QSC Audio Ships MD Series Self-Powered Loudspeakers

Apr 15, 2006

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Offering more power and enhanced performance, QSC's MD Series self-powered loudspeakers are now shipping. Ideally suited for a wide variety of applications ranging from houses of worship to hotels, casinos, nightclubs, and sports facilities, the product group is a family of modular, arrayable enclosures including full-range models MD-FP122/64r, MD-FP122/94r, MD-FP152/64r, and MD-FP152/94r.

Offering various coverage patterns employing 12 or 15-inch low frequency drivers, the new full-range, self-powered MD models all share the same 35-inch tall trapezoidal enclosure as QSC's passive MD Series. Given the identical dimensions of the cabinets, the task of creating full-range or combined full-range/low frequency clusters becomes an easy task. Designed with 30° angles, the self-powered MD Series enclosures can additionally be tightly-packed in a fashion optimally splaying their 60°x 40° horns to insure uniform coverage in any multiple of 60° to 360°. No gaps or spacers are required, and the radial front grilles form a contiguous cylindrical surface, giving any self-powered MD array a clean and eye-pleasing appearance.

Central to obtaining QSC's more-with-less goal of turning up the wattage on tap within the self-powered MD Series without adding extra weight and bulk is the powerful PM-1000 amplifier module. Weighing little more than a passive crossover network yet capable of delivering the performance of a rackmount amplifier, the PM-1000 was developed concurrently with the PM-1400 amplifier module.

Presently the lightest, most compact, and efficient power sources available within the world of powered speakers, the modules are the first examples of QSC's singular approach to Class D amplifier technology. Drawing upon invaluable lessons learned over the course of developing three different generations of lightweight switchmode power supplies, QSC designed the PM-1000 expressly for use with two-way systems, while the PM-1400 is ideally suited for subwoofer applications. Employing dual-switching circuitry, the PM-1000 offers 800 watts at lower frequencies, while 200 watts of power is kept at hand to insure stellar performance beyond 20 kHz. Conversely, the PM-1400 uses only an LF channel, making it capable of delivering more than 1400 watts into a four-ohm load.

Beyond the ability of the PM-1000 and PM-1400 to respectively offer 1000 watts when working with standard eight-ohm loads and provide 1400 watts within a four-ohm context, the power modules post peak voltages reaching 120 volts at up to 30 amps of current—that's a total of 3600 watts of peak power. Tschetter reveals that even higher values lie on the near horizon, and also likes to point out that audio quality will remain pristine across the entire frequency spectrum thanks to QSC's newly-developed internal error correction circuitry.

"Internal processing found within the PM-1000 and PM-1400 modules also includes long-term power limiting, allowing higher levels of amplifier drive to the loudspeaker without damaging overloads," he further explains. "The modules' precision-balanced inputs with RF rejection are additionally capable of receiving line-level signals at levels comparable to QSC rackmount amplifiers. As a result, within a line-level system, it's just as if one our popular PowerLight amplifiers has been invisibly folded into each of our new MD loudspeakers, complete with all necessary signal processing. The door has finally been opened that combines Class D horsepower potential with no-compromise audio performance."

Offered finished in either black or white with 15 attachment points, the entire line of new self-powered ModularDesign loudspeakers from QSC can be seen at trade shows throughout the year. All full-range models are equipped with rotatable high frequency horn sections to facilitate either horizontal or vertical use. PM-1000 amplifier modules tip the scales at eight pounds, and are offered in 120V and 230V versions. The PM-1000 and PM-1400 modules are not sold as individual components.