I have the 3030i with the NAD c328 and Topping d70s external dac. In this setup with the NAD's clean power and Topping's clarity, the 3030i's are clear, balanced, agile in the bass, and can extend far into the treble without being harsh. They create full and coherent performance, more so than the Wharfedale Denton 80th anniversary that I also own. They are not a difficult speaker to drive, compared to the Dentons which must be pushed to get the best from them.
All about gear matching it is. Although it's advertised as an easy to drive speaker, they can use some kick. The NAD c328 does exactly that 👍. Quote: "Stay away from amps that veer dark because the 1-inch soft-dome tweeter needs some illumination". And: "Feed them a balanced diet of power, neutrality, and some midrange punch and you might come away thinking these are the best sounding...etc."
Nice comparison sound demo. Trying to decide between these two right now is tough. The bass level on the Polk R200 are impressive in person. I've heard them paired with a Marantz NR1200 at full volume. I have not heard the Q Acoustics 3030i in person, so this sound demo helps me out alot. Salute!!!
If your a bass head get the q acoustics. The highs are a little laid back. I'm getting the kef 350 to compare the two. I think the the kefs are more detailed but it comes at a price, a sub is a must with them.
It reminded me when I tested the QA 3030i and the Elac Debut Reference DBR 62 where the QA 3030i sounded all metallic, artificial, digitized and the Elac sounded much more natural, refined, smooth, realistic and musical. The Polk R200, Elac Debut Reference, Wharfedale Evo 4.1, 4.2 are much more musical than the QA 3030i. Try to test the Dali Oberon 1, MA Silver 50 6G and the Sonus Faber Lumina 1. And try to test the Rotel A11 Tribute.
The DBR62 are one of my favorite Elacs, a bit warmer and sweeter than the other Debut models, and from what I've heard on UA-cam from the MA Silver 100, they are really quite good and compete favorably with anything in their price range too
For me the R200's have a much cleaner, balanced and outlined presentation. I found the Q Acoustics slightly more colored in the midrange, where lower mids smear voices and instruments, therefore less outlined. Top-end of the Q's is slightly more pronounced and forward, but not in a bad way. I used to own the Q Acoustics Concept 20's, which I found superior to the 3030i's, re. details, dynamics and 'clean' soundstage, however, minus bass. The Q3030i is overall a tough and strong contender, considering its pricepoint.
@@Cmytker For my (large) room it didn't hold up well. It was much better with a subwoofer, but there's a limit to these little guys. I also had the special stands for them. Unfort. I can't afford to keep everything (wish I could), in order to buy some new gear/upgrades. Still miss them though.
@@34332 Thanks for your response! I have them aswell, but recently I find them little shrill, thin and recognise sibilance pretty much. Before I sell them I will try a different amp. Need something more forward sounding I think.
@@Cmytker Welcome! In fact, you need to EQ them at lower mids to get the best, they have a dip at that point. Heavy stands will improve (mid)bass a lot, but at 62Hz you can't really expect much weight, still, it should be fast and dynamic. Paired with a sub does change everything! Distance to wall is also important, but it takes effort to get it right. When you look at the (bi)wiring posts, try to connect the plus wire to top right (red) and negative bottom left (black). There's was (for me) a slight difference in sound when you connect only the top +/- connects, bottom connects or crossed (as adviced by Q Acoustics. Also check the metal connecting rods for good contact. Probably you know this all, but maybe there are some tips you can use. 😄
By my ears, you can switch out the drivers and all on each and they would be the same. Mind you, I'm 72 and with a little loss in hearing, so I'll stand by the other comments, relating to the dynamics of the two. Good onya for the match.
Something I can actually comment on because I owned the 3030i and own the R200. No comparison, the R200 hands down in every category. The 3030i lacks detail, sharp, but lacks detail. Bass can be boomy and artificial on the 3030i, its not the quickest either. Construction LOOKS solid but sounded hollow when doing the knuckle test. The 3030i is an average speaker at best. No comparison to the 12.2 and R200.
knuckle test? no, it can't be fairly judged by this old fashioned trick. There's low cost beam structure (point to point as they advertised) for reducing the enclosure resonance. It works to some degree actually. I don't disagree the R200 is superior if thinking about the technical side. 3030i has it's own advantage for not being very detail.
@@34332 should have kept it Mike, both excel at their strenghts. Till this day, I still prefer the 12.2 over the R200, especially with neutral and analytical amps.
@@zeppzepp1234 i have not mentioned anything about resonance, its just an average built speaker. Looks solid, far from it. In fact the cabinet is one of the worst Ive come across. Now compare that cabinet to the 12.2 and it now feels like plastic. Speaking of resonance, data shows its the main cause of all the peakings on the 3030i, so it isnt great at it either. It was a good speaker back then, till a few great speakers showed up and taught the 3030i something about sounding great for very little money.
@@AbsoluteFidelity Yep, unfortunately my wife doesn't share the same passion (can't hide them) Already have some sort of audio museum. Still, when opportunity strikes, one never knows. 😄
I don't know. It's so hard to really make a decision about a speaker through UA-cam, because you have your room interaction and then also you can kind of judge tone a little bit through you too, but ultimately it is difficult. But what I hear is with the 3030. I hear it has a bit more forward. Mid-range whereas the r200 is a little bit more. Recessed in it's mid-range honestly, I've had q acoustics speakers and I always thought they were very enjoyable to listen to, like they weren't anything special per se but they were just enjoyable. Enjoyable kind of middle of the road. Sort of sound. Like you could choose one of their speakers and it wouldn't blow you away, but you'd be happy with it. But at least you wouldn't be disappointed with it either
The Q Acoustics doesn't sound terrible, they are just are a bit bland and unexciting, and are bettered by too many other speakers in their price range, and, like most others under $1k, can't begin to compete with the Polks. It's interesting to note that these Q Acoustics were designed by the same guy that designed the Wharfedale 12 series, before he left Q to join Wharfedale, yet they share very little in the way of design or sound quality featiures to the Diamonds. I know some here may not agree with me, but if I had that kind of money to spend, and couldn't afford to move up to the Polks, I'd much rather have the Q150 or Bronze 50 than the Qs, or even the much cheaper Polk S20
Fink is just a project hired gun. His team designed for products of many different brands. The design purpose should not be to make a ultimate speaker but rather to fit different segments of the market for different taste.
I couldn't care less if someone disagrees 😄. However, I would suggest to scale up, if possible, to the Bronze 100's re. more body. I found the Q150's surprisingly good and also Elac, like you mentioned in another comment, is a very competent (warmer) speaker. There's a reason why so many people love turntables and tube amps, driving highly analytical speakers 😄
For 2/3 the price, Q Acoustics 3030i wins in the value category. I hear the same level of details from both speakers. Deeper bass and more soundstage depth from R200. R200 is laid back while 3030i is forward sounding. I've heard comparisons between 3030i and Bronze 2 from DSAUDIO.review channel and found very little difference. The R200 are probably quite better than the Bronze 2. But in this video, R200 is not much better than 3030i. I'm surprised by this comparison actually.
I saw a comparison on UA-cam they must have been asked to take it down because they had one Polk r 500 tower with the same x port for bass against the Q acoustics 3050i tower and they were playing bass tones down to 35 hz and the Polk was just hummin the bass while the Q acoustics was chaffing pretty bad. I own the R 200s and very happy with them and how well they compare to speakers twice the price
The 3030i isn't completely trounced by the R200, but it is easier to tell them apart with your eyes closed than it is with the Q150's. They are more fiilled in and forward in the low and center midrange than the Polks, and even more compared to the Q150's, but in a slightly unatural way. They're pretty clean, reasonably detailed, and bass is decent. I think they're fairly pleasant sounding, aside from a subtle nasal quality in the midrange. They're just not super transparent or exciting sounding. They sound like what they are, a decent, nice looking pair of affordable hifi speakers.
E project. If you even still have them, can you do a demo of the Polk R100's again with the new set up? Please compare them to the Q350, or the UB52, wich we havn't heard with the current set up either. Thank you.
On second listen, the 3030i does sound really good. In direct comparsions to the Q150 and Bronze 50, they sound more full bodied and closer to the R200 than either of those, which both sound thinner than these. I guess I'm just spoiled by the R200 and Q350, and the Metas and R3s too, of course. The only problem is, at $469, they cost as much as the UB52 on sale, and only about $100 less than the Diamond 12.2
@@DougMen1 I was a bit dissapointed by them. They aren't bad, and I didn't expect them to be great, but I thought they were a little better from a couple other demos I've heard, like that comparison with the DBR62, where I don't remember them sounding nasal to me. I'll listen to it again tomorrow. Maybei they'll sound better 😁
@@williammiebach1798Well, the DBR62 is the sweetest Elac I've heard yet, at least of the ones under $1,000. I think it also comes down to system matching. Like all brighter speakers they need a warmer amp than the Arcam. In the sample video of both them and the MA Bronze 2 from DSAUDIO.review, they both sounded great with the Denon PMA600NE. IMO, on that channel, both the 3030i and MA Bronze 2 sound as good as the DBR62 with all 3 driven by the Denon. I'm starting to think that's the amp to beat under $500. There's 3 videos there on that channel, one with the DBR62 and 3030i, one with the DBR62 and Bronze 2, and one with the 3030i and Bronze 2, and the amp in all 3 is the Denon, and they all sound awesome with that amp
@@DougMen1 But the Arcam has not been forward in the mids with any speaker till now. Usually it's been the opposite. That's why I was so surprised they sounded accentuated there. Maybe it's one of those strange contrary interactions going on, but since he doesn't seem to use any other amps anymore, we may never know. I asked him for a comparisons of both the Q350's and UB52's against the Polk R100's if he even has those anymore. I didn't even bother to ask for a different amp.
To me (on here) the 3030is are a bit more mid/upper-mid forward and warmer. The R200s as always sound very neutral, maybe to a fault for domestic speakers. E, Can we ve have UB52s vs Metas ? Please, pretty please ? I'm sure it's on your to do list.
I wish I could hear these speakers in person. YT doesn't do audio any justice. While not watching the video (eyes closed) I hear do difference when the switch was made. Have to be there in person to really tell if there is a difference or these two are equals.
Why does everyone say 3030i is warm and cuddly when I hear it has extra annoying treble up top? Sure, it has bass.. but that's it. I wanted to buy the 3030i, but this style of speaker is not quite for me. The polk sounds 200 times better (pun intended). I can hear the voice/midrange better as all that tstststztztz stuff the tweeter does is not that intrusive, yet I can hear every detail just fine.
Definitely R200, Q3030i has both deficit and distortion in uper mids, really like the time domain on R200 I just hope they will get cheaper in time. Probably not the best amplifier choice.
How can you say the polk sounds thin? Are ya listening on your 3030i? :))) Seriously now, the 3030i has some annoying treble to it.. I'm not sure what it is, but it's annoying. The polk is brilliant.
I think the Q 3030i's are much more in the league of the Polk ES20's, and that would be a logical and interesting comparison.
I have the 3030i with the NAD c328 and Topping d70s external dac. In this setup with the NAD's clean power and Topping's clarity, the 3030i's are clear, balanced, agile in the bass, and can extend far into the treble without being harsh. They create full and coherent performance, more so than the Wharfedale Denton 80th anniversary that I also own. They are not a difficult speaker to drive, compared to the Dentons which must be pushed to get the best from them.
All about gear matching it is.
Although it's advertised as an easy to drive speaker, they can use some kick. The NAD c328 does exactly that 👍.
Quote:
"Stay away from amps that veer dark because the 1-inch soft-dome tweeter needs some illumination".
And: "Feed them a balanced diet of power, neutrality, and some midrange punch and you might come away thinking these are the best sounding...etc."
Polk Audio Reserve R200
This is actually pretty close. The Q seems to have a bit more treble . The Polks sound more detailed 👌
I've never expected Q Acoustics would be more open sound than Polk, they just need weight in the bass and midbass region
Nice comparison sound demo. Trying to decide between these two right now is tough. The bass level on the Polk R200 are impressive in person. I've heard them paired with a Marantz NR1200 at full volume. I have not heard the Q Acoustics 3030i in person, so this sound demo helps me out alot. Salute!!!
If your a bass head get the q acoustics. The highs are a little laid back. I'm getting the kef 350 to compare the two. I think the the kefs are more detailed but it comes at a price, a sub is a must with them.
It reminded me when I tested the QA 3030i and the Elac Debut Reference DBR 62 where the QA 3030i sounded all metallic, artificial, digitized and the Elac sounded much more natural, refined, smooth, realistic and musical.
The Polk R200, Elac Debut Reference, Wharfedale Evo 4.1, 4.2 are much more musical than the QA 3030i.
Try to test the Dali Oberon 1, MA Silver 50 6G and the Sonus Faber Lumina 1.
And try to test the Rotel A11 Tribute.
The DBR62 are one of my favorite Elacs, a bit warmer and sweeter than the other Debut models, and from what I've heard on UA-cam from the MA Silver 100, they are really quite good and compete favorably with anything in their price range too
For me the R200's have a much cleaner, balanced and outlined presentation. I found the Q Acoustics slightly more colored in the midrange, where lower mids smear voices and instruments, therefore less outlined. Top-end of the Q's is slightly more pronounced and forward, but not in a bad way. I used to own the Q Acoustics Concept 20's, which I found superior to the 3030i's, re. details, dynamics and 'clean' soundstage, however, minus bass. The Q3030i is overall a tough and strong contender, considering its pricepoint.
It really is.
@Mike Why did you sell concept 20? any reasons?
@@Cmytker
For my (large) room it didn't hold up well. It was much better with a subwoofer, but there's a limit to these little guys. I also had the special stands for them. Unfort. I can't afford to keep everything (wish I could), in order to buy some new gear/upgrades. Still miss them though.
@@34332 Thanks for your response! I have them aswell, but recently I find them little shrill, thin and recognise sibilance pretty much. Before I sell them I will try a different amp. Need something more forward sounding I think.
@@Cmytker
Welcome!
In fact, you need to EQ them at lower mids to get the best, they have a dip at that point. Heavy stands will improve (mid)bass a lot, but at 62Hz you can't really expect much weight, still, it should be fast and dynamic. Paired with a sub does change everything! Distance to wall is also important, but it takes effort to get it right. When you look at the (bi)wiring posts, try to connect the plus wire to top right (red) and negative bottom left (black). There's was (for me) a slight difference in sound when you connect only the top +/- connects, bottom connects or crossed (as adviced by Q Acoustics. Also check the metal connecting rods for good contact.
Probably you know this all, but maybe there are some tips you can use. 😄
3030i sounds great.
By my ears, you can switch out the drivers and all on each and they would be the same. Mind you, I'm 72 and with a little loss in hearing, so I'll stand by the other comments, relating to the dynamics of the two. Good onya for the match.
Very similar. Both sound nice . But polk R200 more open and better soundstage.
Something I can actually comment on because I owned the 3030i and own the R200. No comparison, the R200 hands down in every category. The 3030i lacks detail, sharp, but lacks detail. Bass can be boomy and artificial on the 3030i, its not the quickest either. Construction LOOKS solid but sounded hollow when doing the knuckle test. The 3030i is an average speaker at best. No comparison to the 12.2 and R200.
Good info, reading more about the 3030i seems to confirm what your saying. I now regret I couldn't keep the 12.2's next to the R200. ☹️
knuckle test? no, it can't be fairly judged by this old fashioned trick. There's low cost beam structure (point to point as they advertised) for reducing the enclosure resonance. It works to some degree actually. I don't disagree the R200 is superior if thinking about the technical side. 3030i has it's own advantage for not being very detail.
@@34332 should have kept it Mike, both excel at their strenghts. Till this day, I still prefer the 12.2 over the R200, especially with neutral and analytical amps.
@@zeppzepp1234 i have not mentioned anything about resonance, its just an average built speaker. Looks solid, far from it. In fact the cabinet is one of the worst Ive come across. Now compare that cabinet to the 12.2 and it now feels like plastic. Speaking of resonance, data shows its the main cause of all the peakings on the 3030i, so it isnt great at it either. It was a good speaker back then, till a few great speakers showed up and taught the 3030i something about sounding great for very little money.
@@AbsoluteFidelity
Yep, unfortunately my wife doesn't share the same passion (can't hide them) Already have some sort of audio museum. Still, when opportunity strikes, one never knows. 😄
I don't know. It's so hard to really make a decision about a speaker through UA-cam, because you have your room interaction and then also you can kind of judge tone a little bit through you too, but ultimately it is difficult.
But what I hear is with the 3030. I hear it has a bit more forward. Mid-range whereas the r200 is a little bit more. Recessed in it's mid-range honestly, I've had q acoustics speakers and I always thought they were very enjoyable to listen to, like they weren't anything special per se but they were just enjoyable. Enjoyable kind of middle of the road. Sort of sound. Like you could choose one of their speakers and it wouldn't blow you away, but you'd be happy with it. But at least you wouldn't be disappointed with it either
The price difference is night and day, therefore, the Q Acoustic wins. 3030i is quite an impressive speaker for the money.
The Q Acoustics doesn't sound terrible, they are just are a bit bland and unexciting, and are bettered by too many other speakers in their price range, and, like most others under $1k, can't begin to compete with the Polks. It's interesting to note that these Q Acoustics were designed by the same guy that designed the Wharfedale 12 series, before he left Q to join Wharfedale, yet they share very little in the way of design or sound quality featiures to the Diamonds. I know some here may not agree with me, but if I had that kind of money to spend, and couldn't afford to move up to the Polks, I'd much rather have the Q150 or Bronze 50 than the Qs, or even the much cheaper Polk S20
Fink is just a project hired gun. His team designed for products of many different brands. The design purpose should not be to make a ultimate speaker but rather to fit different segments of the market for different taste.
@@zeppzepp1234 Ok, I didn't know that about him. Thanks
I couldn't care less if someone disagrees 😄. However, I would suggest to scale up, if possible, to the Bronze 100's re. more body. I found the Q150's surprisingly good and also Elac, like you mentioned in another comment, is a very competent (warmer) speaker. There's a reason why so many people love turntables and tube amps, driving highly analytical speakers 😄
You're judging from UA-cam videos without owning them 🤦♂️
Q Acoustic is one of the top
Should have used the 5020. They're exactly the same price as the R200.
Q... just a bit better ... IMO
For 2/3 the price, Q Acoustics 3030i wins in the value category. I hear the same level of details from both speakers. Deeper bass and more soundstage depth from R200. R200 is laid back while 3030i is forward sounding. I've heard comparisons between 3030i and Bronze 2 from DSAUDIO.review channel and found very little difference. The R200 are probably quite better than the Bronze 2. But in this video, R200 is not much better than 3030i. I'm surprised by this comparison actually.
I saw a comparison on UA-cam they must have been asked to take it down because they had one Polk r 500 tower with the same x port for bass against the Q acoustics 3050i tower and they were playing bass tones down to 35 hz and the Polk was just hummin the bass while the Q acoustics was chaffing pretty bad. I own the R 200s and very happy with them and how well they compare to speakers twice the price
@@RockCity1111
I've seen that too. That was insane, lol.
@@RockCity1111 good info, thanks
@@34332 oh that's good. I bet Q acoustics asked nicely for it to be taken down
@@quananginh9446 your welcome!!
The 3030i isn't completely trounced by the R200, but it is easier to tell them apart with your eyes closed than it is with the Q150's. They are more fiilled in and forward in the low and center midrange than the Polks, and even more compared to the Q150's, but in a slightly unatural way. They're pretty clean, reasonably detailed, and bass is decent. I think they're fairly pleasant sounding, aside from a subtle nasal quality in the midrange. They're just not super transparent or exciting sounding. They sound like what they are, a decent, nice looking pair of affordable hifi speakers.
E project. If you even still have them, can you do a demo of the Polk R100's again with the new set up? Please compare them to the Q350, or the UB52, wich we havn't heard with the current set up either. Thank you.
On second listen, the 3030i does sound really good. In direct comparsions to the Q150 and Bronze 50, they sound more full bodied and closer to the R200 than either of those, which both sound thinner than these. I guess I'm just spoiled by the R200 and Q350, and the Metas and R3s too, of course. The only problem is, at $469, they cost as much as the UB52 on sale, and only about $100 less than the Diamond 12.2
@@DougMen1 I was a bit dissapointed by them. They aren't bad, and I didn't expect them to be great, but I thought they were a little better from a couple other demos I've heard, like that comparison with the DBR62, where I don't remember them sounding nasal to me. I'll listen to it again tomorrow. Maybei they'll sound better 😁
@@williammiebach1798Well, the DBR62 is the sweetest Elac I've heard yet, at least of the ones under $1,000. I think it also comes down to system matching. Like all brighter speakers they need a warmer amp than the Arcam. In the sample video of both them and the MA Bronze 2 from DSAUDIO.review, they both sounded great with the Denon PMA600NE. IMO, on that channel, both the 3030i and MA Bronze 2 sound as good as the DBR62 with all 3 driven by the Denon. I'm starting to think that's the amp to beat under $500. There's 3 videos there on that channel, one with the DBR62 and 3030i, one with the DBR62 and Bronze 2, and one with the 3030i and Bronze 2, and the amp in all 3 is the Denon, and they all sound awesome with that amp
@@DougMen1 But the Arcam has not been forward in the mids with any speaker till now. Usually it's been the opposite. That's why I was so surprised they sounded accentuated there. Maybe it's one of those strange contrary interactions going on, but since he doesn't seem to use any other amps anymore, we may never know. I asked him for a comparisons of both the Q350's and UB52's against the Polk R100's if he even has those anymore. I didn't even bother to ask for a different amp.
Polk r200 uppermids and highs sound muted compared to Q3030i.Also mids-vocals with Q3030i is more clear.
To me (on here) the 3030is are a bit more mid/upper-mid forward and warmer. The R200s as always sound very neutral, maybe to a fault for domestic speakers. E, Can we ve have UB52s vs Metas ? Please, pretty please ? I'm sure it's on your to do list.
One 'expert' in sound said that 'warm' is distortion. That then would equate someone speaking to me without a face mask vs one who is wearing one.
I wish I could hear these speakers in person. YT doesn't do audio any justice. While not watching the video (eyes closed) I hear do difference when the switch was made. Have to be there in person to really tell if there is a difference or these two are equals.
I think the 3020is with a good subwoofer is better then the 3030is
The bass weight of 3030i is better than my expectation. It would be a cheap all around solution for having too many mediocre sounding records.
QA sound more natural and more balanced.
If the Q Acoustics had the bass of the Polk it would be the best
Hi I live in the Caribbean and cannot demo any equipment wanted to know your personal preference between polk r200 vs elac unifi reference ubr62.
The 3030i sounds a bit thin and lacking in bass here. It would sound better with an amp with deeper bass
His amp is too weak
Listen to other people demo 3030i the bass is so powerful
@@ArtVandelayOfficial ใช่
R200 is a flat, well balanced speaker, but too expensive in EU.
QA is cheap, but agressive in 2-5kHz range and 2D imaging... fatiguing
Very very close sounding.
Polk has more air and better mid-bass/bass clarity. More neutral and ballanced presentation across all frequencies.
listen to the bass solo in star night. more transients and sound of fingers sliding across round-wound bass strings.
Why does everyone say 3030i is warm and cuddly when I hear it has extra annoying treble up top? Sure, it has bass.. but that's it.
I wanted to buy the 3030i, but this style of speaker is not quite for me. The polk sounds 200 times better (pun intended). I can hear the voice/midrange better as all that tstststztztz stuff the tweeter does is not that intrusive, yet I can hear every detail just fine.
Definitely R200, Q3030i has both deficit and distortion in uper mids, really like the time domain on R200 I just hope they will get cheaper in time. Probably not the best amplifier choice.
Weak AMP
Q :flat neutral maybe boring a bit….but excellent price value €399 in Europe right now!!
Polks: colored overpriced €750……
I have seen QA 3030i 299€ price.
Please explain which part of the r200 is coloured. Thanks.
Elac Debut B5.2 and B6.2 are more musical than the QA 3030i.
Q acoustic all the way
Do you still have the Martin Logan motion 15, I would love to hear them with the SA10.
Those are on sale at Crutchfield for $359. OOPS! That's $359 each! I hate the way Crutchfield does that, pricing some individually instead of in pairs
polk sound airy
I have the q acoustics 3030i's. Love the sound a little more neutral and laid back. The polks sound a little thin.
How can you say the polk sounds thin? Are ya listening on your 3030i? :)))
Seriously now, the 3030i has some annoying treble to it.. I'm not sure what it is, but it's annoying. The polk is brilliant.
Q acoustics better
Polk muito melhor em tudo
🤔🎧🎶🎶🎶🎶✌🏻👍👍👍👍👍✌🏻R200 🙂🇵🇱