Q Acoustics may not be the most recognizable name in the home audio industry, but we were thoroughly impressed with the sound and build quality of the 3050 floor standing speakers. The midrange content flowing out of these speakers is the perfect combination of colorful and accurate, and the soaring high-frequency sounds are unobtrusive and natural. The two-way design includes a pair of 6.5-inch Aramid fiber woofers and a 1-inch concentric ring dome tweeter. The wonderfully designed enclosure is available in four finish options: gloss black, gloss white, graphite and American walnut. The cabinet is equal parts sturdy and attractive, and places the speakers at the perfect height for seated listening.
In our music listening test, we played a wide range of musical genres, and the 3050 was the clear winner for clarity and accuracy. We were particularly impressed with the vocal reproduction. These speakers offer a wide sound stage, and did a great job of placing the vocals just in front of the other instruments. Acoustic instruments, like horns and strings, sounded as if the musicians were in our AV lab giving us a private concert. The bass response is not as impactful as some of the larger speakers we tested, like the Klipsch R-28F, but it is perfectly complimentary of the midrange and high-frequency content.
To test each speaker’s ability to project theater-quality sound we played an action sequence from the movie “Mad Max: Fury Road” with an abundance of low rumbling effects accompanied by short snippets of dialogue. The 3050 had no problem placing the dialogue in front of the effects, and at the same time, producing impactful bass. The wide dispersion tweeter also did a good job recreating the ear-piercing tone of gunfire. The 3050 is one of the few floor standing speakers we tested that could stand alone without the help of a subwoofer or center speaker to project dialogue in front of the effects.
With a 92 dB sensitivity rating, these speakers are highly efficient at converting amplification to sound. We conducted most of our listening tests at 85 dB, which is about as loud as a commercial theater. The 3050 showed no signs of distorting at that volume. Q Acoustics suggests powering these speakers with an amplifier or AV receiver that sends between 25 and 100 watts per channel. The 100 watt continuous power rating works best with most mid-level and entry-level receivers.
The sleek and durable cabinet includes some smart design features. There are dual five-way binding posts on the back panel, in case you want to bi-amp your floor speakers. The black grille cloth only covers the top half of the front panel, but we suggest removing the magnetic grille cloths for optimal audio results. The speakers are held in place by a steel outrigger plinth that has threads for floor spikes. Unfortunately, the base isn’t permanently attached to the cabinet, so you may need to tighten the screws periodically.
The Q Acoustics 3050 is our favorite floor standing speaker for less than $1,000. The audio clarity is unmatched at that price-point, and the cabinet design is as attractive as it is durable. These speakers are an amazing value, and the perfect entrance into the audiophile realm. If you don't want a full speaker set, though, we have a guide to the best soundbars instead.
