Array...non Array...back to Array...Help!
 

update: after having to sell my old L1 Model 1 B1 a year ago, I was thinking about the traditional PA this time as I return to performing.....I got lots of great advice here, speakers (active and passive) and mixers, etc.....budget 1000-1400.....singer, acoustic guitar, and background MP3 tracks most of the time.....
was settling in on QSC, Yamaha, or EV active speakers, and the Zed 10 FX mixer (or keep my T1 tonematch).....BUT, the more I think about the smaller venues I will frequent (church groups, coffee houses, small restaurants, house concerts) I keep coming back to, at least for me, the advantage of column speakers, equal volume from the stage, and all the way to the back of the room
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in my original thread, I said I couldn't afford to go back to Bose, especially new, but some of you added to the speaker discussion with suggestions of Bose alternatives, of which the Maui 11 G2 seemed the right one for me.....in all of this searching (so hard for me to just wait for the right used gear to come along) I see high prices on all the "best" gear, the way it should be for sure.....so, for now, I'm back to the array system for my needs, and it's Maui 11 G2 (new), Bose L1 Model 1 (or Classic) used, or the new L1 Model II, if I decide to spend more (ouch).....my basic question after all this is:
has anyone had Bose L1 Model 1 in the past but no more, and now you have the Maui 11 G2? a real life comparison of the two systems.....common sense, and budget, tell me $850 Maui 11 G2 (add a Zed 10 FX or use my T1) and I'm all done........and that's why I came back to the forum and opened this up.....I'm really hoping that I won't feel like I've "compromised" sound, like the L1 for 10 yrs, all for budget (1000 or less).......hey, I'm 69, not 39....not making plans for yrs and yrs to come.....and I can still sit in a room with my Santa Cruz 2010 VJ, no PA, and tell a story with a song, so I don't think I necessarily have to have $2000 plus sound system to make me sound good...ha...ha...but it would be nice I must admit!
any and all input greatly appreciated as always.....

PS.....have a friend willing to sell me his 6 mo old L1 Model II B1 for 1800.......am I crazy to pass on that? Maui 11 G2 - 850..........or L1 Model II B1 - 1800........???

Very happy with my Maui 11 G2. Only weakness IMO is that the bluetooth is a little "wonky". also using a ZED 10FX when I need more inputs.

thanks, Foss38.....I'd love to be able to demo one, but the positive feedback here at AGF is a close second.......man, if the Maui 11 G2 is anything even close to the L1 "sound", half the investment does make sense.....

Please allow me to weigh in? I am kind of agnostic on ampification. I recently had a Bose L1 Compact that was flawless, as well as a Fishman SA330x with the SA Expander mixer. I also 99% of the time plug in to my partner's Bose L1B1.

The Bose products sound great, but you know that. The purpose of my post today is to just also tell you to consider the Fishman SA330X. $800 new. The Expander mixer is $179. It was learning curve to dial in my X&K guitars - through a Red Eye - into the Fishman. When I got it down the sound was also fantastic.

Plenty of EQ. Phantom Power. Other great features like reverb. Super quick setup. Easy to adjust knobs - (I hate the menus and complexity of the very capable and excellent-sounding tonematch mixer).

For not big spend, this could be something you might very well like.

I have seen these for sale used under $800 for both easily.

themissal......glad you weighed in.....that SA330x pops up a lot, and I'll give it another look.....and I appreciate the Bose comments, the Compact and the L1

You know my view on the Maui 11 G2. Absolutely love it. I get compliments on my sound almost every time I play. Obviously there are a number of things in the chain that impact the final sound, but the Maui is certainly not the weak link (that would be the player!!).

I love my S1 Pros. However, I went to see a colleague perform her acoustic music yesterday and she was using the Fishman SA 330. It sounded wonderful.

Really, so many good options, it is hard to go wrong!

I'm predicting 7 pages for this thread....just sayin'

leew3.....actually we did that couple weeks ago so this one not so much.....I do lots of research usually before I pick AGF's brains.....this thread started mostly to ask for a side by side comparison between the Bose L1 Model II B1 vs the LD Maui 11 G2.....pretty specific, and that's why it had a hundred views before anybody even chimed in.......but you're right, they do take off with a life of their own......I did start with "any and all input greatly appreciated" and the more I learn about portable PAs, the more content I'll be with my final decision

Stratcat77.....love the "weak link" thing.....gettin' real close to ordering the Maui 11.....I think the bottom line is a $2000 Bose is what it is, and the $500-$1000 new array systems are aimed at a slightly different user and I get that.....and as usual, the final decision isn't really "which one sounds best", but which one best fits whatever situation a person is in.......not being able to demo these top choices, I read, I listen to opinions, I trust those I get a good feeling for, then I go with my gut feeling.....and I'm being a little more cautious these days with retirement and a soc sec budget.....that's why I like what you said about "rather have two 11s instead of one 23.....really good advice!

The thing about the L1 Model 2 even with "just" a B1 bass is that it's a lot of system--even broken into parts, the base you stick the arrays into is surprisingly heavy as are the M2's arrays. If it were me and something like the SA330x could handle the job I'd go in that direction. But yeah if it's not enough, it's always better to have extra headroom than to be screaming past the true design capacity. I saw a guy playing an L1 Compact (which I have and love) way too cranked for a big crowd and it was gruesome.

The SA330x would be somewhat more powerful, with its separate sub, and then of course the L1 M2 would be a huge move up in the projection/coverage level.

I'm sure there are exceptions but the people I remember posting here about the Mauis really like them.

I played through an RCF Evox 8 once and thought it sounded great.

That said, I prefer a couple of powered boxes and a small format mixer with mid sweeps and decent FX. I use two Line 6 L2T's and a Soundcraft EFX8 mixer and love that setup.

I also use an active crossover and a Yorkville NX720p 15" powered sub for most gigs. It's not about volume to me, it's about fullness. Each speaker is producing what it's designed to.

Some of my lower volume restaurant gigs, I use one Line 6 L2T and a mixer, although I could use the integrated mixer on the side of the L2T if I wanted to. I just prefer putting the speaker where I want it while being able to reach the mixer.

Sometimes I ditch the mixer for wedding ceremonies. Makes for a really quick teardown to get over to the cocktail hour part of the evening.

This is worth considering. As you get older, you may find that size and weight become more important, and comparing systems on those criteria in addition to features and sound quality can make good sense.

Jeff.....well worth considering for sure, size and weight as well as budget.....
and how 'bout I throw this in for the husbands of the world who occasionally have a thought similar to mine: the Maui 11 G2 comes in black or white.....
hmmmmmm.....I've actually considered getting the white one, wondering if my wife would find it less offensive when set up at home (white walls throughout) ......after all, she spent ten years looking at that black Bose "tower" and was almost glad to see it go when I sold it.....much smaller house now, without a dedicated music room, so the look of each room does matter to her....."hey dear, I've got some good news and some bad news".....ha.....ha.....

Here's a better approach: "Hey, Dear, I have some good news and some better news..." ;)