have slighted the Bose in the past..in saying there is a mid range problem from the factory....but I can bet...anyone will agree after hearing the difference using the RAC feature (Edirol)...We can wait and see how DNJ feels after the comparison on Tuesday..

BTW: I have heard Dave's big Bose ..we shared the same stage one night at Alfes..and Yes the Bose also carried the room well...but you can bet your bottom dollar it would not have the same result as my "RAC'd Roland Cubes"...

The Bose subs don't match the RAC'd Cubes...15's just rule in the bass "thump" department..

I don't know if it will help , but I will record video of the Bose demonstration with and without the RAC on Tuesday..

As long as the recording levels were the same, effect, channel and amp levels are the same and you use the same codec/device and bitrate for each MP3 file, then listeners will definitely hear if there are any differences.

Far better than ANY written words. You just got to read what manufacturers SAY about their products and then actually listen to them


D

I have to disagree. You should listen to the Bose 502 sub box (now discontinued). It would TOTALLY blow away most subs in the under $3000 category. And it only has a 12" speaker. So no, 15" speakers do not always rule.

Just another audio industry assumption. Very misleading for the most part too.


And a pair of the PAS Bose subs, fight way above their weight class as well imo.

I managed to once do a comparo between them and the Mackie 15swa1501, and the Mackie was NOT in the race. And when pushed, made the bass response quite sloppy, whilst the Bose retained REAL bite and punch throughout its designed performance range.

Again another industry assumption that the Mackie box is a super powered sub. It is a good box, but not the be all and end all.

I say all this to simply reinforce that ONLY by listening can a prospective purchaser make the right decision for them. It cannot be done soley on the written word of another user.


D

Dennis that may be a given, but I don't believe it would show the quality of the sound comparisons...compared to the actual live test..sure it may illustrate that there is a difference, but I am not sure it would show what really did sound better...

But as for the Bose demonstration Tuesday..I will record it..

Cool, that would be good to listen to Fran

D

Dennis my comparison, was not a sub woofer comparison..but stated the full range Cube 15" is way superior to the Bose L1 "sub woofer"

I can get a great bass response from the Podium 1204..also as good or better than a Bose L1 sub woofer...but the Roland 15" outclasses the Podium too in the bass department........not even close..