Q Acoustics loudspeakers are a great example of audio product design for contemporary homes and lifestyles, always introducing audio innovations and desirable features for home audio. Sometimes, with innovations focused on the essential.
Every element of acoustic innovation featured in the latest Q Acoustics Concept range is geared towards designing the quietest cabinet possible. Unaffected by internal and external resonances, these speakers deliver focused stereo imaging, accurate audio and an extended soundstage to emulate a live performance in the home.
The new Q Acoustics Concept range features a Gelcore cabinet construction system that reduces higher frequency cabinet noise, combined with Point-2-Point (P2P) internal bracing that stiffens the cabinet to minimize lower frequency vibrations (not Concept 90), Helmholtz Pressure Equalizers (HPE) to reduce internal pressure and standing waves (Concept 50 and 500), and a new isolation suspension base to eradicate unwanted external and internal vibrations.
The Gelcore cabinet construction design uss a non-setting gel sandwiched between two individual layers. This specially developed adhesive dissipates high-frequency vibrations, generated by the moving drivers. To keep the cabinet as rigid as possible, P2P internal bracing - first introduced in the Concept 500 design - reinforce the interior areas of the cabinet susceptible to low-end frequency reverberations.
A variation on the hugely effective ‘isolation base’ principle first seen on Concept 300 means all three of the new Concept models have a suspension system in the form of a sprung baseplate. Two plates are separated by suspension ‘spheres’ that effectively isolates the cabinet from interference from external vibrations, providing tighter stereo imaging, while also bringing greater depth.
And as tall floor-standing speakers are prone to internal build-up of pressure that cause unwanted standing waves and reverberations, specially designed HPE tubes are fitted inside the Concept 50’s cabinet to improve frequency response. All these anti-resonance innovations allow the state-of-the-art complement of drivers to deliver the most involving sound ever heard at this price-point.
Other audio innovations on the Concept 30, 50 and 90 include the driver assembly mounted to the front aluminium baffle by pretensioned studs to give the correct acoustic seal, while dampening vibrations and minimizing structural coupling of the assembly in main cabinet.
The new Q Acoustics Concept speakers feature mid/bass and tweeter driver designs optimized for increased power handling, with the high-frequency driver fully hermetically sealed and mechanically isolated (floating) from the front baffle to protect from internal resonances from the mid/bass driver. The crossover circuit is mounted on the isolation base, to minimize any microphonic pick up and keep it away from electro-magnetic fields.
Designed as an integral part of the mechanical structure of the cabinet, both the 5-inch mid/bass and 0.9-inch tweeter drivers are new, ground-up designs specifically for the Concept 30, 50 and 90 loudspeakers. The drive units are fixed to a stiff 3mm aluminum baffle plate before it is fitted to the cabinet – this gives the correct acoustic seal, dampening vibrations and minimizing structural coupling. At 30.5mm, the larger mid/bass driver voice coil increases motor strength resulting in a 50% increase in power handling over a comparable driver with 25.4 mm voice coil, as the company explains.
Boasting the same design lines and premium high gloss finish of the top-of-the-range 300 and 500 models, the new Q Acoustics Concept range retains the signature aluminium front baffle plate of the original Concept speakers. All models are available in black, silver and white lacquered finishes.
Q Acoustics also announced a new Concept 50 5.1 speaker package for home cinema sound, combining a pair of Concept 50 floor-standers at the front, a pair of Concept 30 on stands positioned at the rear, with a Concept 90 centre channel focused on dialog. The system also combines Q Acoustics’ most powerful subwoofer, the Q B12. All Concept series loudspeakers are designed to work in any 2.1 or 5.1 configuration should the user decide to add the Concept 90 centre channel and Q B12 subwoofer to any of the main models.
The Q Acoustics Concept 30 (€1,199/$1,299), Concept 50 (€2,599/$2,999), Concept 90 (€849/$999), Q Acoustics Concept 50 5.1 (2x Concept 50, 2x Concept 30 1x Concept 90, 1x QB12 - €5,495/$6,295) and accessories will all be available in October 2021.
www.qacoustics.com
