bose 802 s2

[mazzie]

Hi Guys

New to forum, just like to get some info on the bose 802 s2 speakers, I have just got 8 802s and will be using 4 per side, would anyone know what sort of power I should be running per side, I think they are rated at 260watts but have read blokes have been running up around 500watts per cab?

 

Kind Regards

Mazzie

[sleah]

Hi Guys

New to forum, just like to get some info on the bose 802 s2 speakers, I have just got 8 802s and will be using 4 per side, would anyone know what sort of power I should be running per side, I think they are rated at 260watts but have read blokes have been running up around 500watts per cab?

 

Kind Regards

Mazzie

 

From my limited experience in the past of a colleague who had 4 x 802 I would suggest driving them with two stereo amps capable of delivering 500W RMS per channel. So two cabs per amp channel.

He did have have the occasional blown driver, so the amp rating is about good, any higher and you'd need to be 'really' on-the-ball ;)

Also make sure you are running an 802 system controller - if you run without you will risk damaging the speakers and all of us on here will guarantee they will sound dreadful!

 

Many people are anti-Bose (especially the 802 system) but powered with decent amps and most importantly through the Bose system controller, they sound as good as any other system in their class of their time - if not better :o

[paulears]

What kind of music? I quite like them too, but they really don't like bass, so if you don't have subs, filter off the bottom end, even though the controller does this for you to a degree.

[Simon Lewis]

The Bose controller doesn't provide protection in the way that later controllers from other brands did... in fact the 802c could be considered to stress the system given the fairly stiff equalisation it applied!

 

Here's a plot of the eq that Crown PIP modules applied when emulating the 802c... The 802 needed a significant boost at low and high frequencies to sound reasonably flat...

[sleah]

The Bose controller doesn't provide protection in the way that later controllers from other brands did... in fact the 802c could be considered to stress the system given the fairly stiff equalisation it applied!

 

Here's a plot of the eq that Crown PIP modules applied when emulating the 802c... The 802 needed a significant boost at low and high frequencies to sound reasonably flat...

You Bose hater you! :P :P :D :D :D

 

I've just realised how the old "Bose v everything else" debate is similar to the modern "Apple v everything else" debate (in terms of media anyway).

Especially having just had an horrific experience finding out just how bad Apple are at video when it comes to trying to hop over the walled prison garden in to the real world.

[paulears]

It's that bottom bit that's important - subsonics and low bass guitar, especially the 80's music with low synth basses that frequently went down to a low C were 802 driver killers. A local nightclub still has some 802s, and gets through a fair number of drivers in them when the DJs try to push them.

[sleah]

When we were using them in the 90's for mobile disco use, we never thought 802's should be used as FOH main PA without the 302 bass bins. In this config, the 802c acted as a crossover.

If for whatever reason we could only use the 802's (normally on sticks in that case) we never expected much bass response so didn't push them. You just accepted that 802's on their own were more sound re-enforcement than full-on full-range FOH PA with bangin' bass...

 

It's about having the right tools for job and using those tools appropriately. Rather like sixty-quid sid with all his gear stuffed in a Fiesta - get a van FFS!

[Simon Lewis]

 

You Bose hater you! :P :P :D :D :D

 

 

Actually, I try to be very neutral and factual about them :-) I learned the hard way after chatting to a gentleman at a conference dinner and giving my low opinion on some Bose products. After a few minutes of ranting, I saw that his name badge said "Head of European Sales - Bose" http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/redface.gif

 

 

 

[Jivemaster]

I heard some VERY good disco sound from a pair of 802s each side with a Mackie 18" active sub cab used as intended. The flat signal went out to the bin, which used the bass, the mackie internal crossover sent the mid back to the rack where a Bose system controller fed a stereo amp which fed the Bose their preferred audio band. The speech and music midrange clarity was superb.

 

The issue can be that a hammered second user Bose cab has lots of drivers to replace if/when the roll surround fails.

[mazzie]

Thanks for all your replies

I will be using the c controller and 2 peavey double 18 subs, music type all sorts.

 

Cheers

Mazzie

[Solstace]

Mazzie,

 

I prefer to have something like 500W available (8-Ohm) available to each 802 cab, and then limit the feed to the amp to ensure the amp should never, ever clip. Then, whether the 802C is used, or another EQ box set up to do its job (accurately!), the 802's really *can* sing, but obviously have their limitations as discussed.

 

My current dayjob rig is still built around 4 x 802's; each sits on its own channel of a Crown XLS802 (Original series, specs here) with digital EQ and processing in our A&H iLive set up as a limiter and 802C emulator. What we need for bass comes from a single 302 sub, modified with 12" JBL drivers and fed from a Yamaha P5000S in bridge mode. Aim is to keep us going until the planned replacement system comes in, whenever that happens. It was only ever supposed to live in that state for a year, but has done three so far, and gets pushed - hard - weekly.