Hi Garry,

If you ave concerned about 1/4 wave cancellation we're probably just around 90 hertz on a 30" table (if you add the height to the centre of the driver). I might occasionally try to sing that low, but it would be really unusual for me to be in that range while talking. Even if I were, I don't think there would be a negative impact on intelligibility.


I did some testing in my space with the Compact on a table and did not have any issues with bass response or rattling. I had the volume up uncomfortably loud and there were no problems.

If I had the volume up to help project into the room then I would certainly be running fully extended rather than half-vast half-mast.

For talking I'd be pretty happy putting the Compact on a sturdy table, and if there was a need to push the volume then I'd put it on the floor and run fully extended.

As a matter of interest, it takes mere seconds to add the second extension, and the column is so slim I can barely imagine a visual scenario where running full height would be intrusive.

But let's see what the folks-at-Bose have to say about this.

quote:

Even if I sold one of the Compacts for a voice-only application, I think I would recommend a single extension configuration rather than placing the entire unit on a table.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ST,

ST,
thanks for all the great info. I am excited to try mine out...should be here by 5/6. It really seems like it will offer a lot of flexiblity for DJ's like me and a very welcome addition to my M2's and M1's.

A little more about the hiss.

I had the Compact out at a gig last night (2009/05/04). This was a restaurant/pub and the hiss was inaudible over the ambient noise in the room.

On the subject of bass performance, a bass box can under certain conditions, create undesirable cancellations (dropouts) at certain frequencies, because of interference between the bass box and it's mirror image from a nearby boundary.

In the worst case, if you put a bass box outdoors, 1/4 wavelength above the ground, then climbed a ladder so your ears were over the bass box, you would be on the line connecting the bass box and it's mirror image and at a frequency equivalent to a 1/4 wavelength distance between box and ground, there would be a deep notch in the response.

However, if you were instead on the ground (not on a ladder) and so were roughly equal distance from the box and it's mirror image there would be no harmful cancellation.

That's roughly what to expect when you put the L1 Compact on a table: listeners are on the ground plane and therefore are roughly equal distance from the speaker and its mirror image, and therefore should not hear a dropout of bass.

We did a lot of experimentation and we're confident that the L1 Compact sounds really good in tabletop mode.

On the subject of table vibration, I think the only thing to be concerned about there is something rattling or audible vibrating. So far, that hasn't happened to me, but if it did, and I couldn't deaden the vibration I'd have to move the L1 Compact, or as suggested, use it on the floor in extended position.

Ken

ST,
I did some more tests today with my compact in a very quiet room. with the controls at 12:00 the hiss level is very low. I could not even hear it more than a few feet out. It really is a non-issue for me.

Do you think it could just be your unit? I look forward to hearing some others to compare mine with.

Ken,
did you read my post on page 2 of this thread? I'm curious about the slight difference in clarity between the collapsed and extended configurations at higher volume levels. Is it just my old ears playing tricks.

I'm loving the new system a lot.

You Bose folks are the best.

Rick

Hiss really should not be an issue. We worked really hard to get self noise down very low. It'll be interesting to see if this comes up anywhere else.

Rick, I would trust your ears totally, knowing you and also how well you play. There's no way those incredible sounds could come out of your instrument or voice if you didn't have superb hearing.

There will be some slight differences between collapsed and extended positions, just because of the different physical arrangement. We did lots of experiments to convince ourselves that these differences were very subtle or negligible so that players wouldn't feel like they had to adjust based on the differences. But sensitive listeners under some circumstances (quiet, focused) could still pick them out.

All the best,

Ken

I noticed with my L1 Compact that the self noise is slightly higher than the L1 Model 1 or L1 Model II. This is with the volume up above 12 o'clock. It disappears when a source (me/mp3 player) is playing.

HI Ken,
Thanks for the kind words and response. I like what you said about not having to adjust to minor differences in the sound between the two positions. The differences are indeed very subtle.

When actually playing and singing through the system, I find it's completely comfortable in either position. The voicing is so much like the other L1s, that I felt right at home from the start. The wow factor is definitely there for people hearing it for the first time.

I had an artist in for a program this past weekend and had him sing and play through it so I could just walk the room and listen. He was blown away by the sound and so was I. I'll be playing a gig with it this Thursday and can hardly wait.


Also, be sure to try as many different microphones as you can with the system. I'll bet that you will find one that's just right. I've tried several with mine and am probably going to bring my old SM 58 out of retirement. Go figure.

Making music with the L1 system is still so much fun, it's just quicker and easier on the back and billfold than ever before.

Thanks Bose.

Riok

Mine just came! I'm wrapping up a couple of things on my new CD project I have to do before I can open the box.

Tom

FYI - My box is pretty beat up. I hope the unit is okay.

Thought you might all kuje to seem some unboxing shots.

Box opened

Opened

Foam & manual

Manual & AC cord removed

Compact in wrapping

Bottom foam

Wrapped Compact

On side - unwrapping

There she is!

Aha!