Bose L1 Model II Compact Amp System - from £2,653 - www.bose.com/musicians

Bose offer you amplification for your e-kit...

We regularly feature e-kits in the pages of our gear section, but not all e-kits are destined for the back bedroom. What about those drummers that use their e-kit live, or want a ‘noisy’ rehearsal? We thought it was time we looked at some suitable amplification that goes beyond a small amplifier. Endorsed by many top-flight musicians, including on the percussive front regular Drummer contributor and all-round e-kit guru Craig Blundell, Bose’s L1 system has proved to be a worthwhile companion to amplify your electronic gadgetry. But running in at over £2,500, is it a worthwhile investment?

Towering above the rest

The system we have here consists of two ‘Cylindrical Radiator’ speakers (totem pole-like in appearance) with two bass modules (the system is only supplied with one as standard, the second module seen here is an additional extra). The ‘ToneMatch Audio Engine’ powers the system and acts as a mixer, EQ unit and effects unit combined. The beauty of this system is that it takes up very little room, either when set up or in transit, with all parts being supplied with heavy-duty carry cases. Set-up is a breeze, with the fully modular locking system making it possibly the easiest PA system to set up and use. Leads are kept to a bare minimum, and all components for this system run from one power lead, connected to the powered base unit. The two top cylindrical speakers slot into this unit, one atop the other, with the supplied ToneMatch four-channel mixer attaching neatly to the tower and being powered by a single lead (no extra power needed). The passive bass bin is also attached by a single lead to the powered base, and the extra bass bin we have augmenting our set-up here is simply bridged from the first bin, so all in all, only four leads are needed for a full system!

In Use

Setting up took just five minutes. I plugged in my trusty V-Drums, turned up the volume, pressed play on one of the preloaded, and instantly I was blown away – for a system that takes up such little room and is so quick and easy to set up, the sound that emanates from it is incredible. Bass frequencies are handled perfectly, with the stomach-churning kick of the bass drum sounding full and fat, with absolutely no hint of the distortion you can sometimes get when putting such frequencies through less capable systems. Similarly the higher end of the tonal spectrum is equally well handled by the system, with cymbals, hi-hats and rim-shots all sounding perfect without distortion. I pushed the volume levels higher (much to my neighbour’s annoyance) and eventually the system did start to clip slightly, but this didn’t occur until it was extremely loud. This great system offers a fantastically clear, precise and true sound.

Conclusion

This is a fantastic piece of kit that delivers a beautifully clear, precise sound from a compact, neat and easy-to-use system. The strongest points for me are the easy, non-fussy set-up and stunning, well-defined clarity of sound at all frequencies. While the high price tag will obviously be a major hurdle for many of us, any drummer who regularly uses their e-kit professionally, and is serious about their performance, will seriously aspire to owning one of these systems.