In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Q Acoustics. Q Acoustics 5090 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the 5040 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Q Acoustics 5090 and Q Acoustics 5040 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Q Acoustics 5090 | Q Acoustics 5040 |
|---|
| Brand | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-dome | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 4.5" Coated paper | 2 x 5" Continuous Curved Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 57-30k Hz | 39-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90.5 dB | 91.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 25-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.50kg / 18.7lbs | 18.05kg / 39.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 6-1/2" x 16-15/16" x 9-5/8"
166.0 x 431.0 x 245.0mm | 38-1/8" x 14-1/4" x 11-1/2"
969.0 x 362.0 x 293.0mm |
|---|
5090 and 5040 are members of Q Acoustics's 5000 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Q Acoustics 5000 Series
History
What size room are the Q Acoustics 5090 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 5090 |
Q Acoustics 5040 |
| 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 5090 and 5040 are 2-way speakers.
Q Acoustics 5090Q 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 5090 |
Q Acoustics 5040 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 4.5-inch
|
2 x 5-inch
|
5090 features a 1" Soft-dome Tweeter and 2 x 4.5" Coated paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100 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
5090 has a frequency range of 57-30k 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 5090's min frequency of 57Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
5090 and 5040 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 5090 sensitivity is rated at 90.5 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 5090, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
5090 and 5040 have the same power range of 25-150 watts.
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
5090 features Binding post type posts and 5040 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Q Acoustics 5090's Binding post terminals
Q Acoustics 5040's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 5090 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 5090's and Q Acoustics 5040's external dimensions. Q Acoustics 5090 has external dimensions of 166.0 x 431.0 x 245.0mm (6-1/2inch x 16-15/16inch x 9-5/8inch) 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 5090 is 803mm shorter and 48mm less deeper than Q Acoustics 5040 but it is also 69mm wider.
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.
Near-identical footprints. Q Acoustics 5040 is 48mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Q Acoustics 5040 is 803mm 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 Q Acoustics 5090 is approximately 1056.0cm2 / 163.7inch2 and base area of the Q Acoustics 5040 is approximately 1060.7cm2 / 164.4inch2. The 5090 requires 0% less surface area than the 5040 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Q Acoustics 5090?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 5090:
- 1x 5090 loudspeaker
- 1x Owners manual
- 2x Foam bung
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