PA System - best for most scenarios

[mitcher16]

Hi folks, I know there are a ton of threads regarding PA's for a solo artist so apologies for adding another one.
I feel exhausted after having read so much on the internet in addition to this forum as well as others regarding PA systems for the solo artist.

I suppose just looking for a few final words of wisdom before deciding on my purchase.
I am a solo artist, playing for many years but starting to perform more in public, coffeehouses and small bars as well as a few outdoor gigs lined up for the summer.

Right now I am renting a Bose S1 PRO which works extremely well and is satisfactory for my gigs. I have even used my Fishman Mini and that has been satisfactory in coffeeshops. I am looking for a system, preferable battery powered, that would allow me to cover small, medium and the odd time larger areas, both inside and outside.

My main gigging gear is:
Eastman E20D with JJB Passive pickup
TC Helicon Harmony Singer 2 (battery powered & power)
LR Baggs Session DI (battery powered & power)
Shure SM58

I am leaning towards the Bose S1 PRO with the ability to add a second unit for larger areas and more volume. I do want the flexibility of battery powered and from what I have read the JBL Eon PRO isn't the greatest and the Mackie Free Play may not have enough volume at times.
I guess having one S1 Pro covers me probably 60% of the time and then adding a second would probably be enough for any situation. At least I think!

If I were to settle on a powered solution, I think I would purchase a Fishman SA330X as it has the features I want and use and the gear I currently have would work well together.

Anyways, any further suggestions would be great.
Cheers.

[SpruceTop]

Bose F1 Model 812. 'Nuff Said.

[roylor4]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Bose F1 Model 812. 'Nuff Said.

You did see that being battery powered was part of the criteria, right?

[Chriscom]

I think you have already figured it out. If you are satisfied with the little Bose and are eyeing the SA330x down the road a little, you're done. These are both quality brands and fit what you're doing. When it gets to larger venues, it depends how large large is, and maybe you can cross that road when you get there.

(I think the other poster was joking. Not only is the F1 not battery powered, it's a FOH unit great for auditorium and amphitheater type settings and perfectly wrong for the venues where the OP is performing).

[JakeStone]

The S1 Pro does a fantastic job for my solo gigs. Highly recommended!

I also play as a duo at restaurants and pubs and we add the Bose L1 compact. Using the S1 as monitor wedge. This combo covers a lot of “ground”. We have tried 2 S1 pros for small to medium rooms with excellent results. .But IMO the L1C covers deep rooms better.

[varmonter]

i personally think the 812 would sound good anywhere its a scant 60 lbs.
and i bet theyre awesome.
i for one am a big fAn of a board and a qsc k10. not batterypowered either
but will work in a wider area of situations than the s1. ive been playin gigs for
over forty year and cancount on one hand the times i needed battery power.
and have two fingers left .

[SpruceTop]

I tend to think in terms of what may be down the road for a performer and thus my highlighting the Bose F1 Model 812. The OP could start off with a Bose S1 Pro and later add a Bose F1 Model 812 and then use the Bose S1 as a monitor. Other than having a lack of battery power, I firmly believe the Bose F1 Model 12 could be used from the get-go for any gig, small to large, but the addition of a small mixer (Bose T4 or other brand) for more inputs, effects, and EQ is recommended when using the Bose F1 Model 812.

Dimensions/weight:
F1 Model 812 loudspeaker:26.1" H x 13.1" W x 14.6" D (44.5 lbs)
Frequency response (-3 dB): 52 Hz - 16 kHz
Frequency range (-10 dB): 43 Hz - 20 kHz
Nominal dispersion: C: 100° H x 40° V
Maximum SPL @ 1 m: 132 dB SPL (peak)
Rated power: 1,000 W

[Methos1979]

I was in your exact same boat last year with our acoustic duo. We had a Bose S1 that we used primarily and then had a QSC k8.2 as a backup in case we needed more power. We never did. So this year we bought a second S1 so now we have all the power we need (and then some) not to mention extreme versatility and also highly portable and battery powered. Even though we don't often need battery power (except for our outdoor gigs) we still use everything we have on battery power and love not needing to carry extension cords and power cords and worry about venue power location or quality.

I'll be selling the QSC very soon as it just sits around doing nothing. Get yourself a second S1. Since you've done so much reading I assume you've come across my many posts and video demo reviews on the S1.

[Chriscom]

Respectfully I think the F1 812 would be an odd choice for most venues a solo artist going down the road the OP thinks he is following, even later on. You'd be paying for a feature you don't need and giving up key benefits, other than weightlifting.

The key selling point of the 812 is vertical dispersion and shaping. Its 9 speakers point straight forward and you can aim parts of the column to target audience members up and down, whether on bleachers if the band is on the ground or if you're up on a stage and folks are sitting below you, for example. It bends like the letter C. If you're never going to use that, why pay for it? And the horizontal dispersion is only 100 degrees, compared to say the L1 family at 180 degrees. Even the little S1 Pro is listed at 120 degrees.

Are there bars that are a shoebox where the 812 would work fine? Sure, lots of them, especially if you are allowed to set up at one end or the other. But at least in my region (and my hangouts) where we've been carpet-bombed with brew houses and wineries, wide dispersion is a huge advantage. The other excellent route to go in that case is a couple of speakers as discussed in detail at AGF, which gives you an edge in other oddly shaped venues. Hence the OP going crazy trying to choose.

I've been at a ton of Northern Virginia venues playing and listening the last couple of years, and a bit in Pittsburgh, and I haven't seen a single F1 812, FWIW. I can think of venues where they'd likely be used, but more band-oriented places like clubs.

Anyway all that is down the line for OP who is currently renting an S1 Pro. Two sounds like a very good next step if you're married to a battery unit.

To address other units you mentioned, yes, the JBL Eon One Pro is still dinged for gain stage issues that can be addressed with an outboard mixer, but that'll likely nix your battery-power goal, and the Pro isn't as loud as the AC-powered one anyway. You mentioned the Mackie Freeplay; Martingitdave --a current Eon One Pro user IIRC--liked the previous version better than the current one. This listing should still be current: https://reverb.com/item/23706315-mac...onal-pa-system

[zhunter]

In my case, an S1 would be lost in the rooms I play. Not big loud rooms but not quiet rooms either. I think this thread is a good roadmap to a successful versatile rig that can supported by battery power.

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=546495

hunter

[El Conquistador]

Originally Posted by mitcher16

If I were to settle on a powered solution, I think I would purchase a Fishman SA330X as it has the features I want and use and the gear I currently have would work well together.
.

I have been using the SA220 for years. It has eq, reverb, feedback control, phase switch and is truly portable. I have yet to encounter a situation that made me wish I had more power. When it finally gives up the ghost, I will grab an SA330X.

Steve

[zhunter]

Originally Posted by varmonter

i personally think the 812 would sound good anywhere its a scant 60 lbs.
and i bet theyre awesome.
i for one am a big fAn of a board and a qsc k10. not batterypowered either
but will work in a wider area of situations than the s1. ive been playin gigs for
over forty year and cancount on one hand the times i needed battery power.
and have two fingers left .

I find myself wondering about the rising desire for battery power. Except for a short stint, it just seldom comes up. And a couple of extension cords in my gig bag, one with a three output "head" have always got me to the power I need. It hasn't proven inconvenient at all.

Internal battery powered rigs can be fun and if necessary then they are necessary. But, in my experience, they can leave me wondering, because of power limitations, if they will be adequate and that is no fun. Especially if they really turn out to be not up to the task. My powered speakers and board? I have no doubts about getting the job done.

So is battery power a convenience, a fad or a rising need?

hunter

[Chriscom]

I find myself wondering about the rising desire for battery power. Except for a short stint, it just seldom comes up. And a couple of extension cords in my gig bag, one with a three output "head" have always got me to the power I need. It hasn't proven inconvenient at all.

It depends on what you're doing and your tolerance for details.

One thing I do on occasion is play when a bar band I know is taking a break. It's four guys, two guitars, three mics, a full drum set, cables all over the place, and the sound guy doesn't really want me messing with their system which has led to some Frankenstein solutions I won't bore you with. I would love to stroll in with a battery-powered L1 Compact (though it's likely too weak) or more likely something like the Eon One Pro, plug in and start wailing away.

A duo gig I did was in a super large sit-down pizza shop where the nearest AC was 30+ feet away, a third of the way down the shoebox we were playing in. If a battery powered system that could handle that space were available, I would love to have avoided unspooling all that and duct-taping it down so people wouldn't trip over it.

Etc. Necessity and personal pressure points.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Chriscom

I find myself wondering about the rising desire for battery power. Except for a short stint, it just seldom comes up. And a couple of extension cords in my gig bag, one with a three output "head" have always got me to the power I need. It hasn't proven inconvenient at all.

It depends on what you're doing and your tolerance for details.

One thing I do on occasion is play when a bar band I know is taking a break. It's four guys, two guitars, three mics, a full drum set, cables all over the place, and the sound guy doesn't really want me messing with their system which has led to some Frankenstein solutions I won't bore you with. I would love to stroll in with a battery-powered L1 Compact (though it's likely too weak) or more likely something like the Eon One Pro, plug in and start wailing away.

A duo gig I did was in a super large sit-down pizza show where the nearest AC was 30+ feet away, a third of the way down the shoebox we were playing in. If a battery powered system that could handle that space were available, I would love to have avoided unspooling all that and duct-taping it down so people wouldn't trip over it.

Etc. Necessity and personal pressure points.

I can think of some situations where battery power would be a boon! Think of a local park with picnic-tabled pavilions that are located where no AC power is available. The only solution would be something like the Bose S1 Pro with its convenient onboard battery or a larger system powered off an inverter/car-battery setup. To be sure, the Bose S1 Pro would be sufficient for many smaller playing gigs and could be the first system for many players including our OP.

[lkingston]

My Schertler Roy will handle pretty much any acoustic style gig that doesn't need a trucked in sound system. I use it with wireless guitar and mics so the only wire is the power cable. Simple and it sounds fantastic!