Finally Figured Out Why These Speakers Destroy Others!!!
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- čas přidán 8. 05. 2024
- I finally figured out why these speakers are so special. The Q Acoustics 5050 is next level
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I took the Cheap Audio thing in a different direction.
Mainly inspired by Randy, and WATT Audio.
I took a pair of 25 year old RCA budget floor speakers, and replaced all three drivers and the crossovers.
Did some internal bracing. Total cost for the whole project was $400.00.
Now, I'm not going to sit here and say they're top grade audiophile sound, but they are rather respectable now.
They were always thin on bass. Now, I don't even need a sub anymore. The bass is that good. And it's tight and controlled, not bloated.
In fact, several people who have systems that are way beyond my pay scale, are seriously surprised.
A friend who runs tube amps, thought I bought new speakers when he walked into the house and heard them playing downstairs.
Powering them through a Marantz SR6015, and streaming through a WIIM Pro Plus with High Resolution music service.
Crossover frequency 27 kHz makes absolutely no sense !! I guess it’s more like 2.7 kHz… otherwise the tweeter would only produce inaudible ultrasound !!!
I went straight to Monty Python when you announced the reading of the specifications. (...and unto three shalt thou count [...] and blow him to tiny bits. ...in thy mercy... 🤣) Tooooo good!
11:18 Randy says, "there's a whole 'nother level of musical enjoyment....if you're into that type of thing." LOL
Manual transmission user = automatic credibility upgrade. Loved this video Randy, thanks. I do really want to hear some of these higher end Q Acoustics lines. Still revelling in the sound of my son's The Sevens he got at Xmas and my waffling between a whole lot of different sets for my next speakers.
Great job with your channel. You really represent a lot of of us who would love to have beautiful trophy assets, but are practical and really want a good value.
Dude, you, literally, had no time to watch past the intro before commenting...
he turned on the 12x speed
To be fair I get a ton of negative comments before anyone has time to watch the video too. and a ton of comments about stuff I missed that's literally in the video too.
@@cheapaudioman dont worry man they just hatin, we are what you need to focus on, the supporters
@@Lex-nx7kd so? He comments on the channel, not this individual video. And his comment is spot on. Thx to @cheapaudioman !
If you're looking for a real bargain try the 3050. The're a 2016 floorstanding model still available from Q-Acoustics USA at $400/pair. They were designed by Karl-Heinz Fink & the same basic concept has been refined in all follow up, more expensive models. These were extremely popular in the UK but for some unknown reason (perhaps the tippy cabinet?) not in the US. Highly recommended if you're on a budget.
I have the 3050i which I picked up 2nd hand from marketplace. They are great, but a little pronounced in the upper-mids for me, which I can find a little more fatiguing compared to my other speakers. I mostly use them for playing classic rock when I am up and moving around the house. Doesn't mean they are bad, some people might prefer that.
@@myfreakyvalentine I have the 3050i too. Mainly vinyl usage through an old 90s Kenwood amp (phono input - so no onboard turntable phono amp).
These speakers are new, so not really run in.
I've not experienced that, may be the newness, and/or the types of music?
I also stream music through them and find them very clear, crisp throughout the lows/mids and highs - mainly a mix of alt/indie, 80's and 90's.
No fatigue experienced, but maybe I'm just old(er) and deaf(er - sic) now.
While I've never heard the 3050i, when Q-Acoustics changed the design from the 3050 to the 3050i I believe they boosted the sound to increase sales. The 3050 was given an excellent review by Martin Colloms, a highly respected long time reviewer in the UK. That review & the price sold me on the 3050 and have not regretted my purchase.
@@TheRealKaner I agree with the way you describe the highs and mids with your taste in music, that's how I found them too. My other set is a little set of Acoustic Energy AE300's which despite their size (probably a quarter the size of the 3050i's), I feel have a deeper, richer sound. I like to listen to quite a lot of electronic soundscape type of stuff with a lot of depth (?) which I love the AE's for. Less so classic rock, but when I do I love the 3050i's for that. I probably should not use the word "fatiguing", that might be too negative.
I like listening to Ben Frost, Jo Quail, Mogwai, even a touch of Philip Glass amongst others.
I think they are fairly well suited for that type of music. Again, IMO. Any suggestions on music...maybe I'll find some common thoughts.
I love the B roll of the feet outrigger with an unplugged power cord just lying there next to it. Randy thanks for keeping it real, we love it like that. Don’t stop being you and never change 👊🏻
Love this whole line from Q. Very, very nice and enjoyable speakers and (for once) well worth the price. Great video as usual Randy🙂🇸🇪
Thanks for watching!
Great Post! I own the 3030i speakers with a Wharfedale Sub and I finally put the bungs into the ports to reduce bass reflection off the walls behind them and what a difference! They practically disappeared! Props for driving stick!
Can't remember where I saw this - The ESS Air Motion Transformer is still being made by ESS for other manufactures. I'm glad that this survived from ESS.
I love their look and no "bi-wire" nonsense! If I recently hadn't bought the Revel F35's I would have considered them!!
I have the 3050 q acoustics and they are fantastic speakers, I'd love to update them to these as visually they are stunning.
I have the Q’Acoustic Concept 50’s. Their second highest tier of speaker line at 3 grand for a pair. I absolutely love them. In gloss white they are stunning.
What amp are you using?
I’m using a parasound halo a21+. amp. I plan on upgrading. I love the amp but I don’t want a neutral sounding speaker and a more neutral sounding amp.its on the warmer side but is an awesome powerful clean sounding amp.
I run the 3030i on wall mounts in the kitchen. With a 10" Velodyne SPL-1000 Ultra subwoofer. Q Acoustics are a great speaker for the price. Bungs in.
ND Miata RF? My already high respect for you just jumped up a few notches
Miata Is Always The Answer. I've had my '94 for 20 years this year.
ND2 soft top checking in!
2012 miata is my daily 😊
I moved up from the 3050i to these, running them with a creek destiny 2 Amplifier, sounding nice as running them with dual subwoofers.
Did you get the 5040 or 5050? I have the 3050i and want to upgrade, is the 5040 an upgrade from the 3050i? Cheers
Yes it sure is sounds like real hifi, its different from the 3050i, better speaker.
5050 / 5040?
Extreme close-up Garth, excellent.
Well done on grieving a manual gearbox Sir😊
I've heard a lot lately about these Q Acoustic speakers.... I need to hear some for myself soon.
At that price point, I’m not sure that these speakers « destroy » the competition given the very wide choices available from great brands. But it was great to have my attention drawn to the fact that Q didn’t only make good bookshelf speakers. And to this new 5000 series.
Thanks man for your fun insights. I always enjoy watching you. Talking about fun, maybe sometime when you have some spare time and inspiration you would consider making a short video clip mixing all the moments when you push your glasses back in place. I would totally buy that 😂🤗🤟🤓 being a glasses dude myself
Randy, I love your audio sense and the fact that you are like the rest of us
Wow. I would love to hear the 5050s. Great review. Thanks.
For the sake of hearing one of the finest Speakers ever made, find you a pair of the Original KLH Kendalls…and be prepared to be even more blown away!! They were short lived, but still available for 1499.00 or less. These Q’s are quite good and sonically a bargain!! But the Kendalls(Original) are more sensitive at 96db, and reach lower, 25hz and can handle much more power. Yep you read right, 96db at 8ohms! Just get em Randy, you’ll be glad you did as you won’t get rid of them. Dayton Audio sells an out rigger kit I installed in mine that is well worth the extra 100 bucks for a set. Cheers Mate!!!
Great review is always Randy keep up the good work
Kudos on the manual transmission. My first 10 cars and trucks had manuals. I miss shifting so much!
I'm not in the market for new speakers but if I was these would be the first I would check out. Great review.
Cool thanks Randy, nice job on these, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing your review of their mini powered towers, soon maybe?
I wouldn't hold your breathe. not my jam quite yet
Fine I’ll be ok 😢
5 stars. I came and liked for the audio talk. I comment and heart throb for the manual transmission. 😍
Legend!
The dome tweeter on the Q Acoustics is going to have better vertical dispersion than the AMT on the Emotiva speakers. The AMT will have similar horizontal dispersion to the dome, though even there it may be slightly narrower?
unrelated question for you.... Have you ever tried the Denafrips DAC's with tube amplifiers? I've been told that the bass may get muddy with a tube amp matched with an R2R dac. Thoughts?
You should always play that music when readings specs 😂
Randy, you getting any of the upgraded Q Acoustic 3000c series?
I have my speakers tilted back very slightly to get right ear-tweeter alignment, works for me.
If you would like to try taking the Q acoustics (I have the 5040s), or any other speaker, to a new level when it comes to locking them down and letting them really perform, an investment in some Stack Audio Auva isolation feet is a worthwhile upgrade. Did mine recently and the difference was pretty immediate - not one of those squinty upgrades (you know where you are focusing so hard to hear a difference you squint and strain) - but an immediate wow, things have relaxed, instruments are in their lanes and the vocalist is locked into where they should be and not smeared across the soundstage. Worth a look, small friendly UK company with great customer service and ship globally (30 day money back)
Yeah, they're not as affordables as those Altec Lansing I had, but your daughter made a beautiful job taking the Pioneers ones, too. Namastè.
I miss my Turbo Miata.
I have to say, besides your content and reviews being fair, balanced, and real for those of us on realistic budgets (read: not FU money that you can just buy whatever at whatever price), thank you for keeping it real.
As anyone who has a family and kids will attest, keeping a clean and tidy home is really hard. I appreciate that your content is real and not staged in a studio like environment. No digs against those who have nice studio setups, but for those of us who don’t, I love the feel of your videos. It feels and is real.
Very good looking speakers. The joke about a good place to hide liquor bottles from your wife cracked me up. 🤣
Had Q Acoustics 3020 . Excellent speakers challenging high end speakers for fraction of the cost.
Manual transmission rules. I and my son miss my tuned S2000! Thank you as always for your perspectives and ride along. What do you drive, besides speakers? Take care, Sir, and all the best.
Looks like a Miata
I just found this channel recently and I really like it. This guy is smug as s**t.
I like that.
I like you and I like the speakers . But the wacky camera work made this video hard to watch for me 🙂
What speakers do you think suite heavy to extreme metal? Obviously depends on recording quality but theirs not alot of info for this style of music which is heavily involved in hi fi from cd to vinyl collecting.
I have Acoustic Concept 40's as my main speakers, and no complaints. For surround, the full 30XX series. Amazing for the price., and just plain sound great. Would be interested to know whether I should be replacing my Concept 40's.
me too! also love my concept 40s...but perhaps a bit 'tamed'...compared to more dynamic speakers like the KLH model 5 i auditioned at a friend's house
@@themastroiannis True, it's all price performance. Still loving my concept 40's!
Love your reviews and your down to earth practical style. Would love to see/hear you review my integrated: The Rogue Audio Sphinx V3 Magnum (their newest edition). I believe if you used it to drive speakers like these Q Acoustics, they'd tickle your fancy. It's an American made, Class D-Hybrid - tube and transistor integrated. (Also fits in the dreaded 'mid-Fi' range. LOL)
Nice review. Enjoy your "ragtop", I love mine, and congrats on the very visible weight loss!
Randy on the move. Love these videos.
Hopefully your Miata is a manual. The only way to go.
of course
I had a series 3 NC auto with paddle shifters. Odd pairing with a standard, although 6 speed, transmission but I got used to it. Dual clutch would have obviously been more suitable but it was an early version no doubt. I'm sure the purists hated them 😂
Love q acoustics. I have the 3000 series from towers to bookshelf. This is my next one!
@cheapaudioman enjoyed this classic unplugged review starring classic CAM.
Enjoy your energy Randy. Honest question, how much actual listening time do you give to each component? Five reviews in 7 days sure doesn't add up to a whole lot of time.
Sill using my Concept 20's. Still fantastic 👌 Oh.. a MX5, good man.
Check out their new 3000c line. More budget friendly series of the old 3000i’s.
Awesome video, but you're right the specification bit was annoying hahahahahaha
Sorry about that
I watch a ton of speaker review and evaluation videos. One thing that I don't normally see and something that I have experienced personally, is that speakers sound differently depending on the source material. For instance, most speakers that "review" great, indeed sound great... when listening to audiophile music. I too consider myself an audiophile. However most of my experiences are in the car audio world. But back to my point; great sounding speakers sound, well... great, when listening to Steely Dan, Dire Straits, acoustic guitar, Claire Marlo, exquisite vocal tracks, modern pop music, etc, etc. But these same speakers lose control when you pop in the latest Megadeth CD. The Remaster of Michael Jackson's "Thriller"... unbelievable. Fear Factory's "Obsolete"... mud. Now, I am intelligent enough to realize that complicated music with extreme dynamics and machine gun double bass drums and screaming vocals are not the majority of people that will buy $2k speakers. But there are some. I would love to hear thoughts about this.
Agree.
I didn't expect the Cheap Audio Miata.
I'm wanting to upgrade my 3050i ( mainly because I fancy a colour change ) my listening room is 4x8 metres, my question is would the 5040s be a good upgrade or should I go for the 5050s?
Looks sweet! How would these compare to Emotivas in the same price bracket?
You are one of my favorite CZcamsrs. One question: was that pile of laundry clean or dirty? 🙂
Hey my room is 20 m^2 ( 215 square feet) i can put them max 40cm(16 inches) away from my wall. Which do you think should i get ?
Just when your about to pull the trigger on the 5050 to upgrade my 3050i and QA release the 3000 c series... More reviews to come i guess 😁
Had the Concept 20 with its glass base stand. Q Acoustics make good speakers.
I have been listening to your channel for almost a year. I absolutely love the concept of your theme. Going to magazines like Stereophile is interesting, but almost never useful since I don’t have 50,000 dollars to spend on many of the components they review. I also think your jokes are funny which I guess ages me.😁 It’s great that someone evaluates inexpensive gear. I got an Emotiva xpa dr2 amp partly because of your Emotiva Mono amp review. There is nothing like a little extra power..
I enjoyed your video, what really struck me was an American driving a manual 😂 it’s all I’ve ever driven here in the U.K., although my wife drives a automatic, and yes I hate it. Thanks for the review.
Was it a Mazda MX5 ? It’s just a guess.
27 kHz crossover? Isn’t that a little above average?😂 I know it’s only a misspoke but I’m nasty!
Indeed. That immediately triggered my "WTF" sub-routine. Obviously a misread of the datasheet. I think 2.7 kHz is likely the correct point.
Came here to comment just this...
@@Laz_Arus probably 2.7, still I’d expect closer to 1.2 k. Maybe if it’s 2.7 that’s what makes the mids so coherent. Most mid/bass drivers get a bit distorted that high.
2,900.00 in Canada. I'm afraid our handsome, gracious and very intelligent Cheap Audio Man has become a turncoat. :D
I needed the pauses for those jokes!
Just saw that they are updating 3000series and coming out in a few months at a really great price. 😊🎉 You probably new that . Have a great weekend .😊
D'Appalito speaker configuration always delivers good imaging and with good drivers it's tough to beat. $2k isn't that bad for what you are getting.
Randy has an ND Miata?! He just gets cooler and cooler
Hi, have you heard KEF R11? Can you compare them to 5050?
can you try to get ahold of the Starke sound Beta7 and review them? 🙏
What do you drive that has a manual transmission?
There aren't many options left.
Miata Is Always The Answer.
Actually, I did like the bit. Spec read outs make me want to hammer spikes into my ears. Keep doing the widexworld of sports spec rundown.
Q Accoustics 5050 should be compared to Emotiva XT3 since they are both the same price and about the same efficiency. The XT3 does reach down a bit more (30Hz +/- 3dB) vs. 5050 37Hz (-6dB).
Interesting that you think these sound so natural on voices...that's why I love the old LS3/5a's so much. Have you ever heard a pair of LS3/5a's? If not, try to! I'd be fascinated to know if these come anywhere close to the LS3/5a on voices. If they do, I'd get a pair! Sold my two pairs of LS3/5a's a few years back when I needed to raise some cash 😭
I'd like to hear them -- especially since they have 92dB sensitivity -- but two grand gets a person some overtly superlative speakers. KEF R3 Meta, Amphion Argon 3S, PMC Prodigy 5, Audio Physic Classic 5, Arendal, Dali, ATC, the new QUAD Revela 1's ... I have a hard time seeing the sense in the value proposition here. Two grand for a vinyl wrap? Really?
Spot on comment.
Hopefully, the savings on a cheap vinyl wrap gets spent somewhere that improves the speaker sonically. I'll take sound 🙉 over looks🙈 any day. But of course, if the vinyl wrap is indicative of the whole build quality, that is another issue altogether!
Still have the 3050's . Think I go fore the 5050's if I go for other speakers.
So Randy, I do enjoy your channel. But I have long ago purchased my ideal cheap audio system and I'm happy with it, and i want to deepen my relationship with it. I'm no longer getting anything helpful from your increasingly pricey reviews. In all honesty, Where do we go from here? How about some ideas on how to use Audacity to rip, sequence, and denoise my record or tape collection? Or storage ideas that make records *more* accessible, not less? Or how you clean your analog media? Or find/make cheap speaker isolators? (painter's points, anyone?) Or at least poke some fun at Shakti stones...
I like the reading of the specifications, but next time, use a music background from like a boxer introduction in a fight.
Or do it like an English banister with the white wig on 😂
@@thewaygokid3135 why would you put a white wig on some stairs?
@@bobniven4159he meant barrister
@@earlsylvan1294 +well, Duhh.
Thanks!
They nailed the d’appolito arrangement here ? Some love the sound some dont
From the description of the speakers vocal qualities I imagine they would do justice to Nat King Cole...LOVE IS THE THING or Sarah Vaughan...SARAH VAUGHAN (featuring Clifford Brown).
Thanks!
10:27
You had me at the Pom.
I kept hearing everyone rave about the Q Acoustics line, so I was very excited to hear them at the Florida Audio Expo. I'm not sure if my expectations were too high, or the room was incredibly bad, but it was one of my least favorite rooms at the show. I know you were there. Did you feel that room was an accurate representation of that product?
Bet you cant get many floorstanding speakers in that car. Sounds nice though.
Indiana Line Diva 5 costs 500 euros less and are far better. Nice promo video for Q Acoustic anyway, i have to admit they look nice.
MX-5?
Telling us the Freq range means little unless you tell us the +- range. is it 37-30K + - 10Hz, 6Hz or 3Hz?
It’s on the internet
How does these compare to......Polk Audio?
Any chance you can contact your submarine buddy at CSS Audio to review their new Critons 3tdx? Atb, Gerlach Sven.
I've always found it wierd to shop speakers & displays from home. If your display/speakers do the review justice, does it mean your speakers/display is/are equal/better?
If you like all the attributes of the Qacoustics 5050, for $499 more you should listen to the KEF R3 Meta.
That’s probably the right choice for
Some people
Miata! Nice! :p
Thanks 😅
For my 75 year old ears I need lots of highs.
So get some Klipsch 😊
@@RanTausi thank you
Facts logic math and science along with hard work don’t matter - how Do you feel about these speakers
I always liked Miatas. They so easy to pull out of ny Defender 90 wheelwells
Mazda gang for the win!