I heard and experienced problems with the K12.2 only ... I've heard the pre-.2 amp cards and K8.2 and K10.2 are good as far as parts failing in the amp cards. We had two K12.2s replaced before we had a good pair that didn't go into limp mode after 30 mins of program.
Make sure you use the K.2 updater and update your speakers. The USB input is behind the main knob. I check mine for updates often. Have four 12.2 and four ks212c and no problems.
I’m curious about these updates; why would you need to update a speaker? I play music full-time for a living as a solo LoopingArtist using multiple instruments, including bass guitar. One of my tops went out a year ago, and I have been lazy about doing anything about it, because I had another powered speaker I would just use, and now the other QSC top blew out. I am on their website looking for a service center, and when I enter my city, it just keeps searching, but nothing comes up. So I will call Sweet Water tomorrow to find out what’s up.
@@davidbrucemusicvideoI was renting my QSC Speaker and out of 4 Bass Bottoms only 1 of them is working right now. Out of 10 QSC Tops only 4 is working. 2 of my Tops need to be updated cause after 20 or 30 minutes the sound turns off. One of my Bass Bottoms was blown out because these new DJ’s always turning the music up to loud and the volumes be in the Red in Distortion Mode🤦🏽♂️😳 After I get all these speakers fix I’m not Renting them out no more and I might sell some of them to lol
@@djblvdrodd dammm i have all qsc.. is extremely hard to blow those honestly… I destroyed one high frequency driver because I unintentionally screwed the factory eq settings, sending the bass to the highs, iam not kidding, the actual resonance material was in pieces… The k12 woofer didn’t blow either, it just got kind of stuck on the same position for some reason..
People that rent PA generally don't know not to turn the amplifier up all the way - and have gain stage issues - or simply turn up the source material up until massive amounts of sustained clipping occurs - baking the amplifiers.
This might be why QSC’s wood cabinet KW line still uses the original amp from the original K series… the KW122s sound better than the plastic cabinets but it is a little bigger and heavier. Their PLD amp line (now discontinued) had some issues so I’m in the process of selling those off for my mains. They have been great for monitors though. Also have KS118, K12, K10.2, and the KW122s I mentioned. Never had a problem with any of those, but I do agree that since Covid hit, their company is a little bit more hit or miss than before. The PLD amp line came out around 2013 though and wasn’t their best and what I’m used to. The PL380 amplifier is bulletproof though, but has no built in DSP. I feel like their R&D is more focused on active powered speakers and Qsys networking tech these days more than amplifiers despite being an amplifier company first and foremost.
I’ve had the same experience with my K12.2 speakers, one of them shutting down in the middle of a performance at least in three different occasions. When this happened I asked one of my band mates closer to the speaker to turn it off and do a reset. Feel very uncomfortable when using them. Both speakers have the latest firmware version.
Purchased both speakers QSC K12.2 and ALTO TS312 on 02/14/2022 Played 20 gigs, with the QSC K12.2 on the right side and the Alto ts312 on the left side of the front-end PA system, and on 09/30/2023 the 20th gig, the QSC failed to work, it would power up, but would not process the signal from the PA board. Trying to get it fixed now by warranty....
Tried this very system after watching your viedeo because band member called raving about how sweet this system sounded , found your review and watched and yes pre set up for gig in band room they sounded very very good we were loaned the system and were considering switching to it , long story short played a Saturday night festival with them and 3 other groups during second group one shut down another time one gave damadge warning , only left with monitor sound till for some reason they settled down and resumed working , to many unsure reason , i wont kick any money in for the system , very disappointed I was truly hoping after initially listening to the sound we wouldnt have the issues youve alerted us to Thank you for your honest sharing
I appreciate this video, QSC User here too. I have 10 of the K12.1 and 12 of the K12.2 tops. I experience the same unreliability with the .2 models as mentioned, and more. The audio signal indicator LED lights up, but no audio plays through the speaker, amps just unresponsive, the encoder sometimes is unresponsive or inaccurate, especially when dialing in delay.... there's a few more experiences we've had, and now for any event in which the QSCs are the decided PA, my team ends up carrying 1-2 extra tops for bpackup (which end up being used quite frequently). Now I've got to consider upgrading the entire K.2 inventory. Looking at LD, RCF or EV.
Same here. I have issues with two of my K12s, one of my KW152s and one of my KS118s. Never had an issue prior to Covid but it seems like I’ve keep running into issues with the gear that I’ve bought since then.
I own a pair of Electro Voice ELX 200 12P with the matching 18 Inch Sub and man does this sound system blow me away with how great this sounds. I've owned my ELX 200 12P's for roughly 6 months now and recently bought my subwoofer less than a month ago and they have been great to me so far!! I like my music loud and I push them to the limits and when I'm DJing I would often times check and see if the speakers are getting hot and they perform just like you expect them to!! Please be aware that I've owned speakers from JBL Eon, Mackie, Carvin, and subwoofers strictly from Cerwin Vega and the EV's have the been the best sounding system I've ever owned.
Had my K12.2 in 2020 or 2021 and a little less than a year it just cut off during a NYE gig. No power, won’t turn on at all. So yeah I’m scared to get another. Sticking with my EVs however I’m itching to get the KS118 Sub
I've owned a pair of K12.2s for almost a year now and use them with my band probably about 3-4 times a month. Sometimes I experience sound cutting out or dropouts but that was due to my faulty Presonus Studiolive 32R that I had serviced and now works like a charm. I do feel like there are certainly more reliability issues with this model compared to the K series of old. Knocking on wood, because when they work, they are brilliant sounding speakers.
I just bought a pair of QSC K10.2. My current dealer has confirmed to me that with the new firmware 1.5.5 the problem has been corrected. Well I hope so - what do you think?
Using QSC LA 112 and having the experience like you. 3 speakers blown in 3 months. The last one just happened last weekend. Never hit the limiter and have no idea on what made it destroyed. Thinking about returning and changing with the other brand.
I bought 2 K8.2s. Love the sound. Never push them hard. The (all my gear) looks new. 3 years+ in - one stopped dead @ a gig -no sound. Luckily I have 3 yrs left on the ext. warranty. I did update the firmware. Just shocked. think I'll go back to using my crown amp with a pre and power 2 QSC E110s. Amp module suspect. QSC factory did apologize via email and will fix it but...possible 2-3 months wait. Hmmm.
The K10.2's should NEVER be used as the "mains" or "FoH" on DJ gigs. Period. No matter how small the room. The woofer's magnet simply does not have enough mass to dissipate the heat produced by "loudness wars" highly compressed modern recordings / music. If you are going to go QSC, and want K.2 series, then as a DJ, do yourself a favor & get the K12.2's instead. They are only slightly larger & heavier. I say this from experience... I am an electronics engineer as well as a live sound engineer. I have a bunch of DJ friends, and I end up repairing their gear. I've had a K10.2 torn apart behind the DJ booth during an ongoing show for troubleshooting, and the temperature of that magnet was ridiculous. Instant skin burn type of temps. The K10.2's tend to be the most troublesome of the series... that 10" bass driver just isn't meant to run highly compressed music at full volume for 4, 5, 6 whatever hours at a stretch. The drivers have no thermal sensors, so the amp never knows how hot they are and can't reduce power if needed. K10.2's are ok as floor monitors for live music, even thrash metal... but they are getting a much less compressed signal, breaks between songs, and probably 2 hours tops. It also seems as though there was a bad batch of amp boards, and several very bad versions of the DSP firmware, which has done nothing to enhance QSC's reputation. My real issues with QSC are that as of late 2023, they are apparently no longer willing to sell amp modules (KW series) or amp & DSP boards (K.2 series) to regular individuals, only to authorized service centers. Stupid, STUPID decision, QSC. In the past, one of the KEY reasons to buy QSC powered speakers was that the repair parts were extremely affordable compared to other brands, and accessible to anyone with a credit card. The other really stupid decision on QSC's part is that they refuse to publish or send on request the frequency graphs for the different modes of operation of their K.2 speakers. For live or installed sound, that is essential information that most other reputable manufacturers (like EV, for example) publish. So we can make informed decisions about which setting is going to work in a given situation. Ridiculous, QSC. They claim that information is proprietary. Uhhh, no, it's just a little tricky to get without a semi anechoic room & some measurement tools.
I certainly wouldn't use them as mains by themselves (though I know some DJs do); rather I'd pair them with subs and HPF them at 100Hz. I've used them with the JBL SRX818SP or the VRX918SPs, actually a pretty good combo for smaller crowds.
@@thomas9469- I think the K.2 series issues have mostly or completely been sorted out. They changed some components on the amp board and on the DSP board, and with those new boards the minimum firmware is now v1.5 (late 2024). This seems to have stopped the flood of complaints that were happening previously. The K12.2's play loud, and sound good. By comparison, the K12.2's will easily out-perform 15" JBL EON speakers (any version), but EON are kind of JBL's bottom of the barrel speakers (only recommend as cheap floor monitors, useless for FoH), so not really a fair comparison. You could also consider EV ETX-12P ($700 more expensive - the EV EKX-12P is price comparable to the QSC but not as loud) or JBL PRX912 which is price comparable as well & is loud & punchy. Yamaha are very musical, but not particularly punchy or loud for live sound. My contact at Fullcompass indicated that EV is the easiest product to get repair parts for now that QSC no longer sells amp components to individuals, and JBL is in 2nd place. Neither of those companies are cheap for any repair components. You can still buy QSC compression drivers and woofers as an individual or organization, and they are easily the lowest cost replacement parts on the market.
@@hamster1717 - My key point is that the QSC K10.2 are NOT for DJs under any circumstances, subs or no (and neither are the K8.2). The highly compressed nature of modern music and the long hours that DJs typically play at high volumes WILL overheat the magnets on the 10" woofer, no matter what you do, period. The 100Hz crossover to the subs will not save you from cooked K10.2 woofers. Stepping up to the K12.2 is what DJs need to do, and of course I'd use them with subs if it was my rig / job. But to each his own, DJs gonna do what DJs do.
@@radioflyer2030 Thanks for the tip. I was also thinking about Yamaha DXR. It has higher SPL. And little bit cheaper. I end up buying the QSC 12.2. So far ok with the sound. The CP series are more base sounds like when I compare at guitar center. EV is good too. Thanks.
Thank you so much for the vid. I had the same issue with my k12.2. I was djing a high school event and wasn't pushing them hard at all and they shut down. Luckily they went back on after resetting them. I thought it was a fluke but it did it again at another event but this time it shut down completely. Sent it back to QSC and they sent me a replacement. I can't trust K12.2's any longer so I sold them. I miss my legacy k12's. I switched over to RCF's and love them!
@@MrMaui38 It's scary to think that this would happen to such a reputable speaker. I was very disappointed. RCF's are the way to go. They're simple and sound great!
@@jasong.3985 Exactly! I was so surprised and disappointed after how many QSC products I’ve seen used by other DJs, and how many good things I’ve heard. When I called QSC service center back then, they said that they were expecting a recall for the new amp modules that had started going out post Covid.
Thank you for making this!!! I bought two brand new 12.2 last year whos amps shut down middle of my gig last year…twice! I returned them immediately and went with rcf. Extremely disappointing and I’m glad to know I’m not the only one with issues!
@@djdevere I didn’t try that before returning them so can’t say if that would have fixed it. I did call QSC service center who did not mention that either. They were brand new out of the box so I would assume they had the latest firmware.
@@francoisblanc6453 I bought the RCF HDM45 which are bigger so may not be a good choice for you if you’re looking at the 8.2 or 10.2. I had the issue with the 12.2, so I wonder if the 8.2 or 10.2 would be okay? The RCF HD10 or 910 is a good option if you’re looking at 10 inch speakers but I’m not sure of any comparable 8 inch options to the 8.2
I run two show locations that use 6 k12.2 each (12 in total) 4-5 shows a week. Over the past 2 years we’ve had to send 5 amps to get repaired/ replaced. Mind you we don’t run super hot signals through these speakers(never in the red) I also know others that send almost 1 k12.2 a year to go get replaced/ repaired. Build Quality is definitely not the MOST reliable but they sound so damn good. I do think most of the damage was caused by rain and sea breeze though, only other incident I’ve had with a k.2 series is when they are in hot weather they go into protect mode. Definitely invest in a solid way to protect these speakers from the elements.
I’ve been considering the K10.2 bit this is worrying to hear. I notice on QSC’s website that all the .2 range had a new chipset revision from 5th Sept 2022. There has also been subsequent firmware updates for this new chipset and I’m wondering if any of the recent issues had these new chipsets running the firmware 1.5.5 version? I’m also considering the EV ELX200-10p as I’ve read a number of reviews say they prefer them to the QSC’s though I had reliability issues with the original ELX Line-X range.
Im a Dj but new to hosting outdoor raves. What speakers do you recomend ? Now looking at the Mackie DRM 15" active speakers and 18" DRM subs. What do you recomend for Techno music ?
It's not just you, and not just bad luck. I had the exact same experience with a K8.2 that I was using as a floor monitor. Got some feedback during a performance, muted it within 2 seconds but the amp was fried. It was only 8 months old so still under warranty. Took it to an authorized shop. It took 8 months to get a replacement amplifier. Like you, my confidence was shaken in what I'd always considered a premium brand. Unlike you, I cannot afford to replace all of my QSC speakers so I'm kinda stuck with them. But you better believe I'm really careful about feedback now. Who knew that you could kill a speaker due to a software problem?
I still use the KW152's that were built in 2013. I bought them for 700 each at Guitar Center,and they had been used for 5 years when I got them. I have been rough and unkind to them, slamming them in the truck after long drunken gigs. They have never blown, even with feedback.
Rule number 1 is to never hang powered speakers, unless you can easily reach them and monitor them.. Also never turn the knobs up to the max, like most sound guys would do.. Newer speakers should be leveled after you eq you mixer and sound sources.. I’ve had my pair since they were 1st introduced in 2017.. Only issue I had was with the extension cord power source not sitting snugged within the sockets.. That also includes the use of the locking power cable provided by the manufacturer.. The power must be snugged..
I thought I was the only one who felt this way! I've had reliability issues with my K10.2 speakers and my KS118. The amps fry so easily and a woofer blew out on the KS118. I have 4 amps sitting in my house that I have replaced. I do not recommend these speakers anymore for this reason.
@@gatchmanphoenix1418 Yeah. I did recommend them after I first got them. That was what... 2 years or so ago? My opinion has changed now. QSC really lacks in the reliability area. That's been my experience.
I’ve had my JBL EON G2 15’s for like 20 years…incredibly reliable. I’ve never had a single problem until yesterday one of them made a popping sound when I turned it on and won’t turn back on. I took it apart and replaced the fuse, but it immediately blew the fuse again. So instead of paying to repair it (given that the other one is still working but may have the same problem at some point since it’s the same age) I thought I would just look for a new pair of powered speakers. I have subs, so I just need tops. Heard great things about the QSC’s, but after watching this video I have to reconsider it. I really got my money’s worth out of my JBL EONs and that kind of reliability is what am used to. Mine are used for a weekly rehearsal space, solo acoustic gigs, and also have been used for many band gigs. They get moved a lot and I need them to be reliable. Thx for the video!
The original/"legacy" K series from QSC is still great. I now use (and recommend) BassBoss DiaMon 112s and RCF TT10A's. Both are under 30lbs and get stupid loud. The DiaMon is a coaxial speaker so that has some benefits, while the RCFTT10A gets incredibly loud and can network with the rest of the RCF life. I am lazy so I like the lighter weight. My "bigger" mains are Fulcrum FA22ac's which are the best sounding speakers I've ever heard period. They weigh 60lbs though so they can be a pain in the ass to get on stands. They're also discontinued :(
Love my first generation Pioneer XPRS 10” mains, Baltic birch-55-20k hz-134spl-Powersoft amp 90x60 degree angle. Only drawback is there are 41lbs for a 10” speaker which is slightly heavier than I want. Considering replacing the LF driver with a neodymium to lighten up the weight
The first generation Pioneer XPRS uses some of the best amps in a powered cabinet (Powersoft); they are excellent speakers and underrated. Not sure if the second generation is as good.
Got a K.2 10 for a monitor and has shut off on me twice at gigs. Been back and forward selling it, but this video sealed it for me. I just ordered the Everse 8 to use for gigs.
My cousin used his 2 JBL Professional powered speakers for a family reunion in a state park, and all I can say, is WOW. The rest rooms were like 1/8 th of a mile away in an open field straight away, and I can still hear these speakers as if I were close up to it. I'm surprise to hear this about the infamous QSC's though, I was thinking about buying a K.2 for my back yard. I may just go with a battery powered EV 12 " thats out there.
The k.2 series has a flaw in the design for the amp and has a recall but they are only replacing the amps as they go out. I run a pair of k 8.2's and have had both amps replaced and have had no issues since. These were installed in 2018 and both amps replaced by end of 2019 no questions asked.
I have a K12.2 that failed at a gig for no reason. It just cut out and all the input lights stayed on even though no source was plugged in. Took it in to an authorized QSC repair shop and they said something on the amp failed and that it was an ongoing issue with the .2 Series speakers. I paid almost $400 for the repair. I’ve only had the speaker for about 5 years so I thought it was still under the 6 year warranty. The problem is I never registered none of my QSC speakers that I have so basically it voided out the 6 year warranty and made it a 3 year warranty instead. That’s my fault for not registering the speakers within 30 days of purchasing them.
I've had a pair of K12.2s from new and after not much use they have both cut out in operation. They are only 5 years old so out of warranty now and the repairers in the UK are charging me £1200 to repair both units with no sympathy when I called them. They were great sounding speakers when I could rely on them but now I’ve moved on and invested in RCF and Yamaha replacements instead , Im afraid I can’t recommend the K12.2 series any more.
I have 2 12.2's and k118 sub. I use them for band gigs. I feel like these are more for that. DJ's go especially hard. Those 3 speakers are absolute bangers at shows. It is unreal how loud a band can get with them. They all stay at 0db, sometimes outdoors I will pump the sub 10-15 percent over. All this being said, I am about 8 months into my purchase and you're scaring me bro lol. I have been looking into buying a pair of the 8.2's for monitors. I can say that I am close enough to sweetwater to drive and pick up purchases like this. It never sits right to have such expensive gear delivered to me. delivery people are so overwhelmed I just don't trust them to handle with care anymore.
I remember when the k.2 series came out. I was all set to upgrade from the legacy series I own but just never heard much of a sonic upgrade. If anything, the new K.2 series didn’t sound as full and had more background hiss. I have stuck with my original K12s which sound fantastic.
Mine cut out on the first performance after buying new ones. Yuck. I would trade them in for legacy K speakers. Thoughts on preferred speakers a year??? Thanks
Dang that is so frustrating. For lightweight mains I now use (and recommend) BassBoss DiaMon 112s and RCF TT10A's. Both are under 30lbs and get stupid loud. The DiaMon is a coaxial speaker so that has some benefits, while the RCFTT10A gets incredibly loud and can network with the rest of the RCF life.
@@djmyr Today I traded in my k12.2 for legacy k12 off my experience with the older ones my boss has. Never an issue. I'm probably the only one trading in old for new & am stoked for it too! Your video definitely helped me pick a lane before more of my gigs occur! I'll give an update in the next few weeks fingers are crossed!
@@Highvibesociety. Nice. I recently bought another pair of K12s (the original) about a year and a half ago. Zero problems and I use and rent them out them all the time. It's a good purchase
you had a lousy experience bro I know how that feels but my Qsc is in perfect condition after 4 years of use. I do weddings for over 400-500 people with two EV exks subs and great sound.
What many people don't realize with self-powered speakers = a speaker (especially a subwoofer) is a VERY harsh environment for an amplifier/electronics to live in. Think about the pounding, rattling, shaking, vibration that the amp is subjected to while in use. I am not saying this was the cause of your failures, but I've been in the business 35+ years and by comparison, I have never had a power amp (rack mount 19") ever fail - across thousands of uses and installs. IME passive speakers powered by external amps are far more reliable. The world's greatest speaker systems are passive and powered by external amps (d&b, L'Acoustics, Adamson, Danley, JBL VTX etc.). I have tons of powered speakers, don't get me wrong - but seriously considering going back to all passive for the above noted reason, plus not having to run power all over a stage and venue. Side Note: I installed (6) KLA's in an auditorium (2015 I believe) and (2) amps died within 3 months. Manufacturers need to get back to a focus on reliability. If a speaker doesn't work, it doesn't matter how good it sounds.
this does not make sense as original K series did not had the issue which had all the things. Most likely this is quality control issue with parts in amp or design issue.
I had one completely fry and the other fail and then somewhat work tonight at a worship event. And they weren’t being pushed very hard at all. I am beyond sick right now…
I almost pulled the trigger on these until 4 straight days of researching after seeing your video and for the price you pay for QSC, it's not worth the headaches. The K12s are rock solid but the 12.2 produced during and after the pandemic has an uncomfortable failure rate that no professional band or DJ want's to encounter which is very sad because I've heard these and thought they were perfect for the type of music I play at events. Now I'm down to JBL PRX912 or RCF 912A. The only thing I didn't like about the RCF 912A is they don't have the DSP, but the one thing I love about them is plug n' play. Has anyone else had better luck with K12.2 manufactured after 2023?
Very surprised by these stories. I've installed 3 sets of dot 2s in the 3 venues, and never had problem with any of them. I also own 2 pairs that have been hammered since they came out, and never an issue.
I had similar issues with Yamaha. I swore by my original DXS15's, solid, with a lot of gigs under their belt. Decided to buy subs finally after the pandemic. I've had two subs go back for warranty replacement/repair, for a catastrophic issue where the sub would not operate at all, and this within 9 months of purchasing. I recently heard from the company that sold me the subs that they had a few open tickets/issues from other customers with the exact same issue/error code as mine. I would recommend Yamaha to anyone before, eyes closed hands down. but feel like you where Now I can't trust if these subs will work. HOWEVER, something to consider, i purchased these after the pandemic where there were not only the supply chain issues, but remember that world wide we had issues with the chip manufacturing and shortage of chips. I wondered if these models were manufactured during that time using "alternative components" which may have affected functionality. Again, just a theory, as I don't have first hand knowledge. and in the manufacturer's defense, if this was the case it may have been done unintentionally....
I’ve had bad luck with my K10.2s and K12.2s! Amp problems, argued with me at length that I didn’t fill out my warranty on time so no warranties for me. I like them but I make sure I bring at least 1 extra top in case 1 stops working. I keep my trailer humidity controlled at 50%. They’re in cushioned cases. Never pushed near max. Always have large subs with them. And have them surge protected via higher end Furmans FWIW. Aside from QSC K2 stuff I’ve only blown 2 woofers in 33Ys! If they’d even offered to sent 1 or 2 amps I’d have been happy, but nada. The amps are easy to very easy to replace….
Well I got both legacy and the k.2s no problems this far but that’s for the info I did the firmware update. I’m not sure what it did but K.2s still work🤞🏾
Issues galore with the K10.2s K12.2s have been absolutely flawless, as have the KS212c subs. I'm not a DJ though. Sound guy, this is my mobile small gig rig.
I have been living with Protect Mode 4 on two K10.2s that I bought in 2021. Due to Covid, I didn't use them much until this year. I've now had 4 outages with one speaker and 5 with the other. I use these as either light duty mains or as monitors. Firmware is updated to the newest version 1.3.3. I sent the speakers back to Thomann for waranty service - all they did was update the firmware and send them back. I've got a case open with QSC, and I have seen a service bulletin that indicates that a hardware fix needs to be made. I'm hopeful that QSC can make this right, because right now I can't trust these speakers. My old K12s were absolute tanks, but these things are currently too delicate. My hope is that QSC can swap out the amps and I'll be good to go, but for now I'm far too scared to take these to a gig.
As a rental/production house we own over 20 K and K.2 first K series no problem whatsoever. One fan died on me in 10yrs. K.2 two amps died in the first 6 months. Same use same events. QSC replaced the amps with warranty quickly. I am on board with you on reliability and so on. EV speakers match and in some cases surpass the quality. JBL is always a good buy. Price is also a problem as well. They behave like Apple in some cases. Still have my K12s and they work without problems. TBH we do use EV Evlove 50 now more than the QSC on a lot of corporate events
Yours isn't unique, but I was told that the firmware update ... supposingly cured the issues - I'm yet to get surprised?? I've managed to solve issues with re-initialization ... but I'm not satisfied with doing it during soundcheck.
I have just been given one to repair K12.2 i think. It is under warranty but the other one also had issues and it took him one month to get it back From Thomann. He uses it on a ski mountain so the next month Feb March is important. Can't be waiting one month again! So, they shut down after 3 seconds then reboots and shuts down again in this endless loop. I'll be opening it up in the next few days to have a look. But 2 units still under warranty both broke! I could not work with this. Imagine i turn up for a €1000 wedding with those! Personally i'll stick with my RCF or my V15 Tannoys and use the Martin Audio for the bigger events. I do use some QSC gear. I have some power amplifiers which have mostly been ok but the 6kw Powerlight (PL6) died unexpectedly and my first repair failed the power supply mosfets are super expensive! I have a CX404 which is not too bad but the volume pots could be better. The PL236 seems ok but the PL4 has an earth hum on one side which i find surprising. It's not enough to notice with music on so for now i'm not bothering to open it. I guess the older stuff was made better but doesn't last forever without expensive servicing.
Well what the peak spl level when ppl are having issues? Or are the using a powered mixer /DJ mixer on already powered speakers? Not sure why feedback would shut it down but maybe it’s a safeguard when ppl aren’t doing things right type thing... not sure. Two yrs into mine but I don’t need to go super loud.
That was the weird thing. I’m so paranoid I make sure there are no limit lights on or anything. The feedback wasn’t super loud; I’m just surprised it fried the whole amp (if it was too much power drawn, it should have just blown the fuse). It’s a puzzle for sure
I bought a pair of Alto TS415’s. Years ago I had TS315’s and returned them rt away because they just sounded weird. Since Alto replaced those and added more power all I can say is wow! QSC watch out because Alto is competing directly with y’all at a much more cost effective price.
I had a brand new K12.2 die on me last summer, only 1 year old and used for maybe 15 events. The amp module was bad, they released a few bad batches I guess. I got it fixed under warranty, pretty bummed though. I''ll probably keep that one and sell my other 2x other road dog k12.2's.
Happened to me as well . New K12.2 speakers 3 gigs and on the 4th gig speaker just shuts down in the middle of performance. I was not able to turn it on ... Couldn't believe this was brand new speaker ... I wish I'd seen this video before I bought QSC K12.2 😢
Do you think an Everse 12 would sound significantly worse than a k.12.2? ... I want a speaker with a battery and I'm torn between buying an everse 8 for around town or selling my k.12.2 to buy everse 12... around town would be acoustic guitar and vocals, but my use case for k.12 at home is a power amp for my electric guitar modelers and simultaneously playing practice tracks... would I miss the QSC at home if I went with one everse 12 speaker for everything?
You wont miss the QSC. It doesnt sound signicantly worse for your application. I have both and I ended using the everse just because it is so practical. I use it for playing piano, acoustic guitar and vocals.
I bought a pair of BASSBOSS DiaMon 112s and a pair of RCF TT10As. I liked both so much I kept both pairs. The RCFs have the advantage of being able to be used as a wedge monitor, but I think the DiaMons can get a bit louder.
question - do you think the k.2 issues are the type that, if they're gonna happen, they happen right away? e.g. if I buy used ones with multiple years of reliable performance, would you expect that they're past the window of potential issues?
I believe something was wrong with your speakers or the setup you were running. I have k12.2's since 2019 and never had an issue. Even the issue that a lot of people were having that the speaker stopped working and needed a power cycle became of a faulty limiter security feature. Regardless, I've done all the firmware updates for the k12.2 available online and updatable via USB cable into the speaker from a pc. And it never had that issue
The majority of the problems are coming from speakers manufactured in 2021/2022 during the supply chain debacle. QSC started using crap components from China because they couldn't get their regular components. Now there is a trust issue with QSC. The company is very good at honoring their warranty.... but some of us are actually using these speakers to make a living and can't afford to risk losing gigs because of unreliability.
I bought a pair of K12.2s in January 2024. Used them on 2 gigs and they sounded great. On the third gig one of them died. I checked the firmware, and it was up to date. I asked around and another band told me they had the exact same problem. The tech guy at the QSC authorized service center told me in confidence that he is constantly getting K2 speakers in with the same problem, and he explained that the ones with power modules from China have incredibly high failure rates. The wait time on replacement modules can run well over a month. Yes, QSC will repair or replace them when they fail.... but that won't help me when I'm on a gig and they die. If you are a working professional musician, you can't afford unreliable equipment. I'm done with QSC for now. It's a shame, they sound great.... but being unreliable is a deal breaker.
I own 7 K10.2s. I've had two of the amp sections completely shut down. However, both speakers (out of warrantee), were quickly repaired and have been working consistently since. 2 out of 7 is not a good reliabilty percentage. However, good news, they were quickly, easily and economically repaired. The service (Triple S Electronics) was amazingly quick and sent a full analysis of the unit's performance. What other brand can be serviced like that? Stuff breaks for whatever reason. I want to know that things can be repaired, that's almost as important as how reliable they are. When I've tried to have Mackie, Yamaha or EV units repaired, I was on my own. Not so with QSC. Also... in my opinion, the K.2 series sounds A LOT better than the K series.
What was the issue you had with the amps? It sounds like the amps themselves weren’t completely broken, but rather it was something small where they didn’t need to be completely replaced
I bought my K12.2s in fall 2020. I bought my KS118 in summer 2021. I use them weekly at my live blues venue. Never had a problem and I've never updated them. Is this because of when I bought them? Maybe the shutdown problems started with the same speakers after the ones I purchased? I keep hearing about the quality of parts in the amps. The amp modules are blowing because of inferior parts and not the design. Perhaps the Covid epidemic had an impact on getting quality parts because of supply chain issues? QSC doesn't say or acknowledge this. That's why people are mostly pissed off. From what I know, the amp modules need to have certain parts replaced. A lot of repair techs have been saying that.
Yorkville is a damn good speaker it’s all made in-house except the speakers inside but they use Italian made b&c drivers The amp board is not made in china it made by yorkville . Qsc make great amps but the powered speakers are not as good. Piece of advice if you installing any speakers get a drive rack pa and set it up so you won’t destroy your speakers
I used to work for a rental company as a technician, it’s true we did have some K.2 who burned out but it was all before the software update, now it’s working like it should for a QSC product. I’m even looking to get a pair of K10.2 myself
I own a pair of k10 and a pair of k10.2. Near the end of an event I was doing. One of the k10.2 went out. The old k10 that I have are still going strong. I never went to get the k10.2 to get repaired because I have a set of yorkville, too. So I agree the k10.2 to me are not reliable.
Burned over 6 of my k12.2, so I sold all 8 & bought 4 KLAs. Kept all my KW & K series subs & tops. The analog boards don't have to worry about the DSP chip malfunction. The new series use a 2ohm ceramic speaker instead of 8ohm, cheap dsp chips and warranty is useless if they can't keep up the supply of parts!! Hopefully the new L array series doesn't disappoint but then again.. its digital as well..
Oh, the other thing about QSC,, they use very typical speaker clips, that are reasonable, but sometimes are easily loosened, and with bass responses can be knocked off their terminal, thus cutting out, I’ve seen it three or four times with other, DJ Company’s,, I do repairs as well…
I PERSONALLY THINK THAT IT IS A SUPPLY ISSUE. QSC HAD TO BUILD THEIR SPEAKERS WITHOUT THE SAME PRODUCTS THEY ARE USED TO BECAUSE OF SUPPLY. I THINK THAT IS WHY THERE HAS BEEN SOO MANY PROBLEMS LATELY WITH THEIR SPEAKERS AND MASTLY K.2'S.
I have another QSC speaker that just went out, my KS112 Subwoofer. Took it out to a small gig I had yesterday paired with a K8.2 and it wasn’t working. I’m having the same problem that I had with my K12.2, the green signal light illuminated even though there was nothing plugged into the speaker. I bet it’s the amp that went out again. This is totally unacceptable QSC.
I have the original K12 speakers and I still think that they sound better than the K.2 series. They can handle the load better. You can really push them to their limits and still sound amazing
I purchased the KS118 as soon as they dropped in 2020...both woofer blew on gig #2...The official QSC dealer said my serial numbers fell just outside the range of serial numbers they were looking for.....after that I felt kind of uneasy about them so I sold them and started back using my KW181...which I can turn up louder with no issues ...Unlike the KS118's the limit light started coming shortly after turning on the speakers and especially if you turn the gain to the 1 oclock position on the amp. I have the original K12's and KW181's I bought since 2017...no issue ever.
That’s the crazy thing, the original K-series (KW181, k12, etc) were so reliable and so good that it’s surprising the new ones have as many problems as they do. I bought a pair of original k12s :)
yo apenas compre una K12.2 hace menos de 6 meses, igual todo empezó bien el sonido de excelente calidad, hasta que se empezó a cortar auto protegiéndose con el limitador y a su vez poniendo extremadamente caliente, no emitía sonido hasta cada 10 minutos que se enfriaba un poco y solo daba 1 minuto de sonido y otra vez lo mismo. Me pasó el mismo problema estando refrigeradas en la noche y con reguladores de corriente bastante buenos y con la energía estable por lo cual no fue nada que ver con la corriente, me imagino que tuve igual mala suerte ya que esta bocinas son realmente una verdadera "joya" noteseme mi sarcasmo.
Dang, going on five years, three gigs a week, all sorts of weather and the K8.2 and K12.’s still going strong
Hoping your good luck continues 😊
Pre 2020 perhaps
I heard and experienced problems with the K12.2 only ... I've heard the pre-.2 amp cards and K8.2 and K10.2 are good as far as parts failing in the amp cards. We had two K12.2s replaced before we had a good pair that didn't go into limp mode after 30 mins of program.
Mines as well. They’ve been great to me
I too have had no problems after 2 yrs .
I've had my K12.2s for 8 years now. 4 or 5 gigs a week, no protective covers and they still sound as good as day one.
Make sure you use the K.2 updater and update your speakers. The USB input is behind the main knob. I check mine for updates often. Have four 12.2 and four ks212c and no problems.
I’m curious about these updates; why would you need to update a speaker? I play music full-time for a living as a solo LoopingArtist using multiple instruments, including bass guitar.
One of my tops went out a year ago, and I have been lazy about doing anything about it, because I had another powered speaker I would just use, and now the other QSC top blew out.
I am on their website looking for a service center, and when I enter my city, it just keeps searching, but nothing comes up. So I will call Sweet Water tomorrow to find out what’s up.
@@davidbrucemusicvideoI was renting my QSC Speaker and out of 4 Bass Bottoms only 1 of them is working right now. Out of 10 QSC Tops only 4 is working. 2 of my Tops need to be updated cause after 20 or 30 minutes the sound turns off. One of my Bass Bottoms was blown out because these new DJ’s always turning the music up to loud and the volumes be in the Red in Distortion Mode🤦🏽♂️😳 After I get all these speakers fix I’m not Renting them out no more and I might sell some of them to lol
@@djblvdrodd dammm i have all qsc.. is extremely hard to blow those honestly…
I destroyed one high frequency driver because I unintentionally screwed the factory eq settings, sending the bass to the highs, iam not kidding, the actual resonance material was in pieces…
The k12 woofer didn’t blow either, it just got kind of stuck on the same position for some reason..
People that rent PA generally don't know not to turn the amplifier up all the way - and have gain stage issues - or simply turn up the source material up until massive amounts of sustained clipping occurs - baking the amplifiers.
Bought 3 pairs of K12.2's and 3 pairs KS118's 6 years ago. Still going strong.
This might be why QSC’s wood cabinet KW line still uses the original amp from the original K series… the KW122s sound better than the plastic cabinets but it is a little bigger and heavier.
Their PLD amp line (now discontinued) had some issues so I’m in the process of selling those off for my mains. They have been great for monitors though.
Also have KS118, K12, K10.2, and the KW122s I mentioned. Never had a problem with any of those, but I do agree that since Covid hit, their company is a little bit more hit or miss than before. The PLD amp line came out around 2013 though and wasn’t their best and what I’m used to. The PL380 amplifier is bulletproof though, but has no built in DSP.
I feel like their R&D is more focused on active powered speakers and Qsys networking tech these days more than amplifiers despite being an amplifier company first and foremost.
I’ve had the same experience with my K12.2 speakers, one of them shutting down in the middle of a performance at least in three different occasions. When this happened I asked one of my band mates closer to the speaker to turn it off and do a reset. Feel very uncomfortable when using them. Both speakers have the latest firmware version.
Purchased both speakers QSC K12.2 and ALTO TS312 on 02/14/2022
Played 20 gigs, with the QSC K12.2 on the right side and the Alto ts312 on the left side of the front-end PA system, and on 09/30/2023 the 20th gig, the QSC failed to work, it would power up, but would not process the signal from the PA board. Trying to get it fixed now by warranty....
Tried this very system after watching your viedeo because band member called raving about how sweet this system sounded , found your review and watched and yes pre set up for gig in band room they sounded very very good we were loaned the system and were considering switching to it , long story short played a Saturday night festival with them and 3 other groups during second group one shut down another time one gave damadge warning , only left with monitor sound till for some reason they settled down and resumed working , to many unsure reason , i wont kick any money in for the system , very disappointed
I was truly hoping after initially listening to the sound we wouldnt have the issues youve alerted us to
Thank you for your honest sharing
I appreciate this video, QSC User here too. I have 10 of the K12.1 and 12 of the K12.2 tops. I experience the same unreliability with the .2 models as mentioned, and more. The audio signal indicator LED lights up, but no audio plays through the speaker, amps just unresponsive, the encoder sometimes is unresponsive or inaccurate, especially when dialing in delay.... there's a few more experiences we've had, and now for any event in which the QSCs are the decided PA, my team ends up carrying 1-2 extra tops for bpackup (which end up being used quite frequently).
Now I've got to consider upgrading the entire K.2 inventory. Looking at LD, RCF or EV.
Wow! I’m shocked by this. I’ve been rockin my DOT 2s for about four years and haven’t had one issue. Still crankin them til this day!
Same here. I have issues with two of my K12s, one of my KW152s and one of my KS118s. Never had an issue prior to Covid but it seems like I’ve keep running into issues with the gear that I’ve bought since then.
I got a pair each of the original K8 and KW12s, still going strong after 8 years!
I own a pair of Electro Voice ELX 200 12P with the matching 18 Inch Sub and man does this sound system blow me away with how great this sounds. I've owned my ELX 200 12P's for roughly 6 months now and recently bought my subwoofer less than a month ago and they have been great to me so far!! I like my music loud and I push them to the limits and when I'm DJing I would often times check and see if the speakers are getting hot and they perform just like you expect them to!! Please be aware that I've owned speakers from JBL Eon, Mackie, Carvin, and subwoofers strictly from Cerwin Vega and the EV's have the been the best sounding system I've ever owned.
Yeah that’s Factz the EV 200 series speakers do sound damn good they get loud and be clean been thinking about getting a set myself!
Had my K12.2 in 2020 or 2021 and a little less than a year it just cut off during a NYE gig. No power, won’t turn on at all. So yeah I’m scared to get another. Sticking with my EVs however I’m itching to get the KS118 Sub
I've owned a pair of K12.2s for almost a year now and use them with my band probably about 3-4 times a month. Sometimes I experience sound cutting out or dropouts but that was due to my faulty Presonus Studiolive 32R that I had serviced and now works like a charm. I do feel like there are certainly more reliability issues with this model compared to the K series of old. Knocking on wood, because when they work, they are brilliant sounding speakers.
I agree, the original K series was rock solid and these sound even better in my opinion. Too bad they don't seem to be as reliable as the K-series.
I just bought a pair of QSC K10.2. My current dealer has confirmed to me that with the new firmware 1.5.5 the problem has been corrected. Well I hope so - what do you think?
Using QSC LA 112 and having the experience like you. 3 speakers blown in 3 months. The last one just happened last weekend. Never hit the limiter and have no idea on what made it destroyed. Thinking about returning and changing with the other brand.
I bought 2 K8.2s. Love the sound. Never push them hard. The (all my gear) looks new. 3 years+ in - one stopped dead @ a gig -no sound. Luckily I have 3 yrs left on the ext. warranty. I did update the firmware. Just shocked. think I'll go back to using my crown amp with a pre and power 2 QSC E110s. Amp module suspect. QSC factory did apologize via email and will fix it but...possible 2-3 months wait. Hmmm.
The K10.2's should NEVER be used as the "mains" or "FoH" on DJ gigs. Period. No matter how small the room. The woofer's magnet simply does not have enough mass to dissipate the heat produced by "loudness wars" highly compressed modern recordings / music. If you are going to go QSC, and want K.2 series, then as a DJ, do yourself a favor & get the K12.2's instead. They are only slightly larger & heavier. I say this from experience... I am an electronics engineer as well as a live sound engineer. I have a bunch of DJ friends, and I end up repairing their gear. I've had a K10.2 torn apart behind the DJ booth during an ongoing show for troubleshooting, and the temperature of that magnet was ridiculous. Instant skin burn type of temps. The K10.2's tend to be the most troublesome of the series... that 10" bass driver just isn't meant to run highly compressed music at full volume for 4, 5, 6 whatever hours at a stretch. The drivers have no thermal sensors, so the amp never knows how hot they are and can't reduce power if needed. K10.2's are ok as floor monitors for live music, even thrash metal... but they are getting a much less compressed signal, breaks between songs, and probably 2 hours tops.
It also seems as though there was a bad batch of amp boards, and several very bad versions of the DSP firmware, which has done nothing to enhance QSC's reputation. My real issues with QSC are that as of late 2023, they are apparently no longer willing to sell amp modules (KW series) or amp & DSP boards (K.2 series) to regular individuals, only to authorized service centers. Stupid, STUPID decision, QSC. In the past, one of the KEY reasons to buy QSC powered speakers was that the repair parts were extremely affordable compared to other brands, and accessible to anyone with a credit card. The other really stupid decision on QSC's part is that they refuse to publish or send on request the frequency graphs for the different modes of operation of their K.2 speakers. For live or installed sound, that is essential information that most other reputable manufacturers (like EV, for example) publish. So we can make informed decisions about which setting is going to work in a given situation. Ridiculous, QSC. They claim that information is proprietary. Uhhh, no, it's just a little tricky to get without a semi anechoic room & some measurement tools.
Do u still recommend getting theQSC 12.2. I’m looking speakers for the church or should I go with Yamaha DXR 12. Please advise. Thanks.
I certainly wouldn't use them as mains by themselves (though I know some DJs do); rather I'd pair them with subs and HPF them at 100Hz. I've used them with the JBL SRX818SP or the VRX918SPs, actually a pretty good combo for smaller crowds.
@@thomas9469- I think the K.2 series issues have mostly or completely been sorted out. They changed some components on the amp board and on the DSP board, and with those new boards the minimum firmware is now v1.5 (late 2024). This seems to have stopped the flood of complaints that were happening previously. The K12.2's play loud, and sound good. By comparison, the K12.2's will easily out-perform 15" JBL EON speakers (any version), but EON are kind of JBL's bottom of the barrel speakers (only recommend as cheap floor monitors, useless for FoH), so not really a fair comparison. You could also consider EV ETX-12P ($700 more expensive - the EV EKX-12P is price comparable to the QSC but not as loud) or JBL PRX912 which is price comparable as well & is loud & punchy. Yamaha are very musical, but not particularly punchy or loud for live sound. My contact at Fullcompass indicated that EV is the easiest product to get repair parts for now that QSC no longer sells amp components to individuals, and JBL is in 2nd place. Neither of those companies are cheap for any repair components. You can still buy QSC compression drivers and woofers as an individual or organization, and they are easily the lowest cost replacement parts on the market.
@@hamster1717 - My key point is that the QSC K10.2 are NOT for DJs under any circumstances, subs or no (and neither are the K8.2). The highly compressed nature of modern music and the long hours that DJs typically play at high volumes WILL overheat the magnets on the 10" woofer, no matter what you do, period. The 100Hz crossover to the subs will not save you from cooked K10.2 woofers. Stepping up to the K12.2 is what DJs need to do, and of course I'd use them with subs if it was my rig / job. But to each his own, DJs gonna do what DJs do.
@@radioflyer2030
Thanks for the tip. I was also thinking about Yamaha DXR. It has higher SPL. And little bit cheaper. I end up buying the QSC 12.2. So far ok with the sound. The CP series are more base sounds like when I compare at guitar center. EV is good too. Thanks.
Thank you so much for the vid. I had the same issue with my k12.2. I was djing a high school event and wasn't pushing them hard at all and they shut down. Luckily they went back on after resetting them. I thought it was a fluke but it did it again at another event but this time it shut down completely. Sent it back to QSC and they sent me a replacement. I can't trust K12.2's any longer so I sold them. I miss my legacy k12's. I switched over to RCF's and love them!
Yeah RCF has some good stuff. My original k12s, KW18s, etc are all going strong. I made the switch to BassBoss and am so happy
@@hamster1717 Great stuff. Bass Boss hits hard!
Same exact thing happened to me! Sent them back went with rcf and haven’t looked back since
@@MrMaui38 It's scary to think that this would happen to such a reputable speaker. I was very disappointed. RCF's are the way to go. They're simple and sound great!
@@jasong.3985 Exactly! I was so surprised and disappointed after how many QSC products I’ve seen used by other DJs, and how many good things I’ve heard. When I called QSC service center back then, they said that they were expecting a recall for the new amp modules that had started going out post Covid.
Thank you for making this!!! I bought two brand new 12.2 last year whos amps shut down middle of my gig last year…twice! I returned them immediately and went with rcf. Extremely disappointing and I’m glad to know I’m not the only one with issues!
Dang sorry to hear that…that’s super frustrating. RCF makes some great products 👍
did you update the firmware?
@@djdevere I didn’t try that before returning them so can’t say if that would have fixed it. I did call QSC service center who did not mention that either. They were brand new out of the box so I would assume they had the latest firmware.
I was about to pull the trigger for QSC K8.2. or K10.2... now not so sure! What RCF model did you buy ? 712 MK4 ? 732 ? 912? 932 ? something else?
@@francoisblanc6453 I bought the RCF HDM45 which are bigger so may not be a good choice for you if you’re looking at the 8.2 or 10.2. I had the issue with the 12.2, so I wonder if the 8.2 or 10.2 would be okay?
The RCF HD10 or 910 is a good option if you’re looking at 10 inch speakers but I’m not sure of any comparable 8 inch options to the 8.2
I run two show locations that use 6 k12.2 each (12 in total) 4-5 shows a week. Over the past 2 years we’ve had to send 5 amps to get repaired/ replaced. Mind you we don’t run super hot signals through these speakers(never in the red) I also know others that send almost 1 k12.2 a year to go get replaced/ repaired. Build Quality is definitely not the MOST reliable but they sound so damn good. I do think most of the damage was caused by rain and sea breeze though, only other incident I’ve had with a k.2 series is when they are in hot weather they go into protect mode. Definitely invest in a solid way to protect these speakers from the elements.
Which is better, QSC k.2 series or L class series?
I’ve been considering the K10.2 bit this is worrying to hear.
I notice on QSC’s website that all the .2 range had a new chipset revision from 5th Sept 2022. There has also been subsequent firmware updates for this new chipset and I’m wondering if any of the recent issues had these new chipsets running the firmware 1.5.5 version?
I’m also considering the EV ELX200-10p as I’ve read a number of reviews say they prefer them to the QSC’s though I had reliability issues with the original ELX Line-X range.
Im a Dj but new to hosting outdoor raves. What speakers do you recomend ?
Now looking at the Mackie DRM 15" active speakers and 18" DRM subs.
What do you recomend for Techno music ?
The Mackie DRM series really impressed me. The 315's sounded great as did the subs. What size events are you trying to cover/how many people?
@@hamster1717 2-500 peoples.
Sounds like you need a line array (the kind you hang)
No problems ever with the QSC K12.2. Great sound and performance ...
I do think the problems are rare but they are there. The k12.2s have a good balance of sound, SPL, weight, and price though
Which speaker do you recommend between QSC K12.2 k.2 series 12” and electro voice FRI 2082-BLK Dual 8” two way.
It's not just you, and not just bad luck. I had the exact same experience with a K8.2 that I was using as a floor monitor. Got some feedback during a performance, muted it within 2 seconds but the amp was fried. It was only 8 months old so still under warranty. Took it to an authorized shop. It took 8 months to get a replacement amplifier. Like you, my confidence was shaken in what I'd always considered a premium brand. Unlike you, I cannot afford to replace all of my QSC speakers so I'm kinda stuck with them. But you better believe I'm really careful about feedback now. Who knew that you could kill a speaker due to a software problem?
I still use the KW152's that were built in 2013. I bought them for 700 each at Guitar Center,and they had been used for 5 years when I got them. I have been rough and unkind to them, slamming them in the truck after long drunken gigs. They have never blown, even with feedback.
Rule number 1 is to never hang powered speakers, unless you can easily reach them and monitor them.. Also never turn the knobs up to the max, like most sound guys would do.. Newer speakers should be leveled after you eq you mixer and sound sources..
I’ve had my pair since they were 1st introduced in 2017.. Only issue I had was with the extension cord power source not sitting snugged within the sockets.. That also includes the use of the locking power cable provided by the manufacturer.. The power must be snugged..
Hey there how to leveled new speaker can u explain. Thanks.
I thought I was the only one who felt this way! I've had reliability issues with my K10.2 speakers and my KS118. The amps fry so easily and a woofer blew out on the KS118. I have 4 amps sitting in my house that I have replaced. I do not recommend these speakers anymore for this reason.
You need to make a video about this. I just seen your video recommending them. Now I see you changing your mind.
@@gatchmanphoenix1418 Yeah. I did recommend them after I first got them. That was what... 2 years or so ago? My opinion has changed now. QSC really lacks in the reliability area. That's been my experience.
Totally agree sir people are having trouble with these, i have 10 of them after selling my original ones constant firmware updates and fragile !
I’ve had my JBL EON G2 15’s for like 20 years…incredibly reliable. I’ve never had a single problem until yesterday one of them made a popping sound when I turned it on and won’t turn back on. I took it apart and replaced the fuse, but it immediately blew the fuse again. So instead of paying to repair it (given that the other one is still working but may have the same problem at some point since it’s the same age) I thought I would just look for a new pair of powered speakers. I have subs, so I just need tops. Heard great things about the QSC’s, but after watching this video I have to reconsider it. I really got my money’s worth out of my JBL EONs and that kind of reliability is what am used to. Mine are used for a weekly rehearsal space, solo acoustic gigs, and also have been used for many band gigs. They get moved a lot and I need them to be reliable. Thx for the video!
I have ETX10p, and ETX15p along with ETX18sp and 6 years with zero issues
Which speakers do you recommend? , I have qsc k12.2 and same thing happened to me , so want to change to different company , thank you for your help
The original/"legacy" K series from QSC is still great. I now use (and recommend) BassBoss DiaMon 112s and RCF TT10A's. Both are under 30lbs and get stupid loud. The DiaMon is a coaxial speaker so that has some benefits, while the RCFTT10A gets incredibly loud and can network with the rest of the RCF life. I am lazy so I like the lighter weight.
My "bigger" mains are Fulcrum FA22ac's which are the best sounding speakers I've ever heard period. They weigh 60lbs though so they can be a pain in the ass to get on stands. They're also discontinued :(
Love my first generation Pioneer XPRS 10” mains, Baltic birch-55-20k hz-134spl-Powersoft amp 90x60 degree angle. Only drawback is there are 41lbs for a 10” speaker which is slightly heavier than I want. Considering replacing the LF driver with a neodymium to lighten up the weight
The first generation Pioneer XPRS uses some of the best amps in a powered cabinet (Powersoft); they are excellent speakers and underrated. Not sure if the second generation is as good.
I have these and it works flawlessly going on for over 3 years.
I have QSC k12.2 speakers and facing an issue of output
And all the sig light are turned on to green
So what did you go to instead of QSC?
Got a K.2 10 for a monitor and has shut off on me twice at gigs. Been back and forward selling it, but this video sealed it for me. I just ordered the Everse 8 to use for gigs.
Did you try updating the firmware? Did you look to see which version of firmware your speaker was running when it failed?
My cousin used his 2 JBL Professional powered speakers for a family reunion in a state park, and all I can say, is WOW. The rest rooms were like 1/8 th of a mile away in an open field straight away, and I can still hear these speakers as if I were close up to it. I'm surprise to hear this about the infamous QSC's though, I was thinking about buying a K.2 for my back yard. I may just go with a battery powered EV 12 " thats out there.
Do you know which ones? I used to use the JBL SRX812Ps for years and they were excellent. The SRX700 series is very good as well
My k 12.2 have been a nightmare. They have been in the repair shop 5 months and still cut out and have to be restarted 😢
The k.2 series has a flaw in the design for the amp and has a recall but they are only replacing the amps as they go out. I run a pair of k 8.2's and have had both amps replaced and have had no issues since. These were installed in 2018 and both amps replaced by end of 2019 no questions asked.
I have a K12.2 that failed at a gig for no reason. It just cut out and all the input lights stayed on even though no source was plugged in. Took it in to an authorized QSC repair shop and they said something on the amp failed and that it was an ongoing issue with the .2 Series speakers. I paid almost $400 for the repair. I’ve only had the speaker for about 5 years so I thought it was still under the 6 year warranty. The problem is I never registered none of my QSC speakers that I have so basically it voided out the 6 year warranty and made it a 3 year warranty instead. That’s my fault for not registering the speakers within 30 days of purchasing them.
I've had a pair of K12.2s from new and after not much use they have both cut out in operation. They are only 5 years old so out of warranty now and the repairers in the UK are charging me £1200 to repair both units with no sympathy when I called them. They were great sounding speakers when I could rely on them but now I’ve moved on and invested in RCF and Yamaha replacements instead , Im afraid I can’t recommend the K12.2 series any more.
I have 2 12.2's and k118 sub. I use them for band gigs. I feel like these are more for that. DJ's go especially hard. Those 3 speakers are absolute bangers at shows. It is unreal how loud a band can get with them. They all stay at 0db, sometimes outdoors I will pump the sub 10-15 percent over. All this being said, I am about 8 months into my purchase and you're scaring me bro lol. I have been looking into buying a pair of the 8.2's for monitors. I can say that I am close enough to sweetwater to drive and pick up purchases like this. It never sits right to have such expensive gear delivered to me. delivery people are so overwhelmed I just don't trust them to handle with care anymore.
I remember when the k.2 series came out. I was all set to upgrade from the legacy series I own but just never heard much of a sonic upgrade. If anything, the new K.2 series didn’t sound as full and had more background hiss. I have stuck with my original K12s which sound fantastic.
Mine cut out on the first performance after buying new ones. Yuck. I would trade them in for legacy K speakers. Thoughts on preferred speakers a year??? Thanks
Dang that is so frustrating. For lightweight mains I now use (and recommend) BassBoss DiaMon 112s and RCF TT10A's. Both are under 30lbs and get stupid loud. The DiaMon is a coaxial speaker so that has some benefits, while the RCFTT10A gets incredibly loud and can network with the rest of the RCF life.
@@djmyr Today I traded in my k12.2 for legacy k12 off my experience with the older ones my boss has. Never an issue. I'm probably the only one trading in old for new & am stoked for it too! Your video definitely helped me pick a lane before more of my gigs occur! I'll give an update in the next few weeks fingers are crossed!
new for old lol🤣
@@Highvibesociety. Nice. I recently bought another pair of K12s (the original) about a year and a half ago. Zero problems and I use and rent them out them all the time. It's a good purchase
you had a lousy experience bro I know how that feels but my Qsc is in perfect condition after 4 years of use. I do weddings for over 400-500 people with two EV exks subs and great sound.
Teufel POWER HIFI stereo or QSC K.2?
What many people don't realize with self-powered speakers = a speaker (especially a subwoofer) is a VERY harsh environment for an amplifier/electronics to live in. Think about the pounding, rattling, shaking, vibration that the amp is subjected to while in use. I am not saying this was the cause of your failures, but I've been in the business 35+ years and by comparison, I have never had a power amp (rack mount 19") ever fail - across thousands of uses and installs. IME passive speakers powered by external amps are far more reliable. The world's greatest speaker systems are passive and powered by external amps (d&b, L'Acoustics, Adamson, Danley, JBL VTX etc.). I have tons of powered speakers, don't get me wrong - but seriously considering going back to all passive for the above noted reason, plus not having to run power all over a stage and venue. Side Note: I installed (6) KLA's in an auditorium (2015 I believe) and (2) amps died within 3 months. Manufacturers need to get back to a focus on reliability. If a speaker doesn't work, it doesn't matter how good it sounds.
and the heat too.
this does not make sense as original K series did not had the issue which had all the things. Most likely this is quality control issue with parts in amp or design issue.
I had one completely fry and the other fail and then somewhat work tonight at a worship event. And they weren’t being pushed very hard at all. I am beyond sick right now…
The problem with the K.2s is the DSP. I stay away from any speaker/amp with DSP and preset functions. The originals were simple and straight forward.
One has to perform the firmware updates when available from QSC. I think the firmware updates addressed the overheating issues.
I almost pulled the trigger on these until 4 straight days of researching after seeing your video and for the price you pay for QSC, it's not worth the headaches. The K12s are rock solid but the 12.2 produced during and after the pandemic has an uncomfortable failure rate that no professional band or DJ want's to encounter which is very sad because I've heard these and thought they were perfect for the type of music I play at events. Now I'm down to JBL PRX912 or RCF 912A. The only thing I didn't like about the RCF 912A is they don't have the DSP, but the one thing I love about them is plug n' play. Has anyone else had better luck with K12.2 manufactured after 2023?
Very surprised by these stories. I've installed 3 sets of dot 2s in the 3 venues, and never had problem with any of them. I also own 2 pairs that have been hammered since they came out, and never an issue.
I had similar issues with Yamaha. I swore by my original DXS15's, solid, with a lot of gigs under their belt. Decided to buy subs finally after the pandemic. I've had two subs go back for warranty replacement/repair, for a catastrophic issue where the sub would not operate at all, and this within 9 months of purchasing. I recently heard from the company that sold me the subs that they had a few open tickets/issues from other customers with the exact same issue/error code as mine. I would recommend Yamaha to anyone before, eyes closed hands down. but feel like you where Now I can't trust if these subs will work. HOWEVER, something to consider, i purchased these after the pandemic where there were not only the supply chain issues, but remember that world wide we had issues with the chip manufacturing and shortage of chips. I wondered if these models were manufactured during that time using "alternative components" which may have affected functionality. Again, just a theory, as I don't have first hand knowledge. and in the manufacturer's defense, if this was the case it may have been done unintentionally....
I’ve had bad luck with my K10.2s and K12.2s! Amp problems, argued with me at length that I didn’t fill out my warranty on time so no warranties for me. I like them but I make sure I bring at least 1 extra top in case 1 stops working. I keep my trailer humidity controlled at 50%. They’re in cushioned cases. Never pushed near max. Always have large subs with them. And have them surge protected via higher end Furmans FWIW. Aside from QSC K2 stuff I’ve only blown 2 woofers in 33Ys! If they’d even offered to sent 1 or 2 amps I’d have been happy, but nada. The amps are easy to very easy to replace….
Bro if you like the original k - series, get a set of CP12s and let us know what you think. I own 4 CP8's, super reliable.
I love my CP8’s!
@@Ronniezim me too!.....
Well I got both legacy and the k.2s no problems this far but that’s for the info I did the firmware update. I’m not sure what it did but K.2s still work🤞🏾
The quality and reliability of all powered speakers is clearly marked on the back panel . If it says made in PRC , youve bought yourself a problem .
Issues galore with the K10.2s
K12.2s have been absolutely flawless, as have the KS212c subs.
I'm not a DJ though. Sound guy, this is my mobile small gig rig.
I have six k12 tops, and three k-Subs. Super reliable. I never had an issue with the legacy line either!
I have been living with Protect Mode 4 on two K10.2s that I bought in 2021. Due to Covid, I didn't use them much until this year. I've now had 4 outages with one speaker and 5 with the other. I use these as either light duty mains or as monitors. Firmware is updated to the newest version 1.3.3. I sent the speakers back to Thomann for waranty service - all they did was update the firmware and send them back.
I've got a case open with QSC, and I have seen a service bulletin that indicates that a hardware fix needs to be made. I'm hopeful that QSC can make this right, because right now I can't trust these speakers. My old K12s were absolute tanks, but these things are currently too delicate. My hope is that QSC can swap out the amps and I'll be good to go, but for now I'm far too scared to take these to a gig.
Which is better for DJ. the QSC KW181 or the Electro Voice EKX 18SP
As a rental/production house we own over 20 K and K.2 first K series no problem whatsoever. One fan died on me in 10yrs. K.2 two amps died in the first 6 months. Same use same events. QSC replaced the amps with warranty quickly. I am on board with you on reliability and so on. EV speakers match and in some cases surpass the quality. JBL is always a good buy. Price is also a problem as well. They behave like Apple in some cases. Still have my K12s and they work without problems. TBH we do use EV Evlove 50 now more than the QSC on a lot of corporate events
hello, can you tell me if the Electro Voice EKX 15p is better than the qsc k12.2 which you recommend. it is for DJ use
So you admit you had problems even after claiming you didn't?
Yours isn't unique, but I was told that the firmware update ... supposingly cured the issues - I'm yet to get surprised?? I've managed to solve issues with re-initialization ... but I'm not satisfied with doing it during soundcheck.
My speakers have been going strong for 7 years gigging on a regular basis. Own 2 12’s and 2 8’s. But I’m not a DJ I’m a musician.
I have just been given one to repair K12.2 i think. It is under warranty but the other one also had issues and it took him one month to get it back From Thomann. He uses it on a ski mountain so the next month Feb March is important. Can't be waiting one month again!
So, they shut down after 3 seconds then reboots and shuts down again in this endless loop.
I'll be opening it up in the next few days to have a look. But 2 units still under warranty both broke! I could not work with this. Imagine i turn up for a €1000 wedding with those! Personally i'll stick with my RCF or my V15 Tannoys and use the Martin Audio for the bigger events.
I do use some QSC gear. I have some power amplifiers which have mostly been ok but the 6kw Powerlight (PL6) died unexpectedly and my first repair failed the power supply mosfets are super expensive!
I have a CX404 which is not too bad but the volume pots could be better. The PL236 seems ok but the PL4 has an earth hum on one side which i find surprising. It's not enough to notice with music on so for now i'm not bothering to open it.
I guess the older stuff was made better but doesn't last forever without expensive servicing.
Well what the peak spl level when ppl are having issues? Or are the using a powered mixer /DJ mixer on already powered speakers? Not sure why feedback would shut it down but maybe it’s a safeguard when ppl aren’t doing things right type thing... not sure. Two yrs into mine but I don’t need to go super loud.
That was the weird thing. I’m so paranoid I make sure there are no limit lights on or anything. The feedback wasn’t super loud; I’m just surprised it fried the whole amp (if it was too much power drawn, it should have just blown the fuse). It’s a puzzle for sure
I bought a pair of Alto TS415’s. Years ago I had TS315’s and returned them rt away because they just sounded weird. Since Alto replaced those and added more power all I can say is wow! QSC watch out because Alto is competing directly with y’all at a much more cost effective price.
I had a brand new K12.2 die on me last summer, only 1 year old and used for maybe 15 events. The amp module was bad, they released a few bad batches I guess. I got it fixed under warranty, pretty bummed though. I''ll probably keep that one and sell my other 2x other road dog k12.2's.
hello, can you tell me if the Electro Voice EKX 15p is better than the qsc k12.2 which you recommend. it is for DJ use
Happened to me as well . New K12.2 speakers 3 gigs and on the 4th gig speaker just shuts down in the middle of performance. I was not able to turn it on ... Couldn't believe this was brand new speaker ... I wish I'd seen this video before I bought QSC K12.2 😢
Do you think an Everse 12 would sound significantly worse than a k.12.2? ... I want a speaker with a battery and I'm torn between buying an everse 8 for around town or selling my k.12.2 to buy everse 12... around town would be acoustic guitar and vocals, but my use case for k.12 at home is a power amp for my electric guitar modelers and simultaneously playing practice tracks... would I miss the QSC at home if I went with one everse 12 speaker for everything?
You wont miss the QSC. It doesnt sound signicantly worse for your application.
I have both and I ended using the everse just because it is so practical. I use it for playing piano, acoustic guitar and vocals.
@@nerdelectro3207 thanks!
These speakers are solid!!! Highly recommend these over other brands (JBL, EV, Mackie, etc)
What did you buy after selling k12.2?
I bought a pair of BASSBOSS DiaMon 112s and a pair of RCF TT10As. I liked both so much I kept both pairs. The RCFs have the advantage of being able to be used as a wedge monitor, but I think the DiaMons can get a bit louder.
10 qsc k12.2 just love them.I never have a problem with them.
question - do you think the k.2 issues are the type that, if they're gonna happen, they happen right away? e.g. if I buy used ones with multiple years of reliable performance, would you expect that they're past the window of potential issues?
any news on this?
I believe something was wrong with your speakers or the setup you were running.
I have k12.2's since 2019 and never had an issue.
Even the issue that a lot of people were having that the speaker stopped working and needed a power cycle became of a faulty limiter security feature.
Regardless, I've done all the firmware updates for the k12.2 available online and updatable via USB cable into the speaker from a pc.
And it never had that issue
The majority of the problems are coming from speakers manufactured in 2021/2022 during the supply chain debacle. QSC started using crap components from China because they couldn't get their regular components. Now there is a trust issue with QSC. The company is very good at honoring their warranty.... but some of us are actually using these speakers to make a living and can't afford to risk losing gigs because of unreliability.
I bought a pair of K12.2s in January 2024. Used them on 2 gigs and they sounded great. On the third gig one of them died. I checked the firmware, and it was up to date. I asked around and another band told me they had the exact same problem. The tech guy at the QSC authorized service center told me in confidence that he is constantly getting K2 speakers in with the same problem, and he explained that the ones with power modules from China have incredibly high failure rates. The wait time on replacement modules can run well over a month.
Yes, QSC will repair or replace them when they fail.... but that won't help me when I'm on a gig and they die.
If you are a working professional musician, you can't afford unreliable equipment. I'm done with QSC for now. It's a shame, they sound great.... but being unreliable is a deal breaker.
I own 7 K10.2s. I've had two of the amp sections completely shut down. However, both speakers (out of warrantee), were quickly repaired and have been working consistently since. 2 out of 7 is not a good reliabilty percentage. However, good news, they were quickly, easily and economically repaired. The service (Triple S Electronics) was amazingly quick and sent a full analysis of the unit's performance. What other brand can be serviced like that? Stuff breaks for whatever reason. I want to know that things can be repaired, that's almost as important as how reliable they are. When I've tried to have Mackie, Yamaha or EV units repaired, I was on my own. Not so with QSC. Also... in my opinion, the K.2 series sounds A LOT better than the K series.
What was the issue you had with the amps? It sounds like the amps themselves weren’t completely broken, but rather it was something small where they didn’t need to be completely replaced
RCF 932A is 3 steps from these but you be shocked with the fbt 114a
I bought my K12.2s in fall 2020. I bought my KS118 in summer 2021. I use them weekly at my live blues venue. Never had a problem and I've never updated them. Is this because of when I bought them? Maybe the shutdown problems started with the same speakers after the ones I purchased? I keep hearing about the quality of parts in the amps. The amp modules are blowing because of inferior parts and not the design. Perhaps the Covid epidemic had an impact on getting quality parts because of supply chain issues? QSC doesn't say or acknowledge this. That's why people are mostly pissed off. From what I know, the amp modules need to have certain parts replaced. A lot of repair techs have been saying that.
Yorkville is a damn good speaker it’s all made in-house except the speakers inside but they use Italian made b&c drivers The amp board is not made in china it made by yorkville . Qsc make great amps but the powered speakers are not as good. Piece of advice if you installing any speakers get a drive rack pa and set it up so you won’t destroy your speakers
I used to work for a rental company as a technician, it’s true we did have some K.2 who burned out but it was all before the software update, now it’s working like it should for a QSC product. I’m even looking to get a pair of K10.2 myself
My k10.2 always limit out and stop mid performance 😢. Junk speakers
I own a pair of k10 and a pair of k10.2. Near the end of an event I was doing. One of the k10.2 went out. The old k10 that I have are still going strong. I never went to get the k10.2 to get repaired because I have a set of yorkville, too. So I agree the k10.2 to me are not reliable.
I prefer the CP series for sound quality myself. Two CP8's for 2,000 watts will quite cheerfully overrule 1 K8.2 for 2,000 watts.
Did you update the firmware
Burned over 6 of my k12.2, so I sold all 8 & bought 4 KLAs. Kept all my KW & K series subs & tops. The analog boards don't have to worry about the DSP chip malfunction.
The new series use a 2ohm ceramic speaker instead of 8ohm, cheap dsp chips and warranty is useless if they can't keep up the supply of parts!! Hopefully the new L array series doesn't disappoint but then again.. its digital as well..
Oh, the other thing about QSC,, they use very typical speaker clips, that are reasonable, but sometimes are easily loosened, and with bass responses can be knocked off their terminal, thus cutting out, I’ve seen it three or four times with other, DJ Company’s,, I do repairs as well…
I PERSONALLY THINK THAT IT IS A SUPPLY ISSUE. QSC HAD TO BUILD THEIR SPEAKERS WITHOUT THE SAME PRODUCTS THEY ARE USED TO BECAUSE OF SUPPLY. I THINK THAT IS WHY THERE HAS BEEN SOO MANY PROBLEMS LATELY WITH THEIR SPEAKERS AND MASTLY K.2'S.
How’s it going in your opinion what are the best loudest speakers for a wedding DJ
BassBoss and RCF makes some of the best and loudest active speakers. Also look into L’Acoustics, DnB Audiotechnik, and Fulcrum Acoustics
I have another QSC speaker that just went out, my KS112 Subwoofer. Took it out to a small gig I had yesterday paired with a K8.2 and it wasn’t working. I’m having the same problem that I had with my K12.2, the green signal light illuminated even though there was nothing plugged into the speaker. I bet it’s the amp that went out again. This is totally unacceptable QSC.
I have the original K12 speakers and I still think that they sound better than the K.2 series. They can handle the load better. You can really push them to their limits and still sound amazing
All Factz I have two OG K12’s and I love them two death they just work and sound great!
I’ll consider these issues but u will need to give me detailed recommendations as well
Thanks for the vid, Very true my k12.2 2 out of my 5 are giving me issues, nothing like the original K12s can take more of a beating
To me for the $$ & sound, I got the headrush 108's & 112's. the 108's for monitors, & 112's on stands for front of house.
I purchased the KS118 as soon as they dropped in 2020...both woofer blew on gig #2...The official QSC dealer said my serial numbers fell just outside the range of serial numbers they were looking for.....after that I felt kind of uneasy about them so I sold them and started back using my KW181...which I can turn up louder with no issues ...Unlike the KS118's the limit light started coming shortly after turning on the speakers and especially if you turn the gain to the 1 oclock position on the amp. I have the original K12's and KW181's I bought since 2017...no issue ever.
That’s the crazy thing, the original K-series (KW181, k12, etc) were so reliable and so good that it’s surprising the new ones have as many problems as they do. I bought a pair of original k12s :)
@@hamster1717 Which is better for DJ. the QSC KW181 or the Electro Voice EKX 18SP
yo apenas compre una K12.2 hace menos de 6 meses, igual todo empezó bien el sonido de excelente calidad, hasta que se empezó a cortar auto protegiéndose con el limitador y a su vez poniendo extremadamente caliente, no emitía sonido hasta cada 10 minutos que se enfriaba un poco y solo daba 1 minuto de sonido y otra vez lo mismo. Me pasó el mismo problema estando refrigeradas en la noche y con reguladores de corriente bastante buenos y con la energía estable por lo cual no fue nada que ver con la corriente, me imagino que tuve igual mala suerte ya que esta bocinas son realmente una verdadera "joya" noteseme mi sarcasmo.