We live in an age where portability is an increasingly prized quality. Carrying mobile devices with us, for both communication and work, has become practically essential. Minimizing weight and size and integrating as many tools as possible into a single device are among the goals of any manufacturer who wants its product to have a certain chance of success. Just a few years ago it might have seemed like a pipe dream to have an audio player, a still camera, video and thousands of other functions in something the size of a cell phone. But the fact is, there they are, and although you might think this technological race only makes us more dependent on "machines," the reality is that, used well, they're an unquestionable help in the most diverse areas.
We musicians, while making use of all this technology, often miss these advances in our "on the ground" work, especially when it comes to live sound. We can have dozens of tracks and instruments sequenced on a computer, and even use virtual amps and effects, but often the last, decisive step still needs polishing: amplifying all of it so that it reaches the listener's ear as faithfully as it was conceived. That's the moment when many hours of work can come crashing down. I imagine quite a few colleagues can identify with this situation: you have a project that's very well worked out in your studio or rehearsal room and, when the time comes to take it to a stage, it sounds quite different and generally worse than we'd like.
This problem had been largely solved by the systems Bose Audio began designing and presenting a few years ago. I'm referring to the well-known Bose L1 Model 1 and Model 2. Many musicians use them, all kinds of instrumentalists: keyboard players, guitarists, horn players, etc. So far I've heard nothing but excellent reviews of these systems, and I see them on stage alongside the most demanding artists. In fact, I recently attended a concert by the great Pat Metheny presenting his new work "Orchestrion." The sound was, as usual with him, extraordinary. Pat was using every version of the L1 system as monitors, including the new one I'm about to tell you about. I was able to get as close to the stage as possible, and I could tell that the sound up there was as close as it gets to listening to the album: natural, crystal clear yet warm, simply perfect. And among that family of L1s was our little giant, the L1 Compact.
I received it just a few days ago for this test, and I still can't believe I'm getting such an extraordinary sound from such a tiny footprint, proving the saying "good things come in small packages."
I'll start by saying I'm more than familiar with Bose L1 systems. I've been using them live for years for their incomparable qualities, which I discussed in past articles. So my initial surprise isn't about the sound quality, but about the format.
The name of this system is L1 Compact, and the adjective is pretty explicit. Its main feature: portability. If its big brothers already have plenty of that, this new model goes much further, letting us place it literally anywhere. I imagine that for many people, and certainly for me, simplicity is a virtue. Well, setting up this amplifier is really easy, very simple. In less than a minute we're making sound. What's distinctive about its design is that the main base is also the bass cabinet. Fitted in front of it is a line-array speaker about 35 cm long housing 6 small speakers, the key to the "Cylindrical Radiator" system, which projects sound evenly over 180 degrees, letting us hear the same tone and volume at different distances. There's no cabling, just the connection to the power outlet, and we also have two mounting options using two extensions, also shaped like a line-array speaker, which let us raise the sound source to different heights without having to raise the base or use any tripod. Both extended and in its compact configuration, the "look" is very elegant. Also worth mentioning is the weight, very light, barely 11 kg.
The top section of the base has most of the controls and inputs, with different channels. One has an XLR input for a dynamic mic, along with three knobs that control volume, treble EQ and bass EQ. The other channel has a 1/4" jack input for instruments. The latter includes a switch that provides a preset designed mainly for acoustic guitar. If we flip the switch down, we get a normal, unprocessed line sound. There's also a stereo minijack input. We can connect a computer's audio output, all kinds of players, drum machines and any device with a line-level audio output to it. The stereo RCA input, for its part, allows DVD, CD and video players and mixing consoles to be connected. These inputs also have a volume control. On the back of the base there are two line outputs, one RCA and the other a balanced 1/4" jack. These outputs are very useful for connecting the Compact to other equipment, mixing consoles, recorders, etc.
After going over everything about the design and connections, I'll focus on the sound. I tried it with electric, acoustic and flamenco guitar, first without using the ToneMatch and then running the signal through its effects. Let me take this opportunity to describe the ToneMatch for anyone not familiar with it.
The ToneMatch is an audio processor in the form of a small 4-channel mixer. We can use different effects on each channel simultaneously: five types of reverb, dynamics processors with three types of compression, a limiter, a de-esser, a kick drum gate and a noise gate. As for delay, there are digital, analog-emulation and tape echo types. The modulation effects are also of very high quality: chorus, a classic tremolo, and various kinds of flanger and phaser. There's also a parametric EQ and another called zEQ, a kind of smart equalizer that very effectively looks after the beauty of our sound. There are also some presets prepared for different equipment and instruments, ranging from connecting a Line 6 Pod to presets for mics: Shure, AKG, Audix; and guitars: Taylor, Fender, etc. All functions can be stored. It also has a USB port for possible updates and even a digital chromatic tuner. To connect it to the Compact I simply use a balanced cable running from the ToneMatch's Master output to the channel 1 input. As a multi-effects unit I think it's a great piece of gear, but considering it has four independent channels, as you can imagine its flexibility is unmatched. I think this unit is one of the most practical sound tools available today.
And getting back to the test results, with all three guitars I found 100% faithful reproduction of the signal I was sending. The electric guitar is a Variax 700, the acoustic an Ibanez AEG and the flamenco guitar the Raimundo Midi. In the latter case I also took advantage of the 13-pin connection to hook up a MIDI guitar controller, the Axon AX100, which in turn was connected to the computer to play virtual synths and samplers. The result is pure luxury: a faithful, warm, full-bodied sound. I think few amplifiers can reproduce the sound of analog synths, pianos, strings, flutes, even percussion, drums, etc. with such transparency. The acoustic instruments sound very natural. I like the Ibanez with bronze strings with the highs slightly rolled off, so a light touch of EQ on the guitar's own controls is enough for me to enjoy an exceptional tone. The electric sound, both distorted and clean, is simply great, very balanced and far from the "hi-fi" character we sometimes assume non-tube amps have. For the distorted sound I used a Pod X3 Live, and in every flavor of overdrive, from blues to the most rocking, the result struck me as very convincing. The channel 1 EQ is quite effective, and the channel 2 preset combined with the ToneMatch preset is equally outstanding, adding a curve that subtly enhances the high frequencies and presence. All in all, acoustically I find the system outstanding.
We should keep in mind that the philosophy behind this system centers on performances that don't require a lot of volume. As the people in charge at Bose in Spain told me, the Compact is ideal for small venues and other events: clinics, master classes, background music, DJs, etc. In this regard, I'd like to add that given how natural the sound is, I find it especially useful in concert halls where, due to the characteristics of the space, not much sound reinforcement is needed. Certain instruments, such as classical guitars, double basses and others, often need a bit of support in a large space. From classical music auditoriums to cultural centers or small theaters, we may find that when several instruments are playing, some can acoustically "drown out" others. Take the case of a piano and a guitar. With a system like this one, if the piano can be heard well throughout the hall, we'd give the guitar a little presence, always respecting the instrument's sound. Not long ago I heard one of the best classical guitarists playing with an orchestra at the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid. Despite the performer's strong attack, when he played in unison with the orchestra, it literally swallowed up all of the guitar's presence. I imagine a few "dBs" would have been enough to put the guitar on a level where, without losing naturalness, we could have fully heard the work with all its nuances. In any case, keep in mind that if we want sound for medium or large stages, we'll have to go to the L1 Model II. Although even in those situations, having this little marvel close by can be extremely useful.
As I said before, I know Bose systems well; I've been using them since they came out, and for me they've been key to achieving the sound I'd always been looking for while getting it with the utmost convenience. Setting up and, above all, tearing down is a process that, ever since I started using them, takes just moments. The arrival of this new model is a bet with unquestionable guarantees for all those situations where we don't need a lot of power. The sound is exceptional, the design elegant and transport easy; what more could you ask for? I'll just add that, as happened to me in the past with another test, of the L1 Model II, I haven't been able to find any negatives, since making up a drawback or nitpicking would be distorting reality. I imagine the brand's engineers came up with a system with certain situations and uses in mind, designed it, built it and achieved the highest level of excellence with all that implies. Finally, I should note that the price is close to €1,000, so my rating can only be the highest.
