Q Acoustics 1010 5.1 at Superfi

[FuzzyinLondon]

Hi there forums users. I've just started to build a home entertainment centre on a budget and have been hunting around for a good value surround sound speaker package to hook up to an Onkyo 505. I've just spotted the Q Acoustics 1010 5.1 package for £300 at Superfi. I'm aware that they were last years award winners and that the new 1010i 5.1 have taken the prize this year. These would fit my budget perfectly. My question is: do you think the 1010 package represents good value at this price or do you think the 1010i package is worth the extra cash? Any opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Anonymous]

I am also very interested in this and must say I am very confused by the What Hi Fi rating for the 1010i. Last month they were voted best package under £750 and this month the worst in a stereo group test. Is it the sub and centre speakers that create a good cinema package?

I tried speaking with a couple of dealers and one was adamant that the 1010 is better than 1010i but then he did have them in stock. He could not confirm whether the sub was better on the 1010i package as none are available. At £300 I still think that, on paper, they are a good buy but unfortunately none of my local dealers stock them so I cannot do a listening test.

 

[FuzzyinLondon]

From what I've deduced from reading the What Hi Fi reviews, the 1010s are better than the 1010i as a pair of standalone stereo speakers eg. for just listening to music. However, the 1010i has a much improved subwoofer and has been improved in a lot of other areas to make the overall surround sound better.

I've decided to go for the 1010 package at £299 delivered from Superfi. I've read reviews from owners on AVForums who are very happy with them and at that price I don't think you can go wrong. Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to demo them either as my local Richer Sounds doesn't stock them but I've decided to take a punt, The subwoofer isn't hugely important to me as the system will be in quite a small living room. Hopefully it should be delivered this weekend. I'll give a mini-review when I've got it up and running.

 

[Anonymous]

Does what hifi editors have antying to say about this? I didn't pick the stuff about the music up in the reviews I read... i.e. that 1010s better than 1010i for music?

 

[Clare Newsome]

Both packages - 1010 and 1010i are superb surround systems, and for £299 you've got yourself a bargain on the 2006 Award-winning 1010.

The 1010i package has a better sub and centre speaker, as well as new tweeters and crossovers for the four surrounds. It's still by far the best music and movie all-rounder around £500 - hence the 2007 Award.

What's happened in the year since the original Q range came out, is that other budget-speaker manufacturers have cut their stereo-pair prices - hence the Tannoy Mercury F1 Customs (based on a speaker that used to cost £200) being a better-value buy at £110 than either the original 1010 or the newer 1010i, and ditto the Cambridge Audio S30 (now £120) and the Mordaunt-Short Avant 902i and Wharfedale Diamond 9.1s (both now £150).

Add the fact that the 'i' upgrades seem to have robbed a slight touch of dynamics that the 1010s enjoyed and you can see the reason for the dropped star. Still a great little speaker, though.

 

[FuzzyinLondon]

Thanks Clare, that's cleared that one up a bit for me. My original budget meant that I found the 1010i package just slightly out of my reach. I was all set to go for the Jamos when I saw the deal on the 1010 package, which looked like a step up in audio quality. Another reason was purely aesthetic - the beech and silver colour matched my living room furniture ;-)

 

[Anonymous]

Clare, what do you mean by "slight tough of dynamics"? Also, I posted a question in the hifi forum about 1010i's against AE Aegos. I read every what hifi mag article I could find on both the speakers, but its very hard to make a comparison of the two sets of speakers. I tried to make the post as clear and specific as possible, but no what hifi person has provided a response. Is there a reason for that?

 

[Clare Newsome]

Sheer busy-ness at our end, i'm sure - even with the best will, we can't answer everything. I will, however, get someone to dig the thread out....

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Clare Newsome"]

Sheer busy-ness at our end, i'm sure - even with the best will, we can't answer everything. I will, however, get someone to dig the thread out....

[/quote]

I didn't get a reply yet. This is the post http://whathifi.com/forums/t/6147.aspx.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Clare Newsome]

Hi Chris - yes you did: Ketan Bharadia, our technical editor, answered on Friday afternoon!

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="christhedon"]I tried to make the post as clear and
specific as possible, but no what hifi person has provided a response.
Is there a reason for that?[/quote]

As I keep saying, the main point of these forums (fora?) is not to give 24/7 access to the WHFSV team, though we try to be here whenever we can, but for users to exchange views and opinions with each other.