Have used my L1 (model 1) since around '06 and have loved it. I own 2 of them which I use for really big gigs or the occasional Djng I do. I o about 160+ gigs a year so hauling my stuff around is ALL the work! I bought a compact last week and used it last night for the first time.

A little back ground. I'm a solo steel drummer who uses full range backup tracks I record using real instruments and such using my iPod (you can hear exactly what I mean on my website ---kentarnsbarger.com)

Being predominately a background musician (playing for rich peoples parties and cocktail hours) volume is not the #1 thing I look for but the L1 has the horse power when I need it. I had been thinking that a lot of my winter gigs and many summer ones too just didn't need the horse power of the L1.

So anyway, I get this amazing outdoor gig in Lincoln Park Chicago and have both systems with me (the L1 from an earlier gig that day) and I decide to just take in the Compact. About 150 people show up for this very high class reception and the compact was absolutely perfect for what I needed. I was a little apprehensive about the bass (& the system for that matter) but it really shined. I plan on using this for around 90% of my future gigs. I love the super quick setup/tear down. The lightweightness(? is that a word??) of it is incredible. People all night where checking it out and loving the simplicity of it. (they do the same with the L1 too!!, but this is even better!!)

I highly recommend a mixer with it. Experimenting with the iPod hook in with and without a mixer where really different. I could get much more bass while using my little Berhinger. Adds a couple of cords but really gives you much more instant control. Also I discovered that the compact seems to handle discrepancies in the bass much better than my L1. Some of my 80+ songs have just too much bass for the L1 on a specific setting so I just turn it down for that song. Not so with the Compact, 1 setting all night really handled my needs. I was very surprised.

So from a long-time user of the L1s with 1 or 2 B1s attached, I was really apprehensive about the compact system, but am now, once again, a believer.

thanks Bose

okay so I was forced to do 2 gigs one day without my little berhinger mixer as a 'preamp'. Man is there a difference. The Bose compact REALLY needs a mixer attached!
Now I remember why I thought it was a little crappy at first. Once the mixer is there, it sounds like a real PA system again. I' just a little confused why someone would think this preset sounds good with an ipod? It needs help fellas.

Hi Kent,

I"m confused now about what preset you are talking about when you use an ipod straight into the compact. If you are going into ch. 2 in the 1/4 input, you should have the preset switch to line level without the preset engaged. I would expect it to sound bad with the preset in.

I've used my compact with an ipod into the mini jack or the phono jacks and it works great. Both of those inputs bypass the preset. I love my compact.

I have a T1 and use it also with the compact and it certainly does give more tone shaping possibilities but Im very happy to go straight into the compact without it.

Rick

Rick,

Not to hijack the thread (sorry), but I'm thinking of possibly getting a Compact in the near future.

Do you find that using it (without a T1) without verb is acceptable? Or do you usually use the T1?

I tried a guitar through it and loved it, but the guitar has some natural ring to it anyway. Vocals are a different case...

Hi Tres,

I usually use the compact without the T1. I'm going for ultra simple most of the time with the compact and am very happy with the sound as is. It does depend on the acoustics of the room of course, but generally with the articulated array the natural room sound adds enough warmth and verb for my taste.

i let a friend use mine this week for a sr. adult luncheon at a local restaurant. There were 140 people in the crowd in a good size room. My friend was singing with cd trax. the room was quite dry and I would have used a little verb if I had the T1 there but it still sounded great. I continue to be amazed at the compact and am using it more and more.

I have a gig in gatlinburg, Tn. in a couple of weeks for a group of about 500. I'll take my L1 model II, the T1, 2 b1s and my compact. I've played this room twice before with the model II setup and it sounded great. I may use the compact this year for my stage sound and line out to the house system, which is quite good. I've done that a couple of times in a pretty big room with 1000 folks in the audience and it worked great.

Good grief, what a long answer to a short question that was. Sorry to keep gushing about the compact, but I really do love it.

All the best,
Rick

Kent,

I went to your fine website and enjoyed your music very much. I'm glad you are finding the compact works so well for you.

Aren't we glad to have these great bose systems that allow us to really get into the music and give the folks our very best.

For my money, Bose is the best.

Rick

quote:

Good grief, what a long answer to a short question that was. Sorry to keep gushing about the compact, but I really do love it.

No problem, that's what I wanted to know. I can use a T1, but I'd rather not if I can get away with it. Sounds like I can...

HI Tres

I have used the Compact on gigs with my ToneMatch and it performs wonderfully! I have a keyboard, 2 Mic's and a laptop into the Compact. My Model ll 2/bins is used on really large or outside rooms but I am starting to wonder if the Compact could also cover those gigs. I have always maintained that I want to cover the dance floor with music not the back of the room. Try the tonematch with the Compact and you will be very surprised!

AJ
Music is neither young or old......it just "is"

AJ.... the keyboard works well enough?? How about a nice full piano sound?? And some walking bass going on with the left hand??

Cool ...thanks. Guess I better get a Compact.

quote:

Originally posted by rwj:
Kent,

I went to your fine website and enjoyed your music very much. I'm glad you are finding the compact works so well for you.

Aren't we glad to have these great bose systems that allow us to really get into the music and give the folks our very best.

For my money, Bose is the best.

Rick

thanks for the compliments! In refering to the input, I simply plugged my ipod into the ipod jack. That's it. When I run my ipod in to my little mixer, then into the ipod input, it sounds 10x better. no question. showed it to several other musicains that where really intrested int he compact/L1 and they all agreed. So add $50 to the total setup