Should I get an L1 Pro8 or L1 Pro16

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This article expresses my opinion and experience. Please post comments to Twitter @ST_Muso or LinkedIn @STPro. Thank you — ST.


L1 Pro8 or L1 Pro16

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.

Too long didn't read - Spoiler I got both the 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

L1 Model 1S Compared to L1 Model II Vertical Dispersion

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. Click the picture 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

Questions and comments or LinkedIn @STPro.Thank youST.
Feature Bose L1 Pro16 Bose L1 Pro32
  L1 Pro16 w Coverage 221x200.jpg L1 Pro32 with subs w Coverage 305x205.jpg
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
Audience not specified not specified
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
  •  250 Watts RMS mid-high array
  • 1000 Watts RMS to sub
  • 1250 Watts RMS total
Biamped
  • Power Stand 480 Watts RMS mid-high array
  • Sub1 480 Watts RMS (960 Watts RMS total)
  • Sub2 1000 Watts RMS (1480 Watts RMS total)
Weight Total system weight 18 kg (54.9 lb)
  • Power Stand: 18.8 kg (41.4 lb)
  • Mid-High array and extension: 6.1 kg (13.5 lb)
Total system weight with
Sub1 29.1 kg (62.7 lb)
Sub2 36.4 kg (79.3 lb)
  • Power Stand: 5.9 kg (13.0 lb)
  • Mid-High arrays (2) 7.1 kg (15.6 lb)
  • Sub1 16.1 kg (34.1 lb)
  • Sub2 23.4 kg (50.7 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 Click for full discussion
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
  • 6 mm (1/4" Tip-Ring or Tip-Ring-Sleeve) balanced / unbalanced
  • 3 mm (1/8" Tip-Ring-Sleeve) accepts stereo or mono input
  • Bluetooth input
Channels 1 and 2
Combo Jacks
XLR / 6 mm (1/4" Tip-Ring or Tip-Ring-Sleeve) balanced / unbalanced
Channel 3/Aux Input
  • 6 mm (1/4" Tip-Ring or Tip-Ring-Sleeve) balanced / unbalanced
  • 3 mm (1/8" Tip-Ring-Sleeve) accepts stereo or mono input
  • Bluetooth 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