Fishman SoloAmp / Bose L1® Comparison: Difference between revisions
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== | This review was written by [http://bose.infopop.cc/eve/personal?s=8206048934&u=6471045331&x_myspace_page=user_admin open-road-matt] from the {{forum}} | ||
===Introduction=== | ===Introduction=== | ||
This page is an attempt to compare the brand new Fishman SoloAmp with the Bose L1. I didn't get to spend as much time as I would have liked on the comparison. Someone has to be dead last on the FedEx delivery list and that person is me! My SoloAmp was out on the truck for delivery at 4:50am this morning and finally arrived at my house at 7pm. I had plans for tests and recordings both inside and out but due to the late hour, I was only able to set up and test inside. | This page is an attempt to compare the brand new Fishman SoloAmp with the Bose L1. I didn't get to spend as much time as I would have liked on the comparison. Someone has to be dead last on the FedEx delivery list and that person is me! My SoloAmp was out on the truck for delivery at 4:50am this morning and finally arrived at my house at 7pm. I had plans for tests and recordings both inside and out but due to the late hour, I was only able to set up and test inside. | ||
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The portability is amazing! Here is what came out of the box: | The portability is amazing! Here is what came out of the box: | ||
Image | [[Image:SoloAmpPacked.jpg]] | ||
That's it! That's all there is! It's sort of hard to see in the picture. There is a top section of the case that holds the speaker stand. That section is held on to the bottom section of the case with big plastic clips and the amp itself sits in the bottom section. I got out our cheap bathroom scale to check the weight and it was dead on 35lbs, just as advertised. The dimensions of the SoloAmp in its case are: Length: 43.5" Width: 7" Height: 14.5" | That's it! That's all there is! It's sort of hard to see in the picture. There is a top section of the case that holds the speaker stand. That section is held on to the bottom section of the case with big plastic clips and the amp itself sits in the bottom section. I got out our cheap bathroom scale to check the weight and it was dead on 35lbs, just as advertised. The dimensions of the SoloAmp in its case are: Length: 43.5" Width: 7" Height: 14.5" | ||
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===Comparison So Far=== | ===Comparison So Far=== | ||
====Fishman SoloAmp Packed:==== | |||
[[Image:SoloAmpPacked.jpg]] | |||
====Bose L1 Model 2 with 2 B1s and T1 Packed:==== | |||
[[Image:BoseL1Packed.jpg]] | |||
Weight: | =====Weight:===== | ||
SoloAmp = 35lbs | SoloAmp = 35lbs | ||
Bose L1 = 165lbs total. | Bose L1 = 165lbs total. | ||
Set Up Time: | =====Set Up Time:===== | ||
SoloAmp = 55 seconds | SoloAmp = 55 seconds | ||
Bose L1 = 1 minute 38 seconds | Bose L1 = 1 minute 38 seconds | ||
Street Price: | =====Street Price:===== | ||
SoloAmp: $999.97 | SoloAmp: $999.97 | ||
Bose L1 (Model 2, Double Bass w/T1): $3297.00 (not including Pelican 1750 or Duluth Pack Boot Bag) | Bose L1 (Model 2, Double Bass w/T1): $3297.00 (not including Pelican 1750 or Duluth Pack Boot Bag) | ||
And here is how they look set up: | And here is how they look set up: | ||
====The Fishman SoloAmp:==== | |||
[[Image:SoloAmpSetup.jpg]] | |||
====The Bose L1 Model 2 with 2 B1s and T1:==== | |||
[[Image:BoseL1Setup.jpg]] | |||
So far the SoloAmp is looking really good but all the above is moot if the SoloAmp can't compete sonically or with regard to coverage and distribution. So..... | So far the SoloAmp is looking really good but all the above is moot if the SoloAmp can't compete sonically or with regard to coverage and distribution. So..... | ||
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The first song is called Sunny Side Up! It's a new song that I wrote for our son Eric: | The first song is called Sunny Side Up! It's a new song that I wrote for our son Eric: | ||
[http://www.mattwahl.com/music/Sunny%20Side%20Up,%20Bose%20L1.mp3] | [http://www.mattwahl.com/music/Sunny%20Side%20Up,%20Bose%20L1.mp3 Sunny Side Up! Bose L1.mp3] | ||
[http://www.mattwahl.com/music/Sunny%20Side%20Up,%20SoloAmp.mp3] | [http://www.mattwahl.com/music/Sunny%20Side%20Up,%20SoloAmp.mp3 Sunny Side Up! Fishman SoloAmp.mp3] | ||
This next one is a song from my Sunshine State of Mind CD called Find My Smile: | This next one is a song from my Sunshine State of Mind CD called Find My Smile: | ||
[http://www.mattwahl.com/music/Find%20My%20Smile,%20Bose%20L1.mp3] | [http://www.mattwahl.com/music/Find%20My%20Smile,%20Bose%20L1.mp3 Find My Smile Bose L1.mp3] | ||
[http://www.mattwahl.com/music/Find%20My%20Smile,%20SoloAmp.mp3] | [http://www.mattwahl.com/music/Find%20My%20Smile,%20SoloAmp.mp3 Find My Smile Fishman SoloAmp.mp3] | ||
Thanks for reading and or listening. I hope this helps a bit! | Thanks for reading and or listening. I hope this helps a bit! | ||
Matt | Matt | ||
==Day Two!== | |||
I had to get things torn down early this morning before we turned our little guy loose in the living room. Before doing so, I wanted a chance to hear my CA guitar through the SoloAmp. My Composite Acoustics guitar is the X Performer with a Sunrise/K&K Mini in it. I've often struggled with this guitar through my L1. I often end up with a low end thudding sound through the B1s. If I try to EQ out the problem, I feel like I loose the guts of my tone. | I had to get things torn down early this morning before we turned our little guy loose in the living room. Before doing so, I wanted a chance to hear my CA guitar through the SoloAmp. My Composite Acoustics guitar is the X Performer with a Sunrise/K&K Mini in it. I've often struggled with this guitar through my L1. I often end up with a low end thudding sound through the B1s. If I try to EQ out the problem, I feel like I loose the guts of my tone. | ||
I again used the Pick Up The World Stereo Power Plug to send a mono mix of my pick ups to channel 2 of the SoloAmp and used my Audix OM-5 for vocals. I have never heard my CA guitar sound this good!! It was rich and full with no thudding on the low end. I loved it!! | I again used the Pick Up The World Stereo Power Plug to send a mono mix of my pick ups to channel 2 of the SoloAmp and used my Audix OM-5 for vocals. I have never heard my CA guitar sound this good!! It was rich and full with no thudding on the low end. I loved it!! | ||
==Outside Test== | ===Outside Test=== | ||
I did have a chance to set up both systems in our back yard this morning. Our backyard is small and fenced in. It's almost a rectangle that measures 39' x 22' 7" I set the systems up in one corner. Here are two photos. The one | I did have a chance to set up both systems in our back yard this morning. Our backyard is small and fenced in. It's almost a rectangle that measures 39' x 22' 7" I set the systems up in one corner. Here are two photos. The first one is from the systems looking out. The other is from the corner looking back toward the systems: | ||
[[Image:BackyardLookingOut.jpg]] | |||
[[Image:BackyardLookingBack.jpg]] | |||
I used the exact same equipment as last night but I added an extra XLR cable to my mic and used a passive Rolls Matchbox DI box for my guitar. This allowed me to stand quite a ways from the systems and see how the sound spread out throughout the backyard. | I used the exact same equipment as last night but I added an extra XLR cable to my mic and used a passive Rolls Matchbox DI box for my guitar. This allowed me to stand quite a ways from the systems and see how the sound spread out throughout the backyard. | ||
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Unless I come up with a quick solution, sadly, I will probably be sending the SoloAmp back. | Unless I come up with a quick solution, sadly, I will probably be sending the SoloAmp back. | ||
Thanks | A quick update: I set the SoloAmp up in the living room again to see if I could figure out a way to make it work. I played with it for about a half hour, standing in front of it, to the side, even behind it and my ears couldn't take it. It is now boxed up, it will be picked up by FedEx tomorrow and sent back to Sweetwater. It's sad but now I know! | ||
My take is that the SoloAmp is much more an acoustic guitar amp than it is a PA system. I owned a Fishman Loudbox 100 for a while and while I loved the tone, I had the same problem standing anywhere near it when it was raised up to ear level. The coverage and disbursement of the SoloAmp are great as is the tone. I think Fishman would have been better off marketing this as a wonderful acoustic amp and should have avoided all the, "It's an amp and PA" and, "You hear what the audience hears" stuff that made me think I should set this up and use it like the L1. To me, the SoloAmp should be compared with other higher end acoustic guitar amps. | |||
Thanks for reading and listening! | |||
Matt | Matt | ||