QSC WL3082-wx

Designed for the most demanding concert and installation audio professionals, the WideLine-8 system sets new standards for astonishing acoustical performance and compact size.

Line arrays are increasingly employed in a wider range of venues and applications. Frequently these venues have height or sightline restrictions that limit the placement and size of the array. Rising fuel costs are putting pressure on touring system providers to downsize their transportation requirements. At the same time, client and audience expectations for audio performance has never been higher. To meet these needs, QSC embarked on a program to develop the most compact, highest output line array speaker system available.

QSC's WideLine-8 packs full size line array performance into an ultra compact package measuring less than 20" (508 mm) wide and 9" (229 mm) high. The WideLine-8 applies to audio the classic hot rod, high performance formula - putting the most horsepower available into the smallest chassis possible.

Each tri-amplified WideLine-8 element uses a pair of high-power, neodymium magnet, 8" low-frequency drivers. Both cover low frequencies while only one extends into the midrange, thus maintaining horizontal dispersion control at crossover. High frequencies are handled by a premium, 3" diaphragm, neodymium compression driver mounted to QSC's patented, 140° multiple aperture diffraction waveguide. WideLine signature wide coverage delivers a broader stereo image, reduces the need for supplemental fill speakers and allows more placement options.

The waveguide exit extends nearly to the top and bottom of the enclosure to create a continuous acoustical source with minimal discontinuities between adjacent elements resulting in greatly reduced destructive interaction.

The WideLine-8 sub sets a new benchmark for extraordinary acoustic output from a miniscule enclosure. At first glance, the enclosure seems too small to even house its pair of 4" voice-coil, long-excursion 12" woofers, yet it produces 135 dB (peak) SPL and has LF extension to 32 Hz, with the punch needed for popular music. The extremely low profile of the WL212-sw sub (less than 15") also makes it a great choice for installed and portable use under a stage or in other tight quarters. The 4th order bandpass design matches the width of the WideLine-8 elements allowing it to be flown inline with or behind a WideLine-8 array.

Premium materials are used throughout the system. The enclosure is constructed of Baltic birch plywood and coated in an environmentally friendly, waterborne polymer finish that is field repairable. To keep the weight to a minimum and prevent rust, suspension fittings are made of aluminum.

An elegantly simple 4-point suspension system combined with lightweight, compact size and excellent handling ergonomics mean that a one person crew can easily deploy an array. A single AF3082-L array frame suspends up to twelve line array elements or up to twelve line array elements plus four subwoofers. The WideLine-8 system is equally at home in the air or ground stacked.

Special attention is given to ground-stacked applications. The WideLine-8 sub suspension system includes a unique provision that allows the lowest line array element stacked over a sub to be tilted up or down by as much as 10°, offering better coverage of listeners near the stage. WideLine-8 subs may be used as a base for stacking up to six WideLine-8 elements.


WideLine-8 Signal Processing

The WL3082 is designed for tri-amplification. Adding WL212-sw subwoofers creates a 4-way active system.

For applications in which audio quality is paramount but operational simplicity and low-cost are also critical, the QSC SC28 processor delivers factory programmed voicings while also offering user-adjustable system equalization, offset delays and output levels.

QSC system engineers have employed the power of the SC28's FIR (finite impulse response) filters to implement Intrinsic CorrectionTM of the loudspeaker. Intrinsic Correction provides the most accurate acoustical magnitude, frequency and phase domain performance possible. Intrinsic Correction can compensate for many causal phenomena such as the effects of waveguide acoustical impedance and BASIS 922azloudspeaker cone resonance. The result is a loudspeaker system with excellent power response and extremely natural, uncolored sound across its frequency band and coverage area. An array of loudspeakers with Intrinsic Correctiontunings will be very responsive to the use of equalization to compensate for array configuration, acoustical conditions or user preferences. For users needing sophisticated, programmable DSP, voicings are available for QSC BASISTM processors.


Flexible Arrays

Array configurations Arrays can be assembled using only WL3082 line arrays modules, with WL212-sw subwoofers at the top of the array, or by utilizing the EB3082 extension bar, subwoofers can be flown behind the main array.

Optimized Ground Stacking

WideLine-8 rigging doubles as an optimized ground stacking system. Using the WL212-sw subwoofer as a base, arrays of WL3082 line array elements can be aimed downward by as much as ten degrees to cover audience areas close to a stage, as well as upward by as much as ten degrees in order to better cover distant balcony seating areas.


WL3082 Features
Extraordinarily compact (only 20" / 508 mm wide) and lightweight (38 lbs / 17.2 kg)
High acoustic output (133 dB SPL peak)
Wide 140° horizontal coverage
High power, 8" neodymium LF / MF drivers provide low-frequency extension to 62 Hz without subwoofers
3" diaphragm compression driver on QSC's patented 140° multiple diffraction aperture waveguide (Patent No. 7,177,437)
Patented (D576,660) side-mounted vent ports designed for double duty as handles
Simple, easy-to-use rigging system supports arrays of up to 12 units with 10:1 design factor
Flexible ground stack capability
Fully supported in EASE and EASE Focus acoustic software