Bose F1 Model 812 Flexible Array Loudspeaker and Subwoofer Combo

It was as advertised, more than enough power for an outside karaoke show.

I have been in a hobby level rock cover band for 20 years. In the college years, we had our own PA. As members got older and spread out in adulthood, we sold off our PA and have been hiring out our sound reinforcement for our occasional bar gigs and town festival stuff that we do. We got tired of paying out so much for someone to run sound. We also don't like hauling in cart loads of gear to get a full, powerful sound. So one day I happened to hear a band off in the distance at an outdoor event that sounded rich and full. As I neared the band, I discovered their sound was coming from these two tiny Bose F1 stacks. I had never had any real experience with Bose, except for remembering the "wave radios" back in the 90's. I have also heard the L1 system at several small performances by acoustic players and have been impressed with those setups as well. So I was pretty blown away at the sound that was coming from the small F1. It was every bit as good as the 18" subs and two 15" w/ horn cabs that we were typically used to using. So, we purchased two 812's and two matching subs. We have been using them for about 9 months now. Our PA is literally let up in less than 5 minutes. One person can make two trips to the trailer and have them inside. We are a 5 piece rock band with loud drums and Marshall amps. These things are great for the bars and small outdoor gigs that we do. Only after purchasing these did I realize there was this "Bose hater or Bose fanboy" ideology in the sound industry. So my opinion is unbiased to the "Bose" pre-judgments. I know what I hear as a part time musician/singer that likes rich full sound, with tight powerful bass and extreme ease of setup. My only complaint is the cost. Wow, they seem to be expensive, especially when compared to the mountain of cheaper gear that could be purchased for the same money. But you must hear these things in person to believe the sound that comes from such a small package.

Full disclosure: I spent more than I was planning after hearing this in the store. It was bugging me for a couple days (i needed to wait on delivery), thought "you dummy, you got it because they played it so loud in the store." Got it set up .... sound quality is beyond description. It is fantabulous. Incredible. Mind Blowing. Getting the picture?