Bose L1 Pro brings Bluetooth to a powerful line-array system

Dealing primarily in home audio systems, Bose is not typically a company to regularly deliver products for professional musicians. However, 17 years ago, the company made its first step into the world of pro audio, with a line array system that still holds up to this day. Designed by Cliff Henricksen and Ken Jacob, the L1 delivered something unique to other powerful PA systems of 2003 — portability. Since the market of truly portable PA systems has adapted over time, Bose is back with the L1 Pro series.

Bose L1 Pro Series

The L1 Pro family features a total of five brand new products. Included are the L1 Pro8, L1 Pro 16, and L1 Pro 32 speakers, as well as Sub1 and Sub2 woofers. In terms of speaker design, each L1 Pro system involves up to three stacks of 8 full range speakers. Bose arranged its speakers using its Legendary 180° Horizontal Coverage format, packing a major punch on their own. The differences between the three essentially depend on loudness needs. For example, solo musicians playing smaller venues may gravitate towards an L1 Pro8 system. Whereas the L1 Pro 32 will operate best in larger spaces for bigger groups.

For the Bose L1 Pro system, the company made additional revisions to its subwoofers. Each of its Sub1 and Sub2 woofers are designed similarly, also differentiated by need of power. Bose revised the shape of its cones, incorporating its Racetrack oval-shaped technology. While this has been used before by Bose in home theater systems, the team tweaked it significantly, allowing it to stand out for live performances. Internally, the biggest change included in the L1 Pro Series, is the included wireless Bluetooth connectivity. Now, users can seamlessly connect their devices, eliminating more wires, and play along as well. Additionally, when performers download the L1 Mix app, they can immediately dial in the perfect mix on the spot.

After a full 17 years of waiting, we are happy to have a revised L1 system from Bose. It seems as though the team has been hard at work on these new designs and features, and we look forward to hearing the result soon. The Bose L1 Pro family units are now available to purchase worldwide. To learn more, or see an in-depth spec sheet on the new PA system, check out Bose’s website. A complete list of dealers is also here for anybody ready to dive in and get this for themselves.