QSC GX 5

The GX 5 is a very competitively priced budget amplifier from QSC.

The build quality is exactly what you would expect from QSC, despite the budget price point it doesn't feel cheap at all, the rear connectors are nice and solid and the case feels strong and firm, no flimsy, bending cheap metal as you pick it up.

The gain knobs on the front also feel nice and solid.

Well featured inputs, been aimed at the Mi market it's got phono as well as balanced XLR/Jack, the phono's are a great for connecting up a phone or mp3 player for quickly testing speakers (without getting out a mixer etc) or just for basic ipod disco applications.

Sound quality is very good for the price point as is the power output, works well and does what it says on the tin!

My only negative comment (if I have to find one) is the weight, been a conventional transformer power supply, rather than a switch mode supply, but something has to give at this price point.

All in all a great budget amplifier, QSC quality!

I had an opportunity to mix the same band in the same smallish venue with different PA. First we had some JBL loudspeakers on the edge of the stage driven by behringer EPQ series amplifier and I must say I had some serious hassle, bringing the vocals to front without compressing too much. The live effects were also useless, reverb only made it worse.
The other time they had upgraded to 4x QSC GX5 and HK Audio speakers and it was like a day and night. At first we had them on the edge of the stage (also a decent improvement), but i brought my speaker stands with me and took the speakers a bit higher also. This gig went unexpectedly quickly - vocals sounded so massively, but yet so lightly and I had so much headroom left for playing with effects.

Of course this time it was a lot more power behind the band, but i didn't use even half of it. And to be objective, the JBL+Behringer coombination sounded also quite nice while playing music from CD. It even had the parametric EQ. But you can hear and feel the real difference when the real band is playing on the stage!

I would recommend QSC to anyone who's looking for reasonably priced amplifier.