It's hard going back - EV30M to Bose S1

[Methos1979]

Anyone that follows me knows I've had a progression of amplification the past several years that started with a single Bose S1, then adding an EAE StompMix X6 mixer in front of it (for more inputs, power, EQ and tone shaping), then adding a second Bose S1, then going over to the EAE D6-58 and finally (for now) landing on the EV30M. The EV30M was bought primarily for the need of having a louder, bigger and better sound with greater dispersion for larger rooms in noisy pubs and restaurants.

Shortly after getting the EV30M we made the conscious decision to stop playing pubs and restaurants and pretty much anything other than assisted living shows. However, we loved the EV30M's sound, power and dispersion SO much that we ended up just using it for every and any assisted living show that requires sound reinforcement which is the majority of them. Of the 30-some-odd places we play, only 3 are small enough that we can play acoustic-only. So the EV30M is used for most places and it has worked extremely well, so far.

Yesterday on a whim I decided that I wanted to see if I could 'go back' to using just the Bose S1, all by itself with no mixer in front. It meant only having the one mic and guitar going into it so no mic for me. I only sing one or two songs as lead although I do sing a fair amount of harmonies but the room was not all that large so we figured the S1 could handle it and my unamplified harmonies would be heard well enough and that seemed to be the case. I even turned the guitar volume off and played and sang one song solo that could be heard.

Without any sort of preamp in front of the S1 the vocal mic is pretty low and we needed to turn it up to about 3/4 of the way to get it on par with the onboard preamped RainSong Black Ice Dread which has the S1 set at the 50% detent. Overall the sound quality was very good as is the case with the Bose S1. Our 'normal' settings for the Bose S1 are pretty much always the same when going straight in - ToneMatch to mic position (for both mic and guitar), Bass and Treble settings dialed back to about 35% and just a hint of reverb dialed up.

While it worked well enough, the tonal difference compared to the EV30M was (unsurprisingly) stark in contrast. The low end, rather than lacking, seemed excessive. This is because we had the S1 sitting on a table behind us and off to the side a bit so we got everything all at once. With the EV30M, the bass is coming out of the sub on the floor so you don't get that immediate hit right at your back. You almost feel it more than hear it. Conversely, the highs and mids of the EV30M seem much more present and separate from the bass because they are.

I was happy that it did work and it showed that the S1 can work all by itself in a pinch which is good news since one of my two S1's is almost always in the trunk as a backup. The only time there is no S1 in the trunk is when the D6-58 is there as a backup. I thought that I would enjoy the smaller load-in and simpler set up with everything I needed in my guitar gig bag and then just carrying the S1 but even those few things in the gig bag made it heavier and then carrying the S1 vs. rolling the EV and everything strapped to a cart made that benefit a wash.

So it's back to the EV30M for today's gig and likely any and all gigs in the future that require amplification. I figured I'd share this experience since I know that both of these systems (or systems of similar configuration) have been in discussion here as of late. I still like having all three systems available to use and it's nice to sometimes shake things up and do something different. But once you over to a stick/column system, it's very hard to go back to just a plain speaker or standalone amp. At least it is for us. YMMV.

Since many of us using these stick systems started with more generic acoustic amps, I'm wondering if others have tried this little test and what their findings were?

[AeroUSA]

I’m not sure it’s fair to even compare these two systems…

[Chriscom]

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

I’m not sure it’s fair to even compare these two systems…

The overlap isn't as much a stretch when you consider what I recall as Methos's double-S1 period. And what strikes me about this comparison is the tonal difference, not just the loudness war where obviously the S1 is no match.

I expect I'll be doing an indoor Farmer's Market this winter once or twice, and I'm tempted to try it with my S1. The space is certainly small enough. But my L1 Compact sounded really fine there last year, isn't much more to lug in if at all, and I don't have many chances to gig with it.

[wweiss]

The new EV Everse8 might be the perfect solution between the Bose S1Pro or the EV30m especially for the size gigs you are describing. I now have both but have not tested them side by side.

[Peter Z]

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

I’m not sure it’s fair to even compare these two systems…

Exactly - but if you take portability, footprint and setup time into account, it might be more fair. I think, both speakers have their places.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Peter Z

Exactly - but if you take portability, footprint and setup time into account, it might be more fair. I think, both speakers have their places.

I agree with this.
BTW, we’re doing gigs at two different hardware stores and playing Christmas tunes…completely unplugged.

[Methos1979]

I really wasn't comparing them tonally - I knew it was not going to be close. It was more about seeing if I could get away with hauling less and get a 'good enough' sound for a quiet room. I guess I'd just forgotten how much better the EV30M sounds since it's all we've been using since we got it over the summer and had 'acclimated' to the sound. We went back to the EV30M for today's gig and I doubt I'll try that experiment ever again.

We played a large, open room for today's gig so cranked it up even more than usual and man-oh-man did THAT sound great!! The Bose S1 sounds great for its size and weight and preamped is even more impressive but it just can't hold a candle to the EV30M except for maybe the smallest of rooms. Slave two with the X6 in front of it and it's closer but there's just something about that column design that works so well on so many levels.

[Murphy Slaw]

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

I’m not sure it’s fair to even compare these two systems…

My S1-Pro lined out into my L1-Compact sounds way different, too...

[L20A]

The biggest set back that I see with the Bose S1 is that it is only 100 Watts of power.
Like you, I also use a Tower Line Array system as my main PA.
I got the S1 for smaller shows and the ease of transporting and setting up.

To be truthful, my audiences will never know or care which system I use.
Good to have both.

[Chriscom]

Originally Posted by L20A

To be truthful, my audiences will never know or care which system I use.

Yes, this is usually true and equally true for most guitar pickups and IRs and all that. But I think most of us play better when it sounds better to us.

[leew3]

Rokdog and I played two assisted living gigs yesterday through a single S1 and it was plenty for the rooms we were in. We use a Mogami mixer pedal to put both guitars in one channel and a XLR Y cable to run vocals in the other. I did put the Shure transformer in the vocal signal chain to give us a bit more headroom on that channel but I'm not sure we needed it. We've done quite a few AL shows with this set up and enjoy the portability as well as sound. Like the OP notes, it's a different sound than when we use the Fishman SA 330 or two S1s behind us, but it works for these contexts.

[varmonter]

Do many variables ..A good friend and major pro sound guy( talking elton,bowie,and the like)
Told me once "all things being equal the system pushing more power will generally sound better at a lower volume. So when your playing assisted living your not blasting the pa.
Not surprising the ev sounds better than the bose..at those levels..

[JackB1]

I use my 30M for ALL gigs....large to small. The small footprint of the 30M's sub takes up less space than your typical speaker stand and still sounds great at very low volumes. If my setup space is very cramped, I will move the 30M as far forward as I can and use IEM's so I can hear myself better. and also use a mic with a tight polarity pattern. Also, since I have a wirekless XLR hookup, I can place the 30M anywhere else within range and only takeup enough space for me to stand with my guitar.

[Mayfair]

Like the OP, I've used many systems over the years and I keep coming back to the Bose L1 lineup. I currently have a Compact and a Pro8, both of which are very capable for most shows. I toured with the original L1 back in the mid '00s and ran it through the wringer!

I owned an S1 briefly and have thought about approaching it again, but as mentioned, it just doesn't seem to be powerful enough, or at least not enough to justify replacing one of my current systems with it.

I know it adds to the cost, but I recently purchased a ToneMatch T4S and am looking forward to exploring the possibilities, maybe even running both towers simultaneously.

[ZackPomerleau]

Originally Posted by wweiss

The new EV Everse8 might be the perfect solution between the Bose S1Pro or the EV30m especially for the size gigs you are describing. I now have both but have not tested them side by side.

I’d be curious to hear your thoughts. I got the Everse and am a little iffy I’d like the Bose more.