I have the Q Acoustics 3050i for two months hooked on Pathos Classic One MKIII. These are my impressions First of all, their strongest side is their ability to disappear in space. You will never see a box in your room. The sound is in the air which leads to a great wide and very very sharp soundstage, especially with vocals. They image like crazy. The paper cones used in their driver are producing blood live vocals. You can throw at them any kind of music and you won't be disappointed. The low frequencies are well extended with good definition and agile bass. The midrange is on the warm side while the treble is crisp and very sweat. They are very musical and not fatigue in any moment, you can listen for hours without pause, great for background music as well. Speaking of build quality they use point to point bracing and some technology borrowed from their concept series. They are superbly built. I've never seen a speaker in their price range with similar build qualities. Simply impressive ...
Interesting. I like your POV of the 3050i. I am looking for a speaker now...first system since the 80s! Yep, I've been out of the game for sometime. So far only two speakers made me smile: the Klipsch Forte IV, Martin Logan 60XTi and to a lesser degree the Martin Logan 40i. My ceiling height is on the short end, at 82 inches, and I feel the Logan 60XTi's at 48" tall will be too tall for the room. But these 3050i's perhaps will fit the bill? I like the paper cones. What is your amp?
I have been running these speakers now for 2 months powering them with a Naim XS. They just keep getting better and better the more I use them. Great speakers
just replaced some Acoustic Energy AE300 bookshelf speakers with these and I have to say, a much, much better match for my Rotel A11 Tribute amp. What a beautiful pairing. Where I found that the AE300's were a little constrained to the point where I found myself in a constant battle with tone control positioning (possibly due to lower sensitivity?), these just open up with incredible clarity and detail with tone controls bypassed. Love them!
Many people in the UK live in very small living spaces, but most speaker manufactures seem to use rear ports, expecting us to drag the speakers half way into the room. OK for the fortunate few who live in big houses I suppose.
I'm looking at upgrading to 3050is for my music room. May I ask if you could recommend a suitable, reasonably priced amp to pair with them? I based my original entry level Hi-Fi setup following reading an article of yours - Rega Planar 1 with Q Acoustic 3020is and a Cambridge Audio AM10. I'm thinking about retiring the 3020is and the AM10 to the living room, for tv and music.
Looking forward to trying these but giving my local hifi shop a break. They were good enough to let me test different speakers at home last time I was in the market however when I ended up purchasing the cheapest it miffed them a bit. What could I do? In my room they sounded best! I have a fair bit of experience with the QA range. They definitely have a house sound and I find commendable their bass control albeit slightly at the cost of absolute extension. Similarly treble is sweet but lacks that last bit of airy shimmer. I imagine the response curve as just the shallowest of Vs with very slight bumps at the top and bottom of the midrange and then steep roll-offs at either end. You need to go to the Concept range where a mechanical jumper pin allows you to adjust the treble half a dB up or down - this unusual feature indicating their admittance that their treble is a bit rolled off for some.
I have just bought these floorstands, upgrading (?) from a pair of 1973 KEF LS3/5A bookshelf speakers. My main system is a Musical Fidelity A3CR. I hope that's gonna be a good match 🤞
I like your review very much as you explain the sound in simple yet with expertise. I m planning to buy 3050i with denon avr 1700. Is the combination good ?
Thanks for the nice review. Have you had a chance to listen to the Concept 500s? If so, what are your impressions and is the price difference justified?
Not formally, Candid, only at shows and places like that. I was impressed there and I know colleagues of mine speak highly of them. I would go for the best deal if you're faced with a choice and availability. Both are great performers.
@@TheAudiophileMan hi , I wanted to buy a pair of speakers for music listening. I am considering either wharfedale Evo 4.2 or Q 3050i .could you please suggest ?
I've been liking your video education very much. You mentioned you too like Martin Logan, of which I am considering the Motion 40i, well really the 60XTi but I fear this particular speaker will be too tall for my 82 inch tall ceiling height; therefore, how do you feel the 3050i compare to the ML 40i, that is of course that you heard the ML 40i? Thank you for the review and the feedback. Cheers
I haven't tested the 40i speakers although I have used and reviewed ML speakers - there's a review on this channel, for example of a pair of stand mounters. I do like the latest generation ML designs, though: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-o0Wg724u064.html
Dear Paul, I am a proud owner ofQ Acoustics 3050i . As i like to buy a new amplifier i have a question for you. Audiolab 6000a or Musical Fidelity 3 SI? My listening room is 3,5*4,5 m Best regards
The Audiophile Man thank you for your video and your advice. I bought these speakers today with the amp audio lab 6000a. I’m very impressed to receive and try these. Need a raspberry pi with a audio hat for play my music in flax format and it will be the paradise... 😁
Great review. Enjoyed your buyers guide too and bought a Planar one and used Cambridge AM10 as a result . Just speakers to go. These are a bit out of my range and I can't find many 2050 around but I can get the Mission LX3 for £200 - any thoughts on those ? Struggling for reviews on them as most seem to be for the LX2. I'd prefer a floor stand as my bloody cat pull my last bookshelf off the stand whilst climbing it :)
Ahhh, cats. As for the Missions? I have yet to test them. Colleagues have told me that they are not decent speakers - clear and expressive if a tad lacking in passion.
Congratulations for your arty and so British reviews.Well, my electronics and sources are basic.Denon pma600 and an audio technica 120 turntable. Should i go for them or just go for 3030i's or maybe b&w 607s2?my listening room is small and i am not sure that i could play them loud regularly. How do they sound at low volumes?Damn,their price has dropped and i am kind of confused.
Great review, Paul. Like it how you’ve taken onboard the personalised photo point from a.n.other last week. I’d love to see more of your listening room, see how it’s set up sonically and some of your personal kit. With regard to the these speakers, Dali Oberon 5 seem to be their natural competitors to these on price and reviews from that popular hifi magazine... would be nice to hear your thoughts in a £450-£650ish shoot out between the two and maybe throw a curveball third pair in there that are either more or less expensive - just a thought anyway. Cheers!
These are great value, I agree with your assessment, I have these hooked up to a Cambridge Audio AXR 100D and they sound amazing, can't believe how they can sell these at such a low price point, build quality is top notch also, the performance of these speakers exceeds their price by a mile !
hello , great review,i have an yamaha dsp av 763 ,an i looking forward to upgrading my speakers ,and i cannot make mi mind up, what should i get the q3050i or the Wharfedale Crystal 4.3, what would you recomend me? and why?
Oddly, I never reviewed, had the opportunity to review or had any friends or colleagues who reviewed the Wharfedales. Hence, I can't help you there, sorry.
Apologies for asking, as this review is 3 years old. I’ve been thinking about buying these speakers recently and pairing them with an Audiolab 6000a using them purely for classical music. Do you think that combination would provide the clarity, detail, natural instrument timbre and separation required please? Your reviews are excellent by the way. Thanks in advance
Hello. If you are good to help me with an opinion because I think it went through your hearing filter and Technics SB-M500 speakers. Which one is the winner. Thanks for the reply!
I have audio pro a36 active speakers right now.. would it be a big enough step up if i sold them and got the Q's? If anyone can help me it would be greatly appreciated.
Will the ifi Zen preamp handle the 3050i’s…? Thinking of grabbing a pair of these, rather than the 3030i’s to run my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo. Penny for yer thoughts?
@@TheAudiophileMan I'm thinking ~$400-500. The 3010s were ~$250. But also I'm thinking if I upgrade to 3050i which are ~$950 I'd need a better amp. When I bought 3010s I got a cheap amp SMSL SA50, it's working, blasting pretty good, but hoping there is a room for an improvement!
Yes they're good nd if you like the Elac sound then, by all means, go for them. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with them. Saying that, in sound quality terms, I prefer the balanced presentation of the 3050i speakers.
How do these compare to the concept 40s which can be had for a similar price today? For £500 are there any better speakers, bookshelf or floor standers?
I have a pair of these running from a Yaqin 13s tube amplifier and I can confirm that these speakers handle the tube amp with ease. I have a set of RAM 200's which I replaced with these and there was no degridation in the quality. I would be interested to see a review on the Yaqin amp at some point.
Nice video Paul & a great price point to review,owners can get a true hifi speaker for decent money. I`ll await the "Room tour" with bated breath(!). #hifi4ever
Blimey, no pressure then :) I'm tweaking my video style, content and buying in some extra equipment to help so more changes will occur over the coming weeks. Once they're in place, I'll be able to do a room tour then. But it's written in stone here so it will happen!
If memory serves, I think I undertook a couple of those comparisons via this link - not the 40s though, I'm afraid: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-RN1TBzNYM6o.html
I haven't done a formal test of the Dali speakers but colleagues tell me that the latter do well in the upper frequencies and the 3050i excel on the lower. For me? Go with the best deal
These speakers seem really good for the price. If you have the chance to review the Dali Oberon 5, you'll be in for a treat. They've been singing in my living room for a year now and I love them but I've always wondered if I should have gone for the 3050i's. Not that that thought will ever spoil the enjoyment of what I have, but still... I bet you know the feeling.
How do these perform at low volume? I'm planning a 5.1 setup for a relatively small room, but I want kit that will be suitable for a bigger room in a few years time.
I am planning to buy Q accoustic 3000 series 5.1 package for matching with marantz sr6014 AVR . My room size is 14×12×11 feet . IS it a good move move for me . I am new to this hobby. Pls suggest me
Guys - mine have just arrived - and unless I've got something terribly wrong, they've got about a quarter of the bass sound of my 25 year old B&W 600s. Haven't put them against the wall yet - but any tips?? Have I got a dud pair??
Pioneer A 443 amplifier is it matched Good with Q 3050i am planning to buy it in a couple of days but affriad of the consistency with my a 443 amplifier
Great detailed review on QA 3050i - thanks! Can you help me choosing between QA 3050i & Monitor Audio reference 300? I have a Marantz PM6007. I love listening to music most of the time. Thanks in advance!
That depends on the space you have, the case you have and the type of sound you want. Try reading these website versions, it might help because you can scan the bits you needs: theaudiophileman.com/3030i-speakers-review-q-acoustic/ & theaudiophileman.com/3050i-floorstander-review-q-acoustics/
I'm very close to finally deciding on my new hifi system. A multi room option is important as I want my music streamed around the house, but also want a 'main' listening room which will be my large loft, (18ft x 40ft). So I'm looking at the Bluesound POWERNODE and wondered if these 3050i would be a good match. I would then go for smaller bluetooth speakers around the house. Any thoughts greatly appreciated.
Oh yeah. Smaller speakers with Bluetooth around other parts of the house are very useful. In fact, the more things you have with Bluetooth now, the more convenient your lifestyle becomes.
Hi Mark - they're Icon Audio MK845 Mk.II mono block power amplifiers. The speakers I listen to 'off duty' as it where are QUAD ESL-57 electrostatic speakers.
@@TheAudiophileMan Thank you...I am reconsidering the Martin Logans, after finding a new pair of unopened boxed, Monitor Audio Gold 200 speakers, I think that's the 4th generation and they are on the 5th gen. of gold currently. A 5K speaker now marked down to half. I hope to make it there to put money down and give a listen. I think I need a bit more "brightness" from my speaker because of my dampened room, just a bit more than what the ML motions are giving me at least. I guess it's a bit easier to "correct" a bright speaker than it is to compensate for a warmer type? Cheers, Mark
@@TheAudiophileMan, hello, I dare say so. I did try posting the question your site first before stumbling upon this video, but when I tried posting to your site it kept saying there was an error, so I wasn't even aware that my question posted successfully, until now!
I have yet to review the 20s. The 15i speakers? Not the 20s though. If there's a 'family sound' though then I can vouch for information retrial and detail.
@@TheAudiophileMan full surround. First i want to buy a good Center like Klipsch cr 64 ii, but if i buy the Center i have to place the T above it and than the TV stands over 20cm higher. Than i thought to buy 2 good Stand speakers and use them as Phantom Speaker. Later buy 2 bookshelf KEF. Actually i use my old Harman Kardon hkts 16 Speakers, the Center is really bad.
There is a very nice 'Cinema Package' based on this 3050i design which is socially matched. I'd advise taking a look at that: www.qacoustics.co.uk/q3000i-range-3050i-cinema-pack.html
Hi Paul, I have an opportunity to purchase some nearly new QA 3050's for a steal of a price (£225 including a QA 3090C) Given the price I find it hard to say no, however do you think I'll be missing much by not getting the 3050i's? Thankyou!
I have a pair of Q Acoustics 3050i, it sounds very good (compared to what I had before Jamo s426). but do I have a dilemma? I have to change the amp and I don't know what it would sound better with: cambridge audio cx60 or onkyo a 9110 (these two models are in the short list). thanks for the review counted in the decision to purchase them
@@TheAudiophileMan thank you for your answer. I think I should choose cxa60. at Onkyo I don't really like the design but I have the advantage of phono because I have a lp 120x audio technica but it has an integrated pre amp that I will connect. how is harman kardon HK 3770 compared to cxa 60? I really like the design from HK
@@TheAudiophileMan I started to like your reviews a lot, plus I also find new music behind you :) what would you choose between 6000a and cxa 60 for q acoustics 3050i? I need a bass control because it seems a bit woolly and unfocused but I don't want to lose detail. I have the speakers 20cm from the wall (I have no choice)
No and you won't see any in the future, either Ian. RU-vid sound is ideal for entertainment and quite useless as an analytical tool. If I recorded these speakers for posting within a video, the sound would pass through something like 50 different gates as it travelled from me to you. Each would mutate the sound a little. The result would be a noise that would sound nothing like the 3050i speakers and everything like the device you're listening too. That's what you would hear. Your device. I take my job seriously and - unlike some channels - refuse to partake in sonic deception. Especially when there's a chance that your money might be spent as a result of reading/watching my review.
Well, the Klipsch is twice the price of the 3050i so the comparison isn't a fair one. I wouldn't even group the two when recommending a speaker. If you have the cash and you like the Klipsch then sure, go for those. The Dali 5s are excellent but again, there's a couple of extra hundreds involved here and its immediate competition is tough. The 3050i speakers offer great value for the price.
@@simonworthington-eyre3525 I have a full Klipsch setup and I'm sick of the fatiguing tweeters. Looking to get 3 pairs of 3050i's and center. Do they get better over time? Thanks!
@@davo01BKK Well my friend has a pair of 3050's, they sounded incredible when he got them, and they still sound incredible today. Obviously they are run in now and in my opinion, there is no better speaker for the price. Beautiful detail, deep tight bass, very precise highs...I'm actually very jealous of his speakers. I personally have some Concept 20's, they are amazing for their size and I highly recommend them. If you want to save some money buy 2 pairs of 3050's and buy a pair of Concept 20's (or even 3020's) for the rear!!
