Tarun, I appreciate you and what you openly share through your reviews. You are very consistent. I recall your review of the Concept 300s that I had recently purchased. I commented, you responded on many of the points you reinforced here. I was drawn to Q because of the unique engineering and distribution direct to consumer model and process. I am in agreement that the detail is at times lacking. The Qs are still great to listen to. I have experimented with matching components with some success. I do wonder beyond creating a signature house sound why the detail piece in not addressed. My point here is thanks for your consistency and insight. It helps to keep the education building. Love your curiosity in matching this video to your curiosity (and mine) regarding 80/20. Keep it coming and thanks again.
Tarun, great review, as always! 5 years ago I was lucky to find a pair of used Q acoustics Concept 40 that I'm still in love with (they replaced a pair of PSB Image 4t). I've tried several other speakers around the price of the Q acoustics: Tekton Lore Reference, Elac Uni-fi UF52, Revel Concerta 2 F35, and none come close to the level of enjoyment the Q acoustics provide. A bit of warmth but still very detailed and such an engaging sound! With the current amplification (Audiolab 6000A) the Q acoustics have been way superior to all the others. After watching your review on the REL subwoofer, I might go that route instead of upgrading my beloved Concept 40.
Thx for your review on the concept speakers!! I was thinking about purchasing a pair of concepts 40s to go with my Audiolab 6000a (pre out ) to a 8000 power amp. At present in running a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 5 floor standers. Would the concept 40s be a noticeable upgrade? Thx
Hi Tarun. I have the Qacoustics 3020i and they are a wonderful easy listen. I have them for my tv watching and they still surprise me for the price. For my stereo listening I think the Wharfedale Denton 80’s punch well above their weight / price point in sound quality. Especially with that other quiet achiever the Hegel H95. Have a great weekend.
Hi tarun, thanks for another great review, ive had several Q acoustic speakers in the past, always liked the house sound, slightly laid back which I like, looking forward to another review soon.
I have a set in my kitchen/snug running off a Yamaha R-N803D. Not my main system which is in the living room. The speakers are either side of the TV on a long low media unit. With some fiddling of the amp with YPAO volume off, treble up a tad, volume cranked to -8 and the loudness knob turned down a couple notches, listening to music was very enjoyable but low down there was something I could not put my finger on? I then put the speakers on isolation pads and stuck some Samuel Kim music on. Wow! The system is transformed. Punchy base, stunning mids and highs. I could not believe how the pads changed the game without the resonance of the speakers on the unit. I didn’t have the room for stands and like most people, they go on top of something. The Yamaha pairs brilliantly with these and I now listen to majority of my music on this set up 👍
The Q acoustics 3020is were the first stereo stand mount speakers I ever really listen to. Q acoustics will always have a place in my heart... what a beautiful warm sounding speaker.
I like your considered, no waffle review. I've not seen your videos before but based on this video I'll be back. I remember many years ago being 17-18 and my friends and I fitted a 400 watts car amplifier. The difference between 15w x4 of the car stereo and 100w x4 of the amplifier was immense. We never expected the amplifier to make such a difference. Just like in your review where you mention these speakers need an amp with enough oomph. So true. Thanks for the smart review.
Tarun, you have thrown the ball into my court about Q Acoustics.. a brand I have not researched. Thank you for your opinion, and thank you for sharing your opinion. I am only now exploring equipment that I have never researched before.
Great video! I own the Q 3030is and drive them with a class D amp on my desktop setup. Absolutely love the sound. But I never could understand why this pairing is SO GOOD but your explanation towards the end in regards to handling the impedance is probably spot on! Thanks again!
@@themarklar8759 My 3030i arrived yesterday, pairing with a Smsl A300 Can't wait to hear them when fully run in Out of the box they seemed a little congested but after some hours they're loosening up Will reserve my opinions till 50 hours or so 🙂
I love what you you do Tarun, You review interesting components with lots of detail. But this review shows how you can get most of the performance for less money. Something that is very important to me as I am trying to put together a system at the moment, even though I have just found this review. Great reviews, keep it up Tarun.
Just wish to say again how much I appreciate your comparisons to known standards e.g., your Proacs. Hearing you describe how a product varies from this standard helps me form educated opinions of a product. Not that I expect a $1000 speaker to equal the performance of a $3000 speaker, but good to know the differences.
Good review....i bought a pair of white Concepts 30's but use Partington Ansa 60 speaker stands with 2 x 3m of QED XT400 speaker cable....used bi-amp'd with an 11 channel Dolby Atmos £2500 AV amp i was very impressed with the sound....later on i bought an Emotiva BasX A2 stereo power amp to get a better hifi sound...the Concept 30's & the Emotiva BasX A2 power amp plugged into the AV amp's RCA outputs with 50cm Chord C-Line RCA audio interconnect cables.. they really elevated the sound...real hifi, the Emotiva 160w-8ohms, 250w-4ohms, has a bass damping factor of 200 so fantastic deep controlled bass with real grip & extension...the mids were cleaner, as was all the frequency range, & the treble sounded very detailed & more neutral...i think i will keep these for a while, used with an SVS SB1000 Pro subwoofer (optional) i'm very impressed.....
Thanks for your review Tarun. Can you shed a light on portnoise from the Q30s? I owned the Concept 20s, but playing loud was quite 'noisy' at times. I also feel they changed their soundsignature, for the C20s did have a lot of top-end and maybe a leaner sound, less lush. Congratz with 50K+ 👌
Another highly enjoyable review. Thank you for taking time to explain the sound with various amps. Many years ago, put together my first decent hi-fi system. With much help from a salesperson at a store which no longer exists. NAD and B&W. Really enjoyable rig. 80% of the best? Don't know, but it sure played music and sounded better to my ears than several very expensive systems I heard at shows and in shops.
Excellent review TARUN, thanks again. I’ve been curious about these speakers for some time, haven’t heard any of them yet. But your review confirms my thoughts, musical and a little relaxed… could work, or not. Loved the: Spica TC 50’s Naim Nait… original Spendor 3/5R2’s Exposure 2010s….still have it!! Not so much: Reference 3a Dulcets Be… bright B&W 606’s… hated the tweeter!! Omega 3i monitors….absolutely no bass… and I was so hopeful for these to be great!! Ran them in forever… no dice. Others of course, but we don’t have enough room here :) Please keep it going, love your style. R
Hi Tarun, That is a great review. And it is very informative, though Q Acoustics is just not my brand. And that is mainly for the looks. I prefer the classical (or vintage) proportions for a speaker. The 80 / 20 rule is unbeatable and it is also hard to swallow, for me at least to spend so much more to get so little more. Maybe I am not the most critical listener. I certainly do understand what a high end system can bring to the table but if I get above the threshold of what is acceptable to me, I can be happy with the result. The core of my system (speakers, amp) is 40 years old. For sure I can identify flaws in my system. But when I sit down and listen to an album, I realize how much fun it is to listen to this system and not what could be better.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks for replying, Tarun. I actually put it together over the past few years. It started with the speakers that I really liked when they where new (Magnat All Ribbon series). I could buy them on eBay in perfect cosmetic condition (literally no blemish). That was an impulse buy. And then came the Amp which was even more of an impulse buy. That went literally like. Now I need an amp, here, there is a buy it now Luxman for 130 Euro, lets try that. The combination happened to be very synergistic. (I have tried it with other amps just to hear the difference but Luxman hits the mark)
I owned a ChiFi integrated amp by a now-defunct company called Dared (not sure how that's pronounced -- I've always tried to say 'DAH-red' but I suppose it was really supposed to be 'DAIRD') and it was a shocker at $449. Tube buffer in the preamp stage, class-D power stage, 1 six-channel analog input and 1 conventional 2-channel analog input. Six speaker terminals. It ran a pair of notoriously tricky Salk Songtowers for years, and never once ran out of puff. Really fun stuff. I'm coming back to the earlier reviews on this channel because things seem to be focusing for me here in Cambodia, down to the PMC Prodigy 1's, the Amphion Argon 1's, the Alchris Audio AR-6's, the KEF R3 Meta's (not price-appropriate) or the Audio Physic Classic 3's. But due diligence demands that I review the other choices, and these are both intriguing and slightly easier to get here.
Hi Tarun, another good review. Since you have the Cambridge AXA35 in for review, if you have a chance pop the cover and look at the power amp section. I had one for a while before upgrading the Rotel A11 Tribute. As memory serves, the power amp section is a dual-mono configuration with two pairs of filter caps, one pair for each channel, and a large torodial transformer. This is likely why it had no issue driving the C30s. BTW, adjusting for inflation, the AXA 35 is about the same price as a NAD 3020 from the mid-seventies. That's pretty amazing.
I have to say I really admire affordable Q Acoustics. Having demoed the Concept 30s with the Dacless Leema Pulse, they make a cracking combo. I always, wherever possible, try to match light with dark (neutral with smooth) or a sonic yin and yang. The Leema demonstrates traits of being punchy and grippy in the mid and lower frequencies, while the HFs is clean, crisp and precise. It really is an impressive combo as the Leema slightly manipulates the natural characteristics of the Concept 30s. I'm struggling to think of a better balanced combo below £1000 for each component.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 If you're looking for a modern equivalent to the Leema Pulse in terms of making those Concepts sing, Tarun's description of the new Yamaha A-S 1200 seems the closest. Like the Leema the Yamaha should make those Q Acoustics really sound the biz.
A lot of my current gear punches above its weight. You can't go very wrong if you listen to reviewers you trust (you are very much one of those) and cross-compare what they all say. Having said that, one item stands out to me in terms of bang for the buck. It's a Topping E30 DAC I bought for just over £100 a while back when I only had a Sony DN1080 AV amp. I forgot about it when I got my Audiolab 6000A, kind of assuming the latter's internal DAC would be better. But after I moved the 6000A into a second system in my study fairly recently, I thought I'd give the Topping another try. Lo and behold, to my ears it sounded a worthwhile improvement. Maybe in part that's because I could connect it directly via USB to my computer and then use its line output to connect to the 6000A using a spare pair of QED C-line RCA cables (also sterling value at £40). I could then dispense with my Douk audio XMOS XU208 DDC (yet more good value at around £35, but which necessitated optical or coaxial connection to the 6000A), taking advantage of the Topping's inbuilt XMOS convertor. So perhaps it's not only the quality of gear, but what kind of facilities it offers and whether that allows you to maximise the potential of bits and bobs you have lying around anyway. Being the thrifty sort, I get a kick from piddling around trying no-extra-cost experiments! 🙂
When I first seriously got into hifi in the early 80s, my first turntable was the ubiquitous Rega Planer 3 which I think cost me just under £300. In some considerable years later, I upgraded??? To the Project Perspective at almost 5 times the price. No contest, the Rega far out performed the Project. Or, more accurately, I much preferred the tonal quality of the Rega! Much more recently, I upgraded my Rega Elicit to a 3 times the price pair of monoblocks. Yes, they out perform tge Rega, but not by that much.
I’ll be looking forward to your Cambridge AX35 amplifier review. I have the CXA-81 and I really like it paired with my Polk R200 bookshelf speakers. 🤘🏼🎸🤘🏼
I have the cambridge audio axa35 and really thinks it shines at it's price point. Same thing for their cd player which comes in at the same price now. Not to mention it makes a lovely looking stack of equipment in the listening room.
Hi Tarun, great review. I’m shamelessly biased towards Monitor Audio, as you know, so how about checking these against the latest Silver 100. I’m guessing they will be about as different as two pairs of conventional driver speakers can be.
80/20, I really enjoy my Kef Q150s, which sometimes go on sale for US $300 (price I paid). My budget doesn’t allow for the $1,600 Kef LS 50 Meta, but I suspect 80/20 is spot on.
Two loudspeakers have caused me to double turn over recent years giving a clear WOW! Budget and diminutive size yet huge performance, Q Acoustics. Cost no object Raidho. Both of these are standmount which I love but run floorstanders myself
I have some Concept 20s, a few years old but they sound f**king amazing. Tidal through the tv into a 6000a via optical, QED silver and I’m a happy boy 😃
Hi, Tarun. How do you thik they will pair with a Cambridge Audio EVO 150? I am thinking about getting these speakers. Thank you, keep up the great work!
In Quality Management and gathering statistical data we always used to remark that 80% of customer feedback comes from 20% of your customer base,…at best lol
Audio Physic Tempo 35 is punching way over it’s price range. That’s impressive when you see the price. Feed it good power with a big amp and you’ll have a big smile on your face!
As always Tarun you tell it differently than most and are more believable and trustworthy. Thanks. Wide horizontal dispersion: are these types of speakers better suited along the long wall? Will these types of speakers not be a good fit along the short wall (where the nearest side wall is less than three feet away?). How does room acoustic treatment affect the sound of these types of speakers when placed along the short wall (and the treatment on the side walls). Maybe it would be Best to avoid all of this and use a Narrow dispersion speaker along the short wall? Cheers
Thank you Mark. Probable too much for me to get into here but a wide dispersion speaker will have a stronger side wall reflection. Minimum distance from side walls becomes more critical (~90cms). They are fussy about placement but will provide a more immersive listening experience 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you Tarun. You never fail to reply! Thank you for taking the time to do so. You should have a talk/video about narrow vs wide dispersion speaker placements and its pros and cons along short vs long walls and what can be done to correct any problems. Not many people online talk about it. Anyway thanks again. Cheers
Hi Tarun, excellent presentation thank you. My question is regarding the Pareto Principle. Am I therefore obtaining the requisite 80/20 ratio from my 3030i’s compared to the Concept 30?
Great video Tarun. Thanks. Just a comment about modern speaker designs - they are so deep, like Q Acoustics. I know slim speakers help with diffraction but some of us have small rooms It's difficult to get them away from the front wall, so one of the first things I look at in a speaker design is it's depth. I know some people say is the distance from the driver's to the wall that counts but I don't believe that, I think it's the back of the cabinet. Am I wrong? 🤔
I've owned a lot of speakers and amps and the one product that really strikes me as punching way above it's weight is the Elac Debut DF52 floorstanding speaker - for around 760 eur / 650 pounds it really does sound amazing with the right amplification (in my case, a Hegel H95) and that's coming from someone who's main system contains of an Exsposure pre/power amp combo and a pair of Spendor A7s (which I adore by the way). Can't really think of anything that disappointed me thoroughly given it's price - I thoroughly dislike the sound of NAD amplifiers (I've owned 3) but I can't deny that they do offer a lot of features for the money.
Congratulations Tarun! You have become the "reference" reviewer in GB. Kudos! How about a comparison with the Buchardt 400 Mk2? BTW, I thought you were referring to a "Paretian optimum" which in speakers is almost impossible given the tradeoffs involved. A Paretian optimum boils down to a situation in which no matter what change you introduce the end result will sound worse. I wonder if a speaker maker will ever be able to call their top, hyperengineered model the "Pareto". I would take it with a pinch of salt. The 80/20 rule does make a lot of sense (diminishing returns) And I'd call that speaker the "Ricardo".
Great review yet again Tarun. Not sold on the speaker stands though. I still have a pair of QA 2020i's (not my main system) Q Acoustics are good value for the money in most cases. I have exposure amplification as well. Any thoughts on pros and cons of separate components compared to all in one active speakers.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 If I get it right, it's more of a perceptual issue than a signal one. I think I've heard this effect when trying to integrate a cheap subwoofer into an otherwise decent system -- and one rarely succeeds with that. Thanks for the reply.
I've tested them against the wharfedale evo 4.2, and i've to say that they have an impressive clarity and a nice punch and - to be honest - all considered they sound better than the evo. But do they sound +500 euro better to justify the extra budget? I don't think so.
Q Acoustics have some excelent speakers but I think they require some effort from the listener: how to position, what equipement to pair with etc. It's like they are hidden inside some unlockable zone. I'm wondering how these would pair not with the Iota SA3 but the stack. I'm waiting for a stack combo to arrive for my 3050i because I can tell they have a lot more to give if paired right. From what you said about the Concept 30s it actually doesn't sound like a good pairing but still... somehow I feel Q Acoustics require a lot of power behind them to work right.
Great stuff, you see that counter behind you, take two sealed speaker's and lay them sideways with the tweeters to the outside toe them in like you want. Then try various tunes that way. I found I had better bass and seemed like the tweeters were clearer. I butt the bass side against the wall. I had to tape them in place so they don't move. If you try this let me know how it sounded to you. Then you will have speaker's with the tweeters on top, on the bottom, and now on the side.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 if you try it tell me what you think. Just today I was sent a vid of someone who did the same thing about a year ago. So I guess I'm not so original. Anyway some have tried it with the tweeters inside. I'm curious what you think.
later reaction but I like the question. For me the product which punches way abowe its price is cambridge axa35 for sure, as also reported by you :), also elac dbr62 dispite it is not my kind of sound it did deliver me somme nice listening experiences, ....which is for sure not worth the hipe is css audio torii, I am disapointed, yes it is 350 dollars with flatpack but I am sure there are better options for the same price and you get finished speaker. Triangle borea br02 is also worm speaker (not like br03) and the overall music presentation is much better than torii. And the look?| :) no comparision here unles you are realy experienced with woodwork and spend couplke of days finishing the torii kit.
The Denafrips Pontus II and my new Tekton Double Impacts seem to perform above their respective price points. Two purchases I have no regrets making. 😁
Ugh down the speaker rabbit hole I go! However i think it's come down to these or the 5020i. My chain is pretty OK with a SMSL D1se DAC, Burson Soloist GT X as pre-amp (insane headphone amp) and soon to arrive Fosi V3 Mono blocks (two PSU version), they push around 160w at 6Ω. So they are the weakest link in the chain, but I think they'll do just fine for now.
For aesthetic reasons many prefer a compact floorstander with the same cabinet volume. Takes up less space and looks less intrusive when you consider the stand 🙂
@@abritishaudiophile7314 okay I can see that. Btw, what are your thoughts on the NHT C Series C-3 speaker? Have you reviewed or heard them? Thank you Sir 👍🏽
Budget guy here running 3050s with Sonos Amp. Looking to upgrade bit to a bookshelf. But I wonder if my Sonos Amp is good enough to drive speakers in this range
What speakers are designed to work close against a wall? I imagine they should be front ported. Im looking for a pair to do both stereo duties and work as tv speakers with a NAD M10 via earc. They would need to be close to the back wall. Likely to add a sub too.
i went from rubicon to epicon. they are amazing. u just have to weigh up if u think its worth it. i am now debating whether to go to martin duke2. they are unbelievable. is there no end.
Hi Tarun! Please advise shelf acoustics for a room of 17 sq.m. for listening at a low volume of jazz, female, male vocals. Budget up to 2000 US $. Thanks in advance.
Please keep doing this : pair the speakers in question with minimum 5 amplifiers that gradually increase in price. Your conclusions are making me think that I would rather spend my money on large, clean amplification power than speakers.
SD Acoustic sd3r on original stands. Best speakers i ever had, chose them over speakers costing 10 times more. Typical british cotage industry, though : no service, no available parts, a one man company with 2 products, and gone from the map within less than 10 years. When they died, no one could fix them. But i still miss them like hell.
Good day to you too Sir. Well spotted, I missed a week due to dealing with house renovations. The sun is shining this Friday evening. Time to open a beer 🍺👍
Congratulations! You’ve crossed 50K subscribers! Well deserved.
Thank you for all the support you have given me on this journey Jeremy 👍😊👍
Tarun, I appreciate you and what you openly share through your reviews. You are very consistent. I recall your review of the Concept 300s that I had recently purchased. I commented, you responded on many of the points you reinforced here. I was drawn to Q because of the unique engineering and distribution direct to consumer model and process. I am in agreement that the detail is at times lacking. The Qs are still great to listen to. I have experimented with matching components with some success. I do wonder beyond creating a signature house sound why the detail piece in not addressed.
My point here is thanks for your consistency and insight. It helps to keep the education building. Love your curiosity in matching this video to your curiosity (and mine) regarding 80/20. Keep it coming and thanks again.
Thank you John. It is wonderful to get feedback like that 👍😊👍
For an audiophil it is a pure pleasure to enjoy to the each word you have use in this maliculous review.
BRAVO! ... again and again.
Thank you my friend. Your support is very generous and always appreciated 👍😊👍
Thanks Tarun, concise and to the point as usual. You have become one of the best reviewer‘s out there. Keep up the great work!
Thank you my friend 😊👍
Tarun, great review, as always! 5 years ago I was lucky to find a pair of used Q acoustics Concept 40 that I'm still in love with (they replaced a pair of PSB Image 4t). I've tried several other speakers around the price of the Q acoustics: Tekton Lore Reference, Elac Uni-fi UF52, Revel Concerta 2 F35, and none come close to the level of enjoyment the Q acoustics provide. A bit of warmth but still very detailed and such an engaging sound! With the current amplification (Audiolab 6000A) the Q acoustics have been way superior to all the others. After watching your review on the REL subwoofer, I might go that route instead of upgrading my beloved Concept 40.
Thank you my friend. Much appreciated. I think add a sub is definitely worth investing 😊👍
Sevenoaks are selling them for £499 at the moment should you want a backup pair.
Thx for your review on the concept speakers!!
I was thinking about purchasing a pair of concepts 40s to go with my Audiolab 6000a (pre out ) to a 8000 power amp.
At present in running a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 5 floor standers.
Would the concept 40s be a noticeable upgrade?
Thx
First of all a big congratulations 🥳 for 50k subscribers well done 👏 and thanks again for absolutely brilliant video.
Thank you Atri. Much appreciated 😊👍
80/20, that's hard to beat, the way to go. I believe it. Great review thank you.
Thank you Andrew 👍
Informative and interesting as always, I enjoyed your review and am looking forward to the next.
Thank you Sean. Much appreciated 😊👍
Hi Tarun. I have the Qacoustics 3020i and they are a wonderful easy listen. I have them for my tv watching and they still surprise me for the price. For my stereo listening I think the Wharfedale Denton 80’s punch well above their weight / price point in sound quality. Especially with that other quiet achiever the Hegel H95. Have a great weekend.
Thank you for watching and sharing Hamdc 👍
Hi tarun, thanks for another great review, ive had several Q acoustic speakers in the past, always liked the house sound, slightly laid back which I like, looking forward to another review soon.
Thank you Paul 👍
I have a set in my kitchen/snug running off a Yamaha R-N803D. Not my main system which is in the living room. The speakers are either side of the TV on a long low media unit. With some fiddling of the amp with YPAO volume off, treble up a tad, volume cranked to -8 and the loudness knob turned down a couple notches, listening to music was very enjoyable but low down there was something I could not put my finger on? I then put the speakers on isolation pads and stuck some Samuel Kim music on. Wow! The system is transformed. Punchy base, stunning mids and highs. I could not believe how the pads changed the game without the resonance of the speakers on the unit. I didn’t have the room for stands and like most people, they go on top of something. The Yamaha pairs brilliantly with these and I now listen to majority of my music on this set up 👍
Thank you for sharing 😊
The Q acoustics 3020is were the first stereo stand mount speakers I ever really listen to.
Q acoustics will always have a place in my heart... what a beautiful warm sounding speaker.
Thank you. I bet you would like this one too 😊👍
I like your considered, no waffle review. I've not seen your videos before but based on this video I'll be back.
I remember many years ago being 17-18 and my friends and I fitted a 400 watts car amplifier. The difference between 15w x4 of the car stereo and 100w x4 of the amplifier was immense. We never expected the amplifier to make such a difference. Just like in your review where you mention these speakers need an amp with enough oomph. So true.
Thanks for the smart review.
Thank you TA. I appreciate you watching and sharing 👍
Tarun, you have thrown the ball into my court about Q Acoustics.. a brand I have not researched. Thank you for your opinion, and thank you for sharing your opinion. I am only now exploring equipment that I have never researched before.
Great. Please let me know how you get on 😊
Great video! I own the Q 3030is and drive them with a class D amp on my desktop setup. Absolutely love the sound. But I never could understand why this pairing is SO GOOD but your explanation towards the end in regards to handling the impedance is probably spot on! Thanks again!
Thank you buddy 👍
Which Classs D amp?
@@AmbientWanderer just a cheap Loxjie A30 amp. For whatever reason, the synergy between the two is fantastic!
@@themarklar8759 My 3030i arrived yesterday, pairing with a Smsl A300
Can't wait to hear them when fully run in
Out of the box they seemed a little congested but after some hours they're loosening up
Will reserve my opinions till 50 hours or so 🙂
great review! I feel my wharfedale Linton 85 anniversary speakers are an excellent value (I love classical and jazz)
Thank you Matthias 👍
I love what you you do Tarun, You review interesting components with lots of detail. But this review shows how you can get most of the performance for less money. Something that is very important to me as I am trying to put together a system at the moment, even though I have just found this review. Great reviews, keep it up Tarun.
Thank you Mustafa. That is very kind of you to say 😊👍
Just wish to say again how much I appreciate your comparisons to known standards e.g., your Proacs. Hearing you describe how a product varies from this standard helps me form educated opinions of a product. Not that I expect a $1000 speaker to equal the performance of a $3000 speaker, but good to know the differences.
Thank you my friend. Much appreciated 😊👍
Great review Tarun 👍. Good to see the comparison with few other brands.
Thank you 😊
Good review....i bought a pair of white Concepts 30's but use Partington Ansa 60 speaker stands with 2 x 3m of QED XT400 speaker cable....used bi-amp'd with an 11 channel Dolby Atmos £2500 AV amp i was very impressed with the sound....later on i bought an Emotiva BasX A2 stereo power amp to get a better hifi sound...the Concept 30's & the Emotiva BasX A2 power amp plugged into the AV amp's RCA outputs with 50cm Chord C-Line RCA audio interconnect cables.. they really elevated the sound...real hifi, the Emotiva 160w-8ohms, 250w-4ohms, has a bass damping factor of 200 so fantastic deep controlled bass with real grip & extension...the mids were cleaner, as was all the frequency range, & the treble sounded very detailed & more neutral...i think i will keep these for a while, used with an SVS SB1000 Pro subwoofer (optional) i'm very impressed.....
Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊
Thanks for your review Tarun. Can you shed a light on portnoise from the Q30s? I owned the Concept 20s, but playing loud was quite 'noisy' at times. I also feel they changed their soundsignature, for the C20s did have a lot of top-end and maybe a leaner sound, less lush. Congratz with 50K+ 👌
Thank you Mike. I listened up to the mid eighties dB level and didn’t hear anything anomalous 😊
Another highly enjoyable review. Thank you for taking time to explain the sound with various amps.
Many years ago, put together my first decent hi-fi system. With much help from a salesperson at a store which no longer exists. NAD and B&W. Really enjoyable rig. 80% of the best? Don't know, but it sure played music and sounded better to my ears than several very expensive systems I heard at shows and in shops.
Thank you. Always a joy to learn about your experiences 👍
Excellent review TARUN, thanks again.
I’ve been curious about these speakers for some time, haven’t heard any of them yet. But your review confirms my thoughts, musical and a little relaxed… could work, or not.
Loved the: Spica TC 50’s
Naim Nait… original
Spendor 3/5R2’s
Exposure 2010s….still have it!!
Not so much:
Reference 3a Dulcets Be… bright
B&W 606’s… hated the tweeter!!
Omega 3i monitors….absolutely no bass… and I was so hopeful for these to be great!!
Ran them in forever… no dice.
Others of course, but we don’t have enough room here :)
Please keep it going, love your style.
R
Thank you Rob. That is very kind 😊👍
Hi Tarun, That is a great review. And it is very informative, though Q Acoustics is just not my brand. And that is mainly for the looks. I prefer the classical (or vintage) proportions for a speaker. The 80 / 20 rule is unbeatable and it is also hard to swallow, for me at least to spend so much more to get so little more. Maybe I am not the most critical listener. I certainly do understand what a high end system can bring to the table but if I get above the threshold of what is acceptable to me, I can be happy with the result. The core of my system (speakers, amp) is 40 years old. For sure I can identify flaws in my system. But when I sit down and listen to an album, I realize how much fun it is to listen to this system and not what could be better.
Thank you Hugo. It is tremendous how much listening pleasure that system must have given you over the years 👍😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks for replying, Tarun. I actually put it together over the past few years. It started with the speakers that I really liked when they where new (Magnat All Ribbon series). I could buy them on eBay in perfect cosmetic condition (literally no blemish). That was an impulse buy. And then came the Amp which was even more of an impulse buy. That went literally like. Now I need an amp, here, there is a buy it now Luxman for 130 Euro, lets try that. The combination happened to be very synergistic. (I have tried it with other amps just to hear the difference but Luxman hits the mark)
I owned a ChiFi integrated amp by a now-defunct company called Dared (not sure how that's pronounced -- I've always tried to say 'DAH-red' but I suppose it was really supposed to be 'DAIRD') and it was a shocker at $449. Tube buffer in the preamp stage, class-D power stage, 1 six-channel analog input and 1 conventional 2-channel analog input. Six speaker terminals. It ran a pair of notoriously tricky Salk Songtowers for years, and never once ran out of puff. Really fun stuff.
I'm coming back to the earlier reviews on this channel because things seem to be focusing for me here in Cambodia, down to the PMC Prodigy 1's, the Amphion Argon 1's, the Alchris Audio AR-6's, the KEF R3 Meta's (not price-appropriate) or the Audio Physic Classic 3's. But due diligence demands that I review the other choices, and these are both intriguing and slightly easier to get here.
Thx for the update 😊
Hi Tarun, another good review. Since you have the Cambridge AXA35 in for review, if you have a chance pop the cover and look at the power amp section. I had one for a while before upgrading the Rotel A11 Tribute. As memory serves, the power amp section is a dual-mono configuration with two pairs of filter caps, one pair for each channel, and a large torodial transformer. This is likely why it had no issue driving the C30s. BTW, adjusting for inflation, the AXA 35 is about the same price as a NAD 3020 from the mid-seventies. That's pretty amazing.
Thank you Larry. Will do 👍
I bought the Concept 20 on sales à few months ago and I'm really happy with it, great speakers for the 300€ euros I paid 👍
Cool 😎
Always informative, many thanks..
Thank you buddy 👍
Q is never a disappointment!
They have a remarkable track record 😊
I have to say I really admire affordable Q Acoustics. Having demoed the Concept 30s with the Dacless Leema Pulse, they make a cracking combo.
I always, wherever possible, try to match light with dark (neutral with smooth) or a sonic yin and yang. The Leema demonstrates traits of being punchy and grippy in the mid and lower frequencies, while the HFs is clean, crisp and precise. It really is an impressive combo as the Leema slightly manipulates the natural characteristics of the Concept
30s. I'm struggling to think of a better balanced combo below £1000 for each component.
That is great richard 👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314
If you're looking for a modern equivalent to the Leema Pulse in terms of making those Concepts sing, Tarun's description of the new Yamaha A-S 1200 seems the closest. Like the Leema the Yamaha should make those Q Acoustics really sound the biz.
A lot of my current gear punches above its weight. You can't go very wrong if you listen to reviewers you trust (you are very much one of those) and cross-compare what they all say.
Having said that, one item stands out to me in terms of bang for the buck. It's a Topping E30 DAC I bought for just over £100 a while back when I only had a Sony DN1080 AV amp. I forgot about it when I got my Audiolab 6000A, kind of assuming the latter's internal DAC would be better. But after I moved the 6000A into a second system in my study fairly recently, I thought I'd give the Topping another try. Lo and behold, to my ears it sounded a worthwhile improvement.
Maybe in part that's because I could connect it directly via USB to my computer and then use its line output to connect to the 6000A using a spare pair of QED C-line RCA cables (also sterling value at £40). I could then dispense with my Douk audio XMOS XU208 DDC (yet more good value at around £35, but which necessitated optical or coaxial connection to the 6000A), taking advantage of the Topping's inbuilt XMOS convertor.
So perhaps it's not only the quality of gear, but what kind of facilities it offers and whether that allows you to maximise the potential of bits and bobs you have lying around anyway. Being the thrifty sort, I get a kick from piddling around trying no-extra-cost experiments! 🙂
Thank you for sharing your experiences John 😊
When I first seriously got into hifi in the early 80s, my first turntable was the ubiquitous Rega Planer 3 which I think cost me just under £300. In some considerable years later, I upgraded??? To the Project Perspective at almost 5 times the price. No contest, the Rega far out performed the Project. Or, more accurately, I much preferred the tonal quality of the Rega! Much more recently, I upgraded my Rega Elicit to a 3 times the price pair of monoblocks. Yes, they out perform tge Rega, but not by that much.
Very interesting. Thank you Howard 👍
I’ll be looking forward to your Cambridge AX35 amplifier review. I have the CXA-81 and I really like it paired with my Polk R200 bookshelf speakers. 🤘🏼🎸🤘🏼
Thank you. Review will be out soon 😊
I have the cambridge audio axa35 and really thinks it shines at it's price point. Same thing for their cd player which comes in at the same price now. Not to mention it makes a lovely looking stack of equipment in the listening room.
Thank you for sharing. My review of the AXA35 is coming out soon 👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 looking forward to it!
Great review! Thanks.
Thank you Lonnie 👍
Hi Tarun, great review. I’m shamelessly biased towards Monitor Audio, as you know, so how about checking these against the latest Silver 100. I’m guessing they will be about as different as two pairs of conventional driver speakers can be.
Thank you Mark. I have tried contacting them but never get a response 😊
80/20, I really enjoy my Kef Q150s, which sometimes go on sale for US $300 (price I paid). My budget doesn’t allow for the $1,600 Kef LS 50 Meta, but I suspect 80/20 is spot on.
Thank you Jeff 👍
Another great video Tarun.👍🎧😁
Thank you Shane 😊👍
Two loudspeakers have caused me to double turn over recent years giving a clear WOW! Budget and diminutive size yet huge performance, Q Acoustics. Cost no object Raidho. Both of these are standmount which I love but run floorstanders myself
Thank you 👍
I have some Concept 20s, a few years old but they sound f**king amazing. Tidal through the tv into a 6000a via optical, QED silver and I’m a happy boy 😃
Cool 😎
Hi, Tarun. How do you thik they will pair with a Cambridge Audio EVO 150? I am thinking about getting these speakers. Thank you, keep up the great work!
@@valentinobv thank you. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard the Evo 150 😊
In Quality Management and gathering statistical data we always used to remark that 80% of customer feedback comes from 20% of your customer base,…at best lol
That is a good example of the Pareto principle 😊
this is a very helpful review @ 12:55
Thank you 👍
Audio Physic Tempo 35 is punching way over it’s price range. That’s impressive when you see the price. Feed it good power with a big amp and you’ll have a big smile on your face!
Cool 😎
As always Tarun you tell it differently than most and are more believable and trustworthy. Thanks. Wide horizontal dispersion: are these types of speakers better suited along the long wall? Will these types of speakers not be a good fit along the short wall (where the nearest side wall is less than three feet away?). How does room acoustic treatment affect the sound of these types of speakers when placed along the short wall (and the treatment on the side walls). Maybe it would be Best to avoid all of this and use a Narrow dispersion speaker along the short wall? Cheers
Thank you Mark. Probable too much for me to get into here but a wide dispersion speaker will have a stronger side wall reflection. Minimum distance from side walls becomes more critical (~90cms). They are fussy about placement but will provide a more immersive listening experience 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you Tarun. You never fail to reply! Thank you for taking the time to do so. You should have a talk/video about narrow vs wide dispersion speaker placements and its pros and cons along short vs long walls and what can be done to correct any problems. Not many people online talk about it. Anyway thanks again. Cheers
🤗👍THANKS TARUN… another great review for WHOM THE 🔔 BELL TOLLS… for this kind of speakers and I am just chiming in to say hello 👋 😍😍😍
Thank you buddy 😊👍
Hi Tarun, excellent presentation thank you. My question is regarding the Pareto Principle. Am I therefore obtaining the requisite 80/20 ratio from my 3030i’s compared to the Concept 30?
Thx. Oh yes, that principle is well applied to HiFi 😊
Excellent
Thank you Jose 😊👍
Great video Tarun. Thanks.
Just a comment about modern speaker designs - they are so deep, like Q Acoustics. I know slim speakers help with diffraction but some of us have small rooms It's difficult to get them away from the front wall, so one of the first things I look at in a speaker design is it's depth. I know some people say is the distance from the driver's to the wall that counts but I don't believe that, I think it's the back of the cabinet. Am I wrong? 🤔
Thank you Ada. Both matter but the distance from the driver is the more critical factor 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks for clearing that up Tarun.👍
Looking forward to Cambridge AXA35 review.
Thank you. Won’t be long 😊
Hi Tarun, when you get a minute, could you talk about BMR speakers? Is it a technology worth considering?
I appreciate the suggestion 😊
I've owned a lot of speakers and amps and the one product that really strikes me as punching way above it's weight is the Elac Debut DF52 floorstanding speaker - for around 760 eur / 650 pounds it really does sound amazing with the right amplification (in my case, a Hegel H95) and that's coming from someone who's main system contains of an Exsposure pre/power amp combo and a pair of Spendor A7s (which I adore by the way).
Can't really think of anything that disappointed me thoroughly given it's price - I thoroughly dislike the sound of NAD amplifiers (I've owned 3) but I can't deny that they do offer a lot of features for the money.
Thank you. Great to learn about your experiences 😊
Congratulations Tarun! You have become the "reference" reviewer in GB. Kudos!
How about a comparison with the Buchardt 400 Mk2?
BTW, I thought you were referring to a "Paretian optimum" which in speakers is almost impossible given the tradeoffs involved. A Paretian optimum boils down to a situation in which no matter what change you introduce the end result will sound worse. I wonder if a speaker maker will ever be able to call their top, hyperengineered model the "Pareto". I would take it with a pinch of salt. The 80/20 rule does make a lot of sense (diminishing returns) And I'd call that speaker the "Ricardo".
Thank you Juan. Much appreciated. I will keep an eye out for Pareto and Ricardo models 😂👍
Great review yet again Tarun. Not sold on the speaker stands though.
I still have a pair of QA 2020i's (not my main system) Q Acoustics are good value for the money in most cases.
I have exposure amplification as well.
Any thoughts on pros and cons of separate components compared to all in one active speakers.
Thank you buddy. I prefer analogue Active speakers with the digital components in a separate external box 👍
Can you explain amplfier "a little bit of bleed through from the bass into the mid-range"? I'm not familiar with this factor.
Certainly. A lack of definition at low frequencies can obscure detail especially in the midrange 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 If I get it right, it's more of a perceptual issue than a signal one. I think I've heard this effect when trying to integrate a cheap subwoofer into an otherwise decent system -- and one rarely succeeds with that. Thanks for the reply.
I've tested them against the wharfedale evo 4.2, and i've to say that they have an impressive clarity and a nice punch and - to be honest - all considered they sound better than the evo.
But do they sound +500 euro better to justify the extra budget? I don't think so.
Thank you for sharing 😊
Q Acoustics have some excelent speakers but I think they require some effort from the listener: how to position, what equipement to pair with etc. It's like they are hidden inside some unlockable zone. I'm wondering how these would pair not with the Iota SA3 but the stack. I'm waiting for a stack combo to arrive for my 3050i because I can tell they have a lot more to give if paired right. From what you said about the Concept 30s it actually doesn't sound like a good pairing but still... somehow I feel Q Acoustics require a lot of power behind them to work right.
Thank Iota stack may work well but I didn’t have the power amps to try for myself 😊
Great stuff, you see that counter behind you, take two sealed speaker's and lay them sideways with the tweeters to the outside toe them in like you want. Then try various tunes that way. I found I had better bass and seemed like the tweeters were clearer. I butt the bass side against the wall. I had to tape them in place so they don't move. If you try this let me know how it sounded to you. Then you will have speaker's with the tweeters on top, on the bottom, and now on the side.
Interesting. Thank you for sharing Neil 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 if you try it tell me what you think. Just today I was sent a vid of someone who did the same thing about a year ago. So I guess I'm not so original. Anyway some have tried it with the tweeters inside. I'm curious what you think.
later reaction but I like the question. For me the product which punches way abowe its price is cambridge axa35 for sure, as also reported by you :), also elac dbr62 dispite it is not my kind of sound it did deliver me somme nice listening experiences, ....which is for sure not worth the hipe is css audio torii, I am disapointed, yes it is 350 dollars with flatpack but I am sure there are better options for the same price and you get finished speaker. Triangle borea br02 is also worm speaker (not like br03) and the overall music presentation is much better than torii. And the look?| :) no comparision here unles you are realy experienced with woodwork and spend couplke of days finishing the torii kit.
Thank you for sharing 😊
The Denafrips Pontus II and my new Tekton Double Impacts seem to perform above their respective price points. Two purchases I have no regrets making. 😁
Thank you Tom 👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank *you.* Your excellent review of the Pontus strongly influenced my decision to buy it.
Ugh down the speaker rabbit hole I go!
However i think it's come down to these or the 5020i.
My chain is pretty OK with a SMSL D1se DAC, Burson Soloist GT X as pre-amp (insane headphone amp) and soon to arrive Fosi V3 Mono blocks (two PSU version), they push around 160w at 6Ω. So they are the weakest link in the chain, but I think they'll do just fine for now.
Thx for sharing 😊
Hallo i have the concept 20, do you think the concept 30 is an upgrade for me?
Thank you
Hello!
Addendum to my question yesterday:
I listen at low volume in the evening. What shelf acoustics would you recommend before 2000 US$?
Ahh pukka review 👌
You’re so much more thorough than me. 😊
Thank you buddy. Very kind but just different in style. Love your take in traditional British monitors 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 that’s very kind of you.
kudos for breaching the subject of; some amps just not liking some speakers.
Thank you 😊
Question, why does it seem like bookshelf speakers are getting smaller and smaller? Why aren't more of them bigger and 3 way?
For aesthetic reasons many prefer a compact floorstander with the same cabinet volume. Takes up less space and looks less intrusive when you consider the stand 🙂
@@abritishaudiophile7314 okay I can see that. Btw, what are your thoughts on the NHT C Series C-3 speaker? Have you reviewed or heard them? Thank you Sir 👍🏽
I guess manufacturers have to go with the market.
Less space in most uk homes these days
I wonder if they would make decent front 5.1 speakers?
Good question. They have a 5.1 package based on them, the Concept 50 floorstander and the Concept 90 centre channel 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Ooo thank you!
Would love your input on pairing concept 30 with Audiolab 6000a.
I suspect the pay will work well together but the 6000A went back long ago 😊
Hi, could they work with hometheater amp's like yamaha 479 rx ?
Worth trying to find out 😉
Budget guy here running 3050s with Sonos Amp. Looking to upgrade bit to a bookshelf. But I wonder if my Sonos Amp is good enough to drive speakers in this range
I will depend on the speaker but you may want to upgrade amp at the same time 😊
What speakers are designed to work close against a wall? I imagine they should be front ported. Im looking for a pair to do both stereo duties and work as tv speakers with a NAD M10 via earc. They would need to be close to the back wall. Likely to add a sub too.
Normally a wide front baffle and a shallow depth are good indicators 😊
Will the Blue power node drive the 30’s with good match?
On paper,Mayes but these things are hard to predict 😊
Any update on a possible review of the Sibelius speakers?
Would love to but it will have to wait until after the house renovations are finished 😊
I have a pair of Dali Rubicon 2. I wonder how much better the Dali Epicon speakers are as they are much more expensive.
I would like to find out myself at some point 👍
i went from rubicon to epicon. they are amazing. u just have to weigh up if u think its worth it. i am now debating whether to go to martin duke2. they are unbelievable. is there no end.
@@neilnewby1041 Great! This hobby can get expensive quickly 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 tell me about it. Just spent £45 on 4 pieces of wood basically to keep cables off floor. 😂😂
Q Acoustics are better
I suspect the Concept 50 is the real star of the range.
I hope to find out 😉
Hi Tarun! Please advise shelf acoustics for a room of 17 sq.m. for listening at a low volume of jazz, female, male vocals. Budget up to 2000 US $. Thanks in advance.
I am not sure I understand the question 😊
Curious if the Concept 30s are worth the 50% premium over the 5020s?
I would need to AB them to find out 😊
I'm looking at the concept 40 to go with a powernode but can't find many reviews on it
I think it has been discontinued 🤔
@@abritishaudiophile7314 late response I know they went down to £500 but my brother offered me Kef q950 for £700 so couldn't say no
Hi buddy. Can these speakers be used as front surround speakers???
They could be 😊
I want it to pair with my NAD C326BEE. Good match?
It could be but only way to know is to try 😊
So the proac d2's kill these?
Asking because I've demoed the concert 30's and am gonna try the proacs.
The ProAc D2s are in a different class and price point 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 should be interesting then. Actually starting to like testing all these diffrent speakers😃
Is it some sort of convention that polypropylene capacitors are yellow and electrolytic capacitors are blue?
No but I get what you mean 😊
any chance reviewing martin parker duke before i spend 6 grand
I hope to get to them in time Neil 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 great
i have heard the martin duke 2. they are amazing. just b nice to know your thoughts
@@neilnewby1041 I have only heard them at shows but they sounded good 😊
I'm watching Antiques Road Trip reruns. I saw this familiar expert....That you Raj?
Nope 😉
Both of you are as close to approximation of a British version of Telly "Kojack" Savales as I've seen.
@@bruce8429 😂
@@bruce8429 It’s Kojak.
Please keep doing this : pair the speakers in question with minimum 5 amplifiers that gradually increase in price. Your conclusions are making me think that I would rather spend my money on large, clean amplification power than speakers.
Thank you Gökhan 😊👍
Will I get 80% of the Concept 30's performance in much cheaper 3030i?
I would have to get one in to find out 😊
SD Acoustic sd3r on original stands. Best speakers i ever had, chose them over speakers costing 10 times more. Typical british cotage industry, though : no service, no available parts, a one man company with 2 products, and gone from the map within less than 10 years. When they died, no one could fix them. But i still miss them like hell.
Thank you for sharing 😊
Only rule that comes to mind is: no money-> buy Amphion. Have money->buy Gradient or Aurelia 😄 Might be a Finnish thing..
I lose a little money on each audio transaction but make up for it in volume.
Cool 😎 I love your enthusiasm 👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 More like resignation.
Good Day to You, Mr. A.B.A. !
... I feel like you weren't around for a bit?
ABA = Alcohol Booze Anonymous
Good day to you too Sir. Well spotted, I missed a week due to dealing with house renovations. The sun is shining this Friday evening. Time to open a beer 🍺👍
You are looking stunning again. Wife does makeup? Is this an engineer's speaker? Can you get a Borreson 01 to review? $10k I believe.
Thank you Jeff. No make up, I just trimmed the stubble 😉👍
How do they compare to 3030i?
I haven’t heard the 3030i in a proper environment as yet 😊