Q Acoustics Concept 500
The best British speaker we have ever heard. That says a lot, as brands like Harbeth, Spendor, B&W and others have been stallwarts for many years. What makes the Q Acoustics Concept 500 special? To begin with, it has the same beguiling musicality we expect from the top British designs - but one big difference; less coloration - which is the box signing along with the music, and the always present reminder that there are two hollow boxes in front of you, not the real orchestra.
Q Acoustics made the box dissappear.
How is this done? Effectively two cabinets in one. Dual Gelcore cabinet construction where the inner and outer cabinets are isolated. The result is a floorstander that sounds like six beautifully integrated drivers suspended in free space.
"Well-recorded material sounds startlingly immediate, generating a solid, three-dimensional soundstage populated with instruments that are remarkably tangible"
"Frankly, the Concept 500 redefines expectations at the price"
"sounded superb through the Concept 500s, with excellent imaging, convincing depth, and a remarkable sense of space surrounding the performers, particularly the chorus." Stereophile
Stereophile Recommended Component
The Concept 500 adopts advanced, innovative technologies to deliver pure audio excellence and a sensational sound stage. Our floor-standing speakers couple low directivity with wide bandwidth, good sensitivity, and sensible impedance, which makes them room-friendly and allows amplifiers to deliver their best performance. The Concept 500 pairs point-to-point (P2P) bracing to deal with low-frequency panel vibrations with Helmholtz Pressure Equalizers (HPE) to balance out pressure irregularities. Another component that allows for less vibration and coloration is the cabinet construction. Three separate layers are filled with a non-setting gel, which damps the cabinet walls and converts higher frequency vibrations into heat.
To create a stereo soundstage that gives as good an impression of width, depth, and height as that found in a live performance requires high-quality drive units, a well-designed crossover, and an accurately constructed cabinet. To achieve this, Q Acoustics formed a truly talented team with many years of experience in the design, engineering, and manufacture of world-class loudspeakers. A combination that resulted in a state-of-the-art loudspeaker worthy of any high-end system.
On the outside, numerous lacquer coats produce a high-quality gloss finish which is combined with real-wood veneer. This results in a cabinet that manages to be clean and understated at the same time as being of obviously high perceived value.
Visit us to hear them.
Specifications
- Crossover Frequency 2.5 kHz
- Dimensions 1150 x 400 x 350 mm (45.3 x 15.7 x 14.8 in)
- Dimensions with stand 1175 x 400 x 375 mm (46.2 x 15.7 x 14.8 in)
- Distortion (120 Hz - 20 kHz): 0.2 %
- Frequency Response 41 Hz - 30 kHz
- High-Frequency Unit 1.1"
- Minimum Impedance 3.7 Ω
- Nominal Impedance 6 Ω
- Recommended Power 25 - 200 W
- Weight 42kg (92.6 lbs)