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QSC K Series 10 or 12?

Postby Rufus8102 » 26 May 2017, 22:38

Hi all,
I was just wondering if anyone has tried or purchased the new K10.2 or K12.2 that just came out. I currently own a K10 and have been pretty happy with it. The only issue is that it can get a bit midrangey/honky with the acoustic pianos at louder volumes. I've EQ'd my piano patches and I do use a Mackie mixer, so I can also tweak the EQ if neccessary. I was wondering if anyone uses the K12 or K12.2 and if anyone has actually compared the 10 to the 12. I'm thinking of trading or selling my K10 for the new series (K10.2 and K12.2) Does anyone have a preference between a 10 or a 12? Thanks for your input.
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QSC K Series 10 or 12?


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Re: QSC K Series 10 or 12?

Postby cphollis » 27 May 2017, 14:21

The K.2 isn't quite out yet, so I doubt you'll find much in the way of informed opinions.

The K12 is the better speaker, but also larger, heavier and more costly, not to mention highly directional. Have you tried the K8s? They end up being most people's favorites from the range.
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Re: QSC K Series 10 or 12?

Postby Rusty Mike » 27 May 2017, 15:04

It's going to depend on your context. Do you play in a loud R&R band without a FOH system? Small jazz combo doing mostly lounge stuff? Somewhere in between?

I own a K8 and K10, and play jazz from small combos up to full blown big band. The K8 is my workhorse, using it on about 90% of my gigs/rehearsals. Even with the big band, it provides great quality and volume for piano and organ. When we do have FOH, I use the K8 on a short speaker stand as a monitor, and feed FOH right out of the back. It's light and easy to carry, and punches way above its weight. I feel it has a slightly better sound quality compared to the K10. Now that the K.2 line is out, I'm waiting for a great deal on a second K8.

I step up to the K10 for very large rooms or outdoor stuff, and it; plenty loud and punchy. A tad heavier than the K8, but not a back breaker. I never use it as a floor monitor, so I can't speak to the quality in that application.

I will use them both (in stereo) for selected gigs only. I'm in a fusion band that plays a few times a year, and the fullness of both in stereo is essential for getting the quality of sound I need for that kind of music. It's more about the quality than the volume. K10 is on the left channel, and the 8 is on the right. Sounds awesome.

But, once again, this setup works well for my context; I'd never need a 12.

The new K.2 line has an enhanced DSP that will allow you to dial in some EQ, and then store your favorite settings. That seems like a nice feature for us Nord owners.
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Re: QSC K Series 10 or 12?

Postby cphollis » 27 May 2017, 16:05

And there are some smokin' deals on the older K8s if you call around.
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Re: QSC K Series 10 or 12?

Postby Rufus8102 » 28 May 2017, 14:53

I play in a 10 piece cover band. 4 horns, rhythm section, and vocalist. We perform at clubs, weddings, large corporate events and outdoor events. The K8 would be nice to carry around, but I'm a bit leary whether it could cover all applications. I use piano, electric piano, organ and synth sounds and being a 10 piece band, it can get a bit loud at bigger events. I don't play in stereo and I do send a line from my mixer to FOH. My concern is getting the best sound. As I mentioned in my original post, the acoustic piano sound is the only one I'm not totally satisfied with. I've tried all of the pianos and like the Silver Grand since I need a piano that cuts in the mix. But it seems to get "midrangey". Which of the 3 QSC's do you think has the best sound for acoustic piano? And do you think the K8 would cover all my applications?
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Re: QSC K Series 10 or 12?

Postby cphollis » 28 May 2017, 15:30

APs are the most challenging. I didn't start getting super-duper happy about my AP sounds until I went up to an entirely different price category. That's where the RCF TT08-a comes in, but not something everyone can splurge on.

Again, owning all three, I'd vote for the K8s. A single K8? Probably not. A pair of K8s? Yes, without reservation. Very enjoyable to play APs through in all sorts of different settings.

A few things that I like about the K8s? Wide dispersion, they're not beamy. Plenty of low end unless you're thumping bass pedals or similar. A fresh, transparent sound that pairs well with the Nord APs. Small, light, loud, powerful, sturdy. Looks good on stage. Hard to go wrong.

The reason I would recommend TWO on a pair of poles (even if you play in mono) is the extra dB and you'll be able to create a nice soundstage vs. a single loud point source. Easier on everyone's ears, more fun to listen to, don't have to push them so hard, etc. And, BTW, if you decide to run stereo you'll sound even better. I would have no problem taking on a 10-piece loud horn band with a pair of K8s. Actually, I was doing just that a few years back. Wasn't dependent on FOH either.

You'll be heard :)

My K10s and K12s almost never get used for keyboards these days, but instead as vocal monitors or sometimes FOH. Just a bit too directional and forceful for what I want to do with keys. Nice units, but I've moved on to other approaches.

Lots of other choices from EV and Yamaha in the killer 8" category and at a similar price point. Or you can spend stupid money on a pair of RCF TT08-a and really start to enjoy your sound.

If you're dead set on a single speaker approach for mono, of the three it's the K12 as it's got the volume required, but be warned it's very beamy. Just make sure you aim it where you want it to go, like a flashlight. I've tried a single K12 a few times, and it can run out of beans when it gets super loud. Another reason to always think in pairs. Also a bit on the large and heavy side, by comparison.

If you're playing in stereo and want single cabinet, it's the CPS SSv3, hands down. And, yes, once you dial it in it can stand up to a big, loud band. As I've done with it on more than one occasion.
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Re: QSC K Series 10 or 12?

Postby danrv » 30 May 2017, 13:11

Rusty Mike wrote:
I own a K8 and K10, and play jazz from small combos up to full blown big band. The K8 is my workhorse, using it on about 90% of my gigs/rehearsals. Even with the big band, it provides great quality and volume for piano and organ. When we do have FOH, I use the K8 on a short speaker stand as a monitor, and feed FOH right out of the back. It's light and easy to carry, and punches way above its weight. I feel it has a slightly better sound quality compared to the K10. Now that the K.2 line is out, I'm waiting for a great deal on a second K8.

I step up to the K10 for very large rooms or outdoor stuff, and it; plenty loud and punchy. A tad heavier than the K8, but not a back breaker. I never use it as a floor monitor, so I can't speak to the quality in that application.

I will use them both (in stereo) for selected gigs only. I'm in a fusion band that plays a few times a year, and the fullness of both in stereo is essential for getting the quality of sound I need for that kind of music. It's more about the quality than the volume. K10 is on the left channel, and the 8 is on the right. Sounds awesome.

But, once again, this setup works well for my context; I'd never need a 12


I also use one or two speakers depending on the gig. I went for the slightly cheaper Yamaha DXR10s which I think sound very good for acoustic piano as long as you use both for stereo.
I don't think the Nord pianos sound great in mono through anything so not sure what single powered speaker would be best.
Maybe the K12 as recommended above.
The SSv3 is a good idea and would assume it's more suitable for Nord acoustic pianos than any single powered speaker.

I quite like the idea there of having an 8 and a 10 but chose the 10s as they can be used in a floor monitor position.
But as I also take the PA to gigs, taking an extra DXR10 although fairly compact, can be one one speaker too many.
I usually just use one on a short tripod as a monitor and if I have room I have the other in a floor monitor position. Stereo
is so much better.
Having a DXR8 would be handy to cut down on travelling weight and size.
Last edited by danrv on 30 May 2017, 13:21, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: QSC K Series 10 or 12?

Postby KyleM » 30 May 2017, 23:52

I used a rented DBR12 for a keyboard monitor (stage right faced toward the band) and it worked great with the mono setting of my Stage 2 enabled. I had to turn it up a little more than 60% but I was happy with it. It was kind of big but pretty light and now I'm considering one of them as a keyboard amp.
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Re: QSC K Series 10 or 12?

Postby Rufus8102 » 06 Jun 2017, 04:32

Thanks for everyone's input....but I'm still wondering if anyone has compared the sound of a K10 to a K12 with the acoustic pianos. Is one more "natural" sounding than the other? The problem I have is that the acoustic pianos can sound a bit unnatural by getting a bit midrangey. As I've stated, I have used the EQ on the Nord and on my mixer and I've gotten a decent sound with the acoustic pianos, but I'm still not quite happy with it. So what I'm asking is, which QSC has the most natural sound for acoustic piano? Any opinions?
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Re: QSC K Series 10 or 12?

Postby silver surfer » 12 Jun 2017, 05:22

There are a couple things working against us with the Nord/QSC combination. The acoustic pianos to me are not as "natural" sounding as some other keyboards and seem a little harsh in the mids especially at higher volumes. And the K series has a little midrange bump. Adjusting the EQ seems to be the best solution - trying different mid frequency cuts until you get the best sound possible. I have gigged with the K 12 since they came out, mostly on organ settings and have always received great reviews on the tones I get. Great combination. I read some reviews on the new K.2's saying that the tone is better compared to the K series and the midrange hump is reduced.

I have 2 K12's set up for home use. Last week I got one K 10.2. I ordered it on the hopes that I could get away with it for smaller gigs and rehearsals. Also, I was hoping I would like it better than the K12's for vocals based on the reviews that K.2's had better tones, in which case I would sell the K 12's and order another K10.2. Here's how that went:

Comparing a single K12 with the K10.2 the tones seemed very close to me. I did not notice any significant improvement. I did notice a very slight improvement in the mid presence. With vocals, I easily preferred the K12. This is my first experience with the K10 series so in fairness, I don't know if it is just the difference in size. However, I found that with the keyboard, the tone was very close and I felt the pianos sounded better through the K10.2. With the organ, the bass was a little tighter in a good way with the K10.2 although I could get plenty of deep bass if I wanted. I had a bar gig last night and took the K10.2. It is smaller and lighter and I really enjoyed that since we set up on the third floor. Soundwise and volume wise, the K10.2 was outstanding. Easily handled the louder volumes and sounded just as good as the K12.
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