Q Acoustics 3050i is an exceptional floor-standing speaker which has garnered loads of accolades for its amazing sound quality. What’s even more impressive is the price point of 3050i, you are getting way more sonic performance for the buck, and even if it doubles their retail price, it is still worthwhile to buy them. Seriously, I wouldn’t mind getting an amplifier that costs a lot more to drive them so that these talented floor-standers will sound their absolute best.
If the Q Acoustics 3050i fits your budget, you should immediately go audition them. If you are already a happy owner of the 3050i and are looking for the best amplifier to pair with these speakers then please continue to read. We will be sharing with you the amplifiers that are the best matching amps to pair with the Q Acoustics 3050i floor-standers later on but first lets us find out more about the speakers’ sound characteristics and sonic prowess.
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Sound Characteristics and Merits of Q Acoustics 3050i
The minimal design of Q Acoustics 3050i makes them look elegant and premium-looking. When you take off the speaker grill, you will spot a 22mm (0.9inch) treble drive unit and 2x 165mm (6.5inch) bass drive units, there is a bass port located behind the speaker cabinet as well. With a frequency response of 44 Hz – 30 kHz (+3dB, -6dB), we probably can expect weighty and deep bass output. The speaker sensitivity (2.83 V@1 m) is at 91dB which is efficient for a floor-standing speaker and the average impedance is 6 Ohm (minimum 4 Ohm). Interestingly for the amplifier requirements, Q Acoustics has 2 different ranges; for stereo amplifier power requirement will be 25-100w and for AV receiver (2 channels driven) power requirement will be 50-165w.
With the specs gathered, it is safe to say that the Q Acoustics 3050i requires powerful amplifiers to drive them unless you are planning to integrate a subwoofer into your sound system. Going the HiFi separates route may be a great idea as well since power amplifiers can provide constant clean power and usually, floor-standers require them to perform at their best. Especially if you are planning to use them as the Left and Right main speakers in your home theater setup. Getting separate power amps will be a wise idea since the Q Acoustics 3050i requires more power from an AV receiver than an integrated stereo amplifier.
More Details at Amazon – Q Acoustics 3050i (Carbon Black)
The Q Acoustics 3050i is a fantastic floor-standing speaker that delivers an energetic music presentation with accuracy and precision. We were amazed by the bass reproduction which is rich and taut, capable of reaching deep into the low frequency, letting us feel the rumbling of the subterranean bass. These are controlled bass and not the exaggerated ones, where it will overwhelm the higher frequencies. The scale of the soundstage is huge and spacious, the floor standing speakers easily fill the room with music. It is cohesive and transparent, doesn’t muddle when the music starts to get busy.
There are certainly very entertaining speakers to listen to, the 3050i has that smooth warm sounding quality and lush midrange reproduction. The scale of the sound makes it exciting as well and immediately pulls you in, and makes you listen to what it has to deliver. The clean and powerful sound just easily excites our senses no matter the genre. The overall sound quality of Q Acoustics 3050i will perform effectively in a home theater setup as well, without needing a subwoofer to supplement them.
Q Acoustics 3050i is probably the best floor standing speaker at this price range, it is definitely tough to beat. Simply unbelievable how remarkable these talented speakers are, I mean there do still have flaws but at this price point, we really couldn’t complain about it. Is such a fun listen, leaving us wanting for more. With all this data gathered, we have what we need to select the best amplifiers to match this pair of amazing floorstanders.
Q Acoustics 3050i Specifications
- Speaker Type: 2-way reflex (rear port)
- Drive Units: Treble unit 0.9 inch (22mm), Two Bass unit 6.5 inch (165mm)
- Frequency Response (±3dB, -6 dB): 44 Hz – 30 kHz
- Stereo Amplifier Requirements: 25 – 100 Watts
- AV Receiver Requirements (2 channels driven): 50 – 165 Watts
- Nominal Impedance: 6 Ohms (min. 4 Ohms)
- Sensitivity (2.83 Vrms@1 m): 91dB
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1020mm x 310mm x 320mm (210mm without stabilizers) | 40.2″ x 12.2″ x 12.6″ (8.3″ without stabilizers)
- Weight: 17.8kg (39.2lbs)
Best Amps to match with Q Acoustics 3050i
Audiolab 6000A is one of the best amps to match with Q Acoustics 3050i, as it has the capability to deliver huge and spacious music presentations, with articulate sound delivery. 6000A is an integrated amplifier that uses Class AB power amps with a high-quality 200VA toroidal transformer and high capacity reservoir, allowing this amp to drive the Q Acoustics 3050i with ease. Both of their sonic characteristics are rather similar but the Audiolab 6000A brings more clarity and details onto the table. Definitely worth your time and consideration to audition this award-winning integrated amplifier.
More Details at Amazon – Audiolab 6000A 100-watt Stereo Integrated Amp
If you prefer to have more transparency and natural-sounding music delivery, the powerful Yamaha A-S701 will be an amazing choice, it is a highly rated integrated amplifier. The A-S701 amp price point is quite closely matched with the Q Acoustics 3050i as well and has sufficient power output to drive them to their fullest potentials. Yamaha A-S701 delivers a clean-sounding music delivery with plenty of details, but do note it is a tad bright sounding as well. I will recommend an audition with them before deciding, and you’ll likely be impressed with the amplifier’s accuracy as we do.
More Details at Amazon – Yamaha A-S701SL (Silver)
Arcam SA20 has a uniquely designed Class G power amps which is a hybrid amp that uses the illustrious Class A for low-level signals and taps on the other supply for powering larger sections of the waveform. There is also a built-in 32-bit DAC Sabre ESS9038K2M and with that, the Arcam SA20 is capable of providing high-quality sound reproduction from either analog or digital sources. It is a musical amplifier that has that kind of warmth and energy when delivering music with lots of low-end oomph. With the Arcam SA20 pairing with the Q Acoustics 3050i as an amplifier, your ears will be in for a treat. You should really check them out.
The Cambridge Audio CXA81, with its Class AB power amp of 80 Watts per channel is more than sufficient to power the Q Acoustics 3050i floor-standing speakers. It is a multi-award-winning integrated amplifier that is revered by critics and audiophiles. With its wide and spacious soundstage, bold music presentation, and insightful details, the sonic performance of CXA81 is class-leading at this price range. More importantly, it is some of the best matching amps that should be paired with Q Acoustics 3050i as their sound characteristics complement each other really well.
More Details at Amazon – Cambridge Audio CXA81 Stereo Amplifier (Lunar Grey)
Marantz PM8006 is another excellent choice that you can go for, the stereo imaging is top notch and for this latest model, the signature Marantz sound is still there, but has a bit more clarity, a tad lesser warmth, and cleaner sound delivery. The improvement in sound neutrality also gives it a tad more transparency over the older models. The musicality of the Marantz PM8006 and the sweet-sounding of Q Acoustics 3050i will provide a memorable music listening experience. This is an absolute must to audition if you are vinyl enthusiasts and those who like full-bodied music presentations should have a listen as well.
More Details at Amazon – Marantz PM8006 Integrated Amplifier
The most popular AVR choice will be Denon if you are planning to set up a home theater system using Q Acoustics speakers such as 3050i. If your home theater system is mainly been use for playing live performances and/or music playback, you probably might want to check out Marantz AV receivers. For stereo playback, there are other brands that you can opt for, for instance, NAD integrated amplifiers. Is worth the while to go for an external mono/stereo power amplifier to drive these floor-standers if you are using an AVR since the 3050i are rather power-hungry when it comes to been driven by AV receivers.
More Details at Amazon – Denon AVR-X4700H 8K Ultra HD 9.2 Channel AV Receiver
To Sum It Up
The amplifiers mentioned in this article are the best amps you can go for and pair with your Q Acoustics 3050i. All of them are worthy of your time and considerations. As mentioned, you should always audition them first before purchasing, because you’ll need to find out if your ears like what you are hearing. Spend at least 30 minutes and listen to a few of your favorite songs, and move to the next amplifier, shortlist some of them for the 2nd round of audition. It may take a few rounds so just enjoy the process of amplifier hunting.
