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Q Acoustics 3050c vs Q Acoustics 3010c Comparison

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Q Acoustics 3050c

Passive Floor-standing | 42-30k Hz

Q Acoustics 3050c
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Q Acoustics 3010c

Passive Bookshelf | 60-30k Hz

Q Acoustics 3010c
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Q Acoustics 3050c Q Acoustics 3050c
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Q Acoustics 3010c Q Acoustics 3010c
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Q Acoustics 3050c
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Q Acoustics 3010c
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Q Acoustics 3050c vs Q Acoustics 3010c Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Q Acoustics. Q Acoustics 3050c is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the 3010c is a Bookshelf speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Q Acoustics 3050c and Q Acoustics 3010c first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Q Acoustics 3050c Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 0.9" decoupled Tweeter
  • 2 x 5.5" Coated paper Woofer
  • 42-30k Hz Frequency Response
  • 90 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 6ohms
  • Power Range:25-150watts
  • Weight:17.80kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1020.0" x 12.4" x 12.4"( 1020 x 315 x 316 mm )

Q Acoustics 3010c Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 0.9" decoupled Tweeter
  • 4" Coated paper Woofer
  • 60-30k Hz Frequency Response
  • 85 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 6ohms
  • Power Range:15-80watts
  • Weight:4.40kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 254.0" x 6.1" x 9.9"( 254 x 155 x 251 mm )

3050c and 3010c are members of Q Acoustics's 3000c series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Q Acoustics 3000c Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
Q Acoustics 3050c
Floor-standing 42-30k Hz 90 dB6Ω 2 x 5.5"
Q Acoustics 3010c
Bookshelf 60-30k Hz 85 dB6Ω 1 x 4"
Q Acoustics 3030c
  
Bookshelf 48-30k Hz 86.5 dB6Ω 1 x 5.5"
Q Acoustics 3020c
  
Bookshelf 60-30k Hz 87 dB6Ω 1 x 4.74"
Q Acoustics 3090c
  
Center Channel 68-30k Hz 92 dB6Ω 2 x 4"

What size room are the Q Acoustics 3050c and Q Acoustics 3010c 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 Q Acoustics 3010c
Near-field Bad Good
Small Room Poor Good
Mid-size Room Good Average
Large Room Good Poor
Very Large Room Poor No way

(* 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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Q Acoustics 3050c and Q Acoustics 3010c compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

Both 3050c and 3010c are 2-way speakers.

Driver Q Acoustics 3050c Q Acoustics 3010c
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 0.9-inch 0.9-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 2 x 5.5-inch 1 x 4-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 3010c features a 0.9" decoupled Tweeter and 1 x 4" Coated paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3100Hz .

Frequency Response

3050c has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz whereas 3010c has a frequency range of 60-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the 3050c can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 3010c's min frequency of 60Hz.

Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.

Low Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

3050c
3010c
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

Q Acoustics 3050c
Q Acoustics 3010c
Min
Average
Max

None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.

Impedance and Sensitivity

3050c and 3010c have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 3050c sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the 3010c's is at 85 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Q Acoustics 3050c a more sensitive speaker compared to Q Acoustics 3010c, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

3050c
3010c
Min
Average
Max

Power Range

Power range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.

3050c can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 3010c has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the 3050c.

Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

3050c features Binding post type posts and 3010c has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both 3050c and 3010c 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

Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 Q Acoustics 3010c'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 Q Acoustics 3010c has external dimensions of 254 x 155 x 251 mm ( 10.0 x 6.1 x 9.9 in) .

Q Acoustics 3050c is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 160mm wider, 766mm taller and 65mm deeper than Q Acoustics 3010c.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Q Acoustics 3050c and Q Acoustics 3010c in scale.

Q Acoustics 3050c vs Q Acoustics 3010c Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Q Acoustics 3050c and Q Acoustics 3010c 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 Q Acoustics 3010c is approximately 389.1cm2 / 60.3inch2. The 3050c requires 156% more surface area than the 3010c which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

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 Q Acoustics 3010c?

    Here are the items that come with the 3010c:
  • 2 x 3010c bookshelf speakers
  • 2 x Foam Bungs
  • 2 x Speaker Grilles
  • 1 x User Manual
  • 1 x Handling Gloves
  • 8 x Rubber Speaker Grips

  • Reasons to choose Q Acoustics 3050c over Q Acoustics 3010c
    Max Input Power 150 watts vs 80 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Sensitivity 90 dB vs 85 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Minimum Impedance 3.8 ohms vs 3.7 ohms Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier
    Woofer Size 5.5 inches vs 4 inches Larger woofer
    Number of Woofers 2 vs 1 More woofers
    Low Frequency Response 42 Hz vs 60 Hz Generates deeper bass

    Reasons to choose Q Acoustics 3010c over Q Acoustics 3050c

    Height 254mm vs 1020mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 389cm2 vs 995cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 399USD vs 1199USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    Q Acoustics 3050c vs Q Acoustics 3010c Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Q Acoustics 3050c Q Acoustics 3010c
    Brand Q Acoustics Q Acoustics
    Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Bookshelf speakers
    Power Range 25-150 watts 15-80 watts
    Sensitivity 90 dB 85 dB
    Impedance 6 ohms 6 ohms
    Impedance 3.8 ohms 3.7 ohms
    Frequency Response 42-30k Hz 60-30k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 2 1
    Woofer Size 5.5" 4"
    Woofer Composition Coated paper Coated paper
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 0.9" 0.9"
    Tweeter Type decoupled decoupled
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver No No
    Crossover Frequency 2400 Hz 3100Hz
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 1020.0mm (40.2") 254.0mm (10")
    Width 315.0mm (12.4") 155.0mm (6.1")
    Depth 316.0mm (12.4") 251.0mm (9.9")
    Weight 17.80kg (39.2lbs) 4.40kg (9.7lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF n/a
    Available Colors Walnut, Black, White, Oak Walnut, Black, White, Oak
    Mounting Bracket No No
    Grille Yes Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs No No
    Other
    Parts Warranty 4 Years 4 Years
    Labor Warranty 4 Years 4 Years

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