Q acoustics 3020i review feedback

[Kennycobra]

I personally found the Q Acoustics 3020i performance preferrable to the Dali Spektor 2 which seemed rather brassy and unrefined in comparison,certainly the Q acoustics have better sound staging also.particularly on strings and vocals. I would also disagree with the comment regarding cabinet depth,this is a method employed also by other manufacturers of high quality bookshelf speakers,and allows extra bass levels from increased cabinet mass with having to resort to a monolithic height enclosure, the Q acoustics managing a frankly amazing performance from such a compact enclosure.

 

[nopiano]

I agree the QA sound great, and are terrific value too. The depth isn’t really debatable though is it? They are deep, and some buyers haven’t realised this before purchase. It’s a design choice as you say, but it’s a physical fact. A larger cabinet volume is indeed better for bass, everything else being equal (which it seldom is!)

 

[Kennycobra]

Really though?? Would it not be inexcusably negligent NOT to ascertain the dimensions of speakers BEFORE purchase?? I mean would someone for instance actually purchase a pair of Tannoy Ardens, or Klipsch R280's with the intent of using them on a small bookshelf ??? Without knowing the size of them?? An extreme example,but used to emphasise the fact that the speakers have to fit the intended location.

 

[Jimboo]

Really though?? Would it not be inexcusably negligent NOT to ascertain the dimensions of speakers BEFORE purchase?? I mean would someone for instance actually purchase a pair of Tannoy Ardens, or Klipsch R280's with the intent of using them on a small bookshelf ??? Without knowing the size of them?? An extreme example,but used to emphasise the fact that the speakers have to fit the intended location.

Mate , people buy stuff because someone tells them they are good or on a review and because the more you spend the better they must be. So I guess you shouldn't be surprised.

 

[nopiano]

Really though?? Would it not be inexcusably negligent NOT to ascertain the dimensions of speakers BEFORE purchase?? I mean would someone for instance actually purchase a pair of Tannoy Ardens, or Klipsch R280's with the intent of using them on a small bookshelf ??? Without knowing the size of them?? An extreme example,but used to emphasise the fact that the speakers have to fit the intended location.

I think a consumer magazine like WHF does its readers a service by highlighting such things. I acknowledge you don’t agree.

 

[Arsenio Erico]

I got a pair of Q Acoustics 3020i a few months ago, too. I have to agree with you on the overall performance of the speakers. They are very well balanced. I haven't felt highs or lows being more predominant than the other. I can only compare them to Krk Studio Monitors finding the Qs more refined and with more clarity.

 

[Deleted member 188516]

I got a pair of Q Acoustics 3020i a few months ago, too. I have to agree with you on the overall performance of the speakers. They are very well balanced. I haven't felt highs or lows being more predominant than the other. I can only compare them to Krk Studio Monitors finding the Qs more refined and with more clarity.

may i ask which krk studio monitors ?

 

[gasolin]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrl9JeRUwDY

 

[Arsenio Erico]

may i ask which krk studio monitors ?

Hi plus1! Sure, I got the Rokit Series 6 and its 10"sub. I find them confused in the mids when a song has too much going on when compared to the QAs which I think handles dynamics and clarity in a better way. Thats my very humble opinion and in my very beginner experience.

 

[Deleted member 188516]

Hi plus1! Sure, I got the Rokit Series 6 and its 10"sub. I find them confused in the mids when a song has too much going on when compared to the QAs which I think handles dynamics and clarity in a better way. Thats my very humble opinion and in my very beginner experience.

thanks for the reply.

i asked this as i had some krk speakers on trial for a short time - horrible things !

bass was just a bumping "noise" and, as you have stated, mids were rubbish too...

trial did not last long as after 24 hours one of them stopped working !

how these can be used to monitor / mix records with i dont know...

 

[scene]

I got a pair of Q Acoustics 3020i a few months ago, too. I have to agree with you on the overall performance of the speakers. They are very well balanced. I haven't felt highs or lows being more predominant than the other. I can only compare them to Krk Studio Monitors finding the Qs more refined and with more clarity.

I've raved about the Q3020i a lot since I got them - and I thought it was only me 🤔 As I've said, they're great bookshelf speakers that punch way above their price point. They're behind me now - sound great.

 

[Arsenio Erico]

thanks for the reply.

i asked this as i had some krk speakers on trial for a short time - horrible things !

bass was just a bumping "noise" and, as you have stated, mids were rubbish too...

trial did not last long as after 24 hours one of them stopped working !

how these can be used to monitor / mix records with i dont know...

Now I'm using a CA CXA61 and the QA3020i and a sub until I can get proper floor standing ones. I must admit that there is a world of difference between the KRK Rokit 6s and my current setup.
I couldn't say the Rokits with the Krk matching 10" sub were a "horrible". experience. They were good for electronic or hip hop music but I couldn't enjoy them with rock, or heavy metal; the mids were too muddy and lacking in precision. They weren't subtle either for more intimate tracks were one wants to hear nuances in vocals or strings.
I think they had more prominent bass (without the sub) than the 3020i, though. Which didn't make me enjoy them better over the 3020i.
I still have them actually, I mainly use them when I have to record instruments for demo tracks and still enjoy them for some electronic bands.
The bottom line is that I got tired of them and wanted to start a hifi adventure, so that is why I started investing in better equipment. I like the krks better than standard micro or mini systems but they are way below my other and newer setup.

 

[Arsenio Erico]

I've raved about the Q3020i a lot since I got them - and I thought it was only me 🤔 As I've said, they're great bookshelf speakers that punch way above their price point. They're behind me now - sound great.

How do you find the bass? Im using mine in a sort of big untreated room and really feel like they can't keep up in bass frequencies, at least not in this room (6m x 6m). Unfortunately my amp doesn't have tone controls, so I can't add more bass. I might take them to a small room and hear how they perform to be fair.

 

[Al ears]

How do you find the bass? Im using mine in a sort of big untreated room and really feel like they can't keep up in bass frequencies, at least not in this room (6m x 6m). Unfortunately my amp doesn't have tone controls, so I can't add more bass. I might take them to a small room and hear how they perform to be fair.

Small standmounts commonly don't do bass that well and certainly not in a room of that size. Tone controls cannot change the laws of physics. That's the reason many add a subwoofer.

 

[gasolin]

Now I'm using a CA CXA61 and the QA3020i and a sub until I can get proper floor standing ones. I must admit that there is a world of difference between the KRK Rokit 6s and my current setup.
I couldn't say the Rokits with the Krk matching 10" sub were a "horrible". experience. They were good for electronic or hip hop music but I couldn't enjoy them with rock, or heavy metal; the mids were too muddy and lacking in precision. They weren't subtle either for more intimate tracks were one wants to hear nuances in vocals or strings.
I think they had more prominent bass (without the sub) than the 3020i, though. Which didn't make me enjoy them better over the 3020i.
I still have them actually, I mainly use them when I have to record instruments for demo tracks and still enjoy them for some electronic bands.
The bottom line is that I got tired of them and wanted to start a hifi adventure, so that is why I started investing in better equipment. I like the krks better than standard micro or mini systems but they are way below my other and newer setup.

So your Q Acoustics 3020i get the full frequency range where the bass isn't cut at lets say 80hz and therefore also are playing the same bass as the subwoofer, limiting your sound quality and max spl from your 3020i because the play bass they don't need to because you have a subwoofer?

 

[Arsenio Erico]

Small standmounts commonly don't do bass that well and certainly not in a room of that size. Tone controls cannot change the laws of physics. That's the reason many add a subwoofer.

Absolutely, Al ears! So far, I'm really happy with the 3020i and when I need more bass I just turn on the sub and the job's done. I want to be clear that I am not critizising the QAs performance since I am not using them in proper conditions. I know the limitations of the room. I will be fine for a couple of months with my current setup, though. I am getting so much better sound that before and am very happy with what I got now.
When I have the time I will move all the gear to a smaller room and hear the difference. But tbh, right now I don't want to go through all the hassle of disconnecting everything and setting all up again =P
Your comment about tone controls reminds me of what made me chose the cxa61 over the cxa60. After running in the amp I realized I just didn't need tone controls but I won't go into the Tone Controls debate since it's a very subjective topic.
Thanks for your comment! they are always very helpful. Cheers mate.

 

[Arsenio Erico]

So your Q Acoustics 3020i get the full frequency range where the bass isn't cut at lets say 80hz and therefore also are playing the same bass as the subwoofer, limiting your sound quality and max spl from your 3020i because the play bass they don't need to because you have a subwoofer?

I only use the sub in specific occasions, when listening drum n bass or hip hop mainly, which are not my main styles. I'm more into rock, jazz and blues and when a good record is on, I am happy with the overall performance of the 3020i. I just find that my KRKs have more bass which doesn't mean they perform better than the 3020i overall; that's why I stopped using them to listen to music.

 

[scene]

How do you find the bass? Im using mine in a sort of big untreated room and really feel like they can't keep up in bass frequencies, at least not in this room (6m x 6m). Unfortunately my amp doesn't have tone controls, so I can't add more bass. I might take them to a small room and hear how they perform to be fair.

I'm using mine as real bookshelf speakers (literally: they're sitting on some IKEA Billys), in my study which is not large - 2.9m x 3.3m - so I'm almost using them as studio monitoring. My study is all hard surfaces, glass windows (no curtains), two walls of bookshelves, one of which have wood & glass doors, and with the speakers on the shelves, and toed in slightly they're great. I suspect if I had bassier speakers I'd get booming without room treatment.

If my room was larger and/or had more soft furnishing, I'd look at the 3030i and if it was properly bigger I'd give the 3050i a try.

As it is, in my living room, which is large (5.85m x 6.2m) I've got a pair of MA Silver 8is for stereo duty, and for AV I've got RXFX and an RS-LCR - all helped out at the bottom end by a BK-Elec XXLS-400DF - which if I really want some grunt I can use with the 8is

As Al Ears said, you can't really avoid the physics and the 3020i don't go all the way down as low as bigger speakers would.

 

[Arsenio Erico]

I feel obliged to update my previous opinion. I suppose there must have been a second run-in in my 3020i because bass is now way more present. The overall sound is really balanced out now. I was using a 10" sub previously but now keep it off most of the time because I don't feel like I need it in most cases.
I'm really enjoying these, they are also sitting on a real bookshelf.
However I will definitely need something bigger in the future since my room is large. I will try the 3050s and the Monitor Audio Silver 100 or 200 floor standing speakers but that won't be until June 2021 (hopefully in a world free of covid!).
Meanwhile Im totally enjoying my setup.