When comparing QSC K12 vs Electro-Voice ZLX-12P, the Slant community recommends QSC K12 for most people. In the question“What are the best DJ speakers?” QSC K12 is ranked 3rd while Electro-Voice ZLX-12P is ranked 4th. The most important reason people chose QSC K12 is:
The QSC K12 is very powerful for a 12” speaker. It's very loud, peaking at 131 dB, which is equivalent to a marching band of 200 members. Basically, using this speaker won’t be a problem for both smaller and bigger crowds, it can easily handle 200+ people. The speaker features extensive DSP (Digital Signal Processing). What this means – the speakers offer matched low-frequency and high-frequency clarity all around the spectrum so something like a guitar won't get overpowered by a kick-drum in the final product you hear being played from the speaker. What’s more, the speaker’s coverage pattern is 75 degrees conical and it features [DMT](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABWrmKxMaLc ) (Directivity Matched Transition) for a matched listening experience and an equal performance in the whole area.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Sound is powerful, accurate and clear
The QSC K12 is very powerful for a 12” speaker. It's very loud, peaking at 131 dB, which is equivalent to a marching band of 200 members. Basically, using this speaker won’t be a problem for both smaller and bigger crowds, it can easily handle 200+ people.
The speaker features extensive DSP (Digital Signal Processing). What this means – the speakers offer matched low-frequency and high-frequency clarity all around the spectrum so something like a guitar won't get overpowered by a kick-drum in the final product you hear being played from the speaker.
What’s more, the speaker’s coverage pattern is 75 degrees conical and it features DMT (Directivity Matched Transition) for a matched listening experience and an equal performance in the whole area.
Pro Well-built
The speaker packs a rugged ABS enclosure and a 16-gauge steel grille, so it can sustain regular and long-term gigging.
If the speaker happens to be pushed closer to its limits, not only is it indicated by a signal light, but a cooling fan turns on, which, luckily, isn’t hearable.
Pro Preset EQ settings offer more fine-tuning of sound
One of the more impressive features the speaker packs is the onboard mixer with switches for equalizing.
The HF (high-frequency) setting can be set from "_Flat_" (normal mode) to "_Vocal boost_". This enhances the mid-frequency area where the human voice is located for additional clarity, making this a good enhancement for people using the QSC K12’s for karaoke or playing vocal-heavy tracks.
The LF (low-frequency) switch can be toggled from "_Norm_" (regular mode) to:
- "_Ext sub_" for the removal of low frequencies from the speaker in the case of an external subwoofer being present,
- "_Deep_", which extends the bass frequency response without distorting the signal or adjacent frequencies, smoothly and effectively enhancing the bass output from the speaker.
This is ideal for people wanting to play bass-heavy music such as hip-hop or electronic music without fear of having to spend more money on a subwoofer.
Pro Versatile and portable
While the QSC K12 is quite heavy (41 lb / 18.6 kgs), it’s still reasonably portable due to the two handles.
A feature that is unique to this speaker is that it has a dual angle pole socket that offers you the possibility of tilting the speaker 7.5 degrees downwards. This is very useful for achieving maximum coverage from a high-positioned speaker.
The M10 suspension points also offer the possibility of suspending the speaker from the ceiling, though this requires a K Series M10 kit, which is sold separately.
Since the speaker is asymmetrical, it can also be used as a stage monitor.
Pro Convenient DSP menu
The built-in Digital Signal Processing menu on the back of the speaker offers some very nice equalizing possibilities, both manual and preset.
You can swap between four different sound modes ("_Music_”,“_Live_”, “_Club_”,“_Speech_”) and three location modes (“_Pole_”,“_Monitor_”,“_Bracket_”) for different frequency responses.
The DSP menu also offers a “Sub” mode for better integration with a subwoofer.
Pro Good sound quality
The 1.5” high-frequency titanium compression driver in the speaker helps achieve much clearer highs than other speakers in this price range.
The sound itself is very clear, with a rich and detailed mid-range. The bass is remarkable as well, though you might want to look into buying a subwoofer on top if playing bass-heavy music is your niche, since the ZLX-12P has only a 12” woofer.
Pro Great value for money
At 400$ it’s nearly impossible to find a speaker that has this much power and maintains a clear sound; the ZLX-12P is regularly compared to speakers nearly twice as expensive. This speaker is a great option for people wanting to get into the DJ scene and not wanting to spend a lot of money on their initial gear.
Cons
Con Pricey
Although the speaker does offer a lot, at $800 the price is still quite steep for a 12" speaker and might dissuade a lot of people, especially those looking to buy a pair of speakers or a bigger PA system.
Con Inconvenient handle
By lifting the speaker up using the handle on the top of the ZLX-12P, the bottom of the speaker scrapes the ground. This happens because of the way the speaker is balanced and this might cause damage to the bottom part of the speaker.