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QSC K8.2 Keyboard Amplification -- Quick Review


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Those of you that know me know I have severe GAS for keyboard amplification. When the updated QSC K.2 series came out, I knew I wouldn't be able to resist for long.

 

Well, they arrived yesterday, and I took them to a band rehearsal tonight. Long story short, they're winners, and should prove to be even more popular with keyboardists than the previous K8s.

 

Physically, it's the same convenient K8 form factor (small, light) but now with a notch cabinet angled for nearfield monitoring. The control section now has a bunch of adjustments and presets that the K8 didn't have, but basically the same connectivity as before. I didn't spend any time with these, just set it for "live".

 

The sound? About 50% better to my ears, and the original K8s were no slouches.

 

More power, obviously, but also crisper, deeper bass and more clarity in the upper mids. I had one on each side of me a few feet behind, and I sat in this wonderful lush full-range sweet spot all night long.

 

I had been bringing my SSv3 to play with these guys, and it did alright for what I asked it to do. Brought a pair of K8.2s, and just about everyone commented repeatedly on how great it sounded. Yeah, at about twice the cost.

 

I don't know if I could point to any one thing: better bass, better mids, better highs, no strain in the sound, excellent clarity, etc. but as a package it all sounded pretty darn good. My Nord APs, for example, sounded very good indeed.

 

The only untoward thing I noticed is that I had to feed them lots of line level to get serious volume out them, which I did, and they handled high volume with aplomb.

 

More gig time will be needed for a full evaluation, but -- quick take -- a significant upgrade to the previous K8s.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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I recommended them to a singer I've been working with. She wants something she can plug her mic (Senn e935) directly into without a mixer for small space...She wants just one for the time being...She needs something under 30 lbs. too that she can deal with alone...It's a tad more then she wants to pay.

EV ZXa1 is 19 lbs, has a mic input, sounds darn good, costs less...

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Have been interested in the ev zxa1 for some time,because of its acoustic piano sound reproduction, but was concerned about the reports of failures/shutdowns,etc., due to heat, one report saying theirs failed indoors, on the first set, I think. The new k8.2, supposedly has a new type of cooling fan. The zxa1 uses convection cooling. Also on the zxa1, if one wants to use 2 or 3 keyboards, a mixer is necessary, and on the 8.2 there are 3 separate inputs with individual level controls, eliminating the need for a mixer. Overall long-term reliability (other than being exposed to rain, etc.)as well as musical/smooth sound for pianos, organs and synths is key for either speaker.
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Based on the other thread, a Radial Key Largo might solve a lot of the gain-staging needs and is a great DI to boot. Could apply to about any of the other speakers mentioned. Just a thought.

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Don't crow that the QSC doesn't need a mixer until you have tried it with your specific boards. Lots of times the powered speaker needs more gain than your keyboard can give.

 

Yes.

 

I've tried a Nord E4 directly into the back of the K8.2, and, while you got some decent volume, it could only achieve maybe 50% of its potential.

 

Fine if you're some lounge act, not good if you're playing with a louder band. This is not the fault of either device, just shows the need for a small mixer to stage the right gain levels.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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Don't crow that the QSC doesn't need a mixer until you have tried it with your specific boards. Lots of times the powered speaker needs more gain than your keyboard can give.

 

Yes.

 

I've tried a Nord E4 directly into the back of the K8.2, and, while you got some decent volume, it could only achieve maybe 50% of its potential.

 

Fine if you're some lounge act, not good if you're playing with a louder band. This is not the fault of either device, just shows the need for a small mixer to stage the right gain levels.

What if you put the Nord into the K8's mic input? The presence of that mic preamp should allow you to get plenty of level out of it, yes? Though it might not be as clean sounding.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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I've been through just about every powered speaker ever built in the past 10 years and have recently settled on the Yamaha DX series (12): Great punch, clarity, durability and value IMO. For approx. $500 I really don't think you can hit on as many cylinders as far as desirable characteristics than the DX series.

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Don't crow that the QSC doesn't need a mixer until you have tried it with your specific boards. Lots of times the powered speaker needs more gain than your keyboard can give.

 

Yes.

 

I've tried a Nord E4 directly into the back of the K8.2, and, while you got some decent volume, it could only achieve maybe 50% of its potential.

 

Fine if you're some lounge act, not good if you're playing with a louder band. This is not the fault of either device, just shows the need for a small mixer to stage the right gain levels.

What if you put the Nord into the K8's mic input? The presence of that mic preamp should allow you to get plenty of level out of it, yes? Though it might not be as clean sounding.

 

Yes, you certainly get plenty of level, but also the potential for overdriving the line and getting angry mud in return. In a pinch -- sure. As a standard practice, I always have spent ~$100 for a small mixer that sits by my side.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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Based on the other thread, a Radial Key Largo might solve a lot of the gain-staging needs and is a great DI to boot. Could apply to about any of the other speakers mentioned. Just a thought.

 

I go back and forth on the Key Largo. So much I like, so much I don't need.

 

3 stereo inputs? Check, very useful. External effects? Nope. USB integration? Nope. Separate floor switches? Not really. MIDI? Nope.

 

Maybe down the road, sure.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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They look great, but I wonder how much better stage coverage they offer with the 105° Axisymetric? is it better than the K series 105° Conical? seems very similar to me.

 

I couldn't detect a meaningful difference between the two, but it's still early days. The 105 degree dispersion makes placement that much easier, and more people get to hear stereo.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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I couldn't detect a meaningful difference between the two, but it's still early days. The 105 degree dispersion makes placement that much easier, and more people get to hear stereo.

For those following the discussion of this vis-a-vis the ZXa1, it is also worth noting that the ZXa1 is available in two versions... the ZXa1-100 which has a 100 degree dispersion in all directions (much like the QSC), and the ZXa1-90, which has a 50 x 90 dispersion. The horn module can be rotated 90 degrees, so you have the option of setting it up 50 Horiz x 90 Vert or as 50 Vert x 90 Horiz. (i.e. you might want different dispersion using it sideways as a floor monitor.) There's not necessarily a "right" choice here. The conical dispersion provides more even sound over a wider area. The more focussed 50 x 90 can reduce chances of feedback (or in some venues, reduce unwanted ceiling reflection).

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Don't crow that the QSC doesn't need a mixer until you have tried it with your specific boards. Lots of times the powered speaker needs more gain than your keyboard can give.

 

Yes.

 

I've tried a Nord E4 directly into the back of the K8.2, and, while you got some decent volume, it could only achieve maybe 50% of its potential.

 

Fine if you're some lounge act, not good if you're playing with a louder band. This is not the fault of either device, just shows the need for a small mixer to stage the right gain levels.

 

Any speculation as to why this is such a common occurrence? Is it the keyboards that have a lower than usual line level? Do CD players for example need a mixer inserted to get the full volume out of the speaker? Or perhaps the manufacturers don't want you to hear the amount of white noise that the input would have if there was nothing plugged into an input and you turned it all the way up?

 

It was a curious problem with the original K series, where the rca inputs were SO hot you could use only a little bit of the volume range.

 

 

@Agitato- haven't heard any reports of thermal failure with the ZXA-1s. Is this a common occurrence?

 

@ Chuck- how loud is the fan and is it variable speed? Any different from your other K boxes?

 

I'm looking forward to your comparison with the TT08s! It's always helpful in reviews to have a gold standard to refer to, and I'd say the TT08s cause the woofer is the same size and they're just super expensive, not super outrageously expensive!

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Don't crow that the QSC doesn't need a mixer until you have tried it with your specific boards. Lots of times the powered speaker needs more gain than your keyboard can give.

 

Yes.

 

I've tried a Nord E4 directly into the back of the K8.2, and, while you got some decent volume, it could only achieve maybe 50% of its potential.

 

Fine if you're some lounge act, not good if you're playing with a louder band. This is not the fault of either device, just shows the need for a small mixer to stage the right gain levels.

 

Any speculation as to why this is such a common occurrence? Is it the keyboards that have a lower than usual line level? Do CD players for example need a mixer inserted to get the full volume out of the speaker? Or perhaps the manufacturers don't want you to hear the amount of white noise that the input would have if there was nothing plugged into an input and you turned it all the way up?

 

It was a curious problem with the original K series, where the rca inputs were SO hot you could use only a little bit of the volume range.

 

 

@Agitato- haven't heard any reports of thermal failure with the ZXA-1s. Is this a common occurrence?

 

@ Chuck- how loud is the fan and is it variable speed? Any different from your other K boxes?

 

I'm looking forward to your comparison with the TT08s! It's always helpful in reviews to have a gold standard to refer to, and I'd say the TT08s cause the woofer is the same size and they're just super expensive, not super outrageously expensive!

 

I'll probably never have them side to side, as I play in two different states at different times of the year, but -- if I had to answer -- the K8.2s seem to deliver about 80% of the RCF TT08-a goodness for less than half the cost.

 

That's what I think is going to make them interesting to this crowd. But, again, it's early days. Wait until more opinions filter in before pulling the trigger just based on my initial impressions.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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anyone try out K10.2s yet? I lug a single ELX112P when I need to bring amplification. It is a great bang for buck box imo and I like it. But I wouldn't double up and lug two of them, I just don't value the schlep/sound equation enough.

 

Curious on 10.2. When I A/B'd K10 vs DXR10, I preferred Yamaha by quite a bit. K10 was a tad brash and not quite as warm/full (I won't say honky, that is a bit overstating it)

 

I'd drop down to 10's to go stereo ... if I ever do.

The baiting I do is purely for entertainment value. Please feel free to ignore it.
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Chuck thanks for the early review. It's good to get the perspective of another Nord player, since the piano sounds are rather picky about amplification quality.

 

I decided to take advantage of the closeout pricing of the original K line, and bought a second K8 to round out my collection. I can now run K8's in stereo for myself, and between my sax player and I we have a pair of K10's to use as well.

 

Swimming in QSC goodness right now!

.

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I've tried a Nord E4 directly into the back of the K8.2, and, while you got some decent volume, it could only achieve maybe 50% of its potential.

 

Fine if you're some lounge act, not good if you're playing with a louder band. This is not the fault of either device, just shows the need for a small mixer to stage the right gain levels.

 

Any speculation as to why this is such a common occurrence? Is it the keyboards that have a lower than usual line level? Do CD players for example need a mixer inserted to get the full volume out of the speaker? Or perhaps the manufacturers don't want you to hear the amount of white noise that the input would have if there was nothing plugged into an input and you turned it all the way up?

Both -10 and +4 signals are referred to as "line level." I've seen -10 called "consumer" line level and +4 "pro" line level. I doubt different keyboard manufacturers have standardized on exactly what they output. Maybe the Nord's output is lower than others'.

 

When I started with my laptop rig I plugged my MacBook Pro's headphone output directly into my K8s, set them to line level, and got plenty of volume. Then I switched to an optical d-to-a box which had -10 outputs. I had to switch the Ks' to mic level and back the input down from max to about 12 o'clock. It worked great. Of course the noise floor was higher but the speaker was way louder! That's how it works, and it was a non-issue because at those high volumes you don't hear the noise floor when you're playing. It just boils down to knowing how to gain-stage. With the K's input set to mic level, you might need to back off on the output of your keyboard to avoid clipping the input stage, and you might need to back off on the K's input level to avoid frying your ears!

 

It was a curious problem with the original K series, where the rca inputs were SO hot you could use only a little bit of the volume range.

I have the schematics for the original Ks. First of all the mic-line switch is just a pad, it switches 20K resistors in & out of the circuit. On the line-only input, the combo jack goes through 20K resistors while the RCA inputs go through 10K resistors that might explain why the rca inputs are louder. Again, with proper gain staging you wouldn't have to "use only a little bit of the volume range" you'd just have to lower the volume of the signal going into the rca inputs.

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anyone try out K10.2s yet? I lug a single ELX112P when I need to bring amplification. It is a great bang for buck box imo and I like it. But I wouldn't double up and lug two of them, I just don't value the schlep/sound equation enough.

 

Curious on 10.2. When I A/B'd K10 vs DXR10, I preferred Yamaha by quite a bit. K10 was a tad brash and not quite as warm/full (I won't say honky, that is a bit overstating it)

 

I'd drop down to 10's to go stereo ... if I ever do.

 

Yes, I have 2 K10.2s. And for reference, I also have a Bose L1 Series 2 system. I bought the K10.2s on a recommendation from a fellow keyboardist and simply because the L1 didn't do the job at a recent gig. The gig was a long rectangular room with about 150-200 people. Very noisy people, I might add as it is a pizza and beer place that features music.

 

The first time I played this gig I used the Bose. Sitting behind us, we had it so loud that we were almost in pain. (Ear protection at home. Yea, I know.......) While it sounded good, it had a real problem in covering the crowd as the bandstand was recessed with walls at one end of the room. Most of the energy bounced around us, the musicians.

 

Got my K10.2s a few days before the next time we played the same gig and what a difference. Everyone could hear, and we didn't have to use ear protection. (Yes, I did bring this time.)

 

The sound was great and an easy setup. Plenty loud and I did not hear any harshness from keys, bass, vocals, and guitar. I used an Allen Heath mixer for this duo gig. I have since added a QSC TouchMix 8 and although expensive, it is great.

 

Everyone will, of course, have their own opinion. I have used EV for years, and also like the Yamahas, but I've moved to the QSCs. There is no doubt that the RCFs are great, but for the cost, I'm happy with the 10.2s - they have a great sound to cost ratio. BTW, they have an amazing amount of bass. And the fans are very quiet.

 

Looks like time to sell the Bose.

 

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Curious on 10.2. When I A/B'd K10 vs DXR10, I preferred Yamaha by quite a bit. K10 was a tad brash and not quite as warm/full (I won't say honky, that is a bit overstating it)

This just occurred to me because I remember getting bit a few times: on the original Ks there are two slide switches on the back that affect the EQ. The "LF" switch should be set to "NORM" (if you're not using a sub), and the "HF" switch absolutely must be set to "FLAT", not "VOCAL BOOST." This last one is key. Playing a DP through the speaker with this switch on vocal boost makes it sound terrible - harsh and honky. These switches are very easy to accidentally move! I think I do it occasionally just slipping the Tuki cover on and off!

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I sold my Bose L1 Model II a while back. I was playing acoustic level gigs, and then I wasn't, so it got sold. BTW, great demand for used ones.

 

And then, a few years later, I teamed up with a vocalist for -- wait -- more acoustic gigs. And now I'm missing what it does so well.

 

Re: 8 vs. 10 vs. 12. I have a pair of each of the original K series. Kept gravitating to the K8s for keys and vocals-only FOH. The K10s and K12s are mostly band monitors. I would expect the same with the K8.2 vs. K10.2 vs. K12.2

 

BTW, the amount of bass response on the K8.2 was shocking, even without EQ. Must be some magic juju DSP or something. I would presume the K10.2 does even more in this regard.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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BTW, the amount of bass response on the K8.2 was shocking, even without EQ. Must be some magic juju DSP or something. I would presume the K10.2 does even more in this regard.

I always thought my original K8s had more than enough bass. I roll off low end globally at my MOTU interface, and cut additional lows from individual patches. LH bass still sounds good - though I'm not doing Hammond pedals or playing reggae. Maybe having two speakers helps, I can move more air. I'm always shaking my head at those that just assume without hearing that an 8" woofer can't produce good low end. And what Dave says about getting into "bass player territory" is spot-on. I've had bass players thank me and mention this because many keyboard players they work with don't think about how they're muddying up the bottom.

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I remember getting bit a few times: on the original Ks there are two slide switches on the back that affect the EQ. The "LF" switch should be set to "NORM" (if you're not using a sub), and the "HF" switch absolutely must be set to "FLAT", not "VOCAL BOOST." This last one is key. Playing a DP through the speaker with this switch on vocal boost makes it sound terrible - harsh and honky. These switches are very easy to accidentally move! I think I do it occasionally just slipping the Tuki cover on and off!
Yes. I learned to always check all the switches on the back of my K8's while setting up. It's very easy for 1 or more of them to get moved just by loading them into the trunk of my car or taking them out. If something immediately doesn't sound right when I turn them on, I first look at where all the switches are. And if I'm getting lots of volume out of one speaker and not the other, I know that the mic/line switch has been moved to mic.
These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise.
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I always thought my original K8s had more than enough bass. ... Maybe having two speakers helps, I can move more air. I'm always shaking my head at those that just assume without hearing that an 8" woofer can't produce good low end.
And yes to this too. The 8's are all I need. And they have the widest dispersion. I kept having GAS for a SS3 but then I heard a friend's and realized that I already have the ideal stereo set up for my needs and I didn't need to spend many more dollars to get something that weighs too much in a single cab and is not quite as good.
These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise.
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I always thought my original K8s had more than enough bass.
And yes to this too.

 

the first time I heard the K8's live, Benjie Porecki (fellow forum member) was playing a Crumar Mojo through a pair of them up on poles. I walked in during the middle of a set and spent a few moments looking around for a sub woofer before I realized that there wasn't one.

:nopity:
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I always thought my original K8s had more than enough bass.
And yes to this too.

 

the first time I heard the K8's live, Benjie Porecki (fellow forum member) was playing a Crumar Mojo through a pair of them up on poles. I walked in during the middle of a set and spent a few moments looking around for a sub woofer before I realized that there wasn't one.

 

Yeah, well the new K8.2 is like the K8, only more better :)

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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Spent a few more hours with them, so a few more tidbits if anyone is interested.

 

Ran them at full power for 30 min or so (ear protection required) to see if I could coax any untoward behavior out of them. Nope, loud and clear. Went to go see if I could hear any fan noise. If you listen very closely, you can hear a small fan doing its work to dissipate heat. Almost unnoticeable.

 

Set them up as floor monitors for a while. Because the angle is relatively steep, you can put them quite close to you, like immediately left and right and no further away than the length of an 88 keyboard. Nice for small stages.

 

The presets will need more exploration. All my testing today was in "default" which still made me reach to dial down the bass a bit.

 

So far, they're definitely keepers.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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