Bose S1 Pro vs Acoustic Amp

[Methos1979]

The biggest problem audiophile types have with Bose is their inflated price. In their opinion (and they are not wrong) you can get way more bang for your buck than Bose. That said, Bose has been very innovative with their technology and packaging and not unlike Harley Davidson they are near genius at branding and brand-loyalty.

I always liked the Bose 'colored' sound so I embraced their small bluetooth speakers early on and also their noise-cancelling headphones. So when the S1 came out I was quick to jump onboard with that system and although there are more and more similar systems hitting the market every year I have not seen anything that makes me want to change.

All that said, and admitted Bose S1 fanboy that I am, to go back to the original question of the original post, I still think that many might be better served by a dedicated acoustic amp depending on just what you're looking for and what your budget is.

There is just SO much great gear out there right now. There's literally something for everyone and it's all great stuff. It's a wonderful time to be an acoustic guitar player!!

[varmonter]

I guess I've always preferred QSC speakers.
Especially over bose. Power will maintain
Quality at a lower volume. Bose is a different
beast. Their coloring works for a lot of folks
But I find them harsher when pushed. And ear fatigue is common when using at higher
Vol. I've heard the little s1 at small venues.
And they sound pretty good. Not sure how they sound when pushed a bit. I know the l1
And the compact we use in the band are really harsh when we crank them. You can buy a qsc cp12 alot cheaper than an L1.
All those audiophiles cant be wrong.

[jwellsy]

Thanks for all the feedback on QSC vs Bose. That's very interesting about Bose coloring and spacial effects. I have heard a couple of Bose Wave machines and certainly was not impressed. Actually, I thought my buddies that got Waves were ripped off. I didn't realize that my listening bias may extend subconsciously to my perception of other sources like a common denominator. This kinda explains my confusion on QSC vs Bose, and my preference for the QSC sound.

I do have some hearing loss in the higher frequencies. So that, I'm sure affects my hearing preferences. I know I turn the highs up a lot more than I used to.

[jwellsy]

Do any of the AGF sponsors carry QSC and are they able to give AGF discounts?

[hotroad]

If money is absolutely no issue, get the JBL Line Array. It will blow away any other sound system ever mentioned in AGF. But it will cost over 5 grand. Ouch! So I have and use weekly for gigs two Bose S1's on poles with an EAE small amp at my feet for a monitor. BUT I go first to the EAE Stompmix 6 and use that eq out to the EAE amp then to the Bose pair. The whole system is helped along with my EAE Stompmix 6 preamp/mixer/effects. This system is top of the line for under $2000. The tone and power from this is truly high end and can be used for audiences up to 200 people. My two custom Bourgeois and Taylors sound much better than any single amp or other system I have heard. My vocal is also awesome through this system and helps me sound like that.... and lord knows I need it.

[sam.spoons]

I have an AER Compact 60 and did a demo several years ago with it and a Bose L1 Compact. At the time I preferred the AER 's guitar sound but the L1 was truly superb for vocals.

I also now have a couple of Bose S1 Pros which are good but the bass is very wayward and overblown. That's not a problem for acoustic guitar and vocals though and I bought them for the battery power.

I have owned a pair of QSC K12s for a number of years as my main FOH speakers (as a sound guy for hire and for my own bands) and love them for acoustic music as well as for electric bands. They are a completely different animal to the Bose L1 and S1, much louder and, with a sub, capable of amplifying a full band to a decent sized audience.

WRT the S1 Pros, if you need it to run on batterys they are better sounding to my ears than the alternatives (bass issues notwithstanding) but if you don't there are much better speakers out there for the price (Yamaha DXR range for starters).

[varmonter]

For small at home use and venues
Ip to a quiet 80 people or so
You cant go wrong with eae's
D6-8. Mk2. It's basically a 6 ch mixer
Mini pa system. I've used one for years
And they sound awesome. I've also
Used it in a duo situation and it
Was stellar as well 2 guitar 2 vocal.
But if in a band the qsc stuf cant
Be beat.

[Goat Mick]

Personally I've always liked the Bose sound and have used their home stereo products for about 40 years. To me it sounds exactly like what my ears are wanting from an amplified sound. When I first started gigging again, I bought an L1C loved the sound (I still have it and still use it for some gigs). The main way I use it now is for larger, more crowded rooms is to mix through one of my Fishman Loudboxes and line out into the Bose. I also picked up a Bose S1 pro over the summer and it is great for a lot of gigs. I feel like in order for me to hear it well enough to use it as a monitor, I have to have the volume up too high for intimate gigs. My Loudbox Artist is much better for lower volume, intimate gigs and it will handle a really noisy room as well. I also have a Loudbox Performer as well, but I may be selling it in the future because the Artist will cover most everything it does and if I need more coverage, I'll just line out into the L1C.

One thing I don't understand is why folks are saying that an S1 Pro isn't an acoustic amp. It really is and I use mine for the same applications as my Loudbox amps, just choosing one over the other based on the venue I'm playing. Just as you can't use the same wrench for every nut, you have to choose your sound system based on the venue you're playing.