I use a QSC K10.2 in my band for my keyboard output and that's ALL I use--I mean straight out into the crowd (not into the mains, etc). I place it on the floor behind me pointed upward and out at an angle and it takes care of both my on-stage monitoring as well as audience output. Unbelievable, powerful clarity, even in outdoor festival type gigs. I used to use an Alto TS310 powered speaker with the same wattage rating, but it's night and day better with the QSC's as the Alto's peter-out at mid volume and up. Plus they are notorious for blowing tweeters. Spend the extra money up front for the best and you won't be disappointed!
one of the very professional reviews/comparisons i've seen in YT, for professional gears.. probably better than some spokespersons of such brands do.. keep up the good work mate
I play in a classic rock band & we invested in the K12.2s paired with the 18" sub. The sound is AMAZING! This combination is very portable and sounds great. We get complements on our audio quality at most every gig. Love em'! Thanks for your excellent review.
bought one as it was all i could afford at the time. so glad i didn't compromise on a lower end speaker. the sound and power of just one k12 is astounding.
@@ManuelHernandez-br6dy can’t compare at all... alto is a cheap made speaker.. i have the old and new k12S... And i have beat the shit ouf of them, clip them for a long continuous time.. And i have not have to deal with replacing anything from them... i had peavy amd jbls befores, and i repeatedly had to fix and replace the high frequency drivers, and sometimes the subs., With qsc i have never heard anyone blowing a speaker.. And iam talking about great big companies in this coment.. Alto is a toy speaker in my opinion and could never stand a chance against a qsc, especially because it does not have a real cooling system, and that really affects you in a small hall., heat is a big problem for any electrical devices, and not having a way to combat this issue, shows how bad and cheap alto is...
Nicely produced video! I am very glad you took the time to explain your recording rig and setup.Keep up the good work. It's nice to see people make intelligent and informative videos on RU-vid. The side by side comparison was excellent! Keep up the goo work! Bill Steinhour Broadcast TV Engineer US Senate Recording Studios
Thank you! 5 years later and this is still an amazing review and just helped me a lot as I just opened my new pair of k12.2's. If I had seen this video before I bought them I definitely would have got the KW's instead :(
I love this review of the speakers. You good a good job consider the face that the listener is hearing these on speakers in their own home that are plugged in to a computer in different environment through youtube which compresses the audio.
The best QSC demonstration I have seen in RU-vid. So unique video. Absolutely the best. I bought me two 12.2k 's and one 1000wt qsc subwoofer...and it is the best. Thinking of buying 2 more 12.2k's for halls parties. Anyone out there! You can't go wrong with QSC. I had jbl's for many years and now I'm part of the QSC family. Thanks for your video brother.
I currently have JBLs. I bout the SRX815P w/ SRX815SP. I kind of regret it and wish I went with QSC and the k12.2. Which model JBL's did you have, and do you still think that the QSC's are better?
I use a pair of K8's in my living room for synth jamming. I've been considering getting an SVS subwoofer to fill out the frequencies, but this is making me seriously consider saving up for a pair of KW153's!
I have a pair of k12.2 and was at first disappointed in the bass. But upon the first chance i plugged them into a mixer a maxed the bass, at full 0db apart from the bass they were astonishing. Incredibly surprising
Very nicely done. Thank you for a mindful review and taking the time to post a helpful video. A QSC rep pointed out that the K12.2 is a good choice when vocals and/or speech are important.
I’m a DJ and love QSC I have the original K10’s. Have you heard the CP12’s I’m hearing they sound great for such an affordable cost. Well produced solid review. Thanks!
People should definitely try the "Studio Monitor" Preset - I've used it for my live sound biz now over a year and had the most compliments I've ever received. Still punchy in the lows but flat and clear all the way out.
Great review! I mixed a show on a couple of these recently and they replaced the KW122's. I was very doubtful that these would perform as well, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well they did. More in the headroom department plus better processing in my opinion.
This review pretty much sealed the deal for me! Been looking for some new high quality speakers for smaller Mall and Bar events with up too 300 people and was leaning towards these or spending the extra for RCF's but I think I'll be getting some K12.2s next week!
Please Ignore the 81 plus thumbs down,... Those people didn't like your house being better than theirs. who knows. its because of this review,......... I am purchasing these!!!!! Withhhhhh a Sub. Great video love it
GREAT VIDEO!! I am debating between the 12.2 and KW152. I always use 2 subs (KW181). I currently have K10s and am clipping a bit. Have them set as the touchmix 30 specifies. Would you recommend the 152s over the 12.2? My concern was playing at a venue - 60 degrees for the 152 vs 75 degrees for the 12.2 - could that cause dead zones? Any suggestions, 152 vs 12.2?
I have a sneaking suspicion the KW series is due for an update soon. KW is the last remaining loudspeaker line from QSC that doesn't have the digital interface yet. So for that reason, plus the fact you're already used to using K10's, I think the K12.2 is a logical upgrade.
I had the original k12 and found them very good. The obiusly uinfair comparison to the KW was a cool adition to the video, the kw sound so much better. Would be interesting to test the k12 whit a subwoofer VS the KW
Yeah looking back on this review 5 years later, I agree the comparison to the KW was totally unfair! Was working with what I had at the time. But I still use the K12.2's on a regular basis and don't have any major gripes with the sound.
Hi Brian! Very nice review! Do you recomand QSC k12.2 instead of QSC k12, taking into account that now the price difference between them is 400 euro per pair? Using that money and adding 100 euro more, you can buy a K8 with that money, or something else. Is the difference between them so high that it worth to spend 400 euro more? I have a digital mixer, I do not use the DSP or delay .. so what do you think? Thanks!
If you already have the K12's, there's no real reason to upgrade besides wanting to have the latest kit or putting the digital interface to use. The original K12's are already a great piece of gear: tried, tested, and trusted. The reason I opted for the K12.2 is they are slightly more powerful than the original K12's while also more portable than my KW153's. Hope that helps. Cheers!
Very good point. QSC advertises these as "2000 watt speakers" when in reality, 2000 watts is peak output. The RMS output is still only 1000 watts, just like the original K series. The marketing for the new K.2 series could be somewhat misleading to people who don't know what they're looking at. The real difference between K series and K.2 Series is the distribution of those consistent 1000 watts. Rather than have 500 watts of HF and 500 watts of LF, the new K.2 series has 900 watts going to the woofer and only about 112 watts to the HF. Which makes a lot more sense in the end because you'll never need/be able to effectively use 500 watts of high frequency power without causing hearing damage, while the lower frequencies are much more power consumptive and can make use of the added power in the new model.
Just bought a pair of k12.2 everything is OK until the drummer hits the bass drum and boom! One of the speakers lost the volume completely. You have to turn it off and then the sounds comes back but as soon as the drummer starts playing again the volume is gone.
Nice review with the macro shots and audio modes. We watched all your videos and subscribed. We might buy some QSC speakers after watching this video. When do you plan to make more videos?
I just bought one Qsc k10.2 and love it....I'm now thinking of selling my two Jbl Srx 815p and buying two K12.2. I know I will be losing a few decibels and low end frequency but for some reason to me the K12.2's has a crisper high end and they're a lot lighter!
I don't like fooling around with the settings on the back. I'm a "set it and forget it" type person. That being said: What are your go to settings? I do mostly sports bars and weddings.
AMAZING job on this video. So detailed! So informative!!! I feel really good about these speakers now. Thank you for taking the time to put this video together.
Even if you leave the bass out of equation the three way model (kw135?) sounds certainly more flat and crisp. It almost like the room acoustics wouldnt disturb so much with the bigger speaker.
Man, those 153s sound great!! I almost wish I would have purchased those instead of the K12.2s that I got. But will be purchasing the KS212c at some point to take care of the bottom-end. Great video!!
I mean of course the 153's are gonna sound better as a triple driver. If you want comparable sound to the 153s or even better get some of the 18in subs by QSC as well and it'll sound great.
Great review....... I've been looking at the QSC K12.2's and am impressed with the build and looking forward to hearing one in person. I've been to quite a few forums in which owners are stating that these have a boxy, compressed tin sound without much bass. It certainly sounded like it here as well in comparison to the KW153. I sure hope they sound better than what I heard here. hat setting did you have the K12.2 on? Maybe that was the problem. Thanks again for the review. 👍😊
The k12.2 sounds amazing it only sounds boxy in comparison to the other speaker because it is significantly smaller and lighter and doesn’t cost 1500 it’s about a little more than half the price but you buy k12.2 for the convenience and sound quality as opposed to competitors in the same market
Hey thanks for sharing. I have used the 12.2's for a month now. They sound great. I used to have kw153's and they were so heavy and huge. Moving them was no fun. Now I want to add two of their new cardioid subs. My question for you is regarding DJ rates. If I want to start making some money. What is a good amount to quote for a system of this size and DJing weddings and events? Can you give me a breakdown and what is included as far as gear and labor? Does lighting cost extra? Do you offer a la carte pricing or package deals? I'm just trying to understand the business better. Thanks!
For various private events, there is no standard package I offer since each one is so different. For weddings, assuming you have 5+ years of experience, pricing somewhere just under $1000 is about right for this caliber of a setup and the typical 100-250 guest 6 hour wedding. I like to think of it as an upscale yet compact setup... Really really nice equipment, but in a manageable, repeatable, mobile quantity. For me, that setup would look like 2 K12.2 (and subs if needed), 2 moving heads on a tbar, and 3 basic uplights, (2 on my scrims and 1 bar behind the facade.) Then I offer additional uplighting as an upgrade to the base package. Six static color uplights for an extra $150 seems to be the sweet spot. The package includes music & mic(s) for the ceremony, and then background music, MC'ing, and DJing for the reception. There's really no need to do a la carte pricing for weddings because most all will follow this format. The upgrades like more uplighting or additional sound are where a la carte pricing comes in. Hopefully this helps!
Brian Diener Thanks, that helps a lot. How about deposits or cancel fees? How does that work? Do you get paid in full up front? I’m also curious how you make sure each venue has adequate power to run these systems and lights.
Most of my wedding gigs are booked through a company I work for, so I don't handle any of the paperwork. For clients with my personal company, I usually ask for payment in full on the final client meeting (or at least a deposit of half.) Most couples would rather pay in full during our last meeting to avoid having to carry around cash/check and trying to remember to give it to me the day-of. Venue wise, power has never been an issue... sometimes you have to run an extension if the ceremony is outdoors in a remote courtyard or garden, but reception halls always have adequate power, and the setup package I offer really doesn't require a lot. The real issue is where they station the DJ in relationship to the dancefloor... always ask to see a room layout before the event and make sure you're not on the other side of the room from the dancefloor with the grandparent's table in between!
Haha, good to know! I'm sure you have been put in some interesting situations. I once DJ'd on a yacht. It was tight awkward spacing for my DJ booth. So if the ceremony is in a different location, you will provide two sound systems to cover both? Or move a system around?
Usually it's easiest to just set up a single K12.2 on a tripod at the ceremony location and mix everything through the back of the speaker, then move it back to the rest of the setup afterwards
Thank you so much for your review! Do you find that the speaker leak Mid low frequencies out of the back of the speakers? Only one comment that I’ve heard from sound engineers and bands is They tend to leak amid low frequency out of the back especially when you drive them quite hard with them being a plastic speaker rather than a wooden ones that won’t do it so much and I wondered if this had been nullified with the second series or does it still happen???
K-12 Series are the Best bang for the Buck! I liked the Mackie's; Italy, usa until China made the last Generation! Great video BrIan! Very informative and Produced very well!
Just bought a pair of 12.2's & will have them by Saturday. My main use for them will be for karaoke shows & weddings. Which EQ setting would you recommend for each of these situations? After watching your review, I am sitting on the fence trying to figure out if the default or dance setting would be better for my karaoke shows. The dance setting for sure when it comes to weddings, I think...but would like confirmation on that from you beforehand. Excellent review vid! It sold me on these speakers for sure! Thanks ☺
Dance mode. I went back and fourth between the two as well, but that's what ultimately sounded best to my ear, regardless of the application. Better low end and less painful high frequencies at high volume.
BOMEntertainment live settings are good for karaoke the default really had a lot of midrange to it almost too much it seems at times and dance was good for karaoke I run karaoke dance parties in Jacksonville Florida so in dance mode I turn bass down on singing tracks sometimes not to be to bass heavy on ballads hope it helps...andrebryanticonmobilemusic on Facebook
Thanks for putting this together, it's been hard to find good K.2 reviews out there. Rented a pair of K10s last weekend and was blown away, so thinking about buying a pair of K10.2s. Do you have any experience with the smaller version? Trying to decide if the 12.2s are worth the extra cost and weight.
Glad you found this review helpful! What kind of application were you looking to use the speakers for? That decision will all probably come down to expected event sizes. Having spent the first 3 years of my DJ career borrowing K12's, and then an additional 3 years after that owning K10's, I can tell you the difference between 10's and 12's is not that significant -- being that if you went with the 10.2's, you wouldn't feel like you got gyped for not getting the 12.2's. Obviously, the 12.2's are slightly louder/bassier than the 10.2's both in person and on paper, but I never got to a point where I felt like 10's weren't powerful enough for mobile DJ work. It's like comparing a gold medal to a silver medal in the olympics. And now that the 10.2 has even more power than before, it's an even easer choice to make. I haven't experienced the 10.2's in person yet, but I can tell you that either one is a really great option and you'll be happy either way with their respective benefits whichever way you go... it all just depends on the application. Also, nothing beats going down to your local music store and listening to them in person!
We used the K10s in the woods at a cyclocross race with maybe 100 people in the general vicinity, and they worked pretty well. That's probably the biggest thing I'll do without renting anything larger. Truth be told, I'm sure the K10.2s are sufficient for the meager parties I'll DJ, but I just want to make sure the 12.2s aren't worlds better in other ways than the ability to cut through big crowds. My local shop has a bunch of stuff, so I'll definitely try before I buy. Thanks for the help!
Excellent review👍👍 Such a question, is there a big difference between k12.2 and k10.2 in terms of sound quality, besides +2 db and a speaker larger than 12? For a mobile DJ, 2 k10.2 speakers from a subwoofer are enough for events up to 150 people, or is it still better to buy k.12.2? Thank you in advance👋
Due to having a larger woofer, the K12.2 can hit lower frequencies than the K10.2 (by about 5-6Hz.) So on paper, the 12's could be perceived as having slightly "better sound" on the low end. On the high end, both speakers have the same specification at 20kHz. Depending on what volume level you need for those 150 people, the 10's may work. But if the added 7lbs and extra $70 in price aren't a concern, the 12's would give you more headroom.
@@BrianDiener Thank you very much for your answer, but here in Germany the difference in price between them is definitely not $ 70, in Germany they are more expensive than in America. Here the k10.2 costs 890 euros per speaker and the k12.2 costs 1100 euros!
I know this video was posted 3 years ago but hopefully you are still answering questions. I am looking at building a PA setup with 2 KS118 subs because I want the extra bass due to most of my events are a lot of more small EDM focused parties/events (100-300 people but sometimes outdoors). I'm wondering with all the bass I'm getting from the subs if the extra cost of the KW153 is still worth double the price of the KS12.2s? I know there isn't a universal answer to these types of questions but I would love your input. Thanks.
I know it doesn't really answer your question but I'm about to pull the trigger on a single ks118 (for now) and two k10.2s. I love the portability of the 2 ways and I think they'll be a great match
Great video. Many people criticizes the K12.2 and say the older model k12 sounds better because it has more low.. I would like to know with one would work better with a sub.
I've heard people say that too, but on paper, it's not entirely true. While the K12 does technically have 2khz lower of frequency response, there's not as much power behind the low end driver to back it up. 500 watts vs 1800 watts on the K12.2. My DJ career was built on the K12's way back in 2012, so having used both, I can tell you I'd take the K12.2's any day when given the choice.
I know what you mean! Listening to both side by side, the 153's have a very real, present, and unobstructed sound, whereas the K12.2's sound more tightly compressed. Might have been a bad example to put them up against, because on their own, the 12.2's really do sound great and far better than any other 2-way cab I've yet to hear... In fact, they have become my new main speaker just because of the sound/power to weight ratio. The digital interface and overall design updates won me over too, despite going into it pretty uneasy.
Brian Diener I'm sure they do. I played in a wedding band for several years. They used the k12s and the qsc 18" subs (k18?). Sounded amazing. I was just surprised at the sound replication on the 153s. Even through the camera mic, it sounded like I was there. Natural clear replication. You described it perfectly in your response. The 12s did sound like they were missing something. A presence of sorts. But I'm sure they sound great. QSC makes great speakers. I've recently picked up a pair of turbosound ip2000 columnar array/sub speakers (like the Bose lt systems). I have some vids on my channel displaying them. I was trying to put together a system that would be very portable, including subs. Let me tell you, I was impressed by how good they sound! Take a listen if interested!
Ryan - Only thing about the KW153s besides the price, which may be a turn off for some, is the weight. Its an easy two man carry, but solo carry at 88 lbs. can get very tricky. I workout 5x a week weigh 222 lbs, and solo carrying KW153s caused me to throw my back out twice... :-)
I'm curious to A/B this against an Ibiza port 15A for laughs. Got one for our church, although for what we use it for it's probably like comparing 10lbs of dynamite to 5lbs
Thank you so much for your review ! I was looking to rent 2x QSC K12.2 speakers for my wedding. Is it overkill to get the subwoofer as well for a 20x35 feet tent (64 guests)? We have a DJ. Thanks for your advice.
Good choice! I use my two K12.2's for weddings of up to 250 guests. For only 64 people, you wouldn't necessarily NEED a subwoofer. But if having good low end / bass is important to you, then go for it!
Planning to buy Active speakers for band of 5pc instruments.. Max area to cover will be 5000 Sq feet semi closed ....which one you suggest from CP8 x 2 to K12.2 ....we would like to keep the budget low but need a decent performance
I have Mackie Thump 15s, and they hit the limiter fairly easily, you can't push a lot of bass with them, or even talk on the mic without them lighting up red. Do you think the K12.2 has a lot more pushing power and bass? I have rented them and it seems like they never top out. What do you think?
Yes, I can tell you the K12.2 definitely has more power just by comparing the spec sheets. The Thump 15's peak at 1000 watts with 126db of output whereas the K12.2's peak at 2000 watts with 132db of output. The thump's LF driver is 800watt peak, the K12.2 LF driver is 1800watt peak.
Mason, PLEASE understand that i am NOT a QSC fan! Not only is the qsc louder than the "1000 watt" mackie thump 15, it is louder than 2 "1000 watt" mackie thump15s! It will be cleaner sounding and probably produce equal if not more bass than the 2 thump15s at party volumes. Mackie Thumps are not made for stand alone loud volume applications at all. They are truly bottom shelf when compared to a speaker like the QSC K12. Again this is coming from a guy about to buy a set of Yamaha DXR12s!
Hi Brian great vid,you seem to have excellent knowledge and skill.So,I have been considering a pair of these to replace my 2 twenty yr old JBL MPro series mains with 15 lf's plus drivers.I also use 2[new] Mackie dlm12s subs that are decent for small/mid size venues.Do you think between the QSC KW12.2 mains and Mackie Dlm 12 subs they would be adaquete if say,I were to do an outdoor gig?Or even a large indoor venue? BTW,The Mackies get bashed alot,but the back panel features are HQ.[2] inputs,[2] high pass and [2] thru's.Plus you can fine tune your crossover freq to any make model of main speakers.Thank you kindly Brian.
You mention that you own (or used to own) the original K10s. I'm among many who actually preferred the (more balanced) sound of the K10s to the K12s. Can you speak to the sound quality differences between the original K10s and the new K12.2s?
Hi i own a pub of 1000 sq ft dance floor I purchased one mackie thump 15a and one mackie 18s sub with thier 4 channel prodx4 digital mixer and i want to add few more speakers for added punch for dj events during weekends and I am stuck between qsc 12.2 speaker and EV ZLX 12p ....which one do u suggest
Wanting to know how these would hook up to a dj board without using the aux. I use a rca now so I’m just a little confused but definitely want to buy them.
Thanks for the great video. If you wouldn’t mind at some point could you do one more comparison between your KW153 and the KLA12.2 with your sub I saw at the end of the video to hear if the 12.2 kicks up the mid range when it drops out the low end to the sub? Thanks in advance!!
Hi Brian. I have a pair of QSC CP12 and trying to find out whats the best sub for it? Weight and portability are important for me so, I dont want anything bigger than a 12" sub woofer. Looking for recommendations on a budget around $1000. I would appreciate your help. Thanks
Bought a pair 2 weeks ago. Love it!! One issue. When using the instrument setting on input B, I get a ver noticable hum noise (level set to 0), no matter what cable I use, xlr instrument or speaker. But when I change the setting to Line, it is noticeably quieter. Is this normal? I realize it is 2000w. Can you test and see if you get the same issue?
I just tested this on both of my speakers and couldn't replicate the problem. Does it start to hum as soon as the input is set to instrument or does it only happen once a cable is plugged in?
I a/b'd the k10.2 vs k10 for over a month. If you're a DJ playing LOUD then absolutely the 10.2 is worth it over the k10. The K10s have that honkiness in the 400k range, which yes, you can eq it out, but it doesn't sound as full as the 10.2 when pushed, or as clear. Better headroom with the new models, which is really all you want. The 10.2 doesn't have that 400hz nastiness, but I did have to turn 1-2khz down just a hair, but not nearly as much as I was cutting the 400hz in the originals. I prefer the 10.2 in live bright mode, and then external eq some more 60-80hz. I feel like that's the most full and natural sound I could get out of these. Dance mode has more bass, but the rest of the eq didn't do it for me in the mids. Compared to the K10 in "deep" mode, the 10.2 was noticeably fuller and cleaner at louder volumes, with more bass. People say the old models have more bass- this is only true at low-moderate volumes. As you turn up, that extra bass isn't as noticeable and you hear that harshness of the speaker. The new models don't suffer from this. They have different characteristics in the mids, which are more forward and detailed. So it's up to you if you want that or the 400k honk with less headroom. At moderate volumes I think the difference is more preference. The other difference not mentioned in this video, is there is a small amount of hiss in the new model compared to the original. Probably not noticeable unless you're in a dead quiet room. Any level of hiss is a big pet peeve for me.
I do karaoke a lot and I have problems on loud sound cause feedback. I have to eq down with k10 when turn on 3rd mark load with small room 250sqrt at 3k&4k ( about 20 people on the dance floor). Speaker load at 2 mark no feedback and no eq need, but when people got too much beers they want turn on volume higher which cause feedback. Will K10.2 solve this problem with more headroom or I guess I still have to eq down 1-2khz which K10 doesn't have issue with? Hiss noise when no sound or when there are sound? I really hate hiss noise when everything quite. EQ would not be issue I can save setting with xair mixer and load it on fly. Wonder should I upgrade from K10 or just get a sub.
