DJzone DJ Magazine

The new KV2 Audio EX12 High-Output Active Full-Range Speaker will have its NAMM Show debut in Anaheim this week . Distributed in the United States by American Music & Sound (AM&S), the EX12 was developed at KV2's Milevsko, Czech Republic R&D facility and embodies the company's philosophy of increased dynamic range, very high output, and consistent sound character no matter what the output level.

"Design of the EX12 took over two years as our goal was to create a product that would re-define the 12-inch two-way product category," noted KV2 president, Marcelo Vercelli. "The EX12 is an incredible, high precision, high performance audio tool aimed at sound contractors, rental houses, small churches, portable DJ, and in-house AV departments who need absolute clarity and resolution along with throw and wide coverage from a small enclosure."

The EX12 is now shipping and has a suggested retail price of US $2499.

The EX12's compression driver is a new, 3-inch titanium diaphragm design, featuring a radial phase plug, progressive parabolic semi-circle suspension, direct-drive Nomex voice coil assembly, and the industry's largest neodymium magnetic motor structure. Each feature was developed over an extended period of time and implemented as part of a strategy to lower distortion, increase output and improve response characteristics.

The largest advancement was made in the development of a new treated titanium material used in the dome assembly. Through Nitrate Vapor Particle Deposition (VPD), an additional layer of material is fused to the titanium at a molecular level. The resultant gold-colored material has dramatically improved resonance characteristics and improved dampening resulting in lower distortion artifacts and improved frequency response linearity, extending the driver's response beyond 20kHz. Simply stated, users have never heard a driver quite like this; it has the openness and definition typically associated with cone mid-range drivers and the extension and depth of smaller diaphragm designs.

KV2 Audio has implemented trans-coil, a technology that eliminates voice coil inductance, resulting in a flat impedance response above the resonance point, achieving faster transient response through increased force and control of the moving mass. This technology linearises acoustic and electrical phase response, reduces harmonic distortion and increases power transfer and transducer speed. The speaker now behaves like a woofer at lower frequencies and like a mid-range at higher frequencies allowing a seamless transition at the crossover frequency.

A lot of power is required to achieve high output from a small cabinet. Precisely selected amplifier topologies have been designed to deliver 500 watts of total power. A high current, high efficiency, low frequency amplifier delivering 450 watts powers the low frequency driver. Heat dissipation takes place through a unique "finless" heat sink that ensures cool operation no matter how the speaker is positioned.

Capable of 127dB sustained output with very high dynamic range, the EX12 uses an asymmetrical, trapezoidal Baltic Birch cabinet design with proprietary top and side handles. Each EX12 handle location feature an M10 hang point and full Omnimount(tm) compatibility. The cabinet has two M10 hang points on top and on bottom. Two additional side points provide versatile installation flexibility using available brackets. A touring version featuring recessed fly-track, the EX12t, is also available.