The Q Acoustics Concept 40 is a pair of multi-award-winning floor-standing speakers that doesn’t cost you a house to purchase. It is one of the company’s highest-end loudspeakers and with a rather modest price tag.
You wouldn’t want to pair the Q Acoustics Concept 40 with only low-cost amplifiers though. To make them shine, you will need to match the right amp to these floor-standing speakers. Let us learn more about these award-winning tower speakers.
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The Strengths of Q Acoustics Concept 40
At first glance, some might consider the Q Acoustics Concept 40 a small floor-standing speaker. It has a 1″ treble unit and dual 5″ bass units. The frequency response of Concept 40 is between 53Hz to 22kHz (+/-3dB). Based on this spec, you can tell this pair of floor-standing speakers does not dig deep enough into the bass extension. You won’t feel the impact of the low-end delivery when compared to a bigger floor-standing speaker and/or those which can deliver deeper subterranean bass frequencies.
The Q Acoustics Concept 40 are floor-standing speakers that are not demanding. It has a sensitivity of 90dB and a nominal impedance of 8 Ohm (min. 4 Ohm). The recommended amplifier power is between 25W to 150W. You might want to pick an amp capable of driving 70 Watts or more. For listeners who like to play loud volume levels, you should get an amp with a higher power or integrate an active subwoofer.
More details about the Q Acoustics Concept 40 at Amazon
Being small does have its advantage, for instance, being more agile than larger speakers of a similar price range. The Q Acoustics Concept 40 has amazing dynamic handling and delivers music with confidence. It doesn’t choke even when the passage gets complex and tough. The bass performance of Concept 40 also doesn’t overwhelm the upper registers, allowing us to hear plenty of details. These floor-standing speakers do not sound harsh and are quite easy on the ears.
They do lack some excitement though but if you prefer refinement more then this shouldn’t be an issue. To have a more powerful bass performance, you can always integrate an active subwoofer. Having a sub is a good idea if the music you are playing hits very low into the bass extension. The Q Acoustics Concept 40 is certainly more for music than home theater usage. We have prepared a list of the best amps which you can pick and match with your Q Acoustics Concept 40 speakers. Do work out the requirements before checking them out.
The Best Amplifiers for Q Acoustics Concept 40
The Cambridge Audio CXA81 is one of the best amps to pair up with your Q Acoustics Concept 40 floor-standing speakers. It can help add a bit more excitement to the music presentation without compromising the dynamics handling of Concept 40. The amp is also revealing by nature, dishing out a high amount of music details. Cambridge Audio CXA81 has sufficient amplifier power to drive these Q Acoustics floor-standing speakers. The price point of the CXA81 is modest as well and will be worth your time.
More details about the Cambridge Audio CXA81 amp at Amazon
The Marantz PM8006 is one of the best amps to match the Q Acoustics Concept 40. This is an ideal choice for listeners who prefers more warmth and refinement when listening to their favorite music. For an integrated amplifier at this pricing, the PM8006 is considered amazing for vinyl playbacks. With the Marantz amp powering the Q Acoustics Concept 40, it makes the overall sound reproduction easier on the ears, enabling you to enjoy your music-listening session for longer hours.
More details about the Marantz PM8006 amp at Amazon
Denon PMA-1600NE may have only 70W into 8 Ohms per channel but the power output doubles at 4 Ohms which is impressive. This means the PMA-1600NE has no problem driving your Q Acoustics Concept 40 floor-standing speakers. It packs a load of features, adding more value to your purchase. This Denon integrated amplifier also adds a bit of brightness to the overall sound reproduction. The bass performance of the PMA-1600NE is tight, detailed, and agile. It does lack some authority though.
More details about the Denon PMA-1600NE amp at Amazon
For Q Acoustics Concept 40 owners who have a high budget and prefer a more neutral sonic performance, you might want to take a look at the Yamaha A-S1200. This is a large integrated amp with a classic look and can drive the Concept 40 floor-standing speakers without breaking a sweat. It has an incredible sonic balance and is revealing as well. Allowing us to hear a massive amount of details. The low-end delivery is solid and taut. The warmth of the Q Acoustics Concept 40 speakers does help with easing the rough edges.
Find more info about Yamaha A-S1200 at Amazon
The Rega Elicit MK5 is one of the very best integrated amps to go for and partner up with your Q Acoustics Concept 40 tower speakers. It is an award-winning amplifier that has received plenty of praise from both critics and discerning users. Rega Elicit MK5 adds more punch and attack, making it an ideal choice for Q Acoustics Concept 40 users who want a more exciting music delivery. It also adds clarity where you can hear subtle nuances of every song/music you play. The Elicit MK5 amp does have a hefty price tag, even so, it is still worth your consideration.
For listeners who have a really tight budget, you might want to take a look at the Denon PMA-800NE. It has just enough amplifier power to drive the Q Acoustics Concept 40. We recommend playing at a moderate volume level and not pushing it hard. Denon PMA-800NE does have a plethora of features to add value to its asking price. This Denon amp has garnered many positive ratings. Still, we do suggest choosing the PMA-800NE as the last resort on this list.
Find more info about Denon PMA-800NE at Amazon
To Conclude
We highly suggest you audition the listed amps or the ones which you deem worthy. During the auditioning of the amplifiers, you will be able to know how good they sound when matched with your Q Acoustics Concept 40 speakers. Do include the subwoofer you are using or thinking of buying during the amp audition, so as to give you a more accurate sonic performance test result.
