| martingitdave |
05-20-2015 08:36 AM |
Bose L1 Compact vs Fishman SA220
Well, I'm sad to report that I had to cancel my pre-order for the, yet to be released, StageMate S600. Carvin is a great company to deal with, but I need a system for a folk gig this weekend, and one next weekend, and they won't be likely to ship the Carvin until the end of May/early June. I briefly considered getting the AG200 or AG300 instead, but I think I will be better served with the line array, though it is conjecture only, as I have not put hands on either of those units. After researching everything on the market at the sub $1,000 price point, including the Yamaha StagePas, Samson, JBL, Fender, HK nano, and other compact 3-piece PA systems, I settled on the two likely suspects. The Bose L1 compact, and the Fishman SA 220.
Further tempted by the sales going on for new units ($899 plus tax for the Bose and $850 plus tax for SA220 at GC in Chicago), I decided to take a guitar to the store to try them out. I picked times when I had the place to myself. The setting was the rather large acoustic room at the GC in Arlington Heights, IL. I spent about 1 hour with each system.
Here are my thoughts from the perspective of an engineer, a singer/songwriter and occasional "giggest."
#1 Sound quality:
The Bose L1 and the Fishman SA 220 were very comparable in terms of sound quality. I did not find the lack of reverb effect an issue with the Bose. I think it sounded lovely. In fact, in very close proximity, I think the Bose had more "air" and shimmer in the tone. About 15 - 25 feet away (the length of the room and my instrument cable), I think the Fishman sounded marginally better. The folks who were listening in, including a gigging acoustic musician I know, preferred the Fishman during my demo. I did not experience feedback with my Taylor ES2 with either system. Yeah!
#2 Electronic features:
I think Fishman hit all the right button with their design. It is just well thought out. All the necessary inputs and outputs to use stand alone and as an expanded system. For acoustic guitars and voice, I don't sense a lack of bass. Perhaps, if you had more bass instruments, a sub would be handy. I don't anticipate that need. The built-in effects, the effects loop, the XLR monitor ports, EQ controls, mic preamps, phantom power, etc. suggests Fishman thought of "everything." I also like the idea of being able to use the monitor and Aux ports for additional channels in a pinch. I had no trouble getting the sound dialed in. I like lots of knobs to turn. Update: I reviewed the owners manual and included block diagram. This is a really well thought out circuit design. Honestly, other than more channels, more effects options, or more speaker add-ons, I don't know what else they could have included, that wouldn't go obsolete in a year.
Anything you can do with the Fishman, you can do with the Bose. In fact, for 1 guitar and vocals, the "voodoo" inside the unit just works. It's akin to an Apple product, that "just works." But, if you want the flexibility of the Fishman, it's just going to cost a little more. My sense is that beyond a guitar and a dynamic mic, you need the Tonematch mixer. And, with the mixer, I think the unit becomes more capable than the Fishman, since it has some sub woofer capability. But, it is an extra $400 to $500. I also think Bose missed the boat by not providing a TI power/signal pass through port on the compact unit. It makes an otherwise elegant solution, slightly more cumbersome than needed. In fact, if the Bose compact had the T1 port, it might have swayed me to spend more and the a compact and T1 mixer.
#3 Physical comparison
Both systems are lightweight. But, I felt that the tower extensions on the Bose were rather un-secure when fully extended. I envision someone knocking them over. In fact, while I demoed the unit I slid the Bose unit forward on the carpet and the tower nearly fell off - I caught it just in time. In fairness, you can't really nudge the Fishman, once it is on the stand, either. With regards to carrying, the Fishman gets the "one roller bag" nod. It is, literally, "one less thing to carry." The bag and wheels are actually a fine selling point, as I am sure others would agree. It hope I can stuff my cords, a folded boom mic stand in the attached stand bag. I can carry my mic, AirTurn, and iPad holder, and other odds and ends, in a backpack and the guitar in the other hand.
#4 Construction
This comment is not intended to offend owners of the Bose, as I think it is a fine and capable system, but the construction of the Fishman appeals to me as more "gig ready" and less like a consumer electronics piece. Others will undoubtedly argue that they have gigged the Bose from here to Sunday, with much success. But, I suspect the Fishman would survive a drop, during transport, more intact. I suspect the Fishman would all pass the "beer test" more readily. I'd be interested in the opinions of others with experience in this regard.
So, I purchased the Fishman SA220. They had sold out of inventory at the sale price, so mine will arrive by Friday. Just in time to put it to use.
Also, a note of thanks to the many members who have posted about their experiences with these systems. Your reviews and advice were very useful in helping to make my final purchase decision. I am also grateful for the others who figured out the tricks to making these things work. I think the power of this forum is sharing information and experiences that help us to make better music for ourselves, and others, to enjoy.
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