I've been using the L1 Model 1 for over a year and can't say enough good about it. I can't tell you how many times management and/or audience members have come up to compliment on how great the sound is...including our last gig.

We've used it in as big a venue as 5,000 sq. ft. with no problem. For a big outdoor gig, it might not have enough volume so I've used my Mackie 750s for that sort of thing.

The Model 1S is newer and I'm not sure exactly what differences there are.

The Model 1 has two channels that are controlled via a hand held "mixer" with Master Volume, Channel 1-2 Volume and 3 bands of EQ. There are 2 additional channels but they can't be controlled by the remote and I've never used them.

But you can buy an additional module that has 4 channels and a TON of instrument/mic/guitar EQ patches and some effects if I recall correctly. (The basic model has "only" about 80 EQ patches and no effects.

I don't have that bigger module because I run through a mixer. Here's my set up.

1. Mackie 4 or 12 channel mixers depending on the band.

2. I run all instruments except drums into the Mackie and then use the Headphone Out (which on the Mackie is a FULL MAIN Out...not dumbed down one to save people from blowing their eardrums!!) (-:

3. From the Headphone Out I go into Channel 1 of the Bose and set that channel's Trim to Unity gain and then control volume from the individual channel sliders on the Mackie.

4. That leaves a free Channel 2 on the Bose and that is where I plug my wife's mic...who isthe singer...so I control her volume from the handheld Bose remote which I velcro on the table next to the Mackie. I only do that if I need an extra input channel.

5. We set the speaker column about 6 ft. behind the band and it is TRUE that you don't need monitors AT ALL. What you hear from 6 ft. is almost identical to what is being heard at 60 ft. and only about 10% louder than what is heard from 150 ft!

6. And it is TRUE that the sound disperson arc is at least 170 degrees and in fact, as a guitarist and sound guy, I have been positioned BEHIND the speaker column and heard everything just fine.

7. The quality of the sound reproduction through the Bose Line Array speake stack is AWESOME and at least as good as the sound through the Mackie 750s.

8. At first, I used only one B-1 subwoofer which ships with the system and for smaller gigs that was fine for either elec or standup bass. But for larger rooms I use 2 B-1s which daisy chain into the Bose inputs. There are even specific EQ patch settings for various kinds of elec and stand up basses.

Again, I can't say enough good things about the system and I expect the newer Model 1S is even better and certainly is lighter but the original Model 1 can't weigh more than 50-60 lbs TOTAL...and actually does set up in 10 minutes even with my added mixer in the loop.

Please feel free to PM me with any other questions you might have. But the Bose tech support team is AWESOME. I've never waited more than a minute to get connected. And they are all musicians who use the Bose systems regularly on gigs.

Best,

Jim

Last edited by av84fun; 05/01/13 07:49 PM.