British speaker producer Q Acoustics has taken the wraps off its all-new 3000i loudspeaker sequence. The corporate says the brand new lineup builds on the success of its authentic 3000 speaker sequence and options modern audio and design applied sciences taken from its $6,000 flagship, the Idea 500.
I had an opportunity to audition the brand new lineup first hand and left favorably impressed with the value/efficiency ratio on provide. At first pay attention, it appears to be like like Q Acoustics has as soon as once more delivered bona fide hi-fi efficiency at mainstream worth factors.
The three fashions goal various budgets and living-space constraints: The compact 3010i, mid-sized 3020i bookshelf, and floor-standing 3050i. Q Acoustics additionally introduced the 3090Ci middle channel and Q3060S subwoofer for house theater functions, however these weren’t accessible in the course of the demo.
Premium finishes
Typically when firms come out with updates to their merchandise, you’re hard-pressed to determine what these updates are and what they do. That is definitely not the case right here, there are many evident adjustments in and out.
The road is available in 4 finishes: Graphite Gray, English Walnut, Carbon Black, and Arctic White. Not like the earlier sequence, patrons will not have to pay further for any of them. Q Acoustics helpfully introduced alongside samples of the unique 3000 sequence, so I may make direct comparisons. The brand new finishes are a major enchancment.
Chrome accents round every driver imbue the 3000i sequence with a trendy aptitude.
The end now comes edge to edge, including refinement to the audio system’ appears to be like. Chrome accents round every driver add a trendy aptitude whenever you see them with their magnetic grills eliminated.
Strong inside bracing
A Q Acoustics consultant advised me the 3000i vary consists of point-to-point inside bracing, building first employed within the firm’s top-of-the-line Idea 500 floorstanding audio system. The intent is to eradicate the vibration-induced cupboard resonance that may colour a speaker’s sonic replica. The 3000i audio system characteristic inside helps at key junctures as indicated by pc evaluation.
But it surely’s not simply the cupboard design that helps scale back resonances. The soft-dome tweeter is decoupled from the baffle through a suspension system to isolate it from the woofer.
The 3000i’s binding posts are model new and a major enchancment over the earlier technology. Audio system with low-profile binding posts have an enormous downside: banana plugs stick half means out from the again of the enclosure. The unique 3000 sequence employed an ungainly, angled binding put up to alleviate the issue. The 3000i sequence’ binding posts are recessed into the cupboard, in order that banana plugs virtually disappear inside.
The speaker’s low-profile five-way binding posts can help you insert banana plugs absolutely into the cupboard.
The obvious distinction between the previous and new sequence, nonetheless, is the scale. The cupboards for the 3010i and 3020i bookshelf fashions are barely taller and 25-percent deeper than the earlier technology. Q Acoustics says the elevated bodily quantity extends low-end frequencies for a extra highly effective bass that belies the audio system’ diminutive measurement. After listening to them in the course of the demo, I need to agree.
Element view of the brand new binding posts.
3010i compact speaker
The 3010i is a compact speaker that’s good for a bookshelf, countertop, or wherever you need excessive efficiency from a small footprint. Priced at $250 a pair, the 3010i is a two-way reflex speaker with a Four-inch bass driver and a zero.9-inch tweeter crossed over at 2.6kHz. Frequency response is rated at 65Hz to 30kHz (+3dB, -6dB). Every speaker weighs 9 kilos and measures 5.9 inches x 10 inches x 9.9 inches. I used to be shocked by this speaker’s efficiency contemplating its measurement and price ticket.
The 3010i compact speaker.
3020i bookshelf speaker
The mid-sized 3020i speaker weighs in at 12 kilos and is priced at $300 for the pair. The 3020i sports activities a bigger, 5-inch driver, however retains the identical zero.9-inch tweeter. The tweeter and driver are crossed over at 2.4kHz, with a frequency response of 64Hz to 30kHz. The 3020i ought to serve equally properly as a stereo pair or as a part of a surround-sound setup for a house theater.
Q Acoustics 3020i speaker.
3050i floor-standing speaker
The 3050i floor-stander is the 3000i sequence’ flagship. Priced at $800 for the pair, the 3050i weigh in at 39.2 kilos every and measure 12.2-inches x 40.2-inches x 12.2-inches. An MTM-design arranges the drivers in a midrange, tweeter, midrange configuration.
The Q Acoustics 3050i
The dual midrange drivers are 6.5 inches in diameter and the tweeter is similar zero.9 inches as the opposite audio system within the lineup. The woofers are crossed over to the tweeter at 2.5kHz. Unsurprisingly, the 3050i delivers the deepest bass of the three fashions, with a rated frequency response of 44Hz-30kHz.
Tall loudspeakers might be inclined to elevated inside strain attributable to standing waves. To handle the undesirable resonance, the 3050i workers a Helmholtz Strain Equalizer tube inside the cupboard, which evens out the cupboard’s inside strain.
The 3050i has an MTM driver association.
I had an opportunity to pattern all three fashions, fed by a Naim music server taking part in tracks from Tidal. Briefly, at first pay attention, the 3000i sequence guarantees to ship the excellent sonic worth that Q Acoustics has turn into identified for. We’ll be doing a full, hands-on evaluation of a few of the 3000i fashions within the close to future.
Availability
The brand new 3000i lineup is obtainable now within the U.Okay., with the 3010i, 3020i, and 3050i scheduled to ship within the second week in Might for U.S. clients. U.S. clients gained’t be capable of come up with the accompanying middle channel and subwoofer fashions till summer time.