Q Acoustics 3020 speakers -- My Insight

[roadwarrior]

OK -- the QA 3020 has one more challenge to go -- the contender is from Germany -- the Canton GLS 2 -- not the GLE lower model -- the GLS 2 is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. The winner stays and the loser says goodbye -- however, I am not buying into the $799 suggested retail -- more likely around $599 -- they are moving them out for $299 with less than $9.00 shipping.
http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/cantgls2blka/canton-gls-2-6-2-way-bookshelf-speaker-black-pair/1.html

This is like speaker Survivor Island. I like it.

 

[zieglj01]

Frequency Response 33 Hz- 40 kHz. That's pretty impressive bass response from a slightly over .33 cu ft box with a 6" woofer. I wonder how they do that.

Most likely 60 db spl 12 inches from the woofer with the right ear turned into it -- they must have had lunch with Definitive Tech seeking advice for marketing.

 

[zieglj01]

My guess is by using a 20 dB response window.

Probably about 16 db down

 

[zieglj01]

This is like speaker Survivor Island. I like it.

It seems like it -- I have been looking at Canton for quite awhile

 

[roadwarrior]

It seems like it -- I have been looking at Canton for quite awhile

Yeah, I've never even heard of them before so I'm interested in your impressions. Definitely Klipsch like markup though.

 

[zieglj01]

Yeah, I've never even heard of them before so I'm interested in your impressions. Definitely Klipsch like markup though.

Their marketing is weak in the USA -- they are the largest speaker manufacturer in Germany.

Sold at Sound Approach in the USA
https://soundapproach.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Canton+bookshelf+speakers

https://soundapproach.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Canton+tower+speakers

Canton USA
https://www.canton.us/hifi/

 

[roadwarrior]

Their marketing is weak in the USA -- they are the largest speaker manufacturer in Germany.

Sold at Sound Approach in the USA
https://soundapproach.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Canton+bookshelf+speakers

https://soundapproach.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Canton+tower+speakers

Canton USA
https://www.canton.us/hifi/

Ah, ok. Thanks for that. I'll read up on them. Speaker manufactures aren't my strong suit but I'm trying to up my game as it were. Look forward to reading your comparisons as well.

 

[shadyJ]

Yeah, I've never even heard of them before so I'm interested in your impressions. Definitely Klipsch like markup though.

I heard some Canton Reference 3 speakers at the last AXPONA, they look really nice and sounded great too. They were expensive, but I will still surprised at the pricing: $15,600/ pair. From looking at them and learning about their build, and also compared to what else there is in that range, I would have guessed they would have been twice that price. Honestly, they are very reasonably priced. I don't know about the lower end Canton speakers. These are the ones I heard:

 

[zieglj01]

I heard some Canton Reference 3 speakers at the last AXPONA, they look really nice and sounded great too. They were expensive, but I will still surprised at the pricing: $15,600/ pair. From looking at them and learning about their build, and also compared to what else there is in that range, I would have guessed they would have been twice that price. Honestly, they are very reasonably priced. I don't know about the lower end Canton speakers. These are the ones I heard:

And from the pass -- Audioholics review on a Canton product
http://www.audioholics.com/tower-speaker-reviews/canton-karat-reference-2-dc

 

[zieglj01]

The Canton are here -- just beginning to check them out -- put on Take Five by Dave Brubeck, and they are nice/good -- the Q Acoustics 3020 are in trouble.

Will open one of them up later today.

 

[roadwarrior]

I heard some Canton Reference 3 speakers at the last AXPONA, they look really nice and sounded great too. They were expensive, but I will still surprised at the pricing: $15,600/ pair. From looking at them and learning about their build, and also compared to what else there is in that range, I would have guessed they would have been twice that price. Honestly, they are very reasonably priced. I don't know about the lower end Canton speakers. These are the ones I heard:

Nice. I went through their website and the vendors site as well so now I understand what you and Zieglj01 are saying about their reputation. I was just ignorant about them. I like the look of their drivers and their plexiglass cabinets look pretty cool as well. Wonder how they sound though?

 

[zieglj01]

OK -- felt some energy and decided to open one up -- however, it starts with the packing. When I cut open the box and removed the top foam covering, I was somewhat taken by surprise -- only the front baffle and rear baffle have a sheet cover over them, and one speaker is front facing and the other rear facing. No wrap around the whole speaker.

The front baffle is painted, and the rest of the speaker is vinyl wrap that overall looks nice. The front baffle is 3/4 inch, and the rest is 1/2 inch. The door-knock test was not really hollow, however still not solid. Having 1 inch thick batten all around helps to tame a hollow door-knock. However, I still would like to see a cross-brace. All the inside edges and corners are sealed with some type of caulk/glue. There are two pieces of batten behind the woofer and over the crossover board.

The crossover looks to be 12 db octave on the woofer and tweeter -- with 2 coils, 3 caps, and 1 resistor. It seems that Canton concentrated/spent more on the drivers and the overall sound than the cabinet.

Notice that the woofer has a unique wave surround -- it also has a polyresin frame and no cheap ringing stamp frame basket. The tweeter also has a screen covering. The speaker grill comes off real easy. The screw holes for the drivers have metal inserts, so you will not strip the wood.

More on the sound later -- however, it plays way above the current $299 and with no happy bump in the sensitive midrange.

A slide-show here
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=slideshow;album=24418;start=167784

 

[Pogre]

All that batten looks like the inside of one of my Ultras. No bracing tho, huh?

 

[zieglj01]

All that batten looks like the inside of one of my Ultras. No bracing tho, huh?

No -- but I can put some 3/4 in Sonic Barrier in them and cut back on the batten

 

[shadyJ]

OK -- felt some energy and decided to open one up -- however, it starts with the packing. When I cut open the box and removed the top foam covering, I was somewhat taken by surprise -- only the front baffle and rear baffle have a sheet cover over them, and one speaker is front facing and the other rear facing. No wrap around the whole speaker.

The front baffle is painted, and the rest of the speaker is vinyl wrap that overall looks nice. The front baffle is 3/4 inch, and the rest is 1/2 inch. The door-knock test was not really hollow, however still not solid. Having 1 inch thick batten all around helps to tame a hollow door-knock. However, I still would like to see a cross-brace. All the inside edges and corners are sealed with some type of caulk/glue. There are two pieces of batten behind the woofer and over the crossover board.

The crossover looks to be 12 db octave on the woofer and tweeter -- with 2 coils, 3 caps, and 1 resistor. It seems that Canton concentrated/spent more on the drivers and the overall sound than the cabinet.

Notice that the woofer has a unique wave surround -- it also has a polyresin frame and no cheap ringing stamp frame basket. The tweeter also has a screen covering. The speaker grill comes off real easy. The screw holes for the drivers have metal inserts, so you will not strip the wood.

More on the sound later -- however, it plays way above the current $299 and with no happy bump in the sensitive midrange.

A slide-show here
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=slideshow;album=24418;start=167784

I don't think cross-bracing is really a big deal in a bookshelf speaker. If the panels have a significant resonance, it will show up in the frequency response. It's a nice thing to see, but it is more of a marketing bragging point than something that is actually useful. I have essentially been told this by multiple speaker manufacturers. Having well-controlled driver behavior is much more important and will have a much greater effect on the response. Looks to me like Canton is wisely allocating the budget where it will do the most good.

 

[zieglj01]

I don't think cross-bracing is really a big deal in a bookshelf speaker. If the panels have a significant resonance, it will show up in the frequency response. It's a nice thing to see, but it is more of a marketing bragging point than something that is actually useful. I have essentially been told this by multiple speaker manufacturers. Having well-controlled driver behavior is much more important and will have a much greater effect on the response. Looks to me like Canton is wisely allocating the budget where it will do the most good.

They are sounding good with no real annoyance -- the poly-batten seems to be beneficial at this time.

 

[zieglj01]

A better look at the Canton crossover

 

[KEW]

A better look at the Canton crossover

Interesting, I thought you were supposed to stand one of the coils up so their fields don't interfere much.
Maybe something that matters in theory, but not really?
Canton is too well established to miss something like this if it made a big deal!

 

[zieglj01]

Interesting, I thought you were supposed to stand one of the coils up so their fields don't interfere much.
Maybe something that matters in theory, but not really?
Canton is too well established to miss something like this if it made a big deal!

that crossed my mind too -- however, they are the engineers.

 

[speakerman39]

More on the sound later -- however, it plays way above the current $299 and with no happy bump in the sensitive midrange.

A slide-show here
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=slideshow;album=24418;start=167784

Thanks once again for the info Ziegl. Sounds like these may be keepers, no? The 3020's may be in trouble as you say. Really like the pics. I agree the XO looks to be 2nd order. The drivers look to be of excellent quality from what I can tell. Thanks!


Cheers,

Phil