QSC K Series
Tom Ginkel
highly-touted QSC K-series speakers. I am an elderly guitar player that
fancies himself still capable of rocking, yet no longer capable of humping
enormous speakers.
As I Google reviews I see DJs positively slobbering about the things. Their
claims seem to defy all that I've leaned about sound vs. size over my 40
years of musicianing. I have no reference point for live bands. I play
small bars, yet I want to be obnoxiously loud enough to keep people from
sitting around and pissing and moaning about their jobs.
I really could use some counsel here before parting with $3K. Am I barking
up the wrong tree?
Tom
Greg Cameron
They're fine speakers. And they'll have more than enough output to
drive people who don't want to listen to you out of your average bar
if you want. Which models specifically are you interested in? FWIW,
$3k in the world of live sound is not a lot of money.
Rupert
McSteve
> $3k in the world of live sound is not a lot of money.
>
Yes. A budget of $3k for the K series will get you two K 12s
and 1 K Sub. Give or take a bit. Not a lot of inventory.
I'm thinking of scoring a few, myself.
User reviews that I've seen have been positive. Word is that
the plastic box material scratches easily, so I'd invest in covers
if you want them to look presentable over the long haul.
--
Steve <snip> McQ
Phil Allison
"Tom Ginkel"
>
>I hate to be a pest, but I am considering spending a LOT of money on the
>highly-touted QSC K-series speakers. I am an elderly guitar player that
>fancies himself still capable of rocking, yet no longer capable of humping
>enormous speakers.
>
> As I Google reviews I see DJs positively slobbering about the things.
** Do slobbering DJs normally impress you with their competence in the world
of audio ??
> Their claims seem to defy all that I've leaned about sound vs. size over
> my 40 years of musicianing.
** See above.
> I have no reference point for live bands. I play small bars, yet I want
> to be obnoxiously loud enough to keep people from sitting around and
> pissing and moaning about their jobs.
>
> I really could use some counsel here before parting with $3K. Am I
> barking up the wrong tree?
** Consider what QSC have done in order to produce these lightweight, high
powered speakers.
1. Used switching power supplies and switching amplifiers made in China
employing tiny and unrepairable SMD componentry.
2. Used Chinese made speakers with no pedigree and also non repairable.
3. Used a minimum size, Chinese made plastic box to enclose the lot.
4. Provide a sub woofer to go with the puny main boxes, made exactly the
same unrepairable way, just so you can get a usable amount of bass.
I have a very similar product to the QSC K series sitting next to me as I
post - a " Wharfedale" Titan 12 Active, about 2 years old. It is an all
Chinese design too, lightweight with switching amps and PSU.
The 12 inch woofer is burnt to a crisp and the driving amp is dead - repair
is deemed quite uneconomic.
Before you invest in anything like the K series - you gotta ask yourself the
famous question that Clint Eastwood asked that unfortunate punk he was
pointing his huge gun at.
.... Phil
Arny Krueger
news:k9Yum.58035$5n1.1389@attbi_s21
I suspect they are very good, mostly because QSC is a good company and
making very good equipment (for the price) is what they do. Externally, the
QSC speakers seem to be good system components with provisions for
daisy-chaining and remote controlling gain, that competitive products from
Harmon lacked the last time I looked at them. I conference with one of the
QSC principals elsewhere, and the behavior and reputation of these people is
very fine.
From a technical standpoint, the QSC K-series products are essentially pigs
in pokes because of the absence of good acoustical specifications along the
lines of what one can readily obtain for competitive speakers from say,
Electrovoice.
OTOH, EV doesn't seem to have powered speakers that compete head-to-head
across the line with the QSC K series. OTOH EV has several similar products
with 15" woofers that don't seem to have any competition in the K-series.
As far as our esteemed colleague's rant about the country of origin, the use
of SMT components, and reliance on purpose-built drivers; well that's how
things are near the end of the first decade of the new millennium. I can't
see any point to paying a premium for equipment built in places where labor
costs are maxed out (e.g. most of Europe), leaded components, and standard
drivers that may not be optimum for the application.
As far as the pricing goes, methinks that too many people are judging price
based on equipment that used to be dismissed because it was obviously
intended for occasional use and probable early destruction by substance
abusing pseudo technicians, careless teenagers (as opposed to the other
kind), and other people who haven't matured yet. Manufacturers like
Behringer have done a lot to advance the quality and performance levels of
such things, but it is still not the same as well-designed quality equipment
sold for well-above minimum prices.
KGT
> "Tom Ginkel" <tgin...@mchsi.com> wrote in message
>
> news:k9Yum.58035$5n1.1389@attbi_s21
>
> > I hate to be a pest, but I am considering spending a LOT
> > of money on the highly-touted QSC K-series speakers. I
> > am an elderly guitar player that fancies himself still
> > capable of rocking, yet no longer capable of humping
> > enormous speakers.
> > As I Google reviews I see DJs positively slobbering about
> > the things. Their claims seem to defy all that I've
> > leaned about sound vs. size over my 40 years of
> > musicianing. I have no reference point for live bands. I play small bars,
> > yet I want to be obnoxiously loud
> > enough to keep people from sitting around and pissing and
> > moaning about their jobs.
> > I really could use some counsel here before parting with
> > $3K. Am I barking up the wrong tree?
>
>
weekend warriors.
My EON G2s has seen 6 yrs of SERIOUS abuse including hitting the road
at 40mph & landing in a ditch!
AFAIK they contain Asian SMT switching amps and Non field repairable
drivers. Mine still work as if New.
I can venture to say the K series sounds MUCH better than the EONs.
JBL is not "Warfedale" and Neither is QSC ...... Besides George Loves
them!
Ron
I might just raise my head above the parapet and venture that almost
anything sounds better than an EON (the 10`s aren't bad mind). I`m sure
the OP will be very happy with the QSC`s.
Btw, some of the more expensive Wharfedale stuff uses very nice dual
concentric drivers with decent plywood cabinets and sound rather good,
this is reflected in the price.
Ron(UK)
Phildo
Phildo
<snip>
I would ignore anything Arny says. After all, giving the recent debacle
where he claimed to know more about a range of crown amps than the
manufacturer did themselves his opinions are not worth paying attention to.
Phildo
McSteve
> I would ignore anything Arny says.
I'll second that. Just about anything he posts is the result of
a Google search, when it comes to actual live sound info.
He has virtually no hands-on experience in the field.
I have had him on my "ignore" list for at least two years.
(He's alone on that list)
He contributes nothing worthwhile, and suffers from a few
mental disorders.
--
Steve <snip> McQ
Tim Perry
Tom, I have by now fairly extensive experience with the K-subs. they have
performed satisfactorily in both indoor and outdoor settings. They were used
last week at a benefit, outdoors, which featured 6 local country bands. This
was part of a dual PA system where I handled acoustic drums and monitor mix
and the other system handled everything else.
it was pushed pretty hard. My active tops were in overload for the first
time but the subs as far as I could tell never hit limit.
crowd was about 4 to 5 hundred. We raised $11,000 for a lady who was in a
motorcycle accident.
The week before they saw duty at a street festival. They handled everything
from polka to African drums to salsa.
I typically put 2 K-subs together and the mid highs on stands. I like the
sound I get with them when my crossover is set for 90 Hz.
The biggest downside so far is that the handles are poorly designed. If 2
people try to carry them using the handles it tends to break the back of
your hand.
I worked a benefit 3 weeks ago with K-10's over K-Subs on poles. outdoor,
classic rock. also used k-10 as monitors.
This system used the dbx Driverack PX. The entire sound system was
transported in a Jeep.
The K-Subs have the advantage of quicker set up, lighter weight, smaller
size in the trailer, no amp rack. The wheels stay on and do not vibrate. The
locking power connector is a cool feature too. In addition I can leave a
whole bin of speaker cables behind.
I would suggest getting the JBL covers or some other brand of cover to
protect the finish while moving/transporting.
So far I have no regrets with them and I am considering getting K-12's
So if you want to retire the old earthquakes... maybe give these a try.
Phildo
There now follows a quick translation from Arnyspeak into English.
> I suspect they are very good, mostly because QSC is a good company and
> making very good equipment (for the price) is what they do.
"I don't actually know anything about the product in question but I thought
I'd answer anyway because I like seeing my name come up on the screen."
> Externally, the QSC speakers seem to be good system components with
> provisions for daisy-chaining and remote controlling gain, that
> competitive products from Harmon lacked the last time I looked at them.
"I've never heard the product in question and know nothing about it other
than what I can see on their website"
> I conference with one of the QSC principals elsewhere, and the behavior
> and reputation of these people is very fine.
"I read the posts by someone who works for QSC on another forum although I
have to be careful what I post there because they banned me once already"
> From a technical standpoint, the QSC K-series products are essentially
> pigs in pokes because of the absence of good acoustical specifications
> along the lines of what one can readily obtain for competitive speakers
> from say, Electrovoice.
"The website didn't have much information on the product".
> OTOH, EV doesn't seem to have powered speakers that compete head-to-head
> across the line with the QSC K series. OTOH EV has several similar
> products with 15" woofers that don't seem to have any competition in the
> K-series.
"I can use google and find the EV and QSC websites"
> As far as our esteemed colleague's rant about the country of origin, the
> use of SMT components, and reliance on purpose-built drivers; well that's
> how things are near the end of the first decade of the new millennium. I
> can't see any point to paying a premium for equipment built in places
> where labor costs are maxed out (e.g. most of Europe), leaded components,
> and standard drivers that may not be optimum for the application.
"I buy Chinese made products because they're cheap"
> As far as the pricing goes, methinks that too many people are judging
> price based on equipment that used to be dismissed because it was
> obviously intended for occasional use and probable early destruction by
> substance abusing pseudo technicians, careless teenagers (as opposed to
> the other kind), and other people who haven't matured yet.
"I'm really bitter that I never got to be a real sound engineer and it
shines through in every post I make. I am also a complete fruitcake"
> Manufacturers like Behringer have done a lot to advance the quality and
> performance levels of such things, but it is still not the same as
> well-designed quality equipment sold for well-above minimum prices.
"I like to state the obvious and hope people think I actually know what I am
talking about when I have no live sound skills whatsoever"
Phildo
Tom Ginkel
squabble amongst our esteemed friends.
"Tim Perry" <timp...@donespameroadrunner.com> wrote in message
news:h9kdka$n2q$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
Rupert
> Thanks Tim. I was afraid the thread was going to degenerate into another
> squabble amongst our esteemed friends.
>
They day is young ;-)
George's Pro Sound Co.
"Phil Allison" <phi...@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
news:7i3lhbF...@mid.individual.net...
hmmmm 2 years , the QSC would still have another 4 years on it's warrenttee
at that point
GTeorge
>
>
George's Pro Sound Co.
>highly-touted QSC K-series speakers. I am an elderly guitar player that
>fancies himself still capable of rocking, yet no longer capable of humping
>enormous speakers.
Tom , you would need to spend several times the cost of the k SERIES in
order to buy a better powered box
and yes as with all plastic boxes, get the cases or they will be cosmeticaly
ruined in short order
but they sound great and come with 6 years warrentee
George
Phil Allison
"George's Pro Sound Co."
>
> "Phil Allison" "Tom Ginkel"
> warrenttee at that point
** Be of no use whatsoever.
The QSC "extended warranty " is little more than a marketing scam.
http://www.qscaudio.com/registration/statement/statement.htm
" This warranty provides that the examination of the return product must
indicate, in our judgment, a manufacturing defect. This warranty does not
extend to any product which has been subjected to misuse, neglect, accident,
improper installation, ... "
A bass drivers with voice coil burnt to a crisp after two years in a disco
does not qualify as a " manufacturing defect " .
The amp failed BECAUSE the burnt coil impedance dropped to 1 ohm.
Warranty is simply non applicable.
The economics of repair and the availability of any special spares years
into the future is the issue.
Forget that with Chinese made junk.
.... Phil
Ron
started stocking the K series and �97 for the K12 'tote case', �115 for
the Ksub 'cover' seems a lot of money. They do look tasty tho.
Ron(UK)