New Speakers - any advice? Q Acostics 3020 or Wharfedale Diamond 220

Jasonspaceman0

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Apr 11, 2016
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Hi

Looking for advice on a speaker upgrade. Currently have a Cambridge Audio 550A amp and 5400 CD player with Gale 3040 floorstanders in a medium (5m x 4m with v high ceiling) room, hard floor but decently furnished, quite 'live' feel.

I'm thinking that the speakers (10 yrs old sub £200) are the weak point and am looking to upgrade.

Was firstly thinking of the Q Acoustics 3050 floorstanders but wondered if I'd get better value for money with equivalent (so cheaper) shelf speakers. These would sit 1.2m high on shelves in alcoves either side of fireplace, in the corners of the longer wall. Shelves are fixed fairly solidly. The extra space would be good, but any thoughts on sound? Not interested in shelf speakers on stands.

For shelf speakers was thinking the Q Acoustics 3020s or Wharfedale Diamond 220s.

Another option would be Q Acoustcs Concept 20s on the shelves

Is it worth going for the more expensive floorstaners, sound-wise?

Any thoughts?

Speakers need to be finished in white...

Thanks for reading
 
As you are used to floor standers, I think you'd be disappointed with 'bookshelf' speakers unless they were on decent stands. Shelves in alcoves would be far from promising for good sound, both because they are shelves so will have a sound if their own, and alcoves which will colour the sound.
 

BigH

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I agree shelves and corners are not a good idea. Wall mounting maybe a slighty better idea but you need to choose your speakers carefully, Neat Iotas are often used in similar situations but they are about £700. Looking at reviews the Q Acoustics 3020s might be ok.
 

Jasonspaceman0

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Yes, the Gale 3040s I want to upgrade are floorstanders... but not very great ones I don't think.... set up sounds ok but looking to improve the sound...
 

jonathanRD

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I think after having floorstanders, you would be dissapointed with bookshelf speakers in a 5m x 4m room with high ceilings, unless you get large bookshelves and place them on dedicated stands. You are likely to lose scale and a 'room filling sound'. I moved from a 3.5m x 4m room to a 5m x 4m room and immediately felt that my bookshelf speakers (on dedicated stands) were a bit lost in the new room. Floorstanders put that right.

Best thing is to home demo and listen to some options.
 

davedotco

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It all depends on how important the sound quality is, for you.

Almost any modern 'bookshelf' speaker will work, though you need to understand that, despite their name, virtually all such speakers are designed for stand mount.

Placing them on shelves as you describe will compromise the sound quality, how important that compromise is will depend on you and your expectations.

An inexpensive alternative might be the outgoing Q Acoustics 2050i, available quite cheaply at the present time, a direct but better replacement for your existing speakers.
 

peterpiper

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if you have the room and it seems you have the 2050i are now stunning value , some prefere them over the newer 3050, they seem a lot heavier and better built too, i have just 'downgraded' from a more expensive pair of floorstanders , which i felt were not a good match with my amp. sold those on , and used the money for these, at no loss, delighted with how they sound, and at 92db effieciency , less stress on the amp, a rare case of a downgrade becoming an upgrade, system matching ,means more than throwing money at a purchase, you live and learn, £300 at some outlets, grab a pair before they become unavailble , audtion first though, they will give that punch and scale the standmounts will not, nice crisp treble too,
 

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