ProSoundWeb Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Pages: [1] 2  All   Go Down

Author Topic: Currently testing/reviewing some Bose F1 812 active tops  (Read 9856 times)

Al Poulin

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 77
Currently testing/reviewing some Bose F1 812 active tops
« on: June 24, 2016, 10:38:21 PM »

Hey guys, I've been testing the F1 812 tops from Bose for the past few days. Did a gig last night with them (8th grade graduation) and my opinion, which started out very positive, seems to have shifted after using them last night. Long story short, they sound really good at close range, but in a bigger space the higher frequencies - which do not seem to be very present to begin with, seem to almost disappear, leaving bassy and middy sounding tops. Pretty sure it has to do with the 8 mid/HF speakers that do not seem to extend up to the frequencies a quality compression driver should, but I noticed the very liimited sweet spot of the HF in my small studio.... Another gig tommorow, and I really hope they sound better. They sounded borderline awful last night, although their low frequency capabilities are rather surprising. It's unfortunate, as I really like the compact design, low weight and output capabilities of the 812s. They have real potential but seem to be limited by the poor sound/dispersion of the mid/hF drivers. In a small space and on axis, they sound really good though... Here is the original thread (full video review to be posted after tommorow night's gig) :


http://www.djchat.com/showthread.php/129266-Bose-F1-model-812-first-impressions-full-review-to-come

Al Poulin - Party-Time! DJ Services
Logged
Weaseling out of things is important to learn.  Its what separates us from the animals...except the weasel. - Homer Simpson

Bob Leonard

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6807
  • Boston, MA USA
Re: Currently testing/reviewing some Bose F1 812 active tops
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2016, 11:57:24 PM »

Al,
Maybe you've heard this before.

No highs, no lows, must be Bose.
Logged
BOSTON STRONG........
Proud Vietnam Veteran

I did a gig for Otis Elevator once. Like every job, it had it's ups and downs.

Tim McCulloch

  • SR Forums
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 23729
  • Wichita, Kansas USA
Re: Currently testing/reviewing some Bose F1 812 active tops
« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2016, 01:58:40 AM »

Al,
Maybe you've heard this before.

No highs, no lows, must be Bose.

Buy Other Sound Equipment
Logged
"If you're passing on your way, from Palm Springs to L.A., Give a wave to good ol' Dave, Say hello to progress and goodbye to the Moonlight Motor Inn." - Steve Spurgin, Moonlight Motor Inn

Bob Leonard

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6807
  • Boston, MA USA
Re: Currently testing/reviewing some Bose F1 812 active tops
« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2016, 04:09:18 AM »

And the first clue they're made for pro sound is the RCA jacks one the panel.
Logged
BOSTON STRONG........
Proud Vietnam Veteran

I did a gig for Otis Elevator once. Like every job, it had it's ups and downs.

Al Poulin

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 77
Re: Currently testing/reviewing some Bose F1 812 active tops
« Reply #4 on: June 25, 2016, 08:09:55 AM »

Al,
Maybe you've heard this before.

No highs, no lows, must be Bose.

Well, Bose seems to have fixed the no lows issue with this particular model, as the low frequencies are surprisingly good and extended considering these are fairly compact 12s, but they seem to fall pretty short on the highs, yes... It's those 8 "full range" mid/high speakers they're using instead of a quality compression driver I believe.

Al
« Last Edit: June 25, 2016, 08:21:48 AM by Al Poulin »
Logged
Weaseling out of things is important to learn.  Its what separates us from the animals...except the weasel. - Homer Simpson

Al Poulin

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 77
Re: Currently testing/reviewing some Bose F1 812 active tops
« Reply #5 on: June 25, 2016, 08:21:11 AM »

And the first clue they're made for pro sound is the RCA jacks one the panel.

They seem designed for the average bar band or DJ "weekend warrior" which is what I am, so I don't mind the RCA inputs as they do add some flexibility in many situations. What got me interested in the F1 series is that they are a more simpler plug and play system not requiring dedicated processors and settings and sometimes complicated connection such as the L1 seies do. I have never liked Bose, but wanted to do a fair comparison to my collection of MI active cabs from Yamaha, RCF, KX Audio (KV2) etc.  The DJ Chat forums if full of almost religiously devout Bose fans and the performance claims often seem wildly exagerated, so I wanted to test some for myself.

In all honesty, for what it is, the Bose seems to mostly perform very well, except for its lask of upper top end frequencies, which pretty much ruined it for me the first time I used them at a gig. Just a little background about me, I am not a Professional sound guy, but have been doing some sound and plenty of DJ work for the past 26 years. I have always liked comparing audio products and more recenly active speakers. I try to provide an honest, unbiased opinion of all I review, but the testing is mostly done with my ears and while comparing to the performance/output/sound/features of competitive products. Iam taking the Bose out tonight for a second attemp. Let's hope they do better...

Al 
« Last Edit: June 25, 2016, 08:23:14 AM by Al Poulin »
Logged
Weaseling out of things is important to learn.  Its what separates us from the animals...except the weasel. - Homer Simpson

g'bye, Dick Rees

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7424
  • Duluth
Re: Currently testing/reviewing some Bose F1 812 active tops
« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2016, 08:46:45 AM »

They seem designed for the average bar band or DJ "weekend warrior" which is what I am, so I don't mind the RCA inputs as they do add some flexibility in many situations. What got me interested in the F1 series is that they are a more simpler plug and play system not requiring dedicated processors and settings and sometimes complicated connection such as the L1 seies do. I have never liked Bose, but wanted to do a fair comparison to my collection of MI active cabs from Yamaha, RCF, KX Audio (KV2) etc.  The DJ Chat forums if full of almost religiously devout Bose fans and the performance claims often seem wildly exagerated, so I wanted to test some for myself.

In all honesty, for what it is, the Bose seems to mostly perform very well, except for its lask of upper top end frequencies, which pretty much ruined it for me the first time I used them at a gig. Just a little background about me, I am not a Professional sound guy, but have been doing some sound and plenty of DJ work for the past 26 years. I have always liked comparing audio products and more recenly active speakers. I try to provide an honest, unbiased opinion of all I review, but the testing is mostly done with my ears and while comparing to the performance/output/sound/features of competitive products. Iam taking the Bose out tonight for a second attemp. Let's hope they do better...

Al

Sorry, Al, but that stuff is not worth a cent no matter what level you're at.  You can get much better stuff for the same money.  It's a long-standing fact that with Bose you pay for marketing, not engineering.

Check your dosage...
Logged
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain...

eric lenasbunt

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 861
    • Bunt Backline Event Services, LLC
Re: Currently testing/reviewing some Bose F1 812 active tops
« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2016, 09:36:24 AM »

Sorry, Al, but that stuff is not worth a cent no matter what level you're at.  You can get much better stuff for the same money.  It's a long-standing fact that with Bose you pay for marketing, not engineering.

Check your dosage...

As usual Dick is 100% spot on. It's not even that it sounds bad necessarily, it's that it sounds bad for the price. Their products are very inflated compared to comparable or better performing products from almost all the other major brands.
I think the L1 was a great product for the singer/songwriter acoustic guitar on a restaurant guys, but other than that Bose products are mostly overpriced and underperforming.
Logged

Al Poulin

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 77
Re: Currently testing/reviewing some Bose F1 812 active tops
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2016, 09:50:52 AM »

Sorry, Al, but that stuff is not worth a cent no matter what level you're at.  You can get much better stuff for the same money.  It's a long-standing fact that with Bose you pay for marketing, not engineering.

Check your dosage...

That is the impression that I'm getting, but seeing as I've never tested a Bose product and have only read glowing reviews of the 812s, I had to test for myself. I instantly noticed the lack of upper top end frequencies, but in my "studio" the Bose seemed to open up at higher levels, but had a very limited sweet spot, which was when you were directly in line with the speaker. Testing at an actual gig, I couldn't hear any sweet top end at all, only tons of bass and midrange. I missed the detailed sound of my DXRs, which are pretty much my reference point MI actives. I've used my RCF 310As in this particular venue as well, and while not having the deep low frequencies the Bose provided, the mids and top end were more than satisfactory and much, much more ear friendly than what I heard from the 812s. Why no one has yet seemed to pick up on this lack of top end in the Bose is beyond me... Why do I get the feeling I'm goin to get a threatening legal email from Bose once I post my full youtube review of the speaker?


Al
 
Logged
Weaseling out of things is important to learn.  Its what separates us from the animals...except the weasel. - Homer Simpson

Bob Leonard

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6807
  • Boston, MA USA
Re: Currently testing/reviewing some Bose F1 812 active tops
« Reply #9 on: June 25, 2016, 11:37:37 AM »

I've never heard a DJ say "I bought these (product name here) and they/it really suck(s)."

The way you describe "low end" might indicate you're not using subs. I'll bet a paycheck almost anyone on this site, regardless of forum, can show you a system with enough low end to make your socks roll up and down. And to be honest, I've heard those cabinets in use and they're just another BOSE product IMO.
Logged
BOSTON STRONG........
Proud Vietnam Veteran

I did a gig for Otis Elevator once. Like every job, it had it's ups and downs.

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Currently testing/reviewing some Bose F1 812 active tops
« Reply #9 on: June 25, 2016, 11:37:37 AM »


Pages: [1] 2  All   Go Up
 



Site Hosted By Ashdown Technologies, Inc.

Page created in 0.032 seconds with 25 queries.