In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Q Acoustics. Q Acoustics 3050 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the 3020 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Q Acoustics 3050 and Q Acoustics 3020 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Q Acoustics 3050 | Q Acoustics 3020 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Paper composite | 5" Paper composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-22k Hz | 64-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-100 watts | 25-75 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 17.80kg / 39.2lbs | 4.60kg / 10.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-3/16" x 12-3/16" x 12-1/2"
1020.0 x 310.0 x 317.0mm | 10-3/8" x 6-11/16" x 9-5/16"
264.0 x 170.0 x 237.0mm |
|---|
3050 and 3020 are members of Q Acoustics's 3000 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Q Acoustics 3000 Series
History
What size room are the Q Acoustics 3050 and Q Acoustics 3020 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* |
Q Acoustics 3050 |
Q Acoustics 3020 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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.
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Drivers
Both 3050 and 3020 are 2-way speakers.
Q Acoustics 3050Q Acoustics 3020
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Q Acoustics 3050 |
Q Acoustics 3020 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
3050 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Paper composite Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600Hz. On the other hand, the 3020 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Paper composite Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
3050 has a frequency range of 44-22k Hz whereas 3020 has a frequency range of 64-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the 3050 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 3020's min frequency of 64Hz.
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
3050 and 3020 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 3050 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the 3020's is at 88 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Q Acoustics 3050 a more sensitive speaker compared to Q Acoustics 3020, 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.
3050 can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS, whereas 3020 has a max power handling value of 75 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the 3050.
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
3050 features Binding post type posts and 3020 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 3050 and 3020 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Q Acoustics 3050's and Q Acoustics 3020's external dimensions. Q Acoustics 3050 has external dimensions of 1020.0 x 310.0 x 317.0mm (40-3/16 x 12-3/16 x 12-1/2inch) whereas Q Acoustics 3020 has external dimensions of 264.0 x 170.0 x 237.0mm (10-3/8 x 6-11/16 x 9-5/16inch).
Q Acoustics 3050 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 140mm wider, 756mm taller and 80mm deeper than Q Acoustics 3020.
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 Q Acoustics 3050 is approximately 982.7cm2 / 152.3inch2 and base area of the Q Acoustics 3020 is approximately 402.9cm2 / 62.4inch2. The 3050 requires 144% more surface area than the 3020 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.