I have just recieved my new'Compact', and I'm really suprised at just how much noise there is on the mic input! With the volume at '12o clock' even without a mic plugged in it is unuseably noisy.
When I plug in my Tonematch it works fine I am using a Sennheiser e945 which is just fine with my L1 mk11 and tonematch!
I bought this to use simply on it's own in very small restaurants, but without the Tonematch it is useless. I think that perhaps the mic preamp is suspect!
The store say they agree that the Compacts are very noisy, so there is no point in my changing it for another.
Does any one find this is a problem?

From what I've read, the "12 o'clock" on Channel 1 of the Compact is a very high gain setting ... would be really loud -- and thus "12 o'clock" should not be considered the default (or "normal") position for that knob.

Maybe something like 8 or 9 "o-clock" (e.g. ~1/4 of max) should be thought of as the default position ... or leave it completely down (off) when no mic is plugged in -- which may be a good practice when connecting/disconnecting a mic anyway.

I suspect that channel 1 has a really wide gain-range to handle a wide variety of possible microphone inputs without using a separate Trim gain stage.

Hint to Bose: Have the factory ship the Compact L1's with Channel 1 in the "off" (least gain) position.

Hello,
I must have gotten a really good Compact.I run my Audix OM3 mic direct in at 12:30 and notice very little noise.It's quieter than my Classic or my Model II.

Hi workshop05,

Plug in a microphone and try it.

I mean, actually use the microphone and set the Channel Volume at the level that sounds right for the microphone when you are singing at performance volume.



The noise should be neglible.



Oh, when I do this volume setting is well below 12:00 o'clock. 12:00 o'clock is very very loud.

As I have mentioned before, if you really want to be happy with your new compact then buy a tonematch and power supply and you will be in heaven. Use the compact mic channel 1 only as an emergency and take St 's advice on setting the volume level in accord to your performance.

AJ
Music is neither new or old it "just is"

Hi workshop

It does sound like your unit is working correctly. First and most importantly, please make sure taht you have a microphone connected when you turn up the Ch1 Volume control. As other members of the community pointed out, when the CH1 volume control is set to 12:00 the system is extremely loud. Below are some additional details as well as guidlines for adjusting your levels. Please read through my post and let me know if you have any further questions.

We’ve designed the L1 Compact with the goal of providing a simple user interface for both musicians and general purpose users. You will notice there is volume control for each channel but no overall master volume. This means that the power amp section is always at full gain. In this configuration the Ch1 and Ch2 volume controls are effectively acting as trim controls. The benefit of a trim control is that you don’t need to significant gain in order to drive the L1 Compact to full output.

The L1 Compact mic channel is designed to work with a wide range of handheld microphones from popular mics like a Shure Beta 58A all the way to lower sensitivity microphones like the Sennheiser e8155. As you may know sensitivity can vary between microphones so we’ve elected to include a higher amount of gain on the mic channel.

In order to maximize signal to noise (when using the L1 Compact CH1 MIC CHANNEL) we recommend that you determine the loudest level that is required for your room/application and follow the steps below.

1.) Plug in your microphone to CH1
2.) Turn the L1 Compact CH1 VOLUME/TRIM to 9 o’clock
3.) Speak into the mic at your loudest volume and softest volume
4.) Adjust the CH1 VOLUME/TRIM control to a setting that will work for your loud and soft vocal passages.
5.) Remember since this is effectively a trim control (and the master is at full) you don’t need to build additional headroom into the system.
6.) Additional tip: In most cases, the CH1 Mic Pre has more gain than you will ever need, so if you don’t need the extra gain, don’t use it as it will only introduce noise.

Thanks,
Craig

Moved Reply:

I really am trying to get enough gain on channel 1,with the minimum amount of hiss . To get a usable amount of volume on my mic (sennheiser e945)at a gig I need to be up around 11 o'clock, with the treble taken way off, and the sound then is really wooley. I'm wondering whether to use a di box, or perhaps another preamp. I used the Compact last night,first with the Tonematch, then without. I just couldnt get the volume or tone by going staight into channel 1.
It seem a real shame,as channel 2 'straight in' works great, and is really quiet! And we soon learn to live without reverb. Ifeel that channel 1 is really spoiling what otherwise is great setup.

Moved Reply:

Hi workshop05

EDIT - workshop05 amended his post above. The following is no longer directly applicable.

quote:

Originally posted by workshop05:
I really am trying to get enough gain on channel 2,with the minimum amount of hiss .

Are you connecting your microphone to Channel 2?

That input (Compact Channel 2) is intended for instruments, mixers, or a T1®. A microphone straight into Channel 2 will probably not have enough gain to drive that channel well. ***

quote:

To get a usable amount of volume on my mic (sennheiser e945)at a gig I need to be up around 11 o'clock, with the treble taken way off, and the sound then is really wooley. I'm wondering whether to use a di box, or perhaps another preamp. I used the Compact last night,first without Tonematch, then without. I just couldnt get the volume or tone by going staight into channel 2.
It seem a real shame,as channel 1 'straight in' works great! And we soon learn to live without reverb. Ifeel that channel 2 is really spoiling what otherwise is great setup.

Channel 2 should (and does) sound great with a line level signal or Guitar with a pickup in it. It was not designed to run a low-impedance microphone like your Sennheiser e945 - nor was it meant to. That is what Channel 1 is for - vocal microphones.

---

*** Microphone into Channel 2 ***
not recommended.

I've tried it several different ways just to experiment with mic'ing some of my acoustic guitars. Straight in, there wasn't sufficient gain to reach the volume levels I need for performance.

I had some success when I ran through an impedance matching transformer, but ultimately I decided to stick with guitars with pickups.

Moved Reply:

Sorry my post had the 1 and 2 channels reversed I have amended that post,.. Yes, I am using channel 1 (XLR)

Hi workshop05,

I'm not sure if this will help but let me try to give you some additional perspective based on past L1 history. As you know the L1 approach is unique and for many customers a speaker placed behind them and at ear height is a completely new experience. Often it takes some time to adjust to the new sensation of experiancing everything come from behind the musician (as opposed to separate backline, monitors and mains). Because users are closer to an L1 Compact over a conventional loudspeaker it possible that you may notice or be more sensitive to the noise floor. This is normal. And although you may hear the noise, it's unlikely your audience will even notice because of their distance to the loudspeaker. And the majority of what you experiance from the performance location is related to your proximity to the L1.

Again, this is just my perspective on the situation, I don't doubt what you are hearing. And ultimatly you are the judge whether the L1 Compact will work for you or not. My advice would be to try to live with it for a few gigs and ask the audience what they think of the performance and overall sound quality. Just a suggestion.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Craig

I have no problems with the sound quality of the Compact. It is great! With the Tonematch it works just as well for me as my L1 Mk11,in just about all of my venues!
As much as I have tried to fiddle with channel 1, it is unusable as a mic input. I am still hoping I can use some sort of inline transformer or preamp to bring up the gain and turn down the noise on channel 1. Does anyone have any ideas about this? The apeall to me of the Compact is in it's simplicity ; Guitar-Channel 2, and mic-channel 1. That's all I want. Help please!!!!

quote:

Help please!!!!

It seems that you need to compare your Compact to another one, like at Guitar Center or somewhere, to confirm that it's not inherent in all the units.
Personally I have no problems in general, but did run into a very bad sounding venue just recently.
It was at a Baby Blue Eyes gig. We never could get it to sound *right*, still don't know why. We've used the Compact in that venue before, in a different position and it was fine.

Could have been the mic, we don't know.

Has anyone had the issue where the mic input makes constant crackling noise at certain locations and not at others? The noise coincides with the volume level.
Input two is always clean.

Hi Seth411,

quote:

Originally posted by seth411:
Has anyone had the issue where the mic input makes constant crackling noise at certain locations and not at others? The noise coincides with the volume level.
Input two is always clean.

Do you hear the crackling noise if there is NO microphone cable attached? (With or without a microphone attached).

I am wondering if a defective cable or microphone is intermittently picking up interference in different environments.

Sorry should have added that even with no cable or mic I don't get any noise. When I brought the unit home it was clean sounding again.

I must remember not to write so late at night.
Sorry about the grammar.

I hear crackling noise out of the #1 input with or with out a cable and mic. The noise is audible even at very low levels.

I've heard this noise at my house as well so it is intermittent. The unit is only a few months old.

Hi Seth411,

Are you in North America?

If so, then all Call Bose® Product & Technical Support at (877) 335-2673 (U.S. and Canada only)
Monday-Friday: 8:30 AM - 9:00 PM ET
Saturday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET
Currently no support available on Sunday

It is really tough to diagnose an intermittent problem by exchanging messages like this. I think it would be faster for you to call if you can.