Floor Monitor Concept

Portable PA
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Background:  I own Anywhere PRO Audio & Entertainment located in Jacksonville, NC.  In 2012, I purchased two L1 Model II's for DJ and live sound for multiple bands, trios and solo acts and they worked out great until I set up outdoors for medium size gigs (500 ) and couldn't achieve bass to parallel the db of the mid/high range. (in Bose portable PA).  Bought four B2 bass modules in 2015 and updated firmware on L1's...some better, but they have quite a bit of annoying rear bleed at moderate volume.

Next step, Nov 2016, I purchased Two F1 stacks.  Wow!  What an upgrade!  (Almost) All the tight bass I want, but now we're talking another animal; FOH speakers.  I started out using L1's as rear (forward facing) monitors with the F1's as FOH on corners of stage; strangely, no obvious phase problems. Even with the rear monitors, I have still had several of our local artists ask me if Bose has a "wedge" to get that close-up, immediate sound from a floor monitor. So far, my answer has been, "not yet." 

MEAT & POTATOES of post:  I like to advertise that I use Bose products for live sound.  Simple reason, they sound great, they're easy to use and they get me gigs!  But, I'm using another brand's active floor monitors and they are a disappointment in comparison to Bose quality sound.

I have a (rough) concept drawing and some details for an active floor monitor design and an idea for a NEW and HIGHLY DESIRABLE FEATURE (that no other brand has ever produced).  I'm not trying to make a bundle of money from this...my motivation is quality.  I realize I don't have the engineering skill needed to ring out all the details of the design, but I truly think I'm onto something here.  I want to get this concept in front of your brainstorming engineers at Bose so you can determine if the it's worthy of your "Magic."  How do I do that?

Eric Bailey "The Sound Guy"

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I understand.  It's a good policy when there are likely 100's of people a day wanting to piggy-back on Bose corp resources.  I was just hoping to tell someone the idea so eventually I would be able to use the product.

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Bose does have some passive monitors that get pretty good reviews... Very small footprint. I don't think they have ever produced a powered monitor though... I personally prefer passive monitors as they get moved around a lot and I find having less cords on the stage a good thing. 

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I'm using a 100 percent active PA and I love not having a rack full of amps!  I just have a power distribution rig off stage and run clean juice to every component. (including board)  I haven't had to problem solve ground noise since I started running all power from one source.

My concept is an active monitor with some breakthrough technology no other brand has ever come out with.

In today's tech world with so many inventors out there, just the idea that I have a concept nobody else has done blows my mind.  I just hope I can "sell" the idea to get the pros at Bose to take a hard look at it.

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Hi Eric,

I run a lot of Bose gear such as L1's, Compacts, F1's, 802's etc.   I too haven't really found a great monitor solution.  As mentioned there's the passive 620m's.  I haven't tried them so I don't know what they're like.   An active speaker is good when you want to run separate sends for each monitor which I like to do.   I was using my 802's as monitors which are OK, they do go plenty loud.  I made up 45 degree stands for them which was helpful but to run 5 x channels that's a lot of power amps!  I do have a 4 x channel PowerMatch amp but even that wouldn't be enough to run 5 x sends & also you're putting a lot of eggs in one basket. I've been mostly using some RCF 310A Mk3's.  They're nice & light, sound good & are the right size & reasonably priced for decent sounding speaker.    

What you're doing with the rear L1 is probably not a bad solution. 

If it's not a trade secret, I'd love to hear about your concept.

Cheers, Lee.   

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Lee, I'd love to discuss it, in fact I'm half crazed over feeling like I want to blab it all over the place...but then an import company would do a hack job at the design just to get the first copyright and there goes a great idea.

I will say this much, the overall design is low profile and the new tech is going to make all the the gear-heads out there say, "why didn't I think of that!"

Best!  Eric

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Often the simplest ideas are the best.    What I'd suggest is to build a prototype if you can.  Doesn't matter how ugly it is.   That way you can test in the real world.   

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That's good advice, and I wish!  First, I know I'd never be able to settle for what I could produce...it's too complex for my limited brain and I'm WAY too OCD.  I don't have the ability to mold plastic or at least 50 other complexities involved with this design.  I feel, to get it right, I have to involve the people who build, test and engineer these products for a $1B company.

I'm 44 and have spent my adult life, until recently, serving in the US military.  The pros at Bose went to college and developed serious brain power for this application.

I had a "genius" moment that surprised me and spurred an idea for a serious breakthrough concept for live music application.  I may never get another chance because genius moments don't come often for me.

I can only hope they'll contact me and give it a look.

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To respond to Anywhere Pro Audio... With my passive monitors (JBL SRX712) I use the PLD 4.2 @ 400 watt X 4 channels with all the processing needed available right in the amp itself... 

I have 2 of these amps... giving me a back-up on site for smaller bands and for larger set ups giving me the flexibility to have 8 monitors a once! 

No wrong or right way to do it... I just prefer the passive monitor option... that way I only have 1 cable to deal with per monitor on stage... 

Good luck on your idea, sounds interesting! 

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Hi Eric,

Dreams, imagination, moments of genius, probable enter into most revolutionary products, the difficult part is being the first to think, dream, or imagine the product. Then there is the "post it note" the happy application of a failed experiment.

It took over 10 years for some of the brightest minds in the industry to bring the L1 to market, and let's face it, people had been putting relatively small speakers in a line for a long time prior to the L1, without realizing the potential, or knowing what it would take to make the idea a viable, unique, patentable product. 

I did a quick search for "US patent for live music monitor" and came up with over 67,000 hits. 

https://www.google.com/search?...music monitor &*

You could also check and search patent numbers on the speakers you currently use or you think might be similar to your idea, and see what is actually patented.

I doubt that my search covers anywhere near all the hurdles one would need to clear, in proof and development of concept, but it's a good start for the research that needs to go into the idea. Based on my previous research of my own moments of genius, it's more difficult than one can imagine to come up with something completely new.

There is a slim chance, that given the opportunity to share your idea with an experienced engineer / designer / patent holder, that he / she could answer your question in a minute or two about the viability of your idea, but what fun would there be in that.

Good luck with your endeavor.

O..

 

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I have nothing against passive monitors, and the ability to have 8 is amazing to have in your toolbox.  I am simply trying to have a 100% active rig.  I recently had to turn down a gig because their stage plot showed a minimum of 7 individual monitor sends.  All I could think was "spoiled."  I attended the gig out of sheer curiosity and they ended up settling for 4 monitor mixes from a junk gear competitor of mine.  I enjoyed a slight giggle.

JBL has certainly stepped up their game in the portable PA area.  I'm looking into the JBL SRX828SP dual 18" powered subs.  I heard/FELT a pair of them from about 150' away last fall and was drawn in.  If they prove to be durable with some hard hitting musicians, I'll soon have a couple to augment a stage full of Bose gear.

IF they said Bose on them, I would own at least two already.  When you pay for quality...........

Thanks for the running conversation.

Eric

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Hi Eric,  
It’s great to hear about your success using and appreciation for our L1 Model II’s and F1 Systems.  We don’t accept product ideas from 3rd parties but thank you for offering! We do have many great products coming out in the future for installed sound and portable sound, so stay tuned!