Q Acoustics 3020i Review
Introduction
Looking for the best-sounding speakers under $400? You want to look at our review of the Q Acoustics 3020i before you pull the trigger because these small monitors pack a serious punch.
Yes, Q Acoustics is a speaker company that punches way above its price point. They don’t attempt to rewrite the rulebook with crazy designs or gimmicks. Instead, they seem to have focussed on a sound quality-to-value ratio that other companies struggle to match. The Q Acoustics 3020i bookshelf speakers are a prime example of that, and I was blown away by the sound quality time and time again throughout this review.
As mentioned, Q Acoustics haven’t tried to do anything too fancy with them; they have focused on getting the basics right. They come in a pretty standard setup for what you would expect for a speaker of this size, but the attention to detail really sets them apart from the competition.
Where to Buy the QAcoustics 3020i?
Specifications for the 3020i:
Enclosure type: 2-way reflex, Bass Unit: 125m, Treble Unit: 25mm
Frequency Response (+/- 3 dB): 64Hz – 22kHz
Nominal Impedance: 6ohm, Minimum Impedance: 4ohm
Sensitivity: 88dB
Power: 25 – 75w
Detachable magnetic speaker grill
Build Quality and Style
Build quality is on a par with what I would expect for a set of small speakers around the $200 mark. Everything is put together well, the materials are all of the good quality and the finish is excellent. With the speaker grills, the 3020i looks spectacularly normal. Fairly generic and similar to many other similarly specced speaker units.
However, pop off the grill and they take on a much more stylish look. It’s quite stylish with the tweeter and 5-inch diaphragm combining in a contrasting shiny finish in the shape of a snowman set against the matte black finish of our review units.
I had them set up on speaker stands in our new listening room and they didn’t look at all out of place in this fairly modern setup. However, if you want to keep the driver safe and not draw attention to them on perhaps a media unit or bookshelf you can keep the grills on.
The back of the unit has some inward pointing screw-down connectors which keep the wires from flaring out and makes them easier to run out of sight. Above this, you will also see the rear-facing bass port which when placed correctly near a wall actually enhances the sonic performance.
Sound
Hooked up to our new Cambridge Audio CXA60 in place of my usual Dali Lektor 8 I wasn’t expecting to be hit with such a big room-filling blast of sound. The Q Acoustics manage to present their sound on a far larger scale than I would expect from such a small pair of bookshelf speakers.
Bass response is what stands out for such a small speaker. Others in this size and price point tend to suffer from one of two common problems. First, they may be bloated and overly stretched in an attempt to convey quantity thus becoming flabby and uncontrolled. the second scenario is an overly thin sound with the bass held back to convey a sense of quality. Needless to say both are not ideal for pleasurable listening sessions.
The Q-Acoustics, stay tight and true whilst at the same time pumping out a lot of quantity. I have heard speakers over twice the price from KEF and other large-name brands that don’t come close to this combination of detail and impact on the low end.
The second thing that makes the 3020i really shine is the sense of space and soundstage that they manage to portray. The width and depth are both big making it feel like you are listening to your music in a very open environment.
Instrument separation and imaging are also large and a real sense of 3D sound comes across.
Mids are prominent and vocals shine through as being lifelike and complete with energy. It was noted that in the upper midrange, there was a slight peak but if this is too much for you the speakers responded very well to taming this through EQ adjustments.
The highs are energetic and spacious with agreeable detail and no prevalence of sibilance.
Our Verdict
At around $400 or under in the US market (£350 in the UK) the Q Acoustics represent great value for money and performs way better than an entry-level speaker should sound.
Pair the 3020i with any half-decent amp unit and you can have yourself a very competent HiFi system, capable of filling even a large room with detailed and punchy sound for far less than if you went for one of the pricier mainstream brands.
Official website: www.qacoustics.co.uk
