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QSC
The story began one day in 1968, when Barry Andrews' motorcycle broke down in an industrial park in Costa Mesa, California. While waiting for a friend to pick him up, Barry struck up a conversation with a guy working in a nearby garage.

Pat Quilter and
Barry Andrews

Pat Quilter told Barry about his fledgling business, designing and building various types of amplifiers. In the heyday of Hendrix, Cream and acid rock, Pat's best opportunities seemed to lie with the growing market of local guitar and bass players, and Barry's experience in building speaker cabinets looked to be a natural fit. Working out of a cramped 800-square-foot shop, the two men joined forces, determined to change the world with products like the Quilter Sound Thing and the Duck Amp.

Operating on a shoestring budget, the company's beginnings were a typical saga of youthful optimism and negative cash flow. Securing minimal funding, they hired a small staff and set out to build their amps and spread the word. Managing to strategically place their amps at prominent clubs on Sunset Strip, they won praise (but little else) from the likes of Led Zeppelin, Cream, The Doors and other bands of the day.

Sadly, the company's debt grew faster than their reputation, and when the money ran out they found themselves back at square one. "Those were definitely the days when we didn't know when we drove up if there would be a sheriff's padlock on the door," recalls Barry. Pat adds, "but even through those dark days, the thought of having to go out and get a 'real' job motivated us to work even harder."

A deal was struck with a Berkeley music shop to trade amps for guitars, resulting in a fairly unique promotional campaign - buy an amp, get a guitar for free. In the front half of their tiny shop, they would sell directly to musicians, drawn primarily by word of mouth. "It was a bit of crazy cycle," Pat remembers. "We'd get the word out, and people would come in to check out our amps. We'd be busy selling, so we wouldn't have time to make any product. Then we'd run out of amps and have to close the doors for a few days while we made more."

Just as the company was beginning to make a bit of money, they suffered yet another setback. "Someone cut a hole in the roof one night, came in and stole all our finished goods," Barry relates. "To add insult to injury, they went through our stock of guitar strings and, instead of just taking the whole carton, they picked out only the good ones, leaving the gauges no one wanted."

But even in the face of adversity, the partners stuck to what they knew was right. The values of hard work, honesty and integrity would become the bedrock of their company. "We had a negative net worth for several years running, and didn't know how we were going to pay the bills, but we made sure we never burned anyone," Pat asserts. "We've always really believed nice guys finish first."

Getting Serious

The two partners soon began to realize there was more to this business of running a business than just making a good product and hoping the world would discover it. "We wanted to make a name for ourselves, but we were pretty clueless as far as running a company went," Barry remarks. "We had to invent a lot of it from scratch as we went along."

Pat Quilter

The company incorporated as QSC Audio Products, Inc. Pat concentrated on designing and building the amplifiers, Barry took charge of sales and marketing, and Barry's brother John, who had recently obtained his business degree from USC, was brought in to handle the finances.

This clear division of responsibility immediately began to reap other advantages. The three partners found they had not only a mutual respect for each others' areas of expertise, but a mutual humility and ability to admit their own shortcomings. While perhaps inexperienced at running a business, they knew enough to know they had a lot to learn. There was a willingness to struggle with the basics, and many late nights were spent consciously reviewing not only their decisions, but the decision-making process itself. "We knew there was a lot we simply didn't know," Pat explains. "Rather than try to delude ourselves, we recognized that in order to grow, we had to learn what it takes to be a successful company. It was about more than just making our products better - though that was a major emphasis - it was about improving ourselves and our focus."

It is this absence of hubris, this humility and quiet pride, that has governed the company from its inception, and still exists today.

Featured Product

GX3 / 5 / 7
GX Series amplifiers are ideal for professional entertainers who require maximum performance and portability on a limited budget. The hallmarks of the QSC brand - professional audio quality, meticulous engineering, precision manufacturing and long-term reliability - are all intrinsic to GX. Add contemporary styling, multiple input/output options, light weight, and advanced protection circuitry, and the GX Series clearly represents real value - something everyone can use.

GX amplifiers deliver just the right amount of power to the most popular speakers used by entertainers. Typically, loudspeaker manufacturers recommend an amplifier with power output equal to the speaker's Program (Music) Power rating or two times (2 x) the Continuous (RMS) Power rating.

The GX3 is ideal for speakers in the 300 watt (Program) range, while the GX5 provides full performance for 500 watt (Program) speakers. The GX7 outputs 725 watts into an 8 ohm load. Owners of popular 4 ohm loudspeakers (such as dual-woofer, two-way models) will find the 700 watt (4 ohm) power of the GX5 an ideal match while the GX7's 1000 watts will very capably power many of today's popular subwoofers or two typical 8 ohm speakers per channel.

The QSC K Series is quite simply The New Standard in lightweight powered loudspeaker systems. Under the direction of Pat Quilter, QSC's team of amplifier engineers have created a new standard in Class D power modules unparalleled in the industry. Next, breaking from the traditional loudspeaker paradigm, every model is fitted with the identical 1.75" HF device (fullrange models) and woofers of the same high quality for unparalleled performance, regardless of speaker size.

Extensive DSP processing is employed throughout, providing levels of sonic clarity and total output that defy the system's size and weight.

Premium-grade materials, advanced construction processes and multiple mounting and suspension options allow for a wide range of live and installed applications.

Combo XLR and 1/4" TRS inputs accept both Mic and Line Level input while a set of RCA phono inputs (except KSub) allow additional connectivity to portable MP3 players, CD players and line-level mixers. Up to three audio sources can be mixed internally and summed to a balanced output for "daisy-chaining" of multiple units. Separate direct outputs are also provided on each channel for additional output flexibility.

On-board switches provide preset EQ settings. The HF setting (fullrange models) can be set to VOCAL BOOST for additional presence in the critical mid-frequency area or FLAT for accurate reproduction of the incoming signal. The LF switch can be set to NORM, DEEP™ for additional bass extension, or EXT SUB (fullrange models) for use with an external subwoofer. The rear panel LED switch can be set to POWER, illuminating the front-mounted LED when the unit is powered on, OFF for applications where it is not desirable to illuminate the front LED, or LIMIT which indicates to the system operator that the clip limiter circuit has been engaged during operation.

Fullrange models are housed in rugged ABS enclosures with a professional appearance that is at home in any application. ABS is a far more robust material than conventional speaker plastics and offers an additional measure of sonic clarity due to its internal rigidity. Ergonomic aluminum handles and a highly protective steel grille complete the package for ease of transport and long term durability.

The K Series fullrange models feature a unique Tilt-Direct™ pole cup mounting system. A simple turn of the dial engages a 7.5 degree downward tilt of the speaker allowing acoustic energy to be kept on the audience and off reflective surfaces for applications where maximum coverage from a high-positioned speaker is desired. Integrated M10 suspension points allow for suspended applications with a K SERIES M10 KIT (sold separately) or Yoke bracket (sold separately).

KSub

Lightweight portable powered speakers with legendary QSC amplifier power and reliability
1000 watt continuous Class D power module
Extensive DSP enhances system performance
Attractive and professional appearance
Rugged birch plywood enclosure
Tour-grade 18 gauge steel grilles
Comfortable ergonomic handles
Threaded pole socket with speaker pole included

The KSub is a dual-12" bandpass design, constructed of premium birch and includes high-quality, low-noise casters. The subwoofer features a threaded pole receptacle for a positive, wobble free connection to a threaded speaker pole (included).

Remote gain control capability is offered via a potentiometer (not included) connected to the on-board Euroblock connector. In an installed application, multiple K Series speakers can be "daisy-chained" for total gain control from a single remote pot. Auto-standby mode is engaged after 5 minutes of inactivity.
Extensive DSP

DMT™ (Directivity Matched Transition) provides for matched LF and HF coverage across the entire listening area, eliminating unnatural "dead" or "hot" frequency zones.
Intrinsic Correction™, first featured in our high-end line-array products maps 65-75 spacially-averaged measurements to IIR and FIR filters that actively adjust time, frequency and amplitude response to a maximally flat bandpass target. The result is a speaker that behaves equally well across the entire sound field.
DEEP™ and excursion limiting allow for extended low-frequency response by actively managing low-frequency transients without degradation of the underlying signal or adjacent frequencies.
GuardRail™ protection, first introduced on our GX Series amplifiers protects both the amplifier module and your performance from unnatural and destructive clipping.