Now that it’s all unwrapped and the box has been thrown across the other side of the room, I am able to have a good look at what these speakers offer. As far as features on the outside, there isn’t a lot going on. The TS312 has been kept pretty simple with two balanced inputs and a balanced through port being the only connections. There’s just a single volume control for each of the two inputs, along with a simple EQ contour switch to sculpt the sound for different applications. That’s all there is to it on the rear of the unit. It’s neat and straightforward – you just need the outputs of a mixer to run into it on either XLR or TRS connectors. The casing itself is a marked improvement on older models, with a slick new shape and handles supplied on both sides as well as the top of the box. With the new lightweight design, these boxes are easy to load in and out of any car boot, so you can get them into a gig with no problems at all.
The specifications boast an impressive 2000 watts for these 12 inch boxes. Of course, that always makes one wonder exactly what it results in, and with an RMS power rating of 650 watts to the low frequency driver and 350 watts delivered to the high frequency driver, it still packs quite a punch for a lightweight D-Class power amplifier.
I’ve always felt that you get a better sound with big, heavy output transformers and wooden speaker cabinets to match, and you don’t quite get the same sound with this speaker, but you don’t get all the weight either. It delivers a clear signal at high SPLs, and offers plenty of bottom end when set up as either a wedge on the floor or on a pole mount. For monitors or front of house, these speakers deliver plenty of volume and bring very little weight to the party.
