Helix And Bose L1 Compact

[robbieb61 212]

Got a new BOSE L1 Compact. It was delivered yesterday. 
All I can say is...wow!

This sounds great! 
I'm using it tomorrow (Sunday) at a gig here in Vegas. And I'm really, really looking forward to this.  The dispersion of this thing is incredible. The technology of the speaker allows it to sound great right in front of it and all the way to the back of the room. 

I LOVE the sound I get running the Helix through my DT50. But like any "old school" speaker (guitar amp OR even front of house PA speakers), you get a loud sound close up and a thin crappy sound 50 feet away. 

I set mine up yesterday in a part of my house that is two rooms combined and is over 40 feet in length. This thing sounded GREAT all the way through the two rooms. 
And I plugged my vocal mic into the microphone input of the L1. It sounds fantastic. 

Loud as hell and I can stand inches away facing the speaker using the microphone and have no feedback (the mic input has built in feedback suppression, compression, eq, etc.)

I 100% recommend this to everyone. 
Got mine at Sweetwater on the 3 equal payment plan so it's not busting the bank. 

Whole system is under 30 pounds! 

[jeremyn 35]

I love mine too. Great horizontal dispersion, and a good flat response. It's not super loud like a QSC K series or Yamaha DXR, but in most venues it gets loud enough beyond which you get told to turn down. Not quite loud enough for competing with a loud live drummer or a second guitarist with a 100W Marshall and 4x12" half stack. But, perfect for normal listening music in most small to medium venues.

[robbieb61 212]

I'll be using it today at a gig. Our drummer is very powerful & loud...we play classic rock. So it will be a good test for it.

[robbieb61 212]

Worked beautifully! 

My band was like: "What IS that speaker?"   
They couldn't believe how good it sounded and how lightweight and easy to set up it was.  :)

Technology kicks a$$

[jeremyn 35]

So loud enough with your loud drummer! Were you using this for FOH duties or just as local foldback for yourself with a send to the house PA? I've had mine up pretty loud, but never really pushed its limits as I use it mainly for local foldback or relatively small venues.

[eldointheweeds 0]

How is it for practicing at home in low roommate-friendly levels?

[robbieb61 212]

So loud enough with your loud drummer! Were you using this for FOH duties or just as local foldback for yourself with a send to the house PA? I've had mine up pretty loud, but never really pushed its limits as I use it mainly for local foldback or relatively small venues.

I actually used it for my Helix AND vocals with no FOH at all. The rest of the band used the P.A. out front but I insisted on only using the Bose to see what it could do.

[robbieb61 212]

How is it for practicing at home in low roommate-friendly levels?

Sounds great at home at low volume. 

Sounds even better cranked up. :)

[Apocrathia 0]

I recently got my Helix and I'm looking for a good speaker to use with it. I've had my eye on the L1 for this because of the portability and simplicity. I'm glad to hear that you've had so much success with it. I'm currently using the effects return on my Vox AC30, and it sounds amazing, but I know that it's still coloring the tone in one way or another. I was a little bit offput by the design of the L1, but while we're all embracing new technology here, might as well go all in, right?

 

I've been looking at the L1 Compact, but I know it only has a 1/4" and XLR inputs. Have you noticed any tonal differences between the two inputs? I know you mentioned the mic input having some compression and whatnot.

[LorenO 7]

Hi.
 

I am out of town and haven’t had a chance to try it yet. I have an HX Stomp and an L1 Compact, odd that I didn’t try using the HX Stomp with it. 
 

I do have a question, do you guys turn on the Tone Match on the L1 with the Helix?

 

Does the Helix sound better with our without the Tone Match?

 

Thanks!

 

Loren

[robbieb61 212]

On 3/23/2020 at 10:12 PM, LorenO said:

Hi.
I am out of town and haven’t had a chance to try it yet. I have an HX Stomp and an L1 Compact, odd that I didn’t try using the HX Stomp with it. 
I do have a question, do you guys turn on the Tone Match on the L1 with the Helix?

Does the Helix sound better with our without the Tone Match?

Thanks!

Loren

The compact only has "tone match" for an acoustic guitar...the compact isn't the full L1
I only use the un-filtered straight in 1/4" input on the compact. 
I don't even use the XLR input at all as it has a compressor and feedback suppressor built in (it's designed for vocals) that you can't turn off.

So to hear your tone in an FRFR manner...use only the 1/4" input without the "acoustic guitar" switch. 

I want to hear what my tone sounds like as un-colored by the amplification as possible.

[LorenO 7]

Thanks!
 

I also have a Tone Match T8S Mixer that I use with my Bose L1 Compact, forgot to mention.  
 

The Tone Match on the T8S is better than the built in one on the L1 Compact I believe. I seem to remember that it has an electric guitar Tone Match but I am interested in hearing it without the Tone Match. Will give it a try when I get back and post a feedback on this forum.
 

Stay safe everyone ☺️

[LorenO 7]

I tried the HX Stomp with and without. It’s better without the Tone Match. Just because the HX Stomp has all the tools for adjustments at your disposal. It’s easier too without Tone Match. 

[Lone_Poor_Boy 58]

I have the Fishman SA330x (w/sub), which is the same concept as the Bose L1, and what I've been testing the last two nights, is pushing everything through it (Vox, Helix, Bass/Drum tracks), and using nothing else, and it has been holding up in quality perfectly. 

 

Similar to what Robbieb61 stated, I have tested the Fishman pushed in the corner of a 'top of L', of an L shaped basement, decent size but not huge, and I was stunned as I played that it sounded exactly the same in every location, and even when in the 'bottom of the L' without direct line of sight of the Fishman PA.  I've never experienced anything like that.  Even my various Sonos speakers change in sound EQ/level depending on your location, and drop off quickly when around a corner.