In this review, we will be comparing 3050i and 5040, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Q Acoustics.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Q Acoustics 3050i and Q Acoustics 5040 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Q Acoustics 3050i | Q Acoustics 5040 |
|---|
| Brand | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.9" decoupled | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Coated paper | 2 x 5" Continuous Curved Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-30k Hz | 39-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 91.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-165 watts | 25-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 17.82kg / 39.2lbs | 18.05kg / 39.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40.2" x 12.2" x 12.6"
1020 x 310 x 320 mm | 38-1/8" x 14-1/4" x 11-1/2"
969.0 x 362.0 x 293.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Q Acoustics 3050i and Q Acoustics 5040 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 3050i |
Q Acoustics 5040 |
| 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
Both 3050i and 5040 are 2-way speakers.
Q Acoustics 3050iQ Acoustics 5040
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 3050i |
Q Acoustics 5040 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.9-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5-inch
|
3050i features a 0.9" decoupled Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Coated paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500 Hz. On the other hand, the 5040 features a 1" Soft-dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Continuous Curved Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500 Hz.
Frequency Response
3050i has a frequency range of 44-30k Hz whereas 5040 has a frequency range of 39-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 39Hz, the 5040 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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
3050i and 5040 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 3050i sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the 5040's is at 91.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Q Acoustics 5040 a more sensitive speaker compared to Q Acoustics 3050i, 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 5040 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 25 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
3050i features Binding post type posts and 5040 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Q Acoustics 5040's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 3050i and 5040 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 3050i's and Q Acoustics 5040's external dimensions. Q Acoustics 3050i has external dimensions of 1020 x 310 x 320 mm (40.2 x 12.2 x 12.6 in) whereas Q Acoustics 5040 has external dimensions of 969.0 x 362.0 x 293.0mm (38-1/8inch x 14-1/4inch x 11-1/2inch).
Q Acoustics 5040 is 51mm shorter and 27mm less deeper than Q Acoustics 3050i but it is also 52mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Q Acoustics 3050i and Q Acoustics 5040 in scale.
Comparison image of Q Acoustics 3050i and Q Acoustics 5040 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 3050i is approximately 992.0cm2 / 153.8inch2 and base area of the Q Acoustics 5040 is approximately 1060.7cm2 / 164.4inch2. The 3050i requires 6% less surface area than the 5040 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 Q Acoustics 3050i weighs 17.82kg / 39.2lbs and the Q Acoustics 5040 weighs 18.05kg / 39.7lbs. This makes the 5040 1% heavier than the 3050i.
Here is a comparison of how 3050i and 5040'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 are included inside the box of 3050i:
- 1x 3050i 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 5040?
Here are the items that come with the 5040:
- 1x 5040 loudspeaker
- 1x Owners manual
- 2x Foam bung
- 4x Spike feet
- 4x Spike cover
- 4x M5 screw
- 2x Rear stabiliser
 Max Input Power |
175 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Minimum Impedance |
4 ohms
vs
3.0 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Base Surface Area |
992cm2
vs
1060cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
999USD
vs
1498USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Low Frequency Response |
39 Hz
vs
44 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
969mm
vs
1020mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Q Acoustics 3050i |
Q Acoustics 5040 |
| Brand |
Q Acoustics |
Q Acoustics |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-165 watts |
25-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
91.5 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
3.0 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44-30k Hz |
39-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Coated paper |
Continuous Curved Cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.9" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
decoupled |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500 Hz |
2500 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
969.0mm (38.1") |
| Width |
310.0mm (12.2") |
362.0mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
320.0mm (12.6") |
293.0mm (11.5") |
| Weight |
17.82kg (39.2lbs) |
18.05kg (39.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Relfex |
| Finish |
MDF |
MDF |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black, White, Grey |
Holme Oak,Satin Black,Satin White,Santos Rosewood |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
4 Years |
5 years |
| Labor Warranty |
4 Years |
5 years |
A generation apart: Q Acoustics 5040 is the newer design, against a 2018 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 | Q Acoustics 5040 digs deeper - 39Hz against 44Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 92dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (175W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | A | Q Acoustics 3050i is cheaper - $999 against $1,498, about 33% less. |
A Q Acoustics 3050i B Q Acoustics 5040
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 5040 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 50% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Q Acoustics 3050i looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Q Acoustics 5040 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 44Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Q Acoustics 3050i much easier to justify. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $499 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.