I get excited when a room showing “budget” gear knocks me for a loop. As is sometimes the case, a well-curated, carefully set up budget system can make music in spades, hitting the high notes of tone, staging, and dynamics.
To wit, Q Acoustics presented their new floorstanding 3050c Speakers ($1299/pair), the flagship in the new, affordable 3000c series, powered by a Cambridge Audio CXA81 Stereo Integrated Amplifier ($999), using a Cambridge Audio CXN100 Network Player with WiFi, AirPlay 2, and Chromecast ($1099) as its source. Also in the room were Q Acoustics M40 Active Micro Tower, wireless streaming, speakers/music system ($999). Cables were by QED.
Q Acoustics’ 3050c speakers boast C3 (Continuous Curved Cone) mid/bass drivers and a “hermetically sealed” tweeter. This isolated tweeter, which is separate from the main cabinet, said to minimize resonance and internal cabinet pressure for cleaner sound. Which makes sense.
“Point-2-Point internal bracing stiffens the cabinet to minimize lower-frequency vibrations, while focusing stereo imaging and improving soundstage,” states Q Acoustics. “Helmholtz Pressure Equalisers (HPETM) reduces internal pressure and standing waves.”
That’s a lot of technology for $1199.
Playing the song that seemed to be the High End Munich anthem—Annette Askvik’s “Liberty,”—the 3050cs impressed with pronounced imaging and leading edges of notes in a sunny, warm bath of bass proficiency.