Short answer: the Boston Acoustics A25. It ranks #32 of 71 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $299.98; the Q Acoustics 3020i ranks #54 and costs $314.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Q Acoustics 3020i offers: UK-designed (Finkteam) with attractive styling, including recessed binding posts and custom connectors. Vertical directivity is good enough that the tweeter doesn’t need to be exactly at ear level. With EQ correction, especially high-frequency shelving and a sub-40Hz high-pass filter, Amir found performance “improves substantially.” Watch for: On-axis response shows a rising upper-frequency trend and a dip in the 2-4kHz crossover region alongside two resonance-related dips; a significant resonance appears at 366Hz in the waterfall plot. Horizontal directivity is narrow and uneven due to a woofer/tweeter beamwidth mismatch. Amir cautions the speaker is “merely a distortion generator” if played too low, and its low impedance demands a quality amplifier. Without EQ, Amir “can’t recommend the Q Acoustics 3020i.”
What the Boston Acoustics A25 offers: CEA2034 spinorama is decent once you ignore a peak around 900Hz and a dip around 3kHz - directivity is good enough that the response can be EQed and won’t be too room-dependent. Cabinet fit and finish is well above its price class, and dynamics were strong with no distortion audible even at high volume on well-recorded material. Discontinued, but the reviewer suggests hunting for clearance pricing on remaining stock. Watch for: A crazy port resonance and a tweeter with a steeper rolloff than the woofer both show up in the near-field driver measurements, creating the 900Hz peak and the crossover-region dip. The rear port itself measured audibly distorted up close, though it wasn’t noticeable from normal listening distance in the reviewer’s room.
Buy the Boston Acoustics A25. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Q Acoustics 3020i and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Q Acoustics 3020i. It ranks near the bottom of the 71 bookshelf speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Q Acoustics 3020i | Boston Acoustics A25 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $314.99 | $299.98 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #54 of 71 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #32 of 71 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 125mm (5") bass driver, 22mm (0.9") tweeter | 1" Kortec soft dome tweeter, 5.25" ceramic/glass-fiber polymer mid/woofer |
| Dimensions | 10.9"H x 6.7"W x 11.1"D (278 x 170 x 282 mm) | 10.7H x 7.25W x 8.9D in |
| Weight | 10.6 lbs / 4.8 kg each | 10.1 lbs / 4.58 kg each |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (2.83V/1m, manufacturer specified) | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2.4kHz | - |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 4 ohms minimum | 8 ohms nominal |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, reflex | ported, rear |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 82.0Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 90Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 49.8Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 55Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 55Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | - | 10-150W recommended |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- KEF Q100 vs Polk T15
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- KEF Q100 vs JBL Control 1 Pro
- JBL Stage A120 vs Q Acoustics 3020i
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs Paradigm Monitor SE Atom
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The Two Speakers In Full
Q Acoustics 3020i: $314.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: UK-designed (Finkteam) with attractive styling, including recessed binding posts and custom connectors. Vertical directivity is good enough that the tweeter doesn’t need to be exactly at ear level. With EQ correction, especially high-frequency shelving and a sub-40Hz high-pass filter, Amir found performance “improves substantially.”
Cons: On-axis response shows a rising upper-frequency trend and a dip in the 2-4kHz crossover region alongside two resonance-related dips; a significant resonance appears at 366Hz in the waterfall plot. Horizontal directivity is narrow and uneven due to a woofer/tweeter beamwidth mismatch. Amir cautions the speaker is “merely a distortion generator” if played too low, and its low impedance demands a quality amplifier. Without EQ, Amir “can’t recommend the Q Acoustics 3020i.”
Full Q Acoustics 3020i review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 49.8Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 82.0Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2.4kHz |
| Dimensions | 10.9"H x 6.7"W x 11.1"D (278 x 170 x 282 mm) |
| Drivers | 125mm (5") bass driver, 22mm (0.9") tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 4 ohms minimum |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (2.83V/1m, manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 10.6 lbs / 4.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, reflex |
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Boston Acoustics A25: $299.98 Discontinued eBay
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama is decent once you ignore a peak around 900Hz and a dip around 3kHz - directivity is good enough that the response can be EQed and won’t be too room-dependent. Cabinet fit and finish is well above its price class, and dynamics were strong with no distortion audible even at high volume on well-recorded material. Discontinued, but the reviewer suggests hunting for clearance pricing on remaining stock.
Cons: A crazy port resonance and a tweeter with a steeper rolloff than the woofer both show up in the near-field driver measurements, creating the 900Hz peak and the crossover-region dip. The rear port itself measured audibly distorted up close, though it wasn’t noticeable from normal listening distance in the reviewer’s room. Discontinued.
Full Boston Acoustics A25 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 90Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 10.7H x 7.25W x 8.9D in |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1" Kortec soft dome tweeter, 5.25" ceramic/glass-fiber polymer mid/woofer |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal |
| Power Handling | 10-150W recommended |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs / 4.58 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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