Loudspeakers

This budget floorstander has a flatter forward response [Graph 1] than its costlier 5050 cousin [HFN Jun ’24], trading the latter’s presence band dip and ±4.5dB response error for just ±2.1dB and ±2.15dB, respectively, here. The response trend is slightly U-shaped (BBC-esque) with a small notch at 500-600Hz and a rising treble that offers a 42kHz extension (–6dB re. 10kHz), bettering many high-end speakers equipped with metal domes [HFN May ’25]. A more uniform high treble is achieved by toeing-in the 3050cs by 10-15° [grey trace], at the expense of a 4dB dip at 4-5kHz, while diffraction effects from the magnetically attached grille bring a further disruption to the response above 7kHz [blue trace]. Pair matching is an astonishingly tight 0.5dB (200Hz-20kHz) and tighter still at 0.35dB from 200Hz-10kHz – this is state-of-the-art quality control!

The minor ‘wiggles’ in response are also reflected in numerous low-level resonances in the 142mm C³ bass/mid cones [see CSD waterfall, Graph 2] just as the powerful 32Hz port tuning also exposes minor 860Hz and 1575Hz quaterwave/tube modes [see boxout]. Nevertheless, with the woofers’ matched 55-750Hz (–6dB) bandwidth(s), the port tuning allows the 3050c to develop a respectable 44Hz bass extension (–6dB re. 200Hz). Otherwise, Q Acoustics’ rated 90dB sensitivity for the 3050c is, on test, closer to a lower 88.5dB/1kHz (and 88.4dB across 500Hz-8kHz) but then neither is this speaker quite as tough to drive as the brand’s bigger/higher sensitivity models. The minimum impedance is 3.7ohm/221Hz while a –59o dip in phase angle at 80Hz feeds a 1.75ohm EPDR at 103Hz. PM