Bose L1 Model II with B2 Bass Module and ToneMatch Reviews

My friends, even the shipping boxes / internal packaging protecting these components upon arrival = TOP NOTCH. Seriously. Through and through, this Bose combination is really something else. The other 5-star reviews are very much well-deserved. This level of quality is uncommon and really quite extraordinary.

I have been performing 75-100 shows a year for the last 15 years. Over time having to lug monitors and speakers back and forth I starting looking for something lighter and easier to transport. The Bose L1 Model 2 is perfect. The sound for my style music is all I ever expected from Bose. The best stage set I had when playing with a band was 4 Bose 802's. I can take this thing in and I'm set up in 10 minutes ready to play. I'm still in the learning curve for all that it will do but am extremely happy so far.

This is my 3rd purchase of this system and all I can say is...WOW! The "Venue Filling" sound this system possesses is so impressive, literally every corner of a space. The effects including the reverb, delays, mic presets are great! I wish I could brag about their customer service support team, but haven"t really needed them other than a few initial calls to get understanding on use of the system and certain setup configurations, but they were prompt and very helpful with those. I will also say the Bose L1 Community forum is very helpful and willing to explain system nuances. I have used these systems as stand alones, even joined multiple systems for bigger outside venues (yes, I realize this is not their intended setup, but it works like a charm) This is an awesome system all the way around! By the way, Sweetwater is pretty "sweet" to deal with also, great service, prompt informative shipping!

Just so many positives about this rig. First it has allowed me to reduce my foot print. Secondly the sound is just incredible. Third, the tone module is so intuitive and easy to setup/adjust. I can't say enough good things about this rig. Bose has knocked it out of the park.

The sound and versatility, not to mention portability, are simply outstanding. I use it for a rock band, at church, at solo shows and as a general PA system for announcing. Simplicity, amazing sound, etc. Thank you Bose!!

Just added the B2 to my system so I have THIS system, but I am getting the A1 amp to add my existing 2 B1s as well, I suspect this will be the ultimate for 300 to 400 room places, as I also use the Bose F1 812 which really adds some fat in the lower to mid midrange..........

Maximum setup is 3 piece band a singer.

This is a SIMPLE and EFFICIENT setup: Electronic drum, guitar, bass and a singer.

Want more? use 2 of these setup with an outside mixer connected to one T1 tonematch (as processor) and you're GOLD!

I take it where other conventional setups can't.

Less time on the system more time to play.

All I can say is; Everything good you read about this is true!! If you love playing music in your basement or in front of a crowd and this is within your means, you should have the this. You're not being fair to yourself if you don't. That's all there is to it.

Great order delivery and follow up service. Well packaged by both Bose and Sweetwater. I'm totally giddy about the whole experience.

Good Taffy Too.

I ordered the L1 Model II with B2 and ToneMatch from Sweetwater on a Tuesday and it was here in 2 days! Great communication and service. The system is exceptional. Well built with excellent instructions. I ordered the ToneMatch not quite knowing what to expect. I have seen several different opinions. I am very happy I got it. It is compact and attaches right to the unit. Has 3 individual channels and one stereo (4/5) channel you can use for instruments or to plug in an analog audio source like a iPod. It can also be used in conjunction with a larger mixing board. It is simple to use and effective. Very intuitive, and easy muting of EFX and/or individual channel. Used the system for the first time 2 days after it arrived in a large winery/barn. WOW! Great experience for the customers and the 2 of us playing. Got so many comments on the sound quality, and it wasn't even turned up half way. Our playing style is classic rock with an acoustic twist. We consist of one acoustic guitar and 1 electric guitar. We both use lots of effects for the instruments and vocals. I just wish I had found this system before I had purchased my 2 previous PA systems. Both those systems are great, but......this is compact, quick, superb sound quality and well built. Love it! I'm hooked.

I used this for the first time this past weekend. It sets up and comes down in about 5 minutes. The sound will fill an a medium sized room very well. I was actually told to turn it down some and it was only about 1/2 way powered. The sound is full, detailed, and powerful. I am only using 1 of these and it is just wonderful.

This model is awesome. I have both the L1 model 1, and now the L1 model 2. They are both excellent! L1 model 2 covers more area. But both have superb sound!!

Doesn't get more efficient and simpler than this! The time saved and the sound quality are in a league of their own!
My other bandmembers (4) had their skepticism but at the end of the day they were quite impressed!

I've been playing a 7-string Benedetto archtop for nearly 7 years. After much trial and error, I finally concluded that a normal guitar amp simply wasn't going to cut it. It was hard to find something that a) covered the frequency range I require and b) give me a tone that I was satisfied with.

Working with Aric from Sweetwater was a breeze. The financing option is unbeatable. I can set this system up in about 3 minutes, and break it down/pack it up in just as much time. This is simply the only system I will need for any gig I'll ever have. If there's any gig I have that will require more volume, then it'd be obvious that there will be a larger system provided by the venue (festivals etc).

In short, I've experienced absolutely no cons with this. I borrowed a friend's L1 Model II last week to play one of my steady restaurant gigs, and dozens of people noticed a huge difference in sound quality.

Thanks Sweetwater and Bose for officially ending my tonal nightmares!

State of the Art... thats it..

This item deserves 6 stars on a scale of 1-5. I am literally blown away. The clarity is amazing. This system would easily put out to 500 people. Very few cables, very small footprint. I can now unload, set up, and hit my first note all in 15 minutes. If you don't have one of these, you may not be in contention for the real gigs. Every night I have used it so far I have had compliments about my awesome sound. Last night a guy told me that it doesn't sound like I am using a system at all, it's just louder.

My wife and I play in a duo in Colorado that is a violin, archtop guitar, and both of us sing. We do 100+ shows per year at coffee shops, breweries, pubs, farmers markets, upscale private parties, etc. We are career musicians that teach music as well. We have been getting hired a lot lately by local breweries. The new style around here are cement rooms with metal beam ceilings. Very difficult sound engineering situations. We had to drag fronts and monitors just to be able to hear what the audience was hearing. We couldn't possibly sound check ourselves. In comes the Bose!

The tower is pretty tall and may not fit in snug spaces. As well the bracket that attaches the Tonematch to the tower is odd. At first I didn't trust the bracket, but I use it all the time and it has never failed me. The Model 2 is loud, but can easily be turned down to fit smaller applications. Last night I played at a busy farmers market outdoors in front of a couple hundred people. I have the system turned up to about 4. It was really loud! At first I had it turned on 5, but the market mgr told us it was pretty loud, so we backed off. This was outdoors at a beer tent looking situation. You can make it feedback if you turn the bass up too much, but when everything is balanced, it won't. It takes a fair amount of tinkering to get it all dialed in. Once you get it, you store it and you're done. Easy to recall it whenever, wherever. The presets are really cool. We still run the violin into a DTAR preamp, and I run the archtop into a Two Notes Le Clean pedal to get me that tube warmth. Sounds a little thin if I run my archtop direct into the Bose. Same for the violin.

All in all this system is killer. We sound better. If you are reading this, then you are considering one. Trust me, you probably need one. If you are a career player, stop telling yourself you are still in contention for that high payed gig if you are dragging in an old dinosaur of a system that sounds half as good as mine.

Every time I use this system I am more impressed. ToneMatch is an amazing tool and very easy to use. I was up and running quickly and the small size of the entire system makes it easy to transport. One vocal mic and two drum mic connect to Bass and Snare on my cajon - B2 module with two 10" speakers make the bass drum very present. The whole thing sits right behind me on stage and doubles as monitor and sound system.

I already knew I'd be blown away because as a pro musician I've used Bose products for yrs. starting with the first 802 system available, and as a sales person, and guitar tech I've dealt with them directly for years on clients rarely needed repairs. And of course my recent Sweetwater purchase didn't let me down at all starting with Chris Neyman my CS guy who is awesome. So, as a musician, sales person myself, and technician I can honestly say you won't find a more perfect system for an audience of around 500 than this one. I am temporarily disabled from a motorcycle malfunction so I needed something smaller and more lightweight for a single or when I do a duo. The sound from this system is incredible and the system I was using for a single/ duo setup was for about 1500 people way too much , too heavy, and sorry quality can't compare ..Bose blows it away as I knew it would. Thanks to Sweetwater and to Bose for keeping me going yet again.

This system was purchased to deal with a bunch of slightly hearing impaired people in a community clubhouse with rain barrel acoustics.
Paired with some nice Sennheiser mics, now they all hear and understand what's being said at the board meetings.
And the musicians using the system love it as well.

Great for small to mid-large club size venues with sparkling high's and low's you can feel.

I bought one of these units for my Middle School Jazz Band and Choir. I was so impressed I ordered another for my personal use. I play in an electric/acoustic trio...3 vocals, acoutic guitar and bass guitar. I plug the bass into the analog input w/guitar and vocals through the Tonematch. Sounds excellent....no feedback and no monitors. Entire system set up is 10 minutes! I have used it twice with my band and once as a dj for a wedding. I really can't imagine needing any other piece of equipment. AND with 24 months 0% interest from Sweetwater....how can you go wrong?! Buy it NOW!

My wife and I are an acoustic duo. Rather new to the music scene and using a yamaha sound system. We took a leap of faith after hearing an artist on the Bose L1 Model II with B2 sub and tone match and purchased this system. Our set up time was cut from 20 min to around 5-10 min. Our equipment was cut in half and we can actually have a smaller foot print for those small bars and supper clubs. The sound has very little drop off in the room and can usually be heard in adjoining rooms at the same sound level. As a monitor the system sits behind us and works fantastic. Zero feedback and you hear what everyone else hears. No guessing as to if your monitor is sending the same sound at you that your speakers are delivering.

The sound is terrific, as with all Bose equipment. Setup is simple and quick. We use it for nursing home ministry and church services. Seating in the church is for 350 people and good sound is heard throughout the sanctuary.

pluged in had a problem at first till i read manual this thing sounds great with no changing of presets

You really have no idea. Yes, I was a skeptic. I'm an old stage speakers, power mixer, powered monitor guy. A solo acoustic/electric singer/songwriter. All the things I was concerned about just weren't an issue. This is THE system if you're playing your own gigs, especially solo or a couple of others/sit ins. It fills a noisy, cramped biker bar of 100-150 people. Yes, sometimes 35 people so the sound from the Bose has to work a lot of different scenarios.
Audience expectations grow every year when you think about the sound systems in movies, the better sound out of stereos in cars and in homes, as well as production mixes. Whether they know it or not, "ears" have gotten better so, as a musician, our mix has to get better just to grab attention.
The ups: unbelievably easy set-up, take down; very easy to get going out of the box; sound is incredible and more like a movie theatre experience than 2 or 3 way mains throwing sound at audience. Clear, crisp, settings you can customize, easy for you to control from the stage since you're in front of your own "main & monitor" mix; very small foot print for setup anywhere.
Worth every penny and you would not believe the comments you get at your first gig at a place you've used your old system. I blew an amp and had no choice in the search for new and all things happen for a reason. I researched everything as an option!
So, this system? Absolutely. Sweetwater? The only way to go for serious expertise and guidance. Engineer Lindsey B got me here. She's the best. Keep makin' music...

This system is the best setup with the best sound I have ever heard from, my Taylor 710 and Godin LGXT sound so incredible through my home, I,m going to play my first gig out in January I have been only playing at home on and off for 30 years. The tone match was very easy to set up. A big thank you to Sweetwater and to Mark Stein, my sales rep. I pondered this buy for 2 years I had the Fishman Sa 220 the Bose is just the best sound I've ever have got with my Taylor

We got one of these several months ago and were amazed by the sound quality, especially the bass. We liked it so much we got a second one so we could get a stereo effect and it is beyond description how great it sounds! I would highly, highly recommend this system to anyone who wants to produce a great, true sound. And installation/set up is quick and easy.

Ok, so I bit the bullet and bought this system. I originally had the L1M1 w/ 2 B1 subs...which was a very good unit as well. The B2 sub is great and has a lot of punch for 2-10" woofers! The B2 has a lot more low end than the 2 B1 subs.

I mainly DJ wedding receptions with 150-200 people and this system is enough to do that and to have decent low end for the dance music, and looks very pleasing to the eyes! I also use a Behringer B1200D sub for a little added bass if I want more low end, but the B2 will do the job by itself! The Tonematch is a must have for this unit to get the bass response you want for music playback due to a setting that boosts the sub to give it more volume. It took some playing around with the setting to find this, but it was like Night/Day difference!!! You will not be disappointed with this system for whatever application you will use it for! Bite the bullet and get this!!!

Love this bose system, not crazy about the effects on the tone match board but other than that I'm very happy.

I absolutely love this system. Awesome sound. Easy portability. Learning curve was minimal. Works beautifully with my Yamaha keyboard and iPad.

Excellent awesome tone / sound. I am preparing to plug in a Martin 12-string, with minimal reverb effect, with tweaked Bose settings; the sound is absolutely pure acoustic projected with no distortion but acoustic full sound resonance. A 12-String on a Bose? I must be in heaven. Then will try a new set of Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze on the newly adjusted and setup Martin DC-1E. The Taylor 310ce sounds even more full and unbelievably clear projected acoustic sound, although the Expression system is a bit sensitive requires tweaking the bass down a bit. The Bose bass by the way sounds excellent also. Hands down a great product. 1.) Study the manual.

You must buy the SKG case for the towers!! The bags that come with the towers are not enough to protect them. I realized that after my first gig. I bumped them so many times I got scared. No damage to the towers, though. Yet, I could immediately notice the urgent need for the case. I placed the order the following Monday and Aaron (Sweetwater) had it delivered by Wednesday. A great peace of mind for our next gigs!!!

First of all, Thanks to Aaron (Sweetwater) for telling me that this is the only way to go. I just started a singer/songwriter duo last year and Aaron informed me of a returned unit in perfect condition, at a reduced price, an extra 10% store-wide discount on top of that, plus a 36 months, no interest promo; so I could not say no to that!!!

This unit is a dream!! We run our vocals (Senheiser e 935), acoustic-electric guitars) through PreSonus BlueTube DP V2 pre-amps. They go into channels 1 - 3.
On the analog input at the base of the L1 I plug in the mic for the cajon, which is used as bass kick drum by our drummer.
The bass guitar and the lead electric guitar are routed via their amps Line-Out through a Yamaha mixer and then connected to channels 4 & 5 in the Tone Match. When we finally get a keyboard player, it will go through this setup too.

The sound is just wonderful and we control the mix from the stage. Set up takes less than 30 min with sound check.

I need to save $$$ to get a second unit.

FIrst off, Ryan Clapper was a huge help with my purchase. Not only knowledgeable about the equipment, but extremely helpful on a personal level as a sales staff member! He went through all details and answered every question and concern that I had. As for the product, EXTREMELY SATISFIED with the Bose system. When it arrived my wife (lead vocalist) set it up by herself in less than 15 minutes.....And that was running our mics and lines as well. The ToneMatch was so easy to set up, she had our Beta 87s dialed in with a couple of knob turns and we were ready to rock. We played heavy bass & drum sequenced keyboards through the system, and the sound, volume and clarity were amazing. Same results when using the system on our recent events. It has filled the rooms in all of our corporate music settings.....And even worked just as well when we added our guitarist & his vocals. Fantastic system AND fantastic service! Thanks again, Ryan & Sweetwater!

I have owned a Fishman Acoustic Performer Pro (a one person PA for guitar and vocals) for about 15 years. It's still a great piece of gear for a one man show. The last couple of years I have used other traditional PA systems for a duo that I perform with.
I got tired of lugging speakers, mixers and monitors around and decided to get this Bose system. -Best move I've made in years! No more monitors and cables and speaker stands. And the sound is crystal clear. The Fishman will get very little use. I love the new Bose system.
I only wished I had purchased it years ago.

Everything the hype cracks up to be! And then some. I still get a bit of high-pitched feedback when I place the mic in front, but its easily curable with the parametric Eq--if I'd take time to do it!
I was able to eliminate 2 of my guitar pedals (Chorus and Echo) since the Tone-match mixer includes those effects and more. My pedal board looks a little naked now--but one less thing to step on!

I loved the Bose L1 Setup that I ordered from Sweetwater so much, that I ordered a second within a couple of weeks! The sound from this system is AWESOME! Everything that is claimed has proven true. The sound from one system does truly fill a room and you hear clean sound in every corner of the room. I have owned many conventional setups in the past from some of the top brands available, I would put the sound of this system right there with them. Finally, the folks at Sweetwater are just as great!!

Yes, it really is GREAT! We've been happy with our Bose Compact with a Mackie Pro FX8 Mixer for several years, now. Thought it was time spend a little gig money and upgrade, especially for some summertime outdoor gigs. The sound is unbelievably better and much more powerful. Hookup is simple with less wiring and no clutter. Also works well at low volume. I like the T1 setup and effects better than the Mackie! We bought the SKB Hard Cases for added protection. Fast and trackable shipping. Fully satisfied with the Bose, with Sweetwater, and our Sales Engineer, John Ptak.

Best money I ever spent

The Model II solved some of the feedback issues I was having with the Compact when I used a condensor microphone or headset. The Model II has so much power that you can turn down the gain on your mic (as it should be) and get powerful vocals by turning up the volume. If you have the money I would get a compact and a model II. The compact is soooo much lighter and easier to carry. And the Model II might be too loud for a coffee shop gig. Because there are 24 speakers in the model II, the sound gets dispersed quite more evenly. The downside -I was used to being able to hear my vocals in a loud coffee shop easily with my compact - the speaker was up by my ears. The Model II on the other hand has a collumn of speakers floor to ceiling. By the time you cut through the noise to hear yourself you are louder than with a compact. Now the good news - in a BAR situation or any outdoor situation the Model II is the way to go. Plenty of power, crystal clear vocals and guitar (I play solo acoustic/singer-songwriter stuff) and you will be heard :) Its fun to watch people who sit in the front move to a different table so they can talk on their phone or text while you're playing - it doesn't matter where they move - they can still hear you. (BTW - don't try that in a coffee shop - you're being too loud).

Now in regard to outdoor venues, I've seen some post that say great things about the Model II outside. And I agree up to a point. Great for patios at bars and restaurants, yes. But in a large outdoor venue you may still want a traditional PA. I played a ski area outdoors this summer. It sounded good. But it could have been louder. I could have turned it up louder on stage but to me it sounded loud enough on stage (I didn't realize it could be louder until I watched video of myself) but think about it - stage monitors do not have the same volume as a PA. I like it loud but I don't want it PA system loud in my face. And essentially that's what you're trying to do with a bose in that situation. Really it's best to keep in mind what the bose are designed for - not just good sound but rather portability and the ability of the musician to hear themselfs as the audience does when there is no sound man or the acoustics of the venue are challenging. They are no substitiute for a good house system WHEN you have a good sound man out there making adjustments for you.
As a compromise, the compact or Model II works well as a stage monitor where you out the aux from the Tone mixer directly into some powered PA speakers that face the audience. Then you can hear yourself with the bose and adjust the volume on the PAs as necessary to give you that extra push in volume. BTW - I love the bose sound and am very happy with both the compact and Model II but have to add something here for those including bose that say "you hear what the audience hears". Not exactly. Only for those audience that have their back to you - your back is to the bose. Your ears pointed away from the bose. You don't truely hear what the audience hears unless you turn and face towards the bose once and a while. How different this depends on the venue and the volumes. In a small space or your average size bar where the sound bounces around and fills up the space there is probably no difference. Bars are great for the bose. Outside is a different story. Your vocals are going to be more clear to you when you face the bose than when your back is to it. As one expert said...I have a compact, a Model II, etc...usually I take the Model II. But there are times when something less or more works better. And [my comment] for some venues (and I stress some venues) there's still no substitute for a good house PA. Keep your PA. And buy a compact and a model II (with the B2 and Tone mixer of course).

I have several PA systems from powered speakers to amp rack systems and this bose LI blew me away !

I'm in a duo featuring acoustic guitar and upright bass, and we both sing. We have a gig at a major resort playing four nights a week ( six hour drive twice a week ) as well as one day a week locally. Not only did the Bose perform flawlessly but I've saved hundreds in gas not having to tow a trailer full of heavy subs, mains, amps, and mixers around. When my bass player plugged in for the first time, I dialed in a pre-set and asked him what he needed. His response was "I don't know, it's never sounded this good!" It always amazes me how big of a room it can fill. Bartenders and waitstaff always say " best sound we've had in here ". Get the SKB cases for it.

I've had this unit now for a little over a month and love it more everyday. It is perfect for a solo artist, duet or even in church. I would not recommend for a band unless each member has their own system - and the bass and drums have extra subs . But - for the aforementioned - wow! It is exceptionally clear - almost too clear - my vocals aren't good enough to be extremely clear - I need a little mudiness but I'm getting used to it! My PA3X sounds utterly amazing and with the B2 sub, I had to set the sub to "-" and adjust the EQ on the keyboard down - I was getting way too much bass. With the adjustments it sounds great now! You can hear very detail in the mix like you've never heard it before. Feedback is not an issue - although be careful if you have cheapy microphones and it seems to be overly sensitive to headworn mics as well. I used it at church a week ago Sunday and they had me order them one - arrived last week. I've never heard this type of quality in a sound system in my 40+ years of playing.

I am a solo keyboardist and singer. I use this in various size venues. Performance is flawless. Is very powerful but not too loud up close , produces a sound that carries farther. I bought 2 of them for stereo sound. for acoustic piano voices of Yamaha sound flat in mono and I did not like that. Tonematch can be useful but not needed if you already have a mixer.
If you have deep pockets this is the system to get.

Excellent piece of gear for the gigging musician. Right out of the box easy. Fantastic sound and quality. I highly recommend this for musicians playing clubs multiple nights a week where load in and out is tiresome. It"s sound quality is rich and warm and I"ve only just gotten past the presets.

Not going to lie to you. I was scared to pay this much for something this small. I've always been a bigger is better kinda guy especially when it comes to sound systems. No longer is that true. I'm literally blown away by this system. The overall power is the first thing I noticed and secondly was how clear it stayed no matter how loud or quiet I had it. The only downside to this at all.... limited number of inputs. The tonematch is a really cool unit with great capability and ease of use. If they only made a tonematch plus perhaps that had more inputs ;) As for the B2 bass module.... I own a pair of 18in subs. They barley compare quality wise to the B2. They may be louder but the B2 module will not dissapoint.

Bottom line... don't be scared. Spend it if you can. It's worth it.

It works. It's clear. Almost too clear. Unforgiving. Just get better. It's okay. It projects well under the circumstances of playing indoors with proper spacing from performer to speaker. It does feedback sometimes. Especially with acoustic guitars. It does what it is supposed to. It's incredible equipment. But incredibly expensive.

Vocals cut through nice. Helps, I think, to improve the singing....I can HEAR myself. Acoustic guitar in 4/5 of T1 works good. Manual could be more clear about what this channel can do. Mic,ing the Electric didn't work good for me. You have to keep it so low in order to not compete with tower and color the room sound, that my AC-15 was barely working; tubes not pushing at all. So sound was not good. Solution.....a Tech 21 Sans Amp modeling pedal. Sounds great direct into T1, has a great VOX sound AND eliminates the need to carry an amp around. I also use a Bass Drum through T1, T1 has a compression / kick setting that really sounds nice. So all in all, it's great. T1 is not as complicated as I anticipated, and the tower with B2 sounds great. I am pleased. BIG investment. But I think it does help set your sound apart, especially if youre doing a SOLO thing.

RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX THE UNIT WAS IN ATTACK MODE...SUPER EAZY SET UP..GREAT SOUND...T1 TOOK A LIL' GETTIN' USED TO AT FIRST... AFTER GIGGING WITH A FIVE PIECE VOCAL GROUP FOR YEARS... I LAUNCHED A SOLO ACT AND THIS UNIT IS PERFECT...NO MORE HUMPING SPEAKERS, AMPS, EQ ING THE ROOM AND WIRES ALL OVER THE PLACE ONLY TAKES ABOUT 15 MINUTES TO SET UP AND ABOUT THE SAME TO BREAK DOWN...I FOUND NATE AND THE STAFF AT SWEETWATER TO BE VERY HELPFUL. THEY'VE EVEN TOUCHED BASE WITH ME A FEW TIMES TO SEE HOW I LIKE THE UNIT AND OFFERED ANY ASSISTANCE IF I NEEDED IT..

I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER

This is a huge improvement over the previous models. However, it comes at a price. The B2 Bass fills out the system nicely. ToneMatch is intuitive and logical to my mind. A bit expensive, but seems to far better than previous Boss units and other alternatives on the market

Outstanding audio if not pushed. at high volume it can get a bit distorted and saturated. in low middle and mid to high sound very impressive.
Easy to set up and take down in just minutes. very happy with the clear sound and how easy it is to work with. it is expensive for the price but i am already planing on getting a second set to fully fill the all the space with sound and not worry of having to turn it too high.

I purchased 2 L1M2B1 models for use in corporate meetings/events. I use them stand alone with 2 wireless mics connected via the T1 for meetings under 100 and I use them as a pair without the T1 connecting my traditional FOH in a Left/Right configuration for larger meetings. My biggest concerns were coverage (throw more the width) and feedback. Coverage has been fine and the lack of feedback is simply amazing. Using 2 in a room that is generally 80ft x 50ft has been very successful. MUCH easier and faster set up than hauling 2/4 Meyers UPJ's w/Stands. Be sure to get the subs because the stacks drop off below 100Hrz. I got the B1 and will order the B2 going forward. Order the SKB cases too. I love them.

As a 20yr + engineer I was skeptical but after using them I an sold that they are very good for the corporate meeting/events world. Plus, I hope to order a pair of the new F1 series for larger venue.

This system is the perfect for acoustic guitar and vocal with tracks in the other channel. The electric guitar algorithms are not as satisfactory and sound unlike an "amp" even with pedal board input. Also the "reverb types" on vocals sound very digital and could use a few warmer variations.

This review is biased towards a more narrow use of them. I purchased a pair of these dual purpose for both events and for a home hi-fi. A few observations to consider as I used them during the 45 day trail period, before returning them in the end.

1.) It appears the top arrays do not set up straight vertical. They lean in about 4-5 degrees and then result in pulling the bottom array forward another degree.; The result is it is quite noticeable tilt from the side profile. This of course has no functional impact, considering the premium, from fit standpoint, this was disappointing to me. The arrays are impressive comprised of metal and are very solid, yet these could not be engineered to stand straight up? This is true of all sets I have seen at least, mine, plus the store copies. 2.) The Base power amp fan is a concern I think for home use. The base has a cooling fan that runs which is great, except when the amp is not being driven, the fan still runs? It is very quiet and Bose did well in how quiet it is; that is not so much the concern. The concern is for those that are thinking in a home hi-fi venue where the speakers will be left on, what will be the lifespan of the fan running continuously? Will the fans get louder after a couple years being left on? 3.) These speakers are dynamic and sound good but you can tell there is something missing in the LF range and you can tell the top end is missing. If I was standing in front of it, that i probably a good thing to save your hearing. I do wish Bose offered a HF module that could be added to fill in the upper HF. 4.) I heard the new JBL SRX835P side by side to the Bose IL and it wasn't even close IMHO. The JBLs exposed everything that was missing for a lot less money! I opted for the SRX, with two compromises. The SRX only provides a 60 degree pattern as opposed to the nice 180 degree pattern of the Bose, and the SRX is really a two person speaker to move and setup, whereas the Bose 1L is a one person rig.

I initially though a 4.0 rating, but given the premium price and the "leaning top array" and that the new JBLs seem to have raised the value bar, as much as I wanted to say 4.0, I believe 3.5 is more true. This is biased of course on my intended use. I would say, as a single person event PA, it is the best offering and I would give more like a 4.5 if that was my bias.

Note to everyone. Everything seems to sound better through the ToneMatch, versus direct into the base unit, even music. If running dual speakers as a Stereo rig, put a ToneMatch on each array!!

Like some of the other reviews, I agree the Bose system has beautiful sound. But it is not good for a full band or a large hall. If you are a soloist/guitarist it is great. A full band will need multiple systems. And that will cost a lot of money. My system is only 6 weeks old and like new but it is for sale. Extra base and Tonematch. I give a great deal.

We play thru this system in our Church, It definitely needs another Tower speaker. This system does Not fill the room properly with right & left levels. People on the right get more Volume then on the Left.(no matter what the 'So called' sound people say..) It NEEDS TWO Tower speakers! 1 left & 1 Right. Stop with the B.S. I get complaints from our Congregation all the time.. It might Fill the room.. If you have a Great Imagination..