Headliner: Jimmy Webb - solo vocal, grand piano
Opener: Kevin Welch - solo vocal, acoustic guitar
Venue: Tolbert Theatre at Stage Center, Oklahoma City
Date: 3/24/06

Results were mixed, although generally positive. You will recall that Tolbert is a thrust configuration. The grand piano was near center stage, pointed downstage with the keyboard a little upstage of center. Used two L-1s upstage left (USL) and upstage right (USR) of the piano, spaced about 10-12' apart. Used one B-1 centered between the L-1s (started with two but found that to be overkill).

Used a single piano mic, which covered quite well, and ran it to Mic In 1 of the USR L-1. Vocal mic went to Mic In 2 of the USL. Planned to run the 2nd L-1 in series off the 1st one. Called Bose to double-check things and Chris (I believe) advised me that the +4 line outs might overdrive the line ins on the 2nd L-1, so suggested inline pads. These proved to be unavailable in town - at least on short notice, so I bought a tiny Behringer mixer to put in between the two L-1s to trim the signal from one to the other. For reasons unknown, I could not pass signal, so scrapped the Behringer and experimented with a) coming into Line Ins 3 & 4 on the 2nd L-1 and b) coming into Line Ins 1 & 2 with the trim as low as I could get it.

Line Ins 3 & 4 don't get the remote EQ or presets, so that was only going to work if my source signals were good the way they were. No problem with the piano and vocals, but big problem with Kevin's guitar. So, I opted for Line Ins 1 & 2 with the trim on the guitar channel as low as possible. After some nasty distortion issues at sound check, finally got things balanced where Kevin's guitar did not overtly distort - although Kevin's guitar sound remained muddy to my ears - not normally a problem with his instrument. So, this was a disappointment.

Generally, the system worked fine for Jimmy's set. Coverage to the extreme upper sections was [predictably] a bit soft, making it sometimes difficult to understand him. For most of the house, however, the sound was quite natural and pleasing. It did
require EQ on the vocal. Even on the 003 preset, I could not get good articulation out of the system. So, I inserted EQ on the vocal channel which, I guess, did not get to the 2nd L-1. EQ was subtle - a little attenuation in the 500 to 800 Hz range, if memory serves me, and a little bump in the 6-8K range. Made all the difference.

I asked Jimmy how it was playing in front of that system. He liked it a lot, remarking that he was completely unaware of it, which says a lot, I think.

I am still very impressed with the technology, but am not sure it is ready for this sort of application. After all, it is a Personal Amplification System, designed for the musician. Coverage issues aside, it is very cumbersome to use in a multi-act, large venue situation. I hope that Bose will consider taking the Cylindrical Radiator design to the next level, i.e. for "commercial applications", incorporating easier interfacing with consoles and/or outboard devices, master control for all connected systems, onboard pads, perhaps a re-design of the towers to facilitate rigging.

Musicians love this system and audiences love it in appropriate applications. I see no reason that the concept cannot be applied to ever-larger and more demanding situations.

Thanks again to you all for the insights - Mike and Dan, you two were right on with your respective observations. Also, thanks to Jon Hernandez at the Guitar Center in Oklahoma City for the demo.

- moranpro, March 31 2006 -

full thread here