New Challenge = Best Bang for the Buck

I recently got the A9010 too, for my secondary system, and I love it. (As does WhatHiFi too apparently - they gave it 5 stars: http://www.whathifi.com/onkyo/9010/review)

I got the 9010 because I was really happy with the component that I think is another, more well-known bang-for-the-buck: The Onkyo C-7030 CD player. It's incredibly well-built for a $150 player, has a very nice Wolfson DAC, and a motorized volume control, which means you get a nice analogue volume pot but still retain the ability to remote-control it.

Pairing the A-9010 and C-7030 also provides some modest integration: When you turn on the 7030 with the remote, the A-9010 automatically turns on and switches to the correct input.

The other great thing about the A-9010 is that it has its own built-in Wolfson DAC, and optical and coax digital inputs - so you can connect a Chromecast or any other streamer with a digital output to it and use the receiver's DAC. In my case, I have it connected to my TV's optical output. This allows me to stream from my Roku 3's HDMI port, into the TV's HDMI input, and then out the TV's optical output and into the Onkyo. With the Plex app installed on the Roku, it gives me a lossless way to wirelessly stream music from my computer in another part of the house right into the A-9010's DAC, and to use my TV and the Roku remote for super-easy navigation, selection of tracks, and so on.

I've paired the Onkyo components with the Pioneer BS22LR speakers mentioned above.

So not including the TV (since I would have that anyway), the whole shebang cost me less than $600:

C-7030: $150
A-9010: $270
Pioneer BS22LRs: $60 (on sale)
Roku 3: $80 (refurb)
Nice I am running Chrome Cast Audio using the optical's going to the Wolfson dac, I've had the a9010 for almost a year now, so I've fiddled with it a lot.I have the 7030 myself I think it's the best at that price but it's not quite the stellar performer as the a9010 is, the a9010 also has a stellar review in Goodsound/Soundstage....
 
The q acoustics 2020i smokes the Pioneers and the Polk and they are better than the Elac debut series to, the 3020 for 249.99 a pair beats up on the UB5 at half the price with far better cabinet technology....
 
The q acoustics 2020i smokes the Pioneers and the Polk and they are better than the Elac debut series to, the 3020 for 249.99 a pair beats up on the UB5 at half the price with far better cabinet technology....

That would be great if it is true, Tbomb25b. I'd love to see a new king of the bang for the buck speaker! It seems like the Pioneers held that for a while and the Elacs are challenging it.

But I don't understand the Q Acoustics line. What is the difference between the 2010i and the 3010? What is the difference between the 2020i and the 3020? Then where does the Concept 20 fit in? Please help me understand their product lineup and differences. I can't tell from their site at all.
 
2000i line is the budget line that were supposed to be replaced by the 3000 series but the 2000i series sells so good for it's price and the 3000 series gap in build and sound is big enough that they can keep both series at least for now anyway. The Concept series is the flagship line its a real trick double cabinet a cabinet in a cabinet with a active adhesive called Gelcore the adhesive between the 2 cabinets are always moving and in motion and it disapates the heat, the drivers are based on the 2000 series but with some changes to the motors and higher grade crossover parts. All models in every line the tweeter is isolated from the cabinet ....
 
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The new flagship speaker coming out in September the Concept 500 with a double Gelcore cabinet!
 

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That doesn't help much. What specifically is the difference between the 2020i and the 3020? The Q site is not helpful at all. Are you just saying that the 3020 has $100 better drivers? The specs seem to be mostly the same.
 
The 3000 series has trickle down cabinet technology from the Concept Gelcore cabinets it has 30mm top plates and a 24mm front baffle, it has upgraded drivers and crossover parts....
 
That would be great if it is true, Tbomb25b. I'd love to see a new king of the bang for the buck speaker! It seems like the Pioneers held that for a while and the Elacs are challenging it.

But I don't understand the Q Acoustics line. What is the difference between the 2010i and the 3010? What is the difference between the 2020i and the 3020? Then where does the Concept 20 fit in? Please help me understand their product lineup and differences. I can't tell from their site at all.

I agree that the website is very vague about the specifics. They seem more willing to discuss aesthetics than actual details about engineering.. Based on what little I've seen, I wonder if the difference between the 2020 and 3020 is just the magnetic grill, the ability to pick your finish and slightly different styling. Anyway, I enjoy fooling around with little cheap speakers so I ordered a pair of the 2020's. They arrive tomorrow. I'm not expecting too much for the price. I hope I'm surprised.
 
Maybe we need a Best Cheap Speaker for the Buck discussion here! Some of the candidates in the ~$100-200/pair range. Here is a short list, what else should be added before we start the debate?

Overnight Sensations
Overnight Sensations MTM
Q Acoustics 2020i
Pioneer BS22-LR
Polk Monitor 40
Klipsch RP-140
Elac B4
 
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I agree that the website is very vague about the specifics. They seem more willing to discuss aesthetics than actual details about engineering.. Based on what little I've seen, I wonder if the difference between the 2020 and 3020 is just the magnetic grill, the ability to pick your finish and slightly different styling. Anyway, I enjoy fooling around with little cheap speakers so I ordered a pair of the 2020's. They arrive tomorrow. I'm not expecting too much for the price. I hope I'm surprised.
This makes absolutely no since when I just stated what the difference are....
 
This makes absolutely no since when I just stated what the difference are....

Actually you didn't. You said the drivers and crossover were updated. How were they updated specifically? What is different about the new drivers? There couldn't have been drastic differences because none of the specs really changed. In fact, the 2020 is actually a heavier speaker. Does this mean it has a denser cabinet? We don't know because QAcoustics really doesn't tell us anything.

Anyone can say they upgraded their parts, but unless they explain what they did, it's just marketing. For all we know some parts they sourced were discontinued so they had to release a new model. Good time to change the aesthetics a bit and raise the price. Again, we have no idea.
 
Honestly I'm struggling to find any meanfuling differences myself other than price and appearance. I wonder if they just copy pasted the same specs erroneously. I mean the drivers do appear to be different across the line in the pictures but the FR is the same? As is the sensitivity, impedence, crossover point, etc. WTF? This makes no sense. How could one take three different sets of drivers, even in similar enclosures, and have the specs remain unchanged. Agreed on the website being a bunch of marketing nonsense. I'm sure the speakers sound good and all though :)

2020i Speaker Specifications:
  • Enclosure Type: 2-Way Reflex
  • Bass Unit: 125m
  • Treble Unit: 25mm
  • Frequency Response (+/- 3 dB): 64Hz - 22kHz
  • Nominal Impedance: 6ohm
  • Minimum Impedance: 4.0ohm
  • Sensitivity: 88dB
  • Crossover Frequency: 2.9kHz
3020 Bookshelf Speaker Specifications:
  • Enclosure type: 2-way reflex
  • Bass Unit: 125m
  • Treble Unit: 25mm
  • Frequency Response (+/- 3 dB): 64Hz - 22kHz
  • Nominal Impedance: 6ohm
  • Minimum Impedance: 4.0ohm
  • Sensitivity: 88dB
  • Recommended Power: 25 - 75w
  • Crossover Frequency: 2.9kHz
  • Dimensions H/D/W mm: 260 x 226 x 170
  • Weight: 4.6kg
  • Sold in: Pairs
Concept 20 Bookshelf Speaker Specifications:
  • Enclosure type: 2-way reflex
  • Bass Unit: 125mm
  • Treble Unit: 25mm
  • Frequency Response (+/- 3 dB): 64Hz - 22kHz
  • Nominal Impedance: 6ohm
  • Minimum Impedance: 4ohm
  • Sensitivity: 88dB
  • Recommended Power: 25 - 75w
  • Crossover Frequency: 2.9kHz
  • Dimensions H/D/W mm: 265 x 282 x 170
  • Weight: 12kg
  • Sold in: Pairs
 
Agreed, prighello, well said. Looking closely at the pictures it seems that the drivers could be different, but you wouldn't know it from the specs or from the information on the site. About all we know is that they certainly get heavier! Maybe they just keep on adding rocks inside and increase the price. ;) We wouldn't have any better information from their website.

I am more interested in talking about the best cheap speaker debate I proposed above.
 
Agreed, prighello, well said. Looking closely at the pictures it seems that the drivers could be different, but you wouldn't know it from the specs or from the information on the site. About all we know is that they certainly get heavier! Maybe they just keep on adding rocks inside and increase the price. ;) We wouldn't have any better information from their website.

I am more interested in talking about the best cheap speaker debate I proposed above.

Well I can vouch for the Overnight Sensations. None of my other speakers have been all that cheap. I liked the Fostex Fe103en drivers in various cabinets; the drivers cost about 100 bucks, but the OSs walk all over them. The best bang for the buck speakers I've ever owned have been the Tekton M-Lores...worth every penny and much more, but they will run you $700+.
 
The Overnight Sensation has HiVi drivers and a nice ply cabinet...its a sweet little speaker, them and the Q acoustics 2020i and 3010 would be good fun...
 
May I gently reanimate this amazing thread and throw in my favourite 'bang for buck' system I happily ran in my work/man cave for years:

Source: Asus Xonar Essence
Amplification: Trends Audio TA-10.2P Class-T Power Amplifier
Speakers: Q-Acoustics 2020i

You can obviously exchange the Asus with any digital source that you prefer, but for 3 years, this delivered jaw dropping sound. Due to the LS-50s being too much of a temptation I recently switched to a beefier Power Amp, but I recently had 2 TA-10.2P's in a monoblock configuration in my main listening room driving two Klipsch RF-52 Mark2s' and I have to admit that they are amazing.
 
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