Is a double-stacked MA12 the same as 1 L1? As a current Bose 802/MB4 owner, I'm tired of fdeling with the problems associated with the triple system. I'm interested in making the move to PAS, and I'd like some insight to help me determine if 2 PAS L1's or 2 double-stacked MA12's on stands would be a better solution to use with my existing Bose equipment. I realize that the MB4's are not an ideal replacement for the B1 using AMP 3, so whether I buy 2 L1's or the MA12's, I'd use my existing Panaray controller to control the EQ/crossover and a Bose 1800VI amp for the subs. I am also wondering if MA12's behind the musicians to eliminate monitors will yield the same results as te L1's.

Hi Good2Go,

Interesting question - and probably best answered in the context of knowing your application.

Although physically similar, there are some striking differences with respect to portability, stability, and design intent.

Please tell us more about what you will be doing.

Thanks.

Hi Good2Go,

I'll add my voice to ST's here.

Fundamentally, the MA12 was designed for installation. The L1™ system was designed from scratch as a new approach to live music.

The most important differences related to portability and integration. There are dozens if not hundreds of features in the MA12 that make it suitable to installation and just as many features in the L1 system that make it suitable for portability.

The L1 sysetm is integrated -- all of the circuitry and amplification needed to play live amplified music is built in. There's no need for outboard equipment (except that related to your instrument).

If it were me, I'd use the MA12 for installation and the L1 system for portable use.

As ST says, tell us more what you're up to and perhaps we can cut, separate, and define our advice.

Thank you for your interest.

Ken Jacob
Chief Engineer

Thanks for responding to my question about the MA12 vs. L1. The system will be used to support a 4-piece wedding band most of the time, plus used as a portable system for church concerts with groups as large as 5 musicians and 5 singers. I will also be using the system to support stage plays (musicals) and choral performances in a high school gym. Outside of the set up differences, which may be significant, I'm most curious to know if two L1 units are an adequate replacement for two 802's and floor monitors. (Bose literature indicates that one L1 per person is ideal and I am considering sharing 2 L1's among multiple people - - a less than ideal approach.) I started down the path of the MA12's when I learned that there are brackets to mount them on a speaker pole, however I have never seen or heard the MA12's and don't know what is involved to set them up this way.

Hi again Good2Go,

Thanks for the information.

compared to what you know (802s + monitors)
I used 802s for years in all kinds of applications and gave them away the day after my first gig with the L1™.

I still have access to those 802s but have not encountered a single application where I would have used them in place of the L1™. This has been primarily for live music, (2 to 8-10 musicians) but also for spoken word.

As long as there is at least a 7'6" ceiling (the L1™ is about 7' tall), for live performance, portable applications I would take the L1™.

"a less than ideal approach"
It is wonderful to have one L1™ for each performer, but if you were to compare using a couple of L1™s as a direct replacement for a couple of 802s and monitors, you'd still be better off (sound clarity, sound coverage) with the L1™s. I've had to do this for some situations and while not ideal, it's still better.

For the applications you have described, it seems that the L1™ will be a good fit for your needs for portability. An individual can do the physical set-up for an L1™ in a couple of minutes, and the result will be stable and safe (no concerns for brackets, stands, rigging, or external amplifiers and wires). It takes a little longer to hook up a mic or an instrument - but you are well under 10 minutes.

You can add more L1™s as you go along. The individual players in the band will come to appreciate that the L1™ can be a more than competent replacement for individual backline amplifiers and may choose to make that investment individually.

quote:

Originally posted by Good2Go:
... the set up differences, which may be significant, ...

Yeah, don't under-estimate this.

"Robert L" on this forum has shared some pictures of his rigging of the MA12's and usage in a few situations, and I would say that if one is a professional "sound man", then the MA12's would provide flexibility to handle a wider range of venues -- but at the cost of a lot more work to set up and a lot more pieces of equipment to deal with.

For the usage you describe, I concur with the other recommendations -- go with L1 Systems.

If you use Google search on this forum for "L1.5" and "MA12" you'll find more discussion (some from a few years back) about the MA12 and L1.

In particular, you might find these of interest (among the many found with that search):

L1.5 - shows one mounting configuration.

MA12 Live Outdoor - more mounting pics

Big stack of MA12's in a stadium.

Learning Experience - stack of 3 vs. 2 stacks of 2