Road Tests
QSC PLX2 Audio Power Amplifiers
By MarkAmundson
When performing my ritual paces at the 2006 NAMM show, one of my highlights of the show was the new PLX2 series of audio power amplifiers from QSC. Having been an early adopter of
The Gear
Having had QSC PowerLight amplifiers in my racks for quite a while, I have seen the nu- ances of features,all coming off the same man- ufacturing line in Costa Mesa, Calif. The new PLX2 is a retool-
ing of the
line, plus brand newc h a s - sis cosmetics that went from greys to lighter metallic front panels. From the original PLX front panel we lost one
The rear panels got a minor simplification, replacing the mini 10 rocker switch with a sim- pler and slightly more flexible group of six slide switches in the new PLX “02” models (the PLX 1802, 2502, 3102, 3602). With these new switches you can even configure a 100Hz
lel mode and choosing which channels get the low or high pass filtering
And of course the big “what’s new” is the PLX“04” models (the PLX1104 and 1804).An example of design innovation, the 04 series has eliminated
and lower cost (all of which I like, too).
The PLX1104 and PLX1804 are
10.1inches of total rack depth, including the rear rail support ears. This means a bit less heatsink aluminum for the amplifier’s power transistors, but the amplifiers can do with- out it. At 550 watts (PLX1104) and 900 watts (PLX1804) per channel EIA rated at
But something had to be lost in the 04 models to keep the size, power capability and weight specifications impressive. Only NL4
Speakon connectors are available on the PLX1104 and PLX1804, and the slide switches are missing for basic
The Gigs
The first tests of the PLX3602 and PLX1804 amplifiers were done as
Back at the shop, I installed the PLX3602 and PLX1804 into the mid- and high - amplifier positions of my mains amp rack, and proceeded to give the amp
rack and my EV QRx speakers (QRx212 tops, QRx218 subs) a workout with the SMAART
Live software keeping score.I pulled a PLX3402 and a PL218 out of the mid- and
In a shop test scenario using CD tracks the
new PLX amps again seemed to put out less heat, and meet or beat the original amplifiers on sound fidelity. Swapping the PLX3602 into subwoofer duty also showed that it slightly
Out at a medium size club gig (300 per- sons), the PLX2 amps purred along without any problem, and never had to go beyond my “to the limits” testing I did in the shop. Look- ing for nits on these amplifiers for this road test review, the best I could do was whimper about the variability on gains on each model, and the shrinking gain controls. I kind of got used to the bigger PowerLight controls, so the smaller knobs were just a “feel” thing. Overall, the PLX2 amps are worth upgrading to, if need just a bit more and feel you are on the edge on capability. But if you are not a QSC ampli- fier fanatic already, I suggest that you try these new amps.
What it is: High Power Compact Power AmplifiersWho it’s for: Professionals and Musicians who desire smaller, lighter amplifiers and are on a budget.
Pros: Clean Sounding, Very Efficient, and Flexible.
Cons: Variable gains per model.How much: QSC PLX1804 $919.00 MSRP, QSC PLX3602 $1,549.00 MSRP
www.fohonline.com | July 2006 |
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