Q Acoustics 3050i 5.1 Cinema Pack £1275

The folk at Q Acoustics are old hands at winning What Hi-fi? Awards. Their 3050i and 3010i 5.1 Cinema Pack models have both graced these pages on many occasions, so it’s no surprise to see the former (essentially the latter with a pair of the company’s 3050i floorstanders to replace the front channel units) here.

Unique to the 3050is in the range is Q Acoustics’ use of HPE (Helmholtz Pressure Equalizer) technology. This is, essentially, a tube inside the cabinet, filled with damping material to absorb unwanted energy and reduce resonance.

We’d defy anybody not to enjoy an evening with this speaker package. The exuberance is infectious, without being fatiguing, and it is complemented by a great deal of maturity and insight too.

The power and bass weight offered by the 3050is cater for greater intensity, without foregoing the snappy timing of their more diminutive partners. That fluidity is one of the most impressive aspects of this package – it avoids rigidity and instead gives a fast, natural-sounding performance. Paired with the 3050i, the centre speaker performs wonderfully, seeming even more dynamic and engaging than when partnered with the 3010i fronts.

The sub’s output is augmented by the 3050is taking on part responsibility for bass power, which means plenty of extra low-end detail. Insight generally is better too, especially with soundtracks, where the 3050is pick out extra strands and organise them with precision. Their musicality doesn’t go unnoticed either, with subtle and large-scale dynamics delivered with deft understanding.

So we hand those clever people at Q Acoustics yet another Award: just pop it on the mantelpiece with all the others.