Audio engineers and sound reinforcement rental houses looking for a compact, high-powered PA speaker will be impressed by the QSC CP8, a 1000W powered PA speaker that’s portable, versatile, and simple to use. It can function as a main PA in a wide variety of positions, with a pair able to cover an audience up to 250. The onboard DSP processing, 3-input mixer, and contour settings with easy-to-use presets help working presenters, musicians, instructors, performers, and A/V providers get powerful, clean, and clear sound quickly.

The speaker provides 90° coverage from the center axis and 124 dB of continuous SPL—plenty of volume for smaller venues including houses of worship, conference centers, performance spaces, and meeting rooms. The highly efficient 1000W Class-D amplifier powers the 1.4" titanium compression driver and 8” woofer, providing crisp, detailed sound with a wide frequency range from 20 kHz down to 56 Hz.

Three inputs are on the back. Inputs A and B feature combo XLR-1/4" connectors. Input A offers a Line input—convenient if you’re using a mixer to combine multiple input sources. Input B offers a Mic/Line selection and a Mic Boost button, which adds an additional +25 dB of gain to the input. Input C features a stereo 3.5mm TRS auxiliary input for connecting portable audio devices including phones and MP3 players.

Individual gain controls on the A&B inputs allow the speaker to function as a 2-channel mixer. Input C is controlled via the A input gain control. Combine a microphone for presentations, or combine a mic, instrument, and backing tracks for singer/songwriter gigs. The speaker can also be used as floor monitors, giving them added versatility.

An XLR Thru-Output is available for daisy-chaining to additional speakers or other audio equipment. All three mono inputs are mixed to a mono signal internally and are passed-thru the Mix Out XLR connector. For a true stereo L/R operation, two CP8s are needed with each to receive independent the left and right signals respectively.

QSC's Directivity Matched Transition (DMT) matches the angle of the woofer and the horn to ensure consistent, high-quality sound across the entire coverage area. The Intrinsic Correction techniques ensure a smooth power response, resulting in accurate performance in a wide range of acoustic spaces with little or no EQ. The CP8 includes a power cord.