In this review, we will be comparing 3050c and Imagine X2T, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Q Acoustics and PSB.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Q Acoustics 3050c and PSB Imagine X2T first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Q Acoustics 3050c | PSB Imagine X2T |
|---|
| Brand | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.9" decoupled | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.5" Coated paper | 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-30k Hz | 30-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 17.91kg / 39.4lbs | 23.60kg / 51.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40.2" x 12.4" x 12.4"
1020 x 315 x 316 mm | 40-1/8" x 9" x 16-3/4"
1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Q Acoustics 3050c and PSB Imagine X2T 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 3050c |
PSB Imagine X2T |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that 3050c is a 2-way design whereas the Imagine X2T is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Q Acoustics 3050cPSB Imagine X2T
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 3050c |
PSB Imagine X2T |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.9-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
2 x 6.2-inch
|
3050c features a 0.9" decoupled Tweeter and 2 x 5.5" Coated paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400 Hz. On the other hand, the Imagine X2T features a 1" titanium with neodymium magnets Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
3050c has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz whereas Imagine X2T has a frequency range of 30-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Imagine X2T can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 3050c's min frequency of 42Hz.
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
3050c is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Imagine X2T which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 90 dBdB.
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.
Imagine X2T can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas 3050c has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Imagine X2T.
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
Imagine X2T features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. 3050c has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
PSB Imagine X2T's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
3050c has a rear firing port whereas Imagine X2T has a front firing ports. PSB Imagine X2T's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Q Acoustics 3050c with its rear-firing port.
New
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 3050c's and PSB Imagine X2T's external dimensions. Q Acoustics 3050c has external dimensions of 1020 x 315 x 316 mm (40.2 x 12.4 x 12.4 in) whereas PSB Imagine X2T has external dimensions of 1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm (40-1/8 x 9 x 16-3/4inch).
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Q Acoustics 3050c and PSB Imagine X2T in scale.
Comparison image of Q Acoustics 3050c and PSB Imagine X2T Size and External Dimensions
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 3050c is approximately 995.4cm2 / 154.3inch2 and base area of the PSB Imagine X2T is approximately 975.5cm2 / 151.2inch2. The 3050c requires 2% more surface area than the Imagine X2T which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Q Acoustics 3050c weighs 17.91kg / 39.4lbs and the PSB Imagine X2T weighs 23.60kg / 51.9lbs. This makes the Imagine X2T 32% heavier than the 3050c.
Here is a comparison of how 3050c and Imagine X2T'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 3050c?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 3050c:
- 1x 3050c loudspeaker
- 1x Owners manual
- 2x Foam bung
- 4x Spike feet
- 4x Spike cover
- 4x M5 screw
- 2x Rear stabiliser
What's in the Box of PSB Imagine X2T?
Here are the items that come with the Imagine X2T:
- Floor-standing speaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spiked Feet
- Wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Card
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.2 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Base Surface Area |
975cm2
vs
995cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Q Acoustics 3050c |
PSB Imagine X2T |
| Brand |
Q Acoustics |
PSB |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
42-30k Hz |
30-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
6.2" |
| Woofer Composition |
Coated paper |
Clay/Ceramic/Poly |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.9" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
decoupled |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2400 Hz |
500Hz and 2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
315.0mm (12.4") |
229.0mm (9") |
| Depth |
316.0mm (12.4") |
426.0mm (16.8") |
| Weight |
17.91kg (39.4lbs) |
23.60kg (51.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF |
MDF/Wood-grain |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black, White, Oak |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
4 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
4 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Q Acoustics 3050c is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | PSB Imagine X2T digs deeper - 30Hz against 42Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | PSB Imagine X2T is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | PSB Imagine X2T takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | PSB Imagine X2T: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Q Acoustics 3050c is cheaper - $1,199 against $1,500, about 20% less. |
A Q Acoustics 3050c B PSB Imagine X2T
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?
PSB Imagine X2T leads across most of the measured areas for a fairly modest premium, which makes it the easier pick if the budget stretches. Q Acoustics 3050c is the one to take if it does not. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 42Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Q Acoustics 3050c much easier to justify.
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.