Intended to bring sophistication to any listening room with its contemporary and minimalist design lines, the new 5000 series from Q Acoustics is a refreshing proposition in home audio systems. Positioned between the 3000i range and Concept series models, the 5000 family offers the 5010 bookshelf, 5020 standmount, 5040 floorstander, 5050 large floorstander, and a 5090 center channel speaker completing the line-up for a home cinema speaker setup.
All speakers in this 5000 series feature the new C3 (pronounced ‘C-cubed’) Continuous Curved Cone design in the mid/bass driver, to ensure smoother high-frequency integration with the tweeter and superior bass dynamics. All models also benefit from the sophisticated, clean and contemporary design with dark acrylic baffles, that mirror the minimalist C3 Continuous Curved Cone profile.
With a design taken from the Concept series but in a new housing, the high-frequency driver is fully hermetically sealed and mechanically isolated from the front baffle to protect from internal cabinet pressure and resonances from the mid/bass driver. Point-2-Point (P2P) internal bracing stiffens the cabinet to minimize lower frequency vibrations, while focusing stereo imaging and improving soundstage. Finally, Helmholtz Pressure Equalizers (HPE) reduce internal pressure and standing waves in the floorstanding 5040 and 5050 cabinet models - four tubes inside the 5050 and two tubes in the 5040.
According to Q Acoustics, the C3 Continuous Curved Cone profile is the result of extensive research and expert engineering to combine the bass performance benefits of a traditional straight conic cone with the high/mid-range frequency control of a flared cone. By creating a single, continuous curve profile, the advantages include improved dispersion, controlled frequency response, and smoother integration with the tweeter. The company also found more flexibility in placement of speakers near the wall boundaries of the listening room due to better controlled mid/bass behavior, while harmonic distortion is also reduced.
"The C3 Continuous Curved Cone profile has successfully addressed shortcomings in one of the basic geometrical elements of drive unit design to deliver the best characteristics of both straight and flared cones," the company states.
The reductive nature of the C3 Continuous Curved Cone's appearance is also reflected in the 5000 series minimalist design. The baffle fronts are laminated with a layer of butyl rubber and black acrylic trim, not only to provide a damping layer to suppress vibration occurring in the baffle, but to offer an eye-catching counterpoint to the cosmetically clean front presentation uninterrupted by any fixings.
All speaker models are available in a choice of four modern but classic finishes, including the introduction of a new stylish lighter wood veneer. High-quality finishes include Satin Black, Satin White, Santos Rosewood and Holme Oak.
The 5040 and 5050 tower speaker models come with stylish solid aluminum stabilizers that feature top adjustable spikes for easier leveling adjustment, while durable low-profile speaker terminals provide a tidy appearance, enabling the speaker to be placed closer to the back wall if required.
Based on the tweeter design principle found in the newest Concept series, the high frequency driver unit is hermetically sealed and mechanically isolated (floating) from the baffle to prevent internal pressure modulations from within the cabinet and adjacent mid/bass driver. The inner chamber is also carefully vented for lower distortion, with a lower crossover point for seamless integration through the crossover region.
At the heart of the ground-up mid/bass driver design, the C3 Continuous Curved Cone's geometry requires good motor strength for optimal performance. Substantial magnets are coupled to large voice coils to increase motor strength – the result, Q Acoustics says, is a 50% increase in power handling and control over a comparable driver with 25.4mm voice coil. The result is an improvement in the dynamic range of the speaker, especially in the bass region.
Beyond being superior stereo speakers for home audio, the new 5000 series speakers can also form a powerful 5.1 home cinema set-up. The system includes two 5.1 configurations: the 5010 5.1 and the 5040i 5.1 speaker packages, both including the 5090 center-channel speaker, with a choice from either the slimline 3060S subwoofer or the more powerful Q B12 for a truly immersive cinematic experience.
The Q Acoustics 5020 standmount ($899) and 5040 floorstanding ($1,499) models are available now. The Q Acoustics 5010 bookshelf ($749) and 5090 centre channel ($599) models will be available from May 2023. The Q Acoustics 5010 5.1 and 5040 5.1 packages will also be available in May, in Satin Black or Stain White finishes, priced at $2,845 and $3,595, respectively. A range of stands, brackets and other accessories are also available.
www.qacoustics.co.uk
www.qacoustics.com
