Bose systems opinion?

J

joeymexico

Inspired
Hi guys been looking for high quality FR systems and just cross my mind to take a look at Bose. I know some people say they are not quality but advertising. But how about the Panaray LT 9403 loudspeakers? anybody has used em? or the L1 system with the Axe?...
Thanks for any insight...
 
I had an L1 setup. It was just OK with the Axe-FX. The Verve 12ma sounds much better. The L1 has a weak midrange.
 
joeymexico said:
Hi guys been looking for high quality FR systems and just cross my mind to take a look at Bose. I know some people say they are not quality but advertising. But how about the Panaray LT 9403 loudspeakers? anybody has used em? or the L1 system with the Axe?...
Thanks for any insight...
Click to expand...

I played at an Eagles club fundraiser two weeks ago where they had a Bose L1 as the ONLY PA gear. The overall performance, accuracy, quality and fitness of this remarkable unit can be summed up in four words: stinking piece of sh*t. Add some hooks and you've got a mediocre coat rack.
 
mind you,i have no prior experience with Bose equip.but i was doing research on power amps and speakers for hifi and i ran into this saying at least 5 or 6 times "no highs,no lows,it must be Bose". :)
 
Its also said

Buy
Other
Sound
Equipment


I've heard the L1 and while it COULD pass for an incog coffee shop PA or something for the acoustic player or whatever. Its really just overpriced and there are plenty of other better solutions in the price range.
 
The 'no highs, no lows' comment always amused me as the Bose gear that I've owned over the years always seemed to have a scooped midrange :lol:.

I'm in the rare minority of people that have owned Bose gear and actually liked it, but a) there's more than one reason I don't use the stuff anymore (chiefly, that there is better gear in that price range), b) the good sound quality of my gear had more to do with some modifications and aftermarket drivers.

The driver quality (now all MIM I think) is also not up to what they were doing 20 odd years ago.

The L1's have their application and in some spaces can work well but in other spaces not so good. By the time you price up 2 L1 sticks and subs, you're also at the price point where there are a LOT of other really good options.

Same applies for the other Panarray stuff. For some people and for some applications (e.g. Airports :lol:) they can be the right system but this occurs less and less now as the choice from other manufacturers is there and even the installation companies (who would once install Bose gear by default) have turned away.

You might need to take your ears for a test drive with some Pro Audio retailers and start looking at stuff like FBT, RCF, QSC, KV2, Nexo, EAW... not household names but you'll probably get something better and save some money, or spend about the same as for Bose and get something exceptional.

Chris
 
Thanks guys... I think I will check the QSC and EAW which are the ones available in my place... Also the Tech 21 seems like a nice value option...
 
Bose is overpriced?? well I run the L1 Mk 2 system as small venue p.a. and could not be more
pleased with its performance and value, It sets up in no time, is totally self contained has amps
built in and most of all draws high praise from audience members . I sold my MK1 system after
two years use and got back 3/4 of what it cost so no complaints there . Some of us are past the humping hefty bins and racks stage so the good people at bose have prolonged our career's.
To call a system that sells hugely all over the world to discerning musicians -A piece of shit' is rather a narrow minded and personal opinion. Some can make the best gear sound crappy :oops: as some can make so-so gear sound good :) It's all down to personal choice and good ears.

If you like it and it does it for you buy it , is the rule. :p
 
angello120 said:
a system that sells hugely all over the world
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A lot of people like a lot of strange things. I like cheap Chinese guitars. Glad you like your Bose coat rack. An opinion was asked for, and I delivered mine. Bose is overpriced. For $1000 you can get two FBT 12ma's. At the gig I referred to above my single 12ma alone set at about 1/4 volume buried the Bose. Now add bass and drums and a second guitar. I don't think it's a suitable unit for powering the Axe-Fx, unless maybe you are playing mellow jazz in bookstores.
 
quonsar said:
For $1000 you can get two FBT 12ma's.
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(Question's in a non confrontational tone)...where exactly did you see/get that price :?: :?: :?:

I've seen the passive ones (12m's) go for around that price per pair, new...maybe that's what you're referring to?
 
angello120 said:
Bose is overpriced?? well I run the L1 Mk 2 system as small venue p.a. and could not be more
pleased with its performance and value, It sets up in no time, is totally self contained has amps
built in and most of all draws high praise from audience members . I sold my MK1 system after
two years use and got back 3/4 of what it cost so no complaints there . Some of us are past the humping hefty bins and racks stage so the good people at bose have prolonged our career's.
To call a system that sells hugely all over the world to discerning musicians -A piece of shit' is rather a narrow minded and personal opinion. Some can make the best gear sound crappy :oops: as some can make so-so gear sound good :) It's all down to personal choice and good ears.

If you like it and it does it for you buy it , is the rule. :p
Click to expand...

Don't think anyone said it was a piece of shit...
 
-<MACHINE>- said:
quonsar said:
For $1000 you can get two FBT 12ma's.
Click to expand...
(Question's in a non confrontational tone)...where exactly did you see/get that price :?: :?: :?:
I've seen the passive ones (12m's) go for around that price per pair, new...maybe that's what you're referring to?
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Yeah, you are right. Discerning musicians the world over often exaggerate. :lol:
OverAmp said:
Don't think anyone said it was a piece of shit...
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Oh yeah, I did.
 
Hmm the Bose system in my Audi TT Roadster sounds exceptionally good!

:cool:

But for more professional use I would never consider buying a L1.

Too expensive for how it sounds.

IMO, YMMV. :)
 
OverAmp said:
BOSE stuff is good..
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:shock:

This is wrong.

FWIW, you CAN do worse than Bose, but you can certainly do a heckuva lot better for less money, so why even bother with it?

Bose gear is a joke in the pro audio world, literally. Are there a few endorsements? Sure. The Pod also has some pro endorsements....

Bose gear is so bad that there are at least a dozen jokes about how bad it is. How many QSC, FBT, etc jokes do you know? Mackie boxes can suck pretty bad, but I don't even hear jokes about them generally. Bose really is that bad. I had to work regularly with a Bose rig several years ago. It was properly installed with all their special components and kit, and it still sucked. I fought that thing for two years and vowed to never work with a Bose install again. Like I said, it isn't the worst thing out there (although it isn't far from it IMO), but for what it costs you can do so much better that it shouldn't even be considered.

D
 
Bose is great if you want a pretty speaker for your TV so when the neighbors come over they know exactly how much money you paid for them. They aren't awful but they certainly aern't anything I'd be recommending to anyone at those prices.
 
FWIW in every rider I've dealt with it often reads something along these lines.. Not verbatim but you get the idea.

"Your house PA should consist of high quality components capable of intelligibility at High SPLs. Preferred systems range from EAW, JBL, D&B, Meyer, Nexo, etc. Heavily mixed and match components and Bose are not acceptable systems for the house PA. If any of the latter is in place a rental PA should be acquired for the venue. If there are any questions or concerns please contact management."


Should I also throw out that the word "Mackie" in the pro audio world itself is a joke? Though FWIW I have heard it referred to as Crappie. We had an old SR56-8 in our church for years. What a joke.


Back to matters at hand. You can do FAR better than the Bose for the price. I myself would immediately question a venue who uses Bose. They were either con'd by a real good sales rep or made a dumb decision.. Or both.
 
Iv'e had my 2 classics for about 2 years, and done about 180 gigs with them. they do take some investment in terms of learning how to use them since they are a paradigm shift from a more traditional system. There is a certain learning curve you need to go through in order to get them to perform at their best. The forum is a great resource (just like this is for AXE). Initally we were sceptical but have grown to love them.

We use ours in a duo, 2 guitars and 2 vox, with Bass and drums backing, we have one L1 each, with 2 Subs, I have drums, My vocal and Guitar through one and my mate has his guitar, the Bass and his vox through the other. We really like them, we always get many compliments on how we sound, and they are easy to move around etc.

Pricey yes, but we need no backline, no monitors etc, so it's actually not that bad all told. we really like them because they sit behind you , you hear what the audience hears, the throw and spread is impressive so you don't need to kill the front row in order to reach the back (line array technology).

These are my opinions which the OP asked for, please lets not start a flame thread from this. Lots of people have strong opinions on the L1, they seem to be like Marmite (Love it or Loathe it). I love it.

But there you go YMMV etc.

cheers

prior to the Bose I used an EV based system which was good, but the Bose suits us better.
 
Tongue only partly in cheek:

At my parents' fiftieth anniversary party there was a duo singing to backing tracks using one tower (sans coatrack hooks) and one sub. All the old Italians had a blast doing the Tarantella and some ballroom stuff. The folks my parents refer to as the "kids" (45-60 year olds) danced to some Lionel Ritchie. (Mind you, my parents are in their late 70's and my grandmother still kicks it at 97, along with her big sister and little brother).

The system actually sounded quite good for that venue. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Seriously, for a compact system for an acoustic duo or something like that I think it's quite interesting, since you can dispense with monitors and do unusual things like set up "in the round" with each musician in a corner (I've actually seen that done and it was cool). They fill the room well, with that Bose "pseudo full-range illusion of bigness" thingy. They are what they are and if you play lounge music, lighter jazz, or anything that requires the audience to be able to have a conversation while you play in the background, they're pretty cool. I don't think these things were ever intended to replace big mains and subs pushing rock and roll air. If you use your axe to do things like that, well maybe. Not me though.
 
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