100 MACWORLD JANUARY 2022
PLAYLIST REVIEW: Q ACOUSTICS 3030ipresent in a recording. And with added
oomph comes the potential for real-world
environmental issues, as these mighty
mites could expose the quirks of smaller
listening-room resonances, demanding a
bit of sleuthing (and tweaking) to resolve.
Not to worry, mates. We’ve cracked the
case (fave.co/3dskRIt)!
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
A bump-up from the $299-per-pair Q
Acoustics 3020i speakers that got me
frothing in an earlier review (fave.
co/3IuIKNE), the 3030i share the same
shapely looks and two-way reflex speaker
design—only with the sturdy MDF
cabinetry bulked up an inch or two in
each direction: 12.8x7.9x13 inches
(HxWxD). That depth could be challenging
to anyone who deploys them on an actual
bookshelf, since those planks tend to
measure just 9 to 11 inches deep. Weight
is up by a couple pounds as well, to 14.1
pounds per box.
The 3030i uses the same 0.9-inch
decoupled dome tweeter found in the
3020i, with the crossover circuit set at
2.4kHz, but there’s a 6.5-inch stiffened,
coated-pulp mid/bass driver in the larger
speaker. You’ll find this same driver in the
Q Acoustics floor-standing model 3050i.
Compare that to the 5-inch driver in the
3020i. The additional 1.5 inches of
diameter might not seem like a lot, but
when combined with a
cabinet that’s
effectively doubled in
volume—from 6.1 to
12.5 liters—you can
expect the speaker to
move a lot more air,
delivering much
bigger, deeper, and
wider-dispersing bass.
A pal invited in to
listen (at a safe
distance) wondered,
“Where’s the
subwoofer hiding?”
With good reason. The
3030i kick almost asNote the close family resemblance between the Q Acoustics 3020i
(left, in Carbon Black) and 3030i (in Arctic White). Both models are
also available in Graphite Gray and English Walnut finishes.