Bose S1 Professional Multi-Position Bluetooth PA System with Battery

I've had 3 brand new units pass through my hands over the last week and a half and 2 of the 3 units have had bad batteries. I spent many hours and many phone calls with BOSE and both times we determined that I had faulty batteries. I hope it was just a bad batch but only time will tell.

I bought the S1 pro online having never actually heard the thing. There were so many great reviews that I was confident that it couldn’t be to bad. I hire speakers as a side business (used to to it full time but have scaled back) and most punters these days just want something to play music from their phone for a house party. I thought that th S1 will save me having to bundle cables and a mixer and trying to teach the user how to connect and use it all. The S1 arrived yesterday’s and those dreams were shattered. To start with, I should mention the speaker sounds decent for program with no percussion or bass especially considering the size. That being said, as soon as any kind of bass is added to the program, the sound great degrades significantly even at low volumes. The $100 bookshelf speakers hanging on the wall in my house sound significantly better and are better able to reproduce the bass content. First thought? I can’t hire these out as party speakers, there isn’t nearly enough volume and no bass. Second thought? Maybe I could couple them with a small sub! Good idea but! Unfortunately Bose have hamstrung the unit by not including a low cut (high pass) facility. A button would be great. A dial (or two) would be perfect. As is there is no way to increase output by connecting a sub, yes the sub will provide the base that was missing, but without being able to implement a low cut on the S1 you will still have clipping at low volumes meaning that it can’t see a way to get any real volume out of this thing without adding a mixer, crossover, subwoofer, and cables (which defeats the whole purpose unless.... I can find a sub with Bluetooth audio and built in crossover). Bose have put a lot of thought into their orientation sensors, this is fantastic and all but really, I am happy to select my position using a switch. If they had have taken that time and cost and provided a low cut (preferably with variable attenuation and frequency) then the speaker would become much more useful. And as a bonus, Bose would sell more subs.

Bose: adding a low cut facility to the S1 would make an average speaker great....also consider making a sub with bluetooth audio and a pole mount. You would sell lots.

We were comparing this Bose speaker to other speakers for a poolside speaker. Here is what I noticed compared to other systems:

Although this is a Portable PA system, what sets it apart from other speakers of the same class is the high quality of sound even at high volumes. We tried other boombox style speakers and we were so much more impressed with the Bose S1. Having the ability to use AC power, or it's own battery power is a big plus. It makes the uses of the setup so versatile. A friend brought over their guitar, and they were blown away by the quality of sound from the custom controls on the side of the speaker. This really is a multi-use setup that has been well crafted.

Shifting the speaker onto its side also allows for the speaker to switch speaker projection internally which makes the sounds correct whether vertical or horizontal laying positions.

We found that the battery life was closer to 7-8 hours on HIGH volume and 12 hours on low volumes in our tests. This is perfect for pool parties in the backyard, BBQs, and other events. This is an amazing speaker that costs less than a dedicated outdoor speaker setup, but has better sound quality and is portable which is so handy. We are big fans of the S1. Purchasing it for such uses as described above will not disappoint you. The Bluetooth range is also quite good. We even had the phone accidentally left in a pocket walk away into the house a few times without losing signal. Very impressive, Bose!

I own around 6 products from Bose. Each system sound's different for the same song. Main difference I noticed is the bass sound how deep each speaker system goes. Our mind always like deep bass and loud. This creates or transfers the bass vibration from our home to neighbors which you cannot even realize and still you will feel like to increase the volume, which shows bose is good for you but bad for our neighbors (in conventional speakers you will know it is loud and you will realize it could disturb neighbors, but not on bose). However, at the end you cannot replace bose with anything else, even you cannot replace the particular bose system you used to play songs with most of the other bose products. You will just customize yourself for the particular product.

Background. Professional Musician. Singer / Guitar with Backing Tracks. I own two L1 Type IIs B2 Subs and a couple B1s, a compact and now an S1 Pro. I am playing for a wedding this summer in San Diego and need to supply music on the beach where the ceremony will be so I thought the S1 would be perfect for that...After I opened it up and charged it I set it up to see how my mic SMBeta58 and one of my travel guitars (Journey Overhead) would sound through it....OMG. How is it even possible it sounds this good??? I can't comprehend how something so small can sound so good? Backing Tracks sound amazing, Guitar very cool and vocals really full.... Its actually mind boggling. My wife was out swimming and I brought this system out and play a set for her and you know the most amazing thing of all about the S1.....it sounds great outside, just like all my other Bose gear. It creates its own acoustic environment. I am sure people trying to use this for something it was not intended for would not share my experience but I tell you what I have done some smaller shows with this and people are completely blown away. I now have a 100% completely wireless solution and setup with wireless mic, guitar bluetooth to the speaker and battery powered. I will be getting one more I love it that much.
Moon Dog

I bought this to use on out float for our 40th high school reunion. It worked great. Everyone on the 32' float and the sidewalks were jamming through the entire parade route and then for several hours afterwards while we kicked back and enjoyed good food and adult beverages. I'll get a second one too.

Just got my 2nd S1 today. I did everything as instructed, Bose Connect app can not find the speakers. I turned them off and on as instructed, even reinstall the app, still does not pair. It does play one at a time though. What a disappointment.

This is one killer Bluetooth speaker. Bose never fails, and neither does worldwide stereo. Superfast delivery!

Use the speaker in my room, backyard in my car and at the beach ( FIRE EMOJI ). Battery life was not an issue. sound is amazing especially vocals, trumpet, piano AND guitar. If you love Banda or mariachi this Bose S1 pro is the speaker to get. Can't wait to get a second speak and a pair of stands.

SPEAKER IS WORTH EVERY PENNY! BOSE IS THE BEST OUT THERE!!

i am just a huge fan, don't have a lot of money but my more precious possessions are a QC35 and a Soundsport, both great. My cousin just bought one of this and the sound is so good that i just started dancing immediately, we where in a large backyard and still the music reach everywhere i was really impress, the best besides the sound quality is how looks this speaker, i am just starting a savings account now with the objective of getting one for sure, i am not an expert just a regular guy who likes listen some music and watch some movies all in the best quality possible and BOSE is one of the best providing that. Thanks

There is nothing negative about this speaker . I love it

I’ve always bought Bose products because of the quality, and this S1 does not disappoint. Plain and simple, “WOW!” I read up on reviews and watch video rewiews on the S1 before getting it. The most complained about bass quality. Sounds fine to me, the bass coming out of the S1 pro is perfect for a small unit like this, the treble and mids are incredible! well done Bose!!!

I play piano and have a singer. Resently I played in a house and there were about one hundred persons. Every body was asking themselves, were is the sound system?

I. Have 3 S1 Pros with 1 Bose F1 sub planing on buying a second one & the sound is great! Greater!

It was awesome in an open ground with around 50 audience. Also the product is specifically designed for vocals than for playing the prerecorded high bass music. so do not buy this if you will use only for listening audios/songs. if you are a speaker, then this is best.

I have been using Bose professional sound system for almost 30 years. I used 802s, 302s, L1, now I got S1. When it comes to a quality of sound Bose is superior to all other portable souind system. We are a smal band of two that mostly play in restaurants and coffe shops, I use Bose T4S Tonematch Mixer to connect two mics, guitar and background tracks via my lap top, it works perfectly I have total control of EQ, reverb and all the other functions that mixer offers.

Bought for small audience/presentations. Tested at home first before rolling out on the bigger stage. Used a U2 Slane Castle concert DVD plugged into TV via AUX. The sound blew the roof off. I have BOSE mini speakers and headphones. This is a different class. I think I'm becoming a BOSE addict and may need help in the near future!! I couldn't be more positive about this product if I tried. How about ten stars**********

Amazing Sound quality, Covers larger audiences, Battery life is awesome, Perfectly made and shaped. As always bose at its best. Great for outdoor parties, patio, beach, events and parties.

Been a big big fan of Bose PA for about 12 years. My L1 model 1 still gives all I could ever need. Wanted to replace my 120w AER with something of the same quality , but lighter AND I can busk with it!!

I bought this for my Motorhome. I turned my IPhone and motorhome into a mobile night club. You will just not comprehend the power, volume and incredible sound quality coming out of this shoe box. I am rarely impressed by much nowadays. The S1pro is a new dawn in mobile speakers. I am definitely buying a 2nd for pairing.

I use this for karaoke mainly. Mostly Indian bollywood karaoke, for which the background music is very demanding; not just guitar for instance. The S1 Pro handles it all. Voice comes through clean and clear and the reverb is fine. I am fussy about fidelity in speakers, and really, am quite pleased with the S1 Pro. Mostly I use it hooked up to a Mackie Mixer at home but I could use it at someone's home on battery I guess, without a mixer. Volume seems fine for a group of up to 50 people, though a friend performed at a busy restaurant with probably over 100 people seated, all talking, :) but yet we could clearly hear his vocal/guitar performance. He would have done well to have a set of two S1 Pros. Bass is really very good for a 15 pound speaker but I'm not surprised because my SoundLink is small and yet has good bass.

Hi.
Greetings.
I just want to ask. upon watching the video and at the end of the video of this product says that it is supported of bose connect apps. But when i tried to bond it it is not yet compatible to pair. We tried to update it but still it still not yet compatible. Kindly send feedback regarding to this matter.

It may have good reviews, but you can do much better than Bose

Very disappointed with the sound volume. In a small room with a few people you can’t tell it’s there. I also felt ripped off when I was asked to pay $100 extra for the battery and two months later the battery was included in the price. No help when I contacted sales and service.

I bought my S1 a month ago to use with my Roland RD700 keyboard. It has an honest sound but what impressed me most was the way it which it kept that quality as you ramp up the gain - on and on and on.

Bought recently. Why had Bose taken so long to get us such a soul companion?

I purchased a pair at Guitar Center. It comes with the battery now and it is worth every dime. On day two of owning these I was at the beach strumming away for my church men's breakfast. One hour later I was at church further north setting up with my Acoustic/electric uke bass for rehearsal. Towards the tail end of the rehearsal the power for the entire community area goes out and I'm still cranking away. Took the speakers home and hooked up to my zoom G3N pedal and played my telecaster for an hour. I only hit half on the battery indicator after a full morning of use.

Bose nailed a home run. I'm really impressed with reverb and the tone match options. I going to attempt shortly to see how these handle a flat response studio monitor. Plus I'm going to use them for all my student recitals. Also super kudos for bluetooth option. Was able to play a pad track to the speaker while practicing. I am convinced I want the T8s now to accompany it. I will say I do have one complaint and that is no phantom power? I can't use my blue encore 300 without a powered DI. I don't care for that part. My Telefunken M80 sounds awesome though it though.

Blown away by the Amazing Sound Quality and coverage. We at Steelasophical just invested in a second unit and looking forward to using in anger.

The big gigs have a sound system when I get there. For backyard shows, outdoor weddings and restaurant patios this is perfect. Use it on battery or plug in.
My friend has a battery powered mixer if you want more people inputs. I don't

The signal microphone is very light. I want to make this microphone stronger. Very light mic. Can I upgrade my firmware bose s1?

Microphone signal is not strong. Time to speak.
Nearly the mic.

Great for Small Venues, Restaurants or Family Reunion.

Sound Quality is great, but I was expecting more bang for my buck.

I have had the S1 Pro for five months.
I own the Bose L1 Model ll with two bass modules.
First of all you can not A / B the two units ! they are different animals.
All I do is judge each item on its individual ability and performance.
I am a muso of 40 years and crave good sound and am on a continual search for the holy grail of compact PA's.
First off , I use the Tone match mixer with the S1 , it is a must to get the full impact of what this speaker can do.
I love the L1 as it can do a large venue with great sound.
But what the S1 Pro can do for its size , weight and price is staggering !
I use the S1 for all gigs , unless it is a large show when I use the L1.
I will be purchasing another S1 to double up for bigger shows and probably retire the L1.
Besides the size factor and lug in/out effort , using two S1's gives you the added advantage of having two autonomous PA systems and ending the performers night mare of a audio failure.
My best advice is don't compare ! just get out and use then make up your mind.

High Class Sound. I'd recommend any Bose Speaker and or Headphones to everyone. One of the best sound's on the market. One of the greatest.

BOSE S1 Pro compact, portable, multi-position, multi-role, sound reinforcement system

The BOSE S1 Pro is a small, self-contained, powered speaker system suitable for use as a small public address system, an individual stage monitor or a solo performance/rehearsal/recording mixer/monitor. Just add AC or battery pack power.

"DJ" use of the S1 Pro would greatly benefit from daisy-chaining multiple S1-s for more distributed power and greater area coverage, to a limit. At some point, a subwoofer augmented L1 vertical array would make more sense, or a chain of F1 flex-arrays/subwoofers.

The S1 Pro's array of drivers are of a hybrid design: one 6" long excursion woofer (ala the larger, BOSE L1 portable, articulated line-array/mixer system) placed behind three 2", wide-dispersion-field drivers (the same as used in BOSE's F1-flex array system). It's an impressive pro-audio engineering lineage that the S1 Pro leverages.

The S1's driver crossover point is pre-set around ~600-700Hz to optimize mid-range/vocal presence, while still delivering rich bass for its size.

The S1 Pro makes for a great practice/rehearsal monitor or personal recording mixer/monitor. It can also provide satisfying general sound reinforcement for small indoor settings. Everyone seems to want to say meeting rooms and cafes.

It's not reasonable to simply juxtapose the S1 Pro as possibly competing against the L1 or F1 systems.

The S1 Pro is very complimentary to it's larger siblings, especially when the S1 is used as a live performance stage monitor in conjunction with them.

The PDF manual (not in the retail box) is very well written and has very straightforward examples of standalone, paired (stereo PA) and daisy-chained deployments.

The S1 holds its own for sidewalk/indoor solo performance. It's very quick to setup. Built-in ToneMatch is simplified, stripped down to flat (e-piano, pick-up), guitar (strings) & mic (voice, etc). But you can augment the S1 with (externally powered) T4S or T8S ToneMatch mixers, too.

The positonal DSP technology is very impressive and is part and parcel of how so much sound comes out of so small a "PA" form factor. The internal accelerometer detects the tilt of the S1 and a DSP pre-set for that tilt automatically kicks-in, changing the dispersion pattern for whatever settings (reverberation, bass, treble, S1 ToneMatch) you've chosen.

A switch inside the S1's pole mount slot triggers yet another DSP preset.

I've produced jazz recordings and live performance. I know what great reinforcement is supposed to sound like. Microphone choice, placement and attack all play their own crucial roles in achieving great sound. (No phantom power for a mic in the S1, though.)

The S1 can be leveraged to faithfully reinforce electronic keyboards, instrument pickups and/or whatever you care to mic, within the general frequency range of 70-16kHz. Acoustic instruments will be warmly and faithfully reproduced. Mic-ed kalimba overtones are reminiscent of EWF. Just don't expect any organ pedal notes from the S1.

I tested the S1 for vocal mic feedback. S1 radiating directly from behind a mic user, aimed line-of-sight, through the user, at the mic, splayed about 7'-10' apart. Normally, an idiotic setup.

Even with the mic's gain cranked above 50%, amazingly, NO mic feedback loop. (An L1 doesn't pass this test.)

Caring about audio fidelity, I used the Line In input to play a selection of lossy MP3-s to lossless FLAC recordings of solo acoustic instruments and mixes. I used the player's EQ controls to tweak the S1's output in a vertical, center-of-room (no coloring from wall reflections) placement. As long as I kept the S1 below clipping, the output was remarkably faithful within a 20'-30' radius. That's a decent sized room.

The S1 doesn't move enough air to pull this kind of HiFi off outdoors or with very large audiences; but that's why BOSE makes those other pro PA systems. The S1 is more than enough for general, fairweather PA duties in my backyard, again, with almost no setup time. (No, it's not waterproof.)

The optional six-hour runtime Lithium battery pack is just more icing on this cake. Trickle charge and fast charge, check. Can be safely stored, long term, with a full charge (attesting to thermal stability). Rough battery gauge estimates via power switch LED flashes/color and Bluetooth button double-tap. Although "permanently" installable for reliable S1 transport, the battery pack can still be user replaced when that time comes. "Pro" through and through.

All-in-all, the S1 Pro does everything BOSE claims it can do and does it well enough to impress and please me.

I recommend the BOSE S1 Pro to performing/recording musicians and I recommend it to anyone wanting a versatile, tweakably high-fidelity personal/portable PA system.

Really wish I had a bunch of these back in the day.

(specs not found in the Manual)
Frequency Response (+/-3 dB)
70 Hz – 16 kHz

Nominal Dispersion
100 H x 40 V

Maximum SPL @ 1 m
103 dB (109 dB Peak)

Weight
6.5 kg (14.3 lbs) – Without Battery
7.0 kg (15.5 lbs) – With Battery

Bought this several months ago when they first became available. Since then we have used it in more varied situations than I can list here and it has excelled in every one of them. Anyone performing should probably have one even if its not your main system. You’ll be surprised at how many situations will come up where the S1 Pro is perfect solution.

Purchased about a month ago when buying a couple of Bose F1 Subs to finish out that system. The place I deal with, Sound Ideas in Columbus Ohio was showing it off as they had just received it in. Loved the look of it at first site, but was hard to justify the price vs sound when in the store surrounded by the big Bose/EV/JBL pro systems. But the owner/salesman has been a friend for several years now and he told me to try, test it and let him know what I think. Let me see what I think.
Hard Rock monitor - NO
Classical monitor - YES
Acoustic amp or monitor - YES
Gospel music monitor - YES (if you are a want to be group who has monitors louder than the house, then maybe no...lol)
Tail Gating speaker - YES
Office Meeting speaker - YES
Take it camping - YES
Take it Boating - YES (just don't get it wet in your kayak)
Put it in the back of your golf cart at parades, or events - YES
Solo singer for small party, church or wedding - YES
Watch the grand babies dance to music played through it - YES
Small retail store music and special sale announcements - YES

Anyway, I will be purchasing 3 more to use mainly as monitors against my Bose F1 set, but also even more individually or paired in many of the above situations.

This is not a Bose L1 system, or a Bose F1 system, or even the older Bose 802 II / 502 system. So don't expect it to sound the same or have the same coverage. It is a speaker that my 6 year old granddaughter or 4 year old grandson can carry.

I do wish the ToneMatch mixer from the L1 would plug in somewhere to give more control and flexibility.
Also, wish that 2 or more could use the same bluetooth signal so not to have to run a cable across the venue.

the best 4 guitar jazz manouche, sounds great. very clear sound.

Got my S1 about a month ago and have used it for 6 or 7 gigs now. The sound is amazing! We A/B'd it with an L1 Compact and I felt like the S1 was warmer sounding though (as noted in the FAQ here) it doesn't throw to the back of the room quite as well as the L1 Compact. It one case we played a larger room with 150-ish people in it and I used an external sub to give us a bit more bottom. That room was why I say I'll be picking up another one of these. In the large room with lots of crowd noise I really felt the need for more coverage. Otherwise I'm very happy with this little box.

I have been a Bose L1 user since the day they came out. Loved what they do. This S1 hits the mark on sound quality and versatility. Bluetooth and its flexible positioning are hits. Missing are 48v phantom power and a DI out. If I keep this, I have to get a new mic.

I bought this Bose S-1 three weeks ago and have done 56 one-hour shows. I do one-hour shows in Senior Communities. It replaced a 40-lbs speaker I was using. The power is amazing! Once I found the right EQ on my i-pod it has the fullness I want. However, I have had trouble with Channel 1 not performing and have had an issue with the Bluetooth channel "jumping" in volume. There appears to be a problem in the fluid increases with the volume controller. I also wish it had a Master volume. The instruction book does not make a recommendation as to what setting (Off, Guitar, Mic) to use when plugging in a mixer. The mixer will increase the overall volume and EQ.

I purchased from Sweetwater and just received yesterday and absolutely love it! I also own the Bose L1 and this little guy is just a smaller version with the same sound quality and surprisingly excellent bass response. I wanted something portable with great sound and loudness to bring out to the pool deck this summer and this is perfect! Mostly I will be using this to play music from my phone and iPad. Personally I think the price point is on target for the quality. You get what you pay for with Bose!

I got a Bose SR1, tested it. And I was Amazed how nice and clear the sound is. not to mention Loud too. So, I got another one. The sound at our church is the best is ever been. My speakers are very new. I do not know how drarable they will be, nor other facts. But one thing I know for sure. I got great sound at our church.

Just bought this 2 days ago and all I can say is wow! Portability is fantastic, it fills the room with plenty of richness and drive. I love listening to music and the bluetooth feature is fantastic.

I have the Bose L1 and love it but heard about this and thought for smaller venues it would be perfect. I use professional track arrangements for more than 400 concert gigs per year. Not nearly enough base in S1. And can't adjust on the fly. Why no tonematch jack for Bose mixer? Yes vocal and guitar is fine. Orchestral arrangements not so much. Will take back. I will try a small Yamaha mixer to see if I can adjust the sound. If not I will return it. Disappointed you can't adjust this speaker easily.

Last week my S1Pro arrived and I couldn’t believe how small and light it was, the sound is fantastic. Why did it take Bose so long to engineer a practice PA system. The sound is similiar to my L1S1 towers. Last night at band practice I had attached my separate tone match and had 2 guitars, a bass and tracks going through it and not only did it not distort but the tone was crystal clear. I would give it 6 stars if I could. The only drawback for me is that I need to attach my seperate tone match because it doesn’t have a phantom power switch. My mics are Shure 87 A’s.

Just got it yesterday.
Plugged my Martin D28 with a thinline bridge pickup in directly, no pre amp. Chose the guitar eq position. It sounds really good. Not much of the honky midrange you usually hear with a piezo. Added a little reverb and adjusted the eq. Smooth.
I plugged in a microphone and picked the mic eq position. Sound is really there. Not muddy.
I like this cute little thing!
I am getting the battery pack for it next week.
I will use it for a monitor at our next gig.
Thanks Bose.

It is about time...this the best peice of equipment that a solo artist can ever have...I have been with Bose for 15 years ...the best sound for good singers...now I can park my compact..