Best mobile PA system - QSC Kseries?

[samjbrowne]

Hey guys, I'm wanting to upgrade to the best small (2xsubs on wheels + 2 x FOH speakers) PA for playing everything from pubs to 1000 person venues.

I'm wondering about the QSC K Series (using 2 x K8 plus 2 x K sub).

Has anybody used these? Do they live up to the hype?

 

[aeolian]

I'm planing to downgrade from my small line arrays and towers to a pair of K10's over just two single 18 subs. But I'm not planning to play 1000 person venues anymore either.

For pubs they would be just the ticket, which is why I'm downgrading to them.

The only problem I have with the K series is the backwards horizontal dispersion. The smaller speakers should be wider for small pubs, and the larger speakers narrow so you can array multiples in larger places. Two K8s per side probably wouldn't handle a fully mic'ed band in a 1000 person venue. Not enough low mids with the 8's. But one K12 wouldn't be enough either. Two K12s per side gets into comb filtering from the overlaping horizontal dispersion.

Maybe if they had rotatable horns or changable lenses.

 

[samjbrowne]

I'm planing to downgrade from my small line arrays and towers to a pair of K10's over just two single 18 subs. But I'm not planning to play 1000 person venues anymore either.

For pubs they would be just the ticket, which is why I'm downgrading to them.

The only problem I have with the K series is the backwards horizontal dispersion. The smaller speakers should be wider for small pubs, and the larger speakers narrow so you can array multiples in larger places. Two K8s per side probably wouldn't handle a fully mic'ed band in a 1000 person venue. Not enough low mids with the 8's. But one K12 wouldn't be enough either. Two K12s per side gets into comb filtering from the overlaping horizontal dispersion.

Maybe if they had rotatable horns or changable lenses.

That is how they work though - the 8s have the widest dispersion?

 

[samjbrowne]

I meant 2 of each speaker in total - i.e. one sub and one K8 per side.

 

[loudboy]

Get different subs - the QSC's are not the best.

The K10's would be nice for tops, tho.

 

[samjbrowne]

Get different subs - the QSC's are not the best.

The K10's would be nice for tops, tho.

Oh ok - what's not so good about them?

The attraction with the K8s is their wide dispersion.

 

[loudboy]

Oh ok - what's not so good about them?

The attraction with the K8s is their wide dispersion.

They're a bandpass design, or a "one-note wonder." You'll get a LOT of whatever frequency they're tuned to, but not a balanced low-end response.

 

[speakerjones]

I'm planing to downgrade from my small line arrays and towers to a pair of K10's over just two single 18 subs. But I'm not planning to play 1000 person venues anymore either.

For pubs they would be just the ticket, which is why I'm downgrading to them.

The only problem I have with the K series is the backwards horizontal dispersion. The smaller speakers should be wider for small pubs, and the larger speakers narrow so you can array multiples in larger places. Two K8s per side probably wouldn't handle a fully mic'ed band in a 1000 person venue. Not enough low mids with the 8's. But one K12 wouldn't be enough either. Two K12s per side gets into comb filtering from the overlaping horizontal dispersion.

Maybe if they had rotatable horns or changable lenses.

The K8's do have the widest pattern, and get narrower as the driver gets bigger.

I'm a big fan of these speakers. My company just ordered a pair of each size and a pair of the subs. No way are these speakers going to cut it in a 1000 cap room though. 100-250 maybe. You need to move a lot of air to cover 1000 people. I'll agree regarding the K-subs. There are better options out there. We bought them because it makes for a very tidy rental package and we wanted some cute, small subs for corporate applications. If you're using them for a band, I would get a pair of powered 18's.

 

[loudboy]

I'm also having a problem with these claims of being able to cover 400 people w/a powered mixer and a pair of speakers on sticks and no miked instruments.

400 is a LOT of people - that would pack most of the bigger clubs around here.

For 100 people and the intent of a good full-range mix, I'd need at least a pair of K10's and a good pair of subs.

Right now, I'm running JBL SRX-712Ms over EV 1x18 subs, w/900W into each and it's just about right for a rock band in a 100 capacity club.

I wouldn't think of a 400-seater w/that rig.