My Bose S1 Pro Review

[AeroUSA]

Hi all,

I just made this video yesterday and posted it today. I thought some of you might find it helpful with all the S1 Pro talk lately.


Please subscribe to my channel if you like it:

[Methos1979]

Great job/review, Aaron. We agree completely on the S1 system. Pricey, sure (hey, it's a Bo$e system after all) but at least it offers a lot of bang for the buck. We have been very pleased. I still plan to add a QSC k8.2 at some point for when we need more power but until we start running into that situation I plan to push the Bose S1 Pro to it's very limits.

Typical NYC living with the sirens in the background! Our daughter (a writer and director/filmmaker) lives in NYC and every time we Facetime with her you inevitably hear sirens in the background!

[lkingston]

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

Hi all,

I just made this video yesterday and posted it today. I thought some of you might find it helpful with all the S1 Pro talk lately.

Nice. One small thing: the line out is a TRS balanced plug. It works with a TS cable but it’s noticeably noisier. The combo ins are also TRS.

[Marty C]

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

Hi all,

I just made this video yesterday and posted it today. I thought some of you might find it helpful with all the S1 Pro talk lately.


Please subscribe to my channel if you like it:

What pickup is in your guitar and what setting do you have on the S1? Sounds great.

Great review by the way! Thanks for taking the time to do I.

[AeroUSA]

Hey Marty,

Thanks and it’s the Fishman Aura VT Enhance. It really does sound great doesn’t it.

[Captain Jim]

Nice review - thanks! A new S1 owner here, I am also impressed with the sound/tone this small unit puts out. I have tested it with the line out run to a Bose L1C - gives even more coverage without the need for more volume. Love the battery and reverb! I had been using a Play Acoustic for some guitar "shaping" as well as the vocal harmonies - I don't feel any guitar enhancement is necessary with the S1.

[kramster]

Guess I better get one...And a fine video too Mr. USA!

[Marty C]

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

Hey Marty,

Thanks and it’s the Fishman Aura VT Enhance. It really does sound great doesn’t it.

Yes it does.

[AeroUSA]

I’ll be making a video on the Aura VT Enhance next...

[Vancebo]

I am sitting in front of my Bose S1 listening to Pandora on my phone. Pandora is not the quintessential audiophile format but since we have accepted the internet as an audio source I will say the internet sounds pretty good through the S1. Since I have owned the S1, I have not played a lot of music through it. I realized how versatile it is. It is built to play full audio recordings with the deep rich bass that does not lack anything. Then with a flip of a switch your guitar sounds good through it then another flip of a switch my basic SM58 sounds fantastic. I would not play guitar without the guitar preset. Way too much bass for that. I remember I gave up my AER Compact 60 for this. The Bose was very comparable to the AER in quality. I can’t say it beat the AER, both were outstanding. I felt I needed the Bluetooth, battery and monitor wedge feature of the Bose more. I can live without the phantom power but wish that was included.

[Groberts]

Fantastic demo and informative video. Very well done and very helpful. I recently realized I have needs for small acoustic amplification at home and maybe in some super small settings.

I was checking out the new Fishman Loudbox Mini Charge which is $499. I wonder how this compares? I would sort of expect the Bose to offer a little more, but tone and natural sound is so subjective.

Either way, I am very impressed with your demo. How long does the battery last when performing? Can you get 4 hours out of it without worrying?

Thanks!

[Groberts]

By the way, your Martin sounds fantastic and loved your playing too! :-)

[89bruin]

Originally Posted by Groberts

Fantastic demo and informative video. Very well done and very helpful. I recently realized I have needs for small acoustic amplification at home and maybe in some super small settings.

I was checking out the new Fishman Loudbox Mini Charge which is $499. I wonder how this compares? I would sort of expect the Bose to offer a little more, but tone and natural sound is so subjective.

Either way, I am very impressed with your demo. How long does the battery last when performing? Can you get 4 hours out of it without worrying?

Thanks!

I returned the S1 for the Loudbox Mini Charge and couldn’t be happier. I was so excited to get the S1 but after using it over a couple of weeks I was disillusioned. I just couldn’t get a sound I liked out of the S1. I played with different orientations, tonematch on ... and then off. Worked the bass & trebel balance and even trotted out the Venue eq. Ultimately, I had some friends a/b the S1 against my Fender Acoustasonic 90 & the Fender won hands down. For kicks we also compared the S1 to a Behringer MPA40BT and most liked the Behringer better! So I returned the S1 and got the charge ... plugged in and ... perfect.

I know others have had good luck with the S1 and I’m glad but I couldn’t get the sound I wanted ... the closest was a nylon string Cordoba with a Fishman UST. On the other hand I’ve had no trouble with the Charge. I’d recommend auditioning them side by side to see what sounds best to your ear.

[AeroUSA]

Hey 89bruin what kind of guitar and pickup did you use with the S1?

[89bruin]

Larrivée LS-03 with an L.R. Baggs Lyric, Martin 000 with Fishman UST, Cordoba C5CE (UST) and I tried my 000-15 with a magnetic soundhole pickup and the iRigAcoustic Stage. Some were better than others but none were great and I was expecting to be blown away. My impression is that the S1 has a trebel bias.