Bose F1 Model 812 Flexible Array Loudspeaker Reviews

I have owned the Bose F1 model 812 for 8 years. Definitely the best bang for your buck without breaking your back. It doesn't do a crazy low boom as a 18" sub will, but for small to medium venues it is great. I like them so much I purchased another set to give me enough headroom for > 250 guests.
Very easy to handle. Very clean sounding!

Quite simply, nothing can even remotely compare to Bose F1 and their subs! THE BOSE JOKES ARE WELL AND TRULY OVER!!

Upgraded my recording/rehearsal studio PA with one of these. A quantum leap improvement over my tired old Yamaha stagepas 250m. Warning to those looking to gig with these- they are bricks!

As a mobile DJ, I have used various loudspeakers and subs, passive and powered, over many years. First the Bose 802s, which I loved despite the fact that they lacked really deep, thumping bass that I had when spinning in the clubs. I owned Eden Electronics, then Mackie. And I've used Alto, QSC, TOA, and EON. About 3 years ago, I purchased a pair of F1s and Subs. BOOM! Club thumping, room shaking bass and clear, full spectrum sound. Bah, humbug to the Bose haters. I love them. I'd love to see some weight reduction and and the addition of an on-board EQ.

Outstanding. I've owned mostly passive gear and after being tired of lugging around power amps, it was time to try something new. These are easy to set up and not very heavy. Excellent soundstage and non colored sound is what I was rewarded with. They are loud if you want, especially paired with the matching subs. Nice to have the adjustable array capability. Had some friends listen to the system who own similar equipment by other brands, and they are ready to make the change. Recorded music sounds excellent as well, especially Classic Rock. Derrick helped me out with excellent personalized service. Thank you!

Despite the challenge of not being able to actually hear the speakers (in real world), Bose F1 Model 812 Flexible Array spkrs delivered what our church was hoping for. Tight punch, warmth w/clarity and spacious dispersion. AND they are half the weight and cost of other powered array spkrs we were strongly considering. Using with Yamaha TF3 mixer and Tio 1608D stage box. Kudos to sales engineer Jim Swain for assistance.

I had purchased one Bose F1 a year ago for my acoustic trio "Rikki and Friends" and was blown away by the clarity and overall sound of it. Now I bought another F1 and put one on each side of the trio, and it sounds great, superb coverage and clean as a bell. We do alot of 3 part harmony, and these speakers really enhance everything, vocals, my 914 Taylor, and even acoustic bass. And to put icing on the cake, I added an S1 Pro speaker for a monitor. best vocal PA I have owned, we look forward to each and every gig, nothing but compliments on the sound.

I've used Peavey speakers and amplifiers to provide sound for events the past 25 years. I sold all of them and purchased a pair of these Bose speakers and subs —It is the most clear and accurate sound I have ever heard. They are worth the money and they are easy to set up to achieve excellent sound.

It only took 5 years to finally purchase two Bose F1 Model 812 with subwoofer and travel bag but I am glad I have it now. It is light, compact, flexible, good looking and powerful. The sound is crystal clear and balance from the front to the back of the room. At first, I was planning to use these premium speakers for my high-end clientele. However, this may be my standard audio setup as a mobile DJ and sound engineer. The setup is quick & easy with cable management as a breeze. There is a real difference in the sound with flexible array, so adjust to the room and you will be fine. As I set my sound mixer EQ to the music, you can immediately feel the effects. Because these speakers are powerful, make you tell anyone on the microphone, not to stand directly in front of the speaker with the mic at their hip. I did replace those cheap Bose power cords with a better quality cord. The speaker bag is tight and you must turn the speaker upside down to fit inside. Make sure you have the travel bags for this level of investment. Overall, it is the perfect mobile DJ speaker for small and medium-sized rooms that pack a punch.

MONEY WELL SPENT !! I love these speakers. Every song that i play on them sounds like it it live !! Sweetwater is the best company you could ever deal with. They will go out of their way to get you everything you need, I will definitely shop with them again !!

The Bose F1 Model 812 did an excellent job at our agency's Holiday Tea in December. In years prior we did not have an adequate system to play music and to also announce various information to those attending in a very large area. The speakers provided music at a very comfortable level with quality sound (could be heard in the entire area). Also those speaking could be heard as well. Awesome product and we are very pleased with the results.

I have them for a while now and just love them, perfect with bass or without bass. I use them for weddings, sweet sixteen, concerts and other events. Everyone love the sound form them which is clear and crisp.
Thanks Sweetwater sales rep for recommending and Bose for making them.

An incredible sound system! At any volume, the sound is phenomenal. I listened to songs hearing clarity that my other sound systems can not even challenge.

Setup and breakdown = 5 minutes

Whether dinner music at a wedding or rocking the dance floor in a large auditorium - quality and clarity is the same at all volume levels. The base units easily produce a heart thumping base and the top"s directional adjustment were perfect for dinner seating and is easily readjusted for the dance floor.

A special shout it to IsRael Foster for the years of excellent customer service he continues to provide to us

I decided to pull the trigger on a pair of the F1 model 812's. They were on sale, so - what the heck! I am not new to Bose. I have the L1 Model 2 system, and a pair of the S1 Pro's. I play out regularly at a variety of venues. If you are a "giging" musician, you know that each venue has its unique challenges. I love sounding good and system flexability, so have invested in good quality sound equipment. The thing I like most about the Bose systems is how easy it is to get a great quality sound and quick EQ. The F1 812's don't disappoint. I also have a pair of JBL PRX712's, so I decided to do a little A/B test comparing them to the F1 812's. The JBL's also sound really good, but are more difficult to get the EQ just right. The JBL's also have a cooling fan that runs and can be heard when the volume is low. That's not a problem when playing loud, but could be an issue in a small venue when playing quietly. I also really like the Bose L1 Model 2 system, but sometimes we get stuck in a corner when playing, and don't have enough separation from it. That was the major reason I purchased the F1 812's. I guess I have a PA addiction problem! It has been an interesting ride to see the evolution of my sound systems. I also have a Carvin B600 line array system with 4 cabinets which I keep set up in my practice studio. When I was younger, I couldn't afford really good equipment. I guess that is one good aspect of aging - more money for toys! Any time I host an open mic, or provide sound for an event, I always get many compliments on the sound. It has nothing to do with me and everything to do with Bose!

I bought this speaker a good while back, I waited for a while to write a review about this speaker so I can toy with it, and just see what happens when Time goes by. Let me just say this speaker is loud and powerful, it really deserves its fame. I really love this speaker, it's clear and crisp, and when it's set to full range, the speaker has an incredible punch, I've owned 15s that couldn't punch like this speaker -.-
Anyways this speaker is absolutely great, on other hand the sub is another story unfortunately, or sorta unfortunately its not bad at all.

Ty so much.i love my pa me most of all ty for guiding me in the right direction on what to get.your trained professionals helped guide me with what would work the best for what I was wanting to do,so again ty

I needed a second 812, so I ordered it from the greatest place Earth.

As a worship pastor recently hired at a church built in 1985 with most AV and audio equipment neglected for years; the Bose system was financially possible and has adequately elevated our sound. We have a 65 foot ceiling that sent paying for hanging speakers through the roof (pardon the pun) for our budget. We have a stone back wall along with the high ceiling creating an amphitheater style live room.
The speakers are on opposite sides of the 90 ft platform. The 100 degree sound dispersion enables the sound to reach around our staircase walls leading to the balcony. At this time our balcony is closed. When we are ready to open it we might need additional speaker support. For this time the bulk of the sound is directed to where the people are, not wafting in the ceiling. The sound is very clean making louder volume more tolerable sitting closer to the speakers.

After two years, the 812 and Sub are still powerful, sound fantastic, and very attractive.They are used to amply vocals, soprano saxophone, and tenor saxophone.
I love Bart and the Sweetwater Team.

Extremely loud, versatile and the entire system fits into a compact car! Quality sound for a small party to a big show. With a live band or dj set these speakers offer so much!

I finally made the jump to Bose and now that I have, I"m kicking myself for not having done it much sooner. I"m just running two F1s and a single sub and I"m blown away by the clarity and output this combination provides! So easy to set up and transport - super important for this aging musician; sure beats lugging around my old 18s (although I love them too but my back doesn"t). The band is loving it too - vocals are crisp and clear as well as keys and samples. Best move I"ve made in years.

For years I was a field rep for BOSE in a program that was used to introduce the "Personal Amplification System" known as L-1. I used the L-1 touring a a solo vocalist, then the introduction of the Model II and tone match, the B-1 Bass units stayed the same but a PAC-lite Amp was introduced to power additional B-1 subs if you needed more than two. (That was most helpful outdoors) then the new B-2 outshines 4B-1"s. Now, I have donated my L1-model II to the Navajo Nation. I have the new S1Pro and I daisy chain to a single F-1 using my S-1 as monitor and mixer. This combo is so easy and flexible, and faster to set-up than an L-1 System. I do have a tone match mixer to use with the system, but as a Soloist I haven"t had the need to hook it in. Very pleased with these two new PA"s I did get a speaker stand because I am not using a sub. The BASS The F-1 develops is plenty. I may eventually get a second F-1 and one sub only if I host a group who would really have that need.

I was the bass player for a former arena rock band with a number of top 40 hits and, before my cocaine addiction left me homeless, formerly played in large stadia and auditoria. I"m using this product now when I play with Nigel, Trevor, Antony, and Mick at pubs and university venues.

This year I have 52 years of experience from teen centers to small venues to stadiums and contemporary Christian music worship. The F1-812 is easy setup and tear-down with simple I/O which makes it fantastic in portability. We have used it alone, with 2 and with subs (Mackie Thumps) and we couldn"t be more pleased.

In classic Bose technology you have vertically oriented 8-driver line array which adapts and cover many rooms.

We currently use the F1 in an 80s cover band and worship settings… We couldn"t be more pleased.

You will not be sorry if you purchase this gear. For the money, nothing touches it!

I've had a pair of F1 tops for over a year now. I currently use them to DJ and to provide live sound for my band. It is amazing how loud these speakers can get. I highly recommend pairing them with a subwoofer to increase the volume of the tops. Without EQ these speakers sound a little flat, but once you dial in the proper EQ, they are hard to beat. Highly recommended for any live sound production needs.

I reviewed the F1 812 tops back in March when I got them and gave my review 4.5 stars. I took a half point off for the high price.... I've since bought a sub and wow.... Let me back up the train a little bit first. I play in a classic rock band. I used my 2 812's and sub for the very first time, a few nights ago and all I have to say is holy cow... That set up worked better than I ever could have expected... totally blowing everyone away. It was plenty loud for the room we were playing (smaller - 150 person room). More importantly everything was crystal clear. The highs and mids were prominent without ripping off your face. What impressed me the most was the bottom end. It was tight and punchy (right where they should be) not fat and overbearing. The price is up there which isn't a very good selling point but this system really kicks! Plenty of power, unbelievable control with very little effort. Heck, I hauled the entire system in the back of my car; where before I would have to use a truck and small trailer. It took me minutes to set up instead of hours.... If you are looking for something that's really compact and powerful...this is it. I was never a really big Bose fan but these are phenomenal.

These are just what I have been waiting for since I started running live sound many years ago! The sound as good as they look. Very simple to use and the do work as advertised in regards to the flexible line array... very handy at times! Don"t wait any longer, get them and just have fun mixin"!

It"s such a huge difference in clarity! I use cheap mic"s for karaoke parties cause of it gets abuseness! But Bose makes cheap mics sound expensive mic"s. Mahalo Bose for making your product dependable,quality work!

I'm one of a growing number of keyboard players that have switched to a powered P.A. speaker to replace a keyboard amp for various reasons. I won't say I've tried many, I havent. I bought the F1 812 based on the Bose name and the weight. I play in a large band with lots of loud percussion and we don't for various reasons always have the luxury of going through a P.A. and my keyboard amps weren't doing the job under harsh conditions. The F1 812, when elevated, does a tremendous job in a small to medium sized indoor venue. I've used it at one VERY large indoor club, and had to push it a little harder, but I was told I was coming through strong and clear all the way to the back, I became a fan of this speaker that night. My only complaint is that because this is a mono amp, it will not produce my keyboard's stereo patches in two separate channels, even when using both channels on the amp. I like to use the old Fender Rhodes "ping pong" stereo patches, and the F1 812 won't separate the stereo signal from my keyboard. Also, I wish I had known about Yamaha's DBR15, it has the same output level as the Bose, but uses a 15" woofer, is lighter, and costs hundreds less than the Bose. I'm considering the purchase of one of these for use in large outdoor settings paired with the Bose. I realize there may be differences in tonal characteristics between the two, but in a large outdoor concert I'm not worried it will make a huge difference.

I have heard many different kinds of speakers over the years. And typically when speakers are pushed they start to distort or lose their quality of sound. I have cranked this system all the way up and maximized the faders on my mixing console to intentionally try to blow this system and put it through it's paces. You cannot distort these speakers as the limiters on them do a fantastic job at preventing distortion or the system being blown. I would highly recommend these for ultimate portability, and sound quality

Going from my previous system (Fender Passport Event) to this is amazing! The sound quality is crisp and clear whether playing music or vocals through it. Though the speakers are built quite solid, I can not stress enough to get either an ATA case or the padded case for this.

My only negative would be that when really cranked up volume wise, the sound is very high pitched and harsh but not a huge problem as I was really pushing these probably at or past their limit.

Been using Bose L1 Model II and decided to give the Bose F1 a try and its really a game changer in terms of the Array dispersion. Love the way it projected to sound. Bose L1 Model II is still my choice for small venues and club gigs.

Amazing system. Best of the Best!

Beautiful rich sound is what you will get when you purchase this speaker. I originally purchased a Line 6 L3m as my sound system to use for church to run my guitar and vocals through, but I didn't like the sound of the Line 6 so I sent it back to Sweetwater and upgraded to the Bose and it is a night and day difference in sound quality. I've used it a couple times for church and once for a senior citizen luncheon already and I'm loving its warm tone. I purchased the transport bag for it and it is great as well.

Nice job Bose! Thanks for the great service from Clint, my sales representative for his excellent service!

Been slinging guitar for 40 years and gigging for 35. Played in empty bars, fairs, weddings and occasionally at 5000+ Venues using everything from POS Franken PA's to Top shelf stuff. I can say with conviction this by far the finest sounding package I have ever played through. Imagine vintage tube HiFi and new vinyl on a large scale. Have been using the Bose L II w/B2 and 2 Tonematch as a stage monitor/Practice room PA and Main PA/mixer for small gigs for quite a while and just love it. This is the exact same quality with power that will move your body but at the same time not give you any ear fatigue even at substantial volumes. Crystal clear LEGIBLE vocals with both guitars, drums, bass and hand instrument all sitting perfect in the mix with wonderful definition and separation.

We just played a 1,500 seat theater with balcony and using the L II system on stage and just ! 812 with F1 sub and the sound was fantastic and venue filling. Yes I said just one. There was a slight drop off on the far outer aisles but the L II did an admirable job aiding with dispersion to those areas just at about -10db. Color me impressed. I will NEVER go back to standard PA gear.

BTW Set-up and teardown have been shaved by nearly 2 hours plus we no longer need a sound engineer. Saving us significant $$$ not to mention chiropractor visits and working all night to try and get a good mix. Just five bags now for our entire Sound System compared to mixer. snakes, endless cables 3 monitors, powered 15" mains, Subs and stands

Do yourself and your audience a huge favor and just get one. You'll soon be telling this same story to someone else. BTW The club owners just love it because of the sound quality and lack of headaches the following day fro being pounded with VOLUME and bookings have increased.

My only complaint is the lack of wheel for transport with their case hence 98% perfect.

I wrote a review that is currently listed here on this site with the title as The Truth Behind These Speakers, and I gave them 4 stars not because of the speaker but because of the effort to eq the speaker, when I now know that in reality it was I was so used to speakers with horns. Now that I have these dialed in and have used them for multiple shows, I must say, no horn is the way to go. Yes you may lose a little bit of that breathiness, but at any volume they are so much better on the ears. You never get that harshness you get from horns and the sound is always warm. I have owned full JBL PA's, full Mackie PA's and about everything in between and I think I can honestly say that this Bose system is the last PA I will ever have to buy...unless something breaks. They are a little steep on the price but do yourself a favor and get them...you will not be sorry, then you can throw all your other PA gear away. By the way...my sales dude is Roq and without question I have put this guy through the ringer on gear, especially guitars and he always come through for me....always.

Bought the whole system with covers, use daily in home studio and must say they are great for live and studio work. Listening to them compared to horn loaded system is so much easier on your ears and they are very accurate compared to studio monitors such as NS 10 and vintage JBL 100 , if you need both live and studio speakers in one package these are it.

Amazing lightweight and crystal clear sound! Running them full-range without the subs, and they sound great, and great low-end!

If you're looking for something to cover wide variety of venues and genres, the F1 system is the way to go.

The 812, by itself in full range, is probably the same sonic quality as the L1 with a single B1, with less of an angle of dispersion from from left to right, but with power you can feel.

I used this system at one 5K race and 2 weddings -- At the 5K, I used one (1) 812 + Sub pair @ 50% and it was loud and clear for approx. 200 people. At the weddings, I used two (2) 812 + Sub pairs @ 50% and it was probably overkill. At the first wedding, I was shaking the metal in the wall at the facility, and at the second wedding, I got a complaint from another wedding in the facility that my bass was too loud. LOL whoops.

Anywho, the F1 is a powerhouse. Definitely a favorite.

I have had two of these units for a couple weeks and use it along with a L1 Compact for a monitor. I mix with the t1 tonematch. It is nothing short of amazing. I love the vocals and acoustic guitar through the F1 and with the combination of the these and the L1 Compact. Doing solo shows from 100 to 1000 - it has you covered. I use to use the L1 model II and loved it. But for me, I like this setup up a little better

Absolutely easy to set-up. Amazing sound for the size and weight. Flexible line array actually works! I have four F1 tops and four F1 subs that has just replaced our JBL 15,000 watt PA. Looking forward to less weight to move around and clearer sound! We do live sound and DJ work... This system is so versitile it can be used for anything! Don't miss out go Bose go F1! BTW Sweetwater ROCKS! Thanks Kent!!!

Amazing! The Bose F1 812 Tower, and Yamaha DTX502 electronic drums with the Behringer XR18 mixer is absolutely the best sound system we have had the privilege to use! The band is still im shock! Plus, my "old lady" is now our new "mixer", given we are using her Ipad to run the mix. Its a win win for everybody! I wish i would have bought it all "YEARS" ago!

I have used Bose L1 since 2007 and the F1 blows me away with the low end and hi end response. We have used them on to out door gigs and they have performed fantastic. Would recommend anyone who is wondering what speakers to buy these are it. Right now I have used them with my old subs and without subs and they do great. Will be getting the F1 Subs hopefully later this year

VOCALISTS- these are your speakers. The F1's live up to Bose' sound quality reputation. Like many of us, I've gigged many years on countless arrangements of small PA size speakers and have always struggled to get a sound that accurately captures all elements and subtleties of my vocals. These speakers do it, and do it perfectly. Getting strong low range vocals to come through is always a struggle w mid-low end gear. W the F1's the lows are strtong and thick, the highs are bright and soft. Just awesome. And when adding 2nd,3rd vocals into the mix you can clearly distinguish each voice. Add instruments in and still clear as a the blue sky. But really- if you can afford the investment and long for a great sound, these are your speakers. Oh- and they naturally EQ perfectly to any small gig situation. Have used them for a few months now and have nothing bad to say about them.

I recently purchased the F1 Array System (F1 Model 812 with Subwoofer). I am by no means an audiophile, but I stopped in my tracks when I used this system at an engagement yesterday. Multi-directional sound coverage with articulate, crisp highs and thunderous bass. Most of the evening I was answering questions about the system from the listeners who could not believe their ears. I am considering purchasing a second set to give me various options; however, this system, as a stand-alone, performed exceptionally in a very large venue. I also purchased the protective carry bags and wished only that they came equipped with wheels as an option.

I own a Bose L1 Model II and LOVE it. I did however have issues when I would do larger gigs. I am a singer that sings to backing tracks so the L1 was the best thing on the market for smaller gigs. I had been on the hunt for additional speakers for crowds 300 and over because people absorb a lot of sound and I bought some powered speaker but they did not have the quality of the Bose L1, so when I saw these I knew this was the answer. The sub and Model 812 together are unbelievable. That is an understatement to say the least. At first I thought the flexible Array was a gimmick... But it really does make a difference. I love that I can use my existing Tone match with this and set up is easier than the L1. The price is steep, but if you want the best you have to pay for it. Bose has done their homework on this and it shows.

I've had the L1 Model ll system for many years &... somewhat pleased with them, until I got these. Much more compact to carry around on a cart & much more bang for the buck. Don't seem to get the overload & feedback problems I had with the L1 systems. Thanks again Nick for answering all my not so intelligent questions sometimes.

These speakers are crystal clear and the sound carries a long way. We use them for larger outside gigs and they sound fantastic!
Thank you Sweetwater, your deals and terms are the best there is!

Spendy and worth every dime. High- fidelity describes it nicely. I tried everything within reason to get these speakers to distort but they never did. Plenty of volume and headroom. The adjustable coverage pattern is a great idea and all in all what a great pair of speakers! I may one day buy the subs to complete the package but for now these speakers are more than enough!

Got this for some extra coverage for larger outside gigs.Crystal clear and loud! Hope to order another one soon! Thanks Mike Godlove and the Sweetwater crew!

Our sound level just went up about three layers - this new Bose unit is terrific - ;we have model I and model II units an they are good but this system just dwarfs them completely.

I was hesitant to go with a pair of Bose F1's as the mains for our church sound system upgrade as I thought of Bose as good at sound canceling headphones and under the cabinet CD players. My sales rep Dante assured me that they would be more than enough speaker for our space and that the clarity would be almost perfect, In the 3 years I have been buying from Dante he has never lied to me. We were not disappointed, install on the ceiling was simple and the sound was amazing. The low end was particularly impressive. It fills the room and we are considering not adding subs later as we may not need them. Thank you Sweetwater and thank you Dante.

Used in outdoor setting, major upgrade from what we thought was a fairly good JBL system.
Combined with the subwoofer, great clarity for the vocals. The dispersion is amazing. Looking forward to our 2016 concert season.

I have used Bose products for years. I'm a singer / acoustic guitarist as well as DJ (mainly at weddings). I've used the L1 with Tonematch for many years for my solo act and have used 802's with 502BP bass bins and then later switched to MB4's for easier transport, for my DJ gigs. I've never liked the L1's for DJing because they put universal volume throughout the room and for weddings, I want it loud on the dance floor and softer at the tables (where people are talking). I tried the F1 because I've never been thrilled with the low end the MB4's gave me and was tired of carrying the 80lb 502BP's. The F1's have exceeded my expectations in so many ways. Along with the F1 subwoofer, you can't beat the overall sound quality, volume and thump (I never got with the MB4's)! I've used them at 8 weddings so far and they're awesome! This past weekend, I did a wedding with 100 guests and decided to just use the F1/812 in full range mode using the built-in tripod mount without the F1 Bass speaker (and their built-in stand) and again, they amazed me at how loud they could get and still sound great with plenty of low end even without the F1 bass speaker! I'm picking up a 2nd set very soon!

Been a big Bose fan for years and a long time user of the L1 system. We do some gigs where the L1 is just not loud enough. I usually use a pair of QSC K8s in those places, but wanted to try the new F1 so I bought one (couldn't afford two). Used it this past weekend instead of the K8s and it blew us all away! Sounded great! It is big compared to what I've been using, and pretty heavy, but once we heard it, we forgot all about that. This thing is awesome and I would highly recommend it! Can't wait to another one and the sub!

This is what you need. Only thing I don't like is the need for four AC power cords. Clear as a bell and plenty of butt cheeks behind it.

It's a very good speaker, the 12 inch driver in the 812 is very powerful, it really packs a punch, very nice driver. The 8 tweeters are crystal clear, and for it not to be a horned speaker, it obviously don't need a compression driver, the tweeters are loud and powerful.
The amplifier on the speaker is powerful, such a nice amplifier, but there is one thing that worries me, the amplifier does get hot, and I mean pretty hot, even at low volumes the amplifier is hot, I'm in Arizona Phoenix and as of right now it's cold weather, and in the summer time I'm worried that I won't be able to play with the speaker in the summer time due to it being really hot here.. so that's no good.
Other than that, it's a very powerful nice sounding speaker, the 12 inch driver really do pack a punch, I mean I can feel the kick drum in my chest, so that is outstanding!!!
I played the speaker indoors and outdoors, the speaker sounds better outside, 3 times better actually, it covered my huge backyard with sound everywhere, the speaker is amazing but the amplifier worries me.

I bought these after months of deliberation. I read every review I could find, watched every video out there and was still on the fence. I decided to go ahead a buy a set of the F1 812's and I must say, I couldn't be happier. For smaller venues, these cabinets hold their own. They have a surprising amount of bottom end, not to mention ample power, for their size. For medium and larger venues, you will need to purchase the matching subs or use your own. I plan on buying the subs later, when I can, but that brings me to why I rated these at 4.5 instead of a 5... price. These are awesome but they are a little pricey. (nearly out of my price range) That aside, they have been worth my investment. A definite upgrade from my aging/worn/extremely heavy Frankenstein pa system. If you're looking for a powerful, extremely portable, awesome sounding pa system, look no further. (I would also suggest purchasing the gig bags to protect your investment) Once I purchase the subs, I'll write another review. Until then, rock on!

We puchased two of these along with the F1 Subwoofer system. The sound clarity and power is excellent! My only complaint is that the standard setup outlined in the setup guide did not produce the best sound and we had to play with several of the switched settings to figure out what the best configuration was. I would recommend a more detailed setup guide, with clearer explanation on how each of the settings affects the output of the Loudspeaker and Subwoofer.

...ain't hype. Everything l'd heard/read about Bose quality, starting at their micro home stereo units up to these F1 812 live performance speakers, has been proven to be the truth. l play solo acoustic & electric guitar (down-tuned) with vocals at a substantial volume, which demands a system capable of handling a wide range of frequencies. After using Peavey, Mackie, EV, & Yamaha (all of which have their merits), l decided to go with a system l hoped would be the best & last l'd have to invest in. Now that l currently use two of these cabs with an added sub, & couldn't be happier with the way everything sounds. The F1's are worth the price. They're portable, easy to set up, & sound consistently loud/clear in a variety of in & outdoor situations. Anything else l could say has already been said in Bose's own ads & user reviews...in my opinion, the 'hype' is true.

I bought the Bose F1 system for "Club Gigs". I usually haul two EAW LA460 and two EAW LA400 subs with amp racks. The F1 812 and F1 subs replace that AND fit behind the seat of my Ford F-150...
Now the Bose won't keep up with that EAW rig, but it's close. It sounds great, is super easy to setup, and looks almost invisible.
I used it for a band on New Years Eve for 200 people, and it covered a 45'X60' room beautifully!
It was an expensive purchase, but also a back saving one! In all seriousness, I'm really impressed with this Bose system.

I have used these along with the subs for 3 gigs now. Two outside shows and a club date. We mic everything. The vocals were clear and crisp. The drums, bass and guitar sat in the mix were they should be without much Eq. They have lots of ***** for a outdoor performance. The people that follow our group were very impressed how much more "Body" the F1s created. My only complaint about the F1 Series is the cabinet design. The top and back handles make them awkward to handle. They should have side handles which would make them much easier to attach to the built in stand and in general handling. That is why I gave this a 4.5

I was very skeptical about the product from my experience with the L1 systems. My sales rep Israel assured me that it would meet my needs. Once we had the system setup we were blown away with the sound. The top alone has a great quality 15" powered tops. When combined with the sub you get a great balance of tone that screams. The line array effect really pulls the sound to a full level. I highly recommend this product!

This F1 model 812 has worked nicely for the past 8 years. I play Jersey Shore bars (inside and out) as a solo-acoustic guitarist/singer/steel drummer, and have been caught in some pretty gnarly storms mid-set. Not to mention the toll salt air has on equipment. Nonetheless, this speaker still puts out. It has developed some minor hiss, but that's to be expected. I've been pushing it to the limits for a long time. Just this past month (Feb 2024), I reached out to Bose because the speaker did not power on. Turned out they needed to change out the power unit and circuit board. I boxed it up and sent it to their service center for $, obviously being out of warranty. But I figured it was worth doing that as opposed to forking over another $ for a brand new one. Lo and behold, I just got it back and it works like a charm! They even had it back to me in 2 weeks rather than the 4 weeks originally proposed. Great experience overall. I'm a happy camper. A few other points: 1) I paired this speaker with a new Yamaha 12" powered sub to add some beef to my sound (especially for the outdoors). I know Bose kinda scares you into pairing only with other Bose components, but i can tell you it works perfectly fine with the Yamaha sub and a 12-channel Yamaha board. 2) the grill is weak. That's my only discrepancy. It bent shortly after I purchased it in early 2017. It's not a very sturdy metal grill. This is the only reason I couldn't give 5 stars. Other than that, it's a great speaker and really cranks, with or without a sub.

This is a great powerful loud speaker. The combining of a woofer with the array is much better than the competition dependent on a stick and woofer combo… yes BOSE has that product too.
As an audio guy I needed options the 812 (& F1sub) offered.
I can get clean robust audio for the singer song writer/duo/trio to fill a very decent size area. I also don't want to inventory a huge amount of gear to cover every possible scenario.
The BOSE system was perfect for indoor and outdoor city block size events. The adjustable array is quite a good idea and makes these even more useful!
Will these make your conversations at a shouting match? No. But for a one man sound team they really do have a lot of flexible ability, allowing me to keep my expenses down in gear and offer the customer a great low cost option for sound reinforcement.
Where they lack is the inability to take cat5/6 . Of course there are stage box options for that.
Overall I do NOT have buyers remorse. And my aging back thanks me!

Fingers are getting tired writing all these reviews today... Ok... The Model 812. Good speakers. DJ's will love them... Solo/Duo musicians will love them... Acoustic guitar and vocals sound awesome through this bad boy. Playback music is awesome through this thing... With playback music, I can't get it to clip and with the sub the sound is very full, round and rich. The BOSE brand carry bags are killer. NOW, the downside... I just don't like the way it mics instruments, especially drums. I found myself really missing the horn that other brands have. So if you're in a band, and you mic all your instruments and like a sub, I'd maybe consider something else. Its ok, but something like a Yamaha DSR or QSC K12 may offer you a sound that's easier manipulated. These speakers are finicky and definitely take some getting used to. The flexible line array is a clever idea yes, but as far as I'm concerned the only usable configuration is the "C" formation. The other configurations simply sound dead and it takes ALOT to clean them up. So back to my point, some people will LOVE this speaker, more people will have an easier time with other options. The sub also leaves a lot to be desired. Playback is amazing... live sound meh...

The price is a little high, minus one star for that, otherwise this loudspeaker is amazing.
The bass is powerful enough even without the sub woofer, you can feel it 50 yards away.
You do not have to be directly in front of the speaker either, there is full sound that covers a large area.
The sound is pure for sure, it was described to me by a friend as beautiful....it definitely has the surround quality in larger areas. Very Impressive audio, the clarity is astounding, the coverage area is very large.
Had it cranking for about 4 hours at least 1/2 volume, outside of course, about 80 degrees, It does get warm as the 1000 watt amp heats up, but not excessive meltdown type activity.
When I see the price drop a couple hundred bucks, at least, then another speaker will be added.
Or at least throw in a carrying bag.,...
Ecstatic to have this.

I have had these speakers for a few months but just actually played my first show with them. First let me say they do sound great...but not without some work. At the show we just played someone from the crowd actually said that is sounded like a music video. Guess that is about as good as a compliment you can get but it did take a bit of trial and error. One thing about this speaker is it does not have the "breathiness" in the vocals that I have had with other speakers. This is because the lack of horn that will push those highs. This speaker pushes hard in the high mids from the array drivers, but there is virtually no highs so the vocals will always sound a little flat. Normally when you eq you never want to add, you want to subtract but not the case with this speaker. I use a digital boards, QSC Touchmix, which does have a global post eq. If you have a post eq, you will need to push the highs around 5k, and you may have to push them a bit to get that clean vocal. One more thing you want to do is also increase the 100k and 125k in the bass eq. That will make these speaker come alive and will give you a very rich full sound. Also, if you have a digital board, you will want to shelf the vocals. Do not roll off the highs. Shelving seems to work better with these speakers. With all this being said, the speakers sound amazing. the reason for 4 stars is because of the trial and error and bose does not list a eq curve anywhere that I can find so I spent alooooooot of time tweaking. Also, bose could have taken one of the array drivers and mid it a high driver. To me that would have been smart.

First of all the service from Sweetwater was impeccable as always... Thanks Bryan.
I am an acoustic guitar performer and have used " better quality" PA gear for years.... When the guitar is all there is... it has to sound great... the downside to PA gear is usually the horn ( none in the Bose) ...regardless of quality, unless they are carefully EQd they can be harsh, or even overwhelming, and much of my setup time was spent softening the horn.. this is especially true of DJ type gear often found in venue systems.
I also wanted to lighten the load I was carting, so a single powered speaker was in order.
The first thing I did when the F1 arrived was take it outside and plugged in an Ipod with a split jack to use the RCA inputs..with the Bose on 2 and the I pod on 6 the sound was absolutely stellar.and load !
Zac Brown sounded like he was playing live on my patio, and from 60 yards away the vocals were still pristine.. I have used that test on lots of speakers, and this was beyond compare.... as i turned the volume up there was no distortion present,,, I tried it up to 5 after which I think I may have had the cops called on me... ha ha
Then I plugged in a Dtar solstice Guitar preamp and a Santa Cruz guitar with a Baggs I mix, and it was totally natural and clean... no more harsh horn issue , just a few tone tweaks and I was ready to go..... most importantly it sounded the same at low volumes, as high, which is key
I see no need for a sub for my use, but I would love to try it.... the sound without any EQ was flat and natural... and when I added bass it was round and full.. no muddy thump... punchy is a good description
No retailers in my area ( includes CG) had this in stock yet... have no fear of buying this. I have tried the QSC, EV, JBL Yamaha which are a few hundred less... spend the money on this and don't look back

A good speaker system, but not protective covers to secure your investment.

Considering Bose still has a long way to go before they're no longer laughed at in the same breath as real pro audio companies, the F1 line is pretty decent. They're plenty loud, offer great lows and adequate highs. They leave a bit wanting in terms of coverage and the mid range isn't the greatest. These are great for mobile use, but anyone wanting to use these in a permanent install I would advise to keep looking.

Is correct, the qualification is "not right for me". I am a 40 years experienced musician, singer, and a college graduated electronics technician. I was advised by a very good friend of mine who is a very busy sound engineer that Bose is an excellent brand... for home products! but pro audio? They still don't achieve that. On Feb 2108 I have decided to sell my 8 years of use QSC K12 pair to invest in this whole system which I bought 2 sats and 2 subs, first gig was for Dolce & Gabbana at the Miami Design District (you can google the event and see us in action)... everything was smooth and nice, a fashion show, after that we put the crowd to dance with best Latin hits, the level of volume was decent, obviously due to the magnitude of the event. Then 2nd gig, the 2nd anniversary of the Havana Nights in a known hotel in Delray Beach FL, the problems started when the crowd passed the 300 people and the manager of the place wanted more power, after half hour one of the sats shut down and we had to wait several minutes to restart on, then passed the rest of the night with the monitors towards the FOH to help the F1's not to clip. NOTE: we were using our Soundcraft Ui24R mixer which never ever had any problem with the QSC k's and the EV's, important to mention is the mixer have saved the set ups, so absolutely no changes on levels. Third and last show, to the Mayor of Miami Beach in Miami for no less than 300 people... the same issue.
My wife is my sound engineer since I did teach her how to do 3 years ago, we talk about and decided to sell them, and order a new set of K12.2 and subs. I am afraid not to recommend using these F1 speakers for large crowds.