Should I get an L1 Pro8 or L1 Pro16
This article expresses my opinion and experience. Please post comments to Twitter @ST_Muso or LinkedIn @STPro. Thank you — ST. |
Contents
Should I get an L1 Pro8 or L1 Pro16?
I've enjoyed both the L1 Compact and the L1 Model 1S for over a decade. I mention these legacy models because they are the predecessors to the L1 Pro8 and L1 Pro16.
Spoiler Alert
I am now the owner of both an L1 Pro8 and two L1 Pro16s. In the rest of this article, I will discuss the merits of both, and why you might want one or the other. I will discuss the relative merits of both systems. Please see the table at the bottom for details.Background
I have owned the predecessor products to both the L1 Pro8 and L1 Pro16. This is how I used them and why I was interested in the new models.
L1 Compact
I got the L1 Compact in 2009. At times I had three. One of them lived in the trunk of my four-door sedan. It was small and light and I used it several times a week for small gigs indoors and outside. I used it as a monitor when playing on stages where there was a house system. It served as backup to my other gear. Although I never had to use it to replace another piece of L1 equipment, I have bailed out other people with it when their gear went down.
The L1 Compact worked well for up to fifty people when the background noise was light. The single 8-inch woofer goes down to 65 Hz, and this is fine for vocals and guitar. It was also good for pre-recorded music for backing tracks or background music. I have run electric bass through it in small venues.
L1 Model 1S
I got the L1 Model 1S with B2 bass module in 2012. I already had the L1 Model II with two B1 bass modules so it might have been redundant to get the L1 Model 1S. The reasons:- The L1 Model 1S vertical dispersion is 10° (+/- 5°). The L1 Model II had 0 degree vertical projection. This meant the L1 Model 1S could be useful when the audience was slightly above or below the stage. See L1 Model 1S Compared to L1 Model II Vertical Dispersion for more information.
- The B2 could be as loud as four B1s without requiring an extra amplifier.
The New L1 Pro8 and L1 Pro16
Similarities
Both the L1 Pro8 and L1 Pro16 have three channels (two with ToneMatch Presets, Tone controls, and Reverb). The third channel can receive Bluetooth audio or line level inputs. Both units can be controlled using the L1 Mix App, and you can connect a ToneMatch mixer to the ToneMatch port.
L1 Pro8
If all my gigs were acoustic-oriented, singer/songwriter events performing for attentive audiences, the L1 Pro8 would be great. The 31-pound power stand is only six pounds more than the L1 Compact. Add the Cylindrical Radiator and extension, and the total system weight is 40 pounds. The footprint is only slightly bigger than the L1 Compact. For larger venues, I can use the L1 Pro8 on stage and run a line out to the house PA (if there is one).
L1 Pro16
At a glance, you might not notice the difference between the L1 Pro8 and the L1 Pro16. The L1 Pro8 power stand houses the 7x13" racetrack driver. The 41.4-pound L1 Pro16 power stand has the 10x18" racetrack driver. It is taller, but you might have to put the units side-by-side to notice. The footprint of the L1 Pro16 is only an inch wider than the L1 Pro8.
The L1 Pro16 line array is twice as long as the L1 Pro8. It is driven by a larger amplifier and provides higher volume and lower drop-off over distance. The L1 Pro16 power stand supplies four times the power to the larger racetrack driver.
Bottom Line
If you have an L1 Pro16, there's no need to get an L1 Pro8 unless you need:
- The ultra-portability of the L1 Pro8 (40 pounds vs. 56)
- The greater vertical coverage (above the stage). See the chart below.
I got both models because I need the unique benefits of the L1 Pro8 for some situations and the power and bass response of the L1 Pro16 for others.
Comparison Table
Feature | Bose L1 Pro16 | Bose L1 Pro32 |
---|---|---|
Feature | Bose L1 Pro16 | Bose L1 Pro32 |
Horizontal dispersion | 180 degrees | 180 degrees |
Vertical dispersion | 0/-30 degrees (J-shape) | 0 degrees (straight shape) |
Output | 118 dB / 124 dB peak | With Sub1: 117 dB / 123 dB peak
With Sub2: 122 dB / 128 dB peak |
Speaker Array | Sixteen 2.00" (51 mm) articulated cricket drivers | Thirty two 2.00" (51 mm) articulated cricket drivers |
Woofer | One 10"x 18" neodymium racetrack transducer in the power stand | Sub1:One 7" x 13" neodymium racetrack transducer
Sub2:One 10"x 18" neodymium racetrack transducer |
Low Frequency | 42 Hz - 3dB | With Sub1: 40 Hz - 3dB With Sub2: 37 Hz - 3dB |
Crossover | 200 Hz | 200 Hz |
Power to speakers | Biamped
|
Biamped
|
Weight | Total system weight 18 kg (54.9 lb)
|
Total system weight with
Sub1 29.1 kg (62.7 lb) Sub2 36.4 kg (79.3 lb)
|
Dimensions (H x W x D) | 201.2 x 35.5 x 45.6 cm
(79.2 x 14.0 x 18.0 in) |
L1 Pro32
213.5 × 34.5 × 55 cm (84.1 × 13.6 × 21.7 in) Sub1 53.0 × 25.0 × 53.0 cm (20.9 × 9.8 × 20.9 in) Sub2 69.0 × 30.5 × 55.0 cm (27.2 × 12.0 × 21.7 in) Footprint (floor space required) L1 Pro32 with Sub1 (W x D) 59.4 x 55.1 cm (23.4 x 21.7 in) L1 Pro32 with Sub2 (W x D) 65.0 x 55.1 cm (25.6 x 21.7 in) |
Power Stand Height (front | rear) | 66 front | 62.23 rear cm
26 front | 24.5 rear inches |
10.16 front | 10.16 rear cm
4 front | 4 rear inches |
Sound Projection | ||
Everything below this bar is the same for both | ||
ToneMatch® Presets | Channels 1 and 2 Full suite of ToneMatch Presets available in the ToneMatch mixers, built-in. Set using the L1 Mix App. |
Channels 1 and 2 Full suite of ToneMatch Presets available in the ToneMatch mixers, built-in. Set using the L1 Mix App. |
Battery | No | No |
Connections | Channels 1 and 2
Combo Jacks XLR / 6 mm (1/4" Tip-Ring or Tip-Ring-Sleeve) balanced / unbalanced Channel 3/Aux Input
|
Channels 1 and 2
Combo Jacks XLR / 6 mm (1/4" Tip-Ring or Tip-Ring-Sleeve) balanced / unbalanced Channel 3/Aux Input
|
Tone Controls | Channels 1 and 2 * Bass / Treble Channel 3 * None | Channel 1 * Bass / Treble Channel 2 * None |
Line Out | XLR balanced | XLR balanced |
Bluetooth input | Yes: Channel 3
Supports Bluetooth 5.x |
Yes: Channel 3
Supports Bluetooth 5.x |
Reverb | Channels 1 and 2 Yes Channel 3 None |
Channels 1 and 2 Yes Channel 3 None |
ToneMatch Port | Yes full support for T4S/T8S power only for T1 |
Yes full support for T4S/T8S power only for T1 |
System EQ | Yes Live/Music/Speech/Off |
Yes Live/Music/Speech/Off |
Scenes | Yes Store/recall system settings via Bose L1 Mix App |
Yes Store/recall system settings via Bose L1 Mix App |
Bose L1 Mix App | Yes Wireless control over volume, tone, reverb and system EQ |
Yes Wireless control over volume, tone, reverb and system EQ |