Q Acoustics releases two new speakers in the Q Active Series: a floor standing model and a bookshelf. Both are active, wireless speakers.Â
Cables in the living room: no one is really happy about that. But thanks to modern wireless technology, it’s no longer necessary. Q Acoustics proves it once again with the new Q Active series of speakers. Both the Q Active 400 floor standing model and the Q Active 200 bookshelf speaker (see image at the top of this article) are active speakers, each with their own onboard amplifier and DSP modules. Where communication between, to and from the speakers is wireless. Streaming, TV sound, and of course Bluetooth are also included. Now, of course, Q Acoustics is primarily a speaker manufacturer, so it’s worth taking a closer look at the technology on that side.
BMR drivers
Q Acoustics has chosen BMR driver units. These are capable of resproducing both midrange and treble, which of course is separated by a crossover. Furthermore, they radiate the sound wide, which creates a panoramic sound image. High dynamics and low heat development thanks to a comparatively large voice coil are also a bonus.
In both the Q Active 200 and 400 you will find two BMRs. For bass, an integrated subwoofer is provided, consisting of one (200) or two (400) long-throw bass drivers built into a 114 mm die-cast metal frame. One driver faces forward; the other faces down (400) or backward (200). In the new Q Acoustic floor standing model (or 400), these bass drivers are driven by separate amplifiers.
Connectivity
The Q Active hub connects existing and wired systems to the wireless speakers. This is very convenient, because the hub puts you close to your hi-fi, TV and game console (to name but a few). Cables there are easier to get rid of and also keep them short. On the hub you connect both analog and digital sources. The analog input is even switchable between line level and phono MM. The TV is connected via HDMI (ARC) and on the digital side there is a Toslink input. If you want it, there is also a Sub output.
Last but not least, the Q Active hub can Q Acoustics also functions as a stand-alone streamer which is also Roon Ready. Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2, Bluetooth and UPnP are also included in the scope of the hub. Finally, for enthusiasts contact with smart assistant Alexa is possible.