Floorstanding Speakers: Q Acoustics 3050 VS Polk tsx550

[hybridauth_Facebook_10154488663393979]

Hi Everyone,

I need your expert advise to choose between Q Acoustics 3050 and Polk tsx550 or perhaps anything else in that price range and category that would be better. I have read great things about both.

I will be pairing which ever one I end up purchasing with a to be determined amp (something entry level) for listening to music of different types. I am not looking for too much unreal bass but proper mid and high range vocals and instruments.

Looking forward for your insights.

Thanks.

 

[thewinelake.]

I've not heard the Polk, but my recent journey into rediscovering HiFi started with an interest in the QA 3050. I have got to say that I didn't much care for the sound they made, finding bass extremely "lumpy" and unmusical. A QA guy suggested that it might have been down to the way in which the speakers were supported. In the end, I pretty much decided that no floorstanding speakers in that price range really did it for me.

As always, the best advice I can give is to find one or two good dealers and go have a listen. Also see if you can find others (maybe in this forum, maybe in others) to demo the less commonly seen makes that I dare not mention here ;-)

Don't overlook second hand. I did buy a pair of ProAc Studio 125s off eBay for £350 recently and they were certainly better than the QA 3050, but of course it's usually hard to audition that kind of stuff. In the end I sold them on for about what I paid for them and am now happy with a pair of actives (so didn't need an amplifier in the end, except to connect my legacy gear in with).

 

[Native_bon]

It's a matter of setting up the speakers properly. I have a pair of Q acoustics in a second room and my experience is very different from the above. These are very open and dynamic speakers. They dnt sound lumpy in my room at all. All I say is audition them. Never listened to a Polk speaker so cn't help you there.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10154488663393979]

Thanks guys,

I don't really have the means to audtion either of these speakers. The stores around my area do not have these in stock so I am making my choice purely based on reviews I find online.

I hope I don't end up regreting that!

 

[nopiano]

Polk haven't much presence here in the UK, but I believe they are significant in the Americas. Unfortunately, you are not very likely to find many who have heard both.

Usually, home manufactured products offer better value, as I know to my cost having bought Italian speakers and a U.S. amplifier!

 

[Native_bon]

Thanks guys,

I don't really have the means to audtion either of these speakers. The stores around my area do not have these in stock so I am making my choice purely based on reviews I find online.

I hope I don't end up regreting that! 

The Q acoustics will work fine in medium to large rooms. What's room size.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10154488663393979]

and the Polks have 5 drives which also happen to be larger than the 3 drives that the Q accoustics have. Would this imply that their sound quality would inherently be better or this irrelevant? You can see my knowledge is pretty much null in this sphere!

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10154488663393979]

The room is currently about 25 ms. I will however be moving to a larger place and I'd like to think that I will be holding on to what ever I purchase for the years to come.

 

[nopiano]

and the Polks have 5 drives which also happen to be larger than the 3 drives that the Q accoustics have. Would this imply that their sound quality would inherently be better or this irrelevant? You can see my knowledge is pretty much null in this sphere!

More at the same total cost implies 5 cheaper units -v- 3 better ones, but all designs compromise somewhere. A 3 seater car is no use if you need 5 seats!

In audio, less is often more, because something better qualty and easier to manufacture can sound better!

However, a multi-unit speaker might well fit a larger room better and play louder.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10154488663393979]

Well I live in Australia so I won't find anything native! And to our luck down here, the prices here are quite steep comparing to all prices I find online in other countries.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10154488663393979]

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense.