Q Acoustics just announced the 3030i bookshelf speakers and they’re exciting because each speaker is designed to sound much bigger than it is. Imagine a floorstanding speaker in the body of a compact bookshelf speaker. They’re also relatively affordable. The Q Acoustics 3030i will cost just $399 a pair. They’ll be available for purchase next month, in February, and you’ll be able to buy them in one of four different finishes: Arctic White, Carbon Black, Graphite Grey and English Walnut.
The Q Acoustics 3030i bookshelf speakers are able to sound much bigger than they are because they actually have similar features as floorstanding speakers. In fact, each 3030i speaker has the same woofer design, 1-inch tweeter and mounting arrangement as the company’s much larger, 3050i floorstanders.
On top of that, the 3030i have larger chambers than comparatively-priced bookshelf speakers. For example, each chamber is more than double the size of the chamber in the company’s 3020i speakers ($268), which are essentially the “next step down” from the 3030i. This increased volume in the chamber will help the 3030i deliver significantly more powerful bass.
The 3030i are the newest addition to the British audio maker’s 3000i line of reference quality of loudspeakers, and because so, they inherit some of the company’s sonic technologies. Their speaker cabinets are built with Point to Point (P2P) bracing technology, just like the company’s high-end flagship Concept 500 loudspeakers ($5,500 per pair), which helps make the 3030i sturdier and better eliminates vibrations.
Of course, to get the best sound out of the 3030i you’ll want to have them positioned off the ground and a little away (3-to-5 feet) from the wall. Q Acoustics will sell a pair of stands to match the 3030i speakers, although the pricing of these stands is TBD. (We’re guessing they’ll cost around $167, which is what the stands cost for the 3010i and 3020i bookshelf speakers.)