In this review, we will be comparing QX-3 MKII and 3050i, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Mission and Q Acoustics.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Mission QX-3 MKII and Q Acoustics 3050i first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Mission QX-3 MKII | Q Acoustics 3050i |
|---|
| Brand | Mission
United Kingdom · founded 1977 | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.5" Ring Dome | 0.9" decoupled |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Composite fibre | 2 x 6.5" Coated paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-24k Hz | 44-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 50-165 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.00kg / 44lbs | 17.82kg / 39.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38-3/16" x 7-11/16" x 12-3/16"
970.0 x 195.0 x 310.0mm | 40.2" x 12.2" x 12.6"
1020 x 310 x 320 mm |
|---|
What size room are the Mission QX-3 MKII and Q Acoustics 3050i speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Mission QX-3 MKII |
Q Acoustics 3050i |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both QX-3 MKII and 3050i are 2-way speakers.
Mission QX-3 MKIIQ Acoustics 3050i
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Mission QX-3 MKII |
Q Acoustics 3050i |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.5-inch
|
0.9-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
QX-3 MKII features a 1.5" Textile Ring Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Composite fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2.0kHz. On the other hand, the 3050i features a 0.9" decoupled Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Coated paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500 Hz.
Frequency Response
QX-3 MKII has a frequency range of 42-24k Hz whereas 3050i has a frequency range of 44-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the QX-3 MKII can go slightly deeper then the 3050i's min frequency of 44Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
QX-3 MKII is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the 3050i which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the QX-3 MKII can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. QX-3 MKII sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the 3050i's is rated at 91 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Q Acoustics 3050i a more sensitive speaker compared to Mission QX-3 MKII, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
3050i can handle a max power of 175 watts RMS, whereas QX-3 MKII has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 55 watts less than the 3050i.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
QX-3 MKII features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. 3050i has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Mission QX-3 MKII's and Q Acoustics 3050i's external dimensions. Mission QX-3 MKII has external dimensions of 970.0 x 195.0 x 310.0mm (38-3/16 x 7-11/16 x 12-3/16inch) whereas Q Acoustics 3050i has external dimensions of 1020 x 310 x 320 mm (40.2 x 12.2 x 12.6 in).
Q Acoustics 3050i is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 115mm wider, 50mm taller and 10mm deeper than Mission QX-3 MKII.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Q Acoustics 3050i needs about 64% more floor or shelf area. Q Acoustics 3050i is 50mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Mission QX-3 MKII is approximately 604.5cm2 / 93.7inch2 and base area of the Q Acoustics 3050i is approximately 992.0cm2 / 153.8inch2. The QX-3 MKII requires 39% less surface area than the 3050i which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Mission QX-3 MKII weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs and the Q Acoustics 3050i weighs 17.82kg / 39.2lbs. This makes the QX-3 MKII 12% heavier than the 3050i.
Here is a comparison of how QX-3 MKII and 3050i's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Q Acoustics 3050i?
Here are the items that come with the 3050i:
- 1x 3050i loudspeaker
- 1x Owners manual
- 2x Foam bung
- 4x Spike feet
- 4x Spike cover
- 4x M5 screw
- 2x Rear stabiliser
 Low Frequency Response |
42 Hz
vs
44 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
970mm
vs
1020mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
604cm2
vs
992cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
175 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Minimum Impedance |
4 ohms
vs
3.8 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
999USD
vs
1099USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Mission QX-3 MKII |
Q Acoustics 3050i |
| Brand |
Mission |
Q Acoustics |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
50-165 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-24k Hz |
44-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite fibre |
Coated paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.5" |
0.9" |
| Tweeter Type |
Ring Dome |
decoupled |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2.0kHz |
2500 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
970.0mm (38.2") |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
195.0mm (7.7") |
310.0mm (12.2") |
| Depth |
310.0mm (12.2") |
320.0mm (12.6") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
17.82kg (39.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Walnut, Black, White, Grey |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
4 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
4 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (42Hz vs 44Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Q Acoustics 3050i is more sensitive (91dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Q Acoustics 3050i is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | Q Acoustics 3050i takes more power (175W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Mission QX-3 MKII is easier to place; Q Acoustics 3050i is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Mission QX-3 MKII: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,099 vs $999 a pair). |
A Mission QX-3 MKII B Q Acoustics 3050i
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Q Acoustics 3050i has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate Mission QX-3 MKII the better fit for a small room, and Q Acoustics 3050i for a large room. In a large or open-plan room, Q Acoustics 3050i has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Mission QX-3 MKII is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.