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REVIEWED
REVIEWED: QSC KC12
As I’m sure you’ll have read in the news section, QSC are back in town! One of the features, if you can call it that, of Covid, was the slimming down of quite a few sales teams in our world and this has meant a dramatic retreat for quite a few brands. I’ve always assumed it was a consequence of the supply issues which hit anyone building anything using hi-tech components. Or possibly a slowdown in sales – who knows? But I’m really glad to see QSC – known for producing exceptional speakers – back with a distribution agreement in the UK with AVS, and, just in time for the launch of a game-changing all-new PA.
February saw the return of the Mobile Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas, at which QSC had a demo room. Even better, I managed to sneak a look at their brand-new speakers – a pair of KC12s. And what a new system this is. If you’re a fan of column speakers, you really need to get in front of these. If you’re not, then you really need to get in front of them. It’s time to think about column speakers in a whole new way. While the KC12 looks not unlike a column speaker, it’s actually closer to a full range system, while retaining the convenience and compact form of the former.
A common criticism of what some dismiss as ‘stick’ systems is a lack of middle notes. For me, the convenience overrode any issues, mainly because I’ve never felt that it was critical to the success of any event. I definitely notice a difference between my own column speakers and my full range ones, but it’s small, and the highest and lowest sounds are excellent. Need more mids? Turn it up! And I’ve used mine at hundreds of parties, plus also dry-hired them, and never once been told they could do with a bit more mid-range. But now, QSC have built the first-ever system that marries the convenience of column speakers but which delivers sound that is as full and rich as full-range cabinets.
For any Pro Mobile test, we will take delivery of a single or pair of speakers and put them through their paces in an empty room, at a party or both. For this test, Steve and I knew that Europe was still awaiting delivery of the first units so our best opportunity of an early preview was to sneak in to QSC’s demo room before the doors were open to the public. This allowed us plenty of time to talk the system over with the brand’s reps and have a good listen to what we think is the future for mobile DJs looking for both convenience and power from their PA.
As per the norm, we heard a range of tracks which were played at all levels up to and including ear-splitting. Walking around the room proved that the dispersion was perfect, and the sound was scarcely believable from such compact speakers. So, what’s behind the science?
Building on the legacy of the World of K® portfolio, the KC12 is a 3-way, 3000-watt loudspeaker system encompassing the visual aesthetic of a column loudspeaker, while surpassing the acoustic performance of conventional designs. Simple and rapid to deploy, the KC12 is ideal for solo entertainers, musicians and bands, mobile entertainers and DJs, AV productions and static installations.
The KC12 system consists of a ported subwoofer, housing a 12in driver extending down to 40Hz. The design of the top mid and high enclosure features a 1in compression driver combined with the QSC LEAF™ (Length-Equalized Acoustic Flare) waveguide, as well as two high-excursion 4in mid-range drivers. The system provides a full-range horizontal coverage of 145 degrees, and 35 degrees of audience-directed vertical coverage, producing a clean and natural sound at all output levels.
The mid-range speakers are what delivers such a huge difference over typical column systems. You will notice that the tops are a fair bit wider than those you’d normally associate with such a system. It seems like an obvious adjustment: make the column a bit wider and add mid-range! Traditional column systems feature multiples of smaller speakers, most often a combination of 1in and 2in drivers which tend to produce excellent high notes, but which struggle to varying degrees when producing those all-important middle notes. But by using a single 1in speaker and two 4in units, this system delivers ground-breaking sound.
The KC12 has a ‘rounded’ look using longer curves than I’ve seen on other speakers. And they stand really tall. This was something the QSC rep was keen to speak about. The system pole, which connects the top to the main sub and also connects your sound, is 32in tall which results in a system which stands at 2270mm/89.4in. If you’re performing on a stage, you simply put the top directly into the sub without using the connector, resulting in a total height of 1463mm/57.6in. However, feedback received by the company is that when used in a low-ceiling environment, almost 2.3m can be just that bit too tall. As a consequence, QSC are now developing an additional, optional shorter connector. This will be something to consider if you perform regularly in low-ceiling environments.
The main sub (KC12S) houses all of the connectivity and controls. Featuring a class D amplifier and a 2000w sub-woofer, controls are accessed via a rotary encoder with two push buttons for the LCD menu display and there are three rotary level controls for the three input channels.
There is an AC power switch, power is delivered via an IEC input. There are two power indicator LEDs (front and rear), a standby indicator and a limiter LED. Each input channel has an indicator LED which glows green when receiving a signal and red when clipping.
You get two combo XLR inputs (Mic/Line/Hi-Z and Mic/Line/+48 V), with independent, assignable Factory Presets for each input, ideal for those situations where you need to plug in your normal sound and then add a separate microphone or instrument. There is also a third connector which will take a stereo 3.5mm TRS jack, a USB-C input which also delivers 5V/3A of power and, finally, you can connect via Bluetooth® which utilises True Wireless Audio (TWS) ensuring low-latency pairing between music source and both left and right loudspeakers, simultaneously.
The multi-function digital display is used to control and select loudspeaker functions including EQ, subwoofer level, presets and scenes, Bluetooth® configuration, delay (200ms) or reverb. This allows for direct connection to the system, especially convenient for wedding ceremonies, for hiring as stand-alone speakers for background music and speeches as well as connecting musicians. Indeed, I expect the KC12 to be very popular with singers/guitarists as well as DJs.
Each KC12 comes with a tote bag which houses the top unit and the column pole. You will need to order the (optional) bag for the sub, or perhaps consider speaking to one of the flight case manufacturers for a case which will house the whole system. With a net weight of 27.3kg, you’ll need wheels on that, so only really an option if you have a ramp as well. Dimensions of each piece are KC12T: 890 × 141 × 158 mm/35 × 5.6 × 6.2 in, KC-SP32: 881 × 74 × 46 mm/34.7 × 3 × 1.8 in and KC12S: 655 × 357 × 455 mm/25.8 × 14 × 18 in.
Other things that are important to know is that the KC12 also comes in white, immediately attractive to wedding DJs! And that your new investment comes with a global six-year warranty (with product registration). For me, the length of the warranty alone means that these speakers are a serious contender for adding to our stock of PA.
Overall, we were hugely impressed with the KC12s. They are proper meaty speakers which deliver a lot of well-balanced sound over a wide dispersion which goes all the way to the back of a room, and they have a really wide range of connectivity meaning that they can be used in all sorts of scenarios.
When it comes to speakers, sound is a pretty subjective thing. But I’m confident that one listen to these will convince even the biggest audio critic that the future of mobile PA is looking a little different now. Get yourself down to your local retailer for a listen and find out for yourself.
February saw the return of the Mobile Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas, at which QSC had a demo room. Even better, I managed to sneak a look at their brand-new speakers – a pair of KC12s. And what a new system this is. If you’re a fan of column speakers, you really need to get in front of these. If you’re not, then you really need to get in front of them. It’s time to think about column speakers in a whole new way. While the KC12 looks not unlike a column speaker, it’s actually closer to a full range system, while retaining the convenience and compact form of the former.
A common criticism of what some dismiss as ‘stick’ systems is a lack of middle notes. For me, the convenience overrode any issues, mainly because I’ve never felt that it was critical to the success of any event. I definitely notice a difference between my own column speakers and my full range ones, but it’s small, and the highest and lowest sounds are excellent. Need more mids? Turn it up! And I’ve used mine at hundreds of parties, plus also dry-hired them, and never once been told they could do with a bit more mid-range. But now, QSC have built the first-ever system that marries the convenience of column speakers but which delivers sound that is as full and rich as full-range cabinets.
For any Pro Mobile test, we will take delivery of a single or pair of speakers and put them through their paces in an empty room, at a party or both. For this test, Steve and I knew that Europe was still awaiting delivery of the first units so our best opportunity of an early preview was to sneak in to QSC’s demo room before the doors were open to the public. This allowed us plenty of time to talk the system over with the brand’s reps and have a good listen to what we think is the future for mobile DJs looking for both convenience and power from their PA.
As per the norm, we heard a range of tracks which were played at all levels up to and including ear-splitting. Walking around the room proved that the dispersion was perfect, and the sound was scarcely believable from such compact speakers. So, what’s behind the science?
Building on the legacy of the World of K® portfolio, the KC12 is a 3-way, 3000-watt loudspeaker system encompassing the visual aesthetic of a column loudspeaker, while surpassing the acoustic performance of conventional designs. Simple and rapid to deploy, the KC12 is ideal for solo entertainers, musicians and bands, mobile entertainers and DJs, AV productions and static installations.
The KC12 system consists of a ported subwoofer, housing a 12in driver extending down to 40Hz. The design of the top mid and high enclosure features a 1in compression driver combined with the QSC LEAF™ (Length-Equalized Acoustic Flare) waveguide, as well as two high-excursion 4in mid-range drivers. The system provides a full-range horizontal coverage of 145 degrees, and 35 degrees of audience-directed vertical coverage, producing a clean and natural sound at all output levels.
The mid-range speakers are what delivers such a huge difference over typical column systems. You will notice that the tops are a fair bit wider than those you’d normally associate with such a system. It seems like an obvious adjustment: make the column a bit wider and add mid-range! Traditional column systems feature multiples of smaller speakers, most often a combination of 1in and 2in drivers which tend to produce excellent high notes, but which struggle to varying degrees when producing those all-important middle notes. But by using a single 1in speaker and two 4in units, this system delivers ground-breaking sound.
The KC12 has a ‘rounded’ look using longer curves than I’ve seen on other speakers. And they stand really tall. This was something the QSC rep was keen to speak about. The system pole, which connects the top to the main sub and also connects your sound, is 32in tall which results in a system which stands at 2270mm/89.4in. If you’re performing on a stage, you simply put the top directly into the sub without using the connector, resulting in a total height of 1463mm/57.6in. However, feedback received by the company is that when used in a low-ceiling environment, almost 2.3m can be just that bit too tall. As a consequence, QSC are now developing an additional, optional shorter connector. This will be something to consider if you perform regularly in low-ceiling environments.
The main sub (KC12S) houses all of the connectivity and controls. Featuring a class D amplifier and a 2000w sub-woofer, controls are accessed via a rotary encoder with two push buttons for the LCD menu display and there are three rotary level controls for the three input channels.
There is an AC power switch, power is delivered via an IEC input. There are two power indicator LEDs (front and rear), a standby indicator and a limiter LED. Each input channel has an indicator LED which glows green when receiving a signal and red when clipping.
You get two combo XLR inputs (Mic/Line/Hi-Z and Mic/Line/+48 V), with independent, assignable Factory Presets for each input, ideal for those situations where you need to plug in your normal sound and then add a separate microphone or instrument. There is also a third connector which will take a stereo 3.5mm TRS jack, a USB-C input which also delivers 5V/3A of power and, finally, you can connect via Bluetooth® which utilises True Wireless Audio (TWS) ensuring low-latency pairing between music source and both left and right loudspeakers, simultaneously.
The multi-function digital display is used to control and select loudspeaker functions including EQ, subwoofer level, presets and scenes, Bluetooth® configuration, delay (200ms) or reverb. This allows for direct connection to the system, especially convenient for wedding ceremonies, for hiring as stand-alone speakers for background music and speeches as well as connecting musicians. Indeed, I expect the KC12 to be very popular with singers/guitarists as well as DJs.
Each KC12 comes with a tote bag which houses the top unit and the column pole. You will need to order the (optional) bag for the sub, or perhaps consider speaking to one of the flight case manufacturers for a case which will house the whole system. With a net weight of 27.3kg, you’ll need wheels on that, so only really an option if you have a ramp as well. Dimensions of each piece are KC12T: 890 × 141 × 158 mm/35 × 5.6 × 6.2 in, KC-SP32: 881 × 74 × 46 mm/34.7 × 3 × 1.8 in and KC12S: 655 × 357 × 455 mm/25.8 × 14 × 18 in.
Other things that are important to know is that the KC12 also comes in white, immediately attractive to wedding DJs! And that your new investment comes with a global six-year warranty (with product registration). For me, the length of the warranty alone means that these speakers are a serious contender for adding to our stock of PA.
Overall, we were hugely impressed with the KC12s. They are proper meaty speakers which deliver a lot of well-balanced sound over a wide dispersion which goes all the way to the back of a room, and they have a really wide range of connectivity meaning that they can be used in all sorts of scenarios.
When it comes to speakers, sound is a pretty subjective thing. But I’m confident that one listen to these will convince even the biggest audio critic that the future of mobile PA is looking a little different now. Get yourself down to your local retailer for a listen and find out for yourself.
The full review can be found in Pro Mobile Issue 130, Pages 74-76.
