I also A/B these speakers and have a different opinion.
EV is not in the same class.
Question: How long have you worked for EV or is it Sam Ash?
It's cool brother - the review is not meant to step on any toes by any stretch. We do need to make sure you understand the application by which I was comparing these cabs. Not as use as a PA cab but as a guitar cabinet which I may or may not have made clear - I thought I had. Assuming you are clear on that and used them both for the same application, you have you opinion and right to disagree with my assessment which is the whole idea of me A/B'ing them and presenting MY assessment. It's only MY opinion which doesn't make it right or wrong. We obviously all hear things differently and it's ultimately up to you to make the right decision for YOU which you clearly have and that's great.
I have to say though that you mention you A/B'd them but it sounds more like you have used an EV (though you don't clarify if its the same model) as a PA cab and that's not the same application I am using these for and that would require an entirely different set of test controls.
I can't say that I'd choose the EV's over the QSC's for use as a PA or that low volume application is better with one over the other because again, that wasn't my objective on either front. I need something (a) loud and (b) something that sounds like a guitar cab since I was looking to find an alternative to a power amp / cab scenario with the QSC's being the front runner based on the reviews I have seen on them.
I'm not suggesting everyone with a QSC go out and by an EV and throw your QSC's on Craigslist TODAY! This review is only meant to offer everyone who is searching for a powered monitor solution and offering up my experience on the matter and at least throwing out another option to TRY.
Larry Carlton uses the QSC's and some guy that tours with Hall and Oats, so clearly they are great sounding cabs...
I can see why you'd prefer the QSC's - as I said they sound great and if I could only buy those, I'd have no buyers remorse whatsoever. The EV's for my application just work for me. To me (and the other 2 guys with 80 years of guitar playing experience between us) it just replicated a guitar cab better to our ears but that's not to say the QSC's "suck" because they don't.
It's definitely two different animals and just like with presets here, some people favor a lot of high end, some like to scoop mids, etc... It's all subjective and not everyone is going to like one over the other, all I can do is report my findings as with anyone who does a review on any product. It's up to the reader to make their own assessment but as I said there was over 80 years worth of guitar playing experience (with VERY different styles and genre preferences) who all shared the same opinion so that has to account for something.
I do think if you are using it for a PA, there's another whole mindset in how you'd go about demo'ing those for that application but I did not demo it in that way, but rather as use strictly as a guitar cabinet for live and rehearsal situations and my opinion was that the EV's won out. The EV sounded like there was a guitar cab in the room, the QSC's sounded like a PA cab with a guitar cab mic'd up in another room. It sounded great, but didn't have that feel of a cab in the room that the EV had. That's the best way I can describe it.
There was one undeniable observation that everyone in the room pointed out and that was the QSC's did sound like there was a blanket over the grill when we A/B's them in comparison to the EV's but we weren't struck by that opinion when we first heard the QSC's before hearing the EV's. I was all but ready to purchase the QSC's and believe me I completely poo-poo'd the idea of even considering the EV's because I've never been a fan. It was originally my SOLE intent to just figure out which of the QSC's I was going to buy. The Sam Ash guy is the one who had run the 11R through all different kinds of cabs and he suggested it and I was simply entertaining him because he was gracious enough to get all that set up for me and spent all that time with me. Had we not tried the EV I would have bought the QSC's on the spot and not thought twice about it.
I know the statement "it sounded like a blanket was over it" sounds like I am dissing the QSC, but it's just an observation of how it sounded in comparison, and to me that's what was the deal breaker.
I just happen to be drawn to the sound of the EV's once I heard it and like anything, it's not going to be for everyone and that's why I didn't say anything like "Definitely dont even bother trying the QSC's - buy the EV's" because I have uber amounts of respect for the guys in this forum who use the QSC's and clearly is a front runner when it comes to powered cabs and they were chosen for factors that were critical to their own personal preferences, applications and needs and it works for them and that's ultimately what matters.
I would suggest to you constructively that if you have a strong opinion on something, that you should at least elaborate to be taken more seriously as people would like to hear what you have to say. Nobody reads ONE review and makes a decision - that would be extremely irresponsible. I know I personally review products to DEATH especially when it's something I may not have access to so I know it would be appreciated especially if you have also demo'd the same products. To simply say "its not in the same class" is vague and doesn't really mean anything to anyone without any backup and just sounds like a defensive response to the idea that someone would prefer something other than what you feel is far superior.