Recommendations. Bose L1 type set-up for small venues.

[Paddy Morris]

We're looking to get a smaller PA speaker set-up.  We're currently using an XR-18 into a pair of big Behringer Eurolive 1200w speakers. The speakers are great for outdoor, or a bigish indoor venue, but are much too big for a small pub.

 

I see all the open mic / one man band looper type people using Bose L1 systems, but there are loads of cheaper alternatives out there now.  Has anyone had a particularly good experience with one of these Bose-a-like products?

[Phil Starr]

Hi Paddy, do you have a budget in mind for this? There is no point in recommending an FBT Vertus VT1000 system if your budget is limited. It would also be useful to know what you want to put through your PA. If it is vocals only then you'dgo foravery different system to one where the full band are using the PA with no back line.

 

You'll do well to steer clear of the Bose systems, they are heavily over hyped and poor value for money over here in the UK. Generally the issue with these small line source or 'stick' systems is their relative lack of output and higher cost compared to conventional speakers on a pole. They do look great and can speed up set up as well as sound good but it may be worth thinking of just using smaller conventional speakers if your budget is limited.

 

@Woodinblack uses an RCF Evox system which I've heard and sounds good and I've played through a similarly priced LD Maui 28 system which was also quite effective. I notice also that FBT have a new offering  the CS 1000 but you are looking at £2500 for a pair of these. 

 

 

[Paddy Morris]

Thanks Phil. Budget limited as this is for pubs, bars and coffee houses, who won't usually go above £350/gig round our way.  But it's just for 3x vocals and blues harp really. Possibly a tiny amount of mic'd guitar amp, just to sharpen it up.  And trombone, when he's available to play. But the instruments are mostly all backline.

 

It's mainly about not having a massive pair of cabs blocking everyone's sight lines.

 

Probably we will try and keep it to less than £2K.  Is that doable do you reckon?

[Woodinblack]

I would add the evox which repaced 2 Alto 12" speakers on poles has been great, both of my mine were second hand bought at different times (for a while I was on one evox and a speaker on a pole) - both cost around £500. We put everything through them (I also use a bam200 bass amp with a 10" gnome speaker as backup) and in general for pubs they work great and as you say, it doesn't get in the way and not so much of a cab landing on someones head issue. The biggest change was the clarity of vocals.

[Paddy Morris]

5 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

I would add the evox which repaced 2 Alto 12" speakers on poles has been great, both of my mine were second hand bought at different times (for a while I was on one evox and a speaker on a pole) - both cost around £500. We put everything through them (I also use a bam200 bass amp with a 10" gnome speaker as backup) and in general for pubs they work great and as you say, it doesn't get in the way and not so much of a cab landing on someones head issue. The biggest change was the clarity of vocals.

How were they for vocal mic feedback?  We have a loud-ass drummer, so tend to have to crank the vocals up..

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, Paddy Morris said:

How were they for vocal mic feedback?  We have a loud-ass drummer, so tend to have to crank the vocals up..

 

Like most things, it is down to placement and eq. We also have a very loud-ass drummer, and yes you can get feedback if you turn things right up, but we don't generally have problems other than our singer is actually naturally quite muffled (ie, I have to turn down a lot as a backing singer to not cut through more than him). once you EQ its fine, and it is not normally something we worry about as compared to the saxophone feedback, vocal feedback is no problem!

 

If we play outdoors I sometimes take a bigger bass amp to take myself out of the PA but in general I don't, and we can still be heard at the back.

 

If you have facebook this is recorded from behind the bar in a busy pub

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1JZ6tcXy9j/