Q Acoustics Q Active 200
Looking like something out of HG Wells’ The War of the Worlds, Q Acoustics’ first proper bash at wireless speakers appear alien for a reason…
They come in peace, mostly
£1499 + £349 stands (pair) / stuff.tv/q200 A bit like Steve Buscemi or Uma Thurman, the Q Acoustics’ Q Active 200 speakers have an odd sort of sexiness you can’t help but admire.
The British brand has been on a hot streak of sonically excellent home cinema and passive speaker solutions, but these asymmetrical boomers mark its first serious foray into active sound systems that don’t require a separate amp.
It’s a very well connected hi-res package, with everything from Apple Airplay 2 to Google Chromecast built-in, a choice of voice assistant and streaming service integrations, and HDMI ARC for plugging them into your tellybox.
The Q Active 200s have a special party trick too: it’s called ‘dynamic widescreen sound’, and it should mean Cliff Richard can always find your sweet spot for an outstanding audio experience no matter where you’re sitting or standing.
Wide side pride
The Q Active 200s look distinctly different due to off-centre BMR (balanced mode radiator) drivers and some striking Tensegrity stands – a £349 option (1). Q says the driver placement helps you fine-tune their ‘dynamic widescreen sound’ – more on that in the panel opposite.
Low throw pro
Inside each cabinet you’ll find two 2.25in BMR drivers, a rear-firing 4.5in long-throw sub (3) and six discrete amps with a total output of 280W. Plump for the pricier Q Active 400 floorstanders and you’ll bag two extra amps and 440W of power, but you’ll kiss goodbye to those sexy stands.
Sheer clear cheer
How do they sound? Stonking. It’s immediately apparent how smart the Q Active 200s are at separating the highs and mids from those beautifully wobbly lows. Switching between Airplay 2 and Bluetooth 4.2, frequencies feel consistently clearly defined with impressive levels of clarity.
Bright white sight
The ‘industrial chic’ design is carried on from front drivers to rear subwoofer via a corrugated control panel on the top (2). You can pick from stealthy matt black or white; and while setting up the stands is a bit of a faff, the end result is unquestionably cool and helps to minimise floor vibrations.
Hub club nub
Connectivity options run deep, but it all comes via a separate wireless hub that’ll handle hi-res audio at up to 32-bit/192khz over 5.8Ghz wireless. It’s an annoying extra thing to plug in when the speakers already take up a mains socket each, but it takes up less space than an amp.