Q Acoustics 3090c Centre Speaker

The Q Acoustics 3090c Centre Speaker is a two-way design that features two continuous curved cone bass/midrange units. There is also a centrally placed hermetically sealed tweeter. As a result, the tweeter is isolated from the other drivers reducing distortion.

Additionally, the curved cone profile has an extended bass response. Lastly, the curved cabinet design has no visible fixings or joints and is designed to match the stand-mounted and floor-standing speakers in the third generation “C” series.

Continuous cone bass/mid-driver

Two continuous curved coned drivers feature in the Q Acoustics 3090c Centre Speaker. This provides punchy bass and an accurate midrange. The midrange is important with centre speakers as they are mostly used for dialogue.

Alongside this, the geometry of the cone blends the best characteristics of a straight cone with those of a flared cone. Next, the front baffle has a curved profile. This breaks up standing waves for a smoother sound. Many years of research went into refining the shape of the cone. As a result, it now has improved dispersion and more bass extension.

Hermetically sealed tweeter

The Q Acoustics 3090c Centre Speaker has a hermetically sealed centre-mounted tweeter. High frequencies blend well with the bass to create a clear and engaging sound. The seal prevents mutual interference from the Bas/midrange unit.

Moreover, there is a rear vented chamber. The chamber equalises the pressure enabling the tweeter’s cone to move freely. As a result, there is less distortion.

Point-to-point braced cabinet

Speaker cabinets normally consist of flat wooden panels. However, the Q Acoustics 3090c Centre Speaker has curved ends and a curved baffle. Moreover, the proprietary Q Acoustics P2P point-to-point bracing makes for a very rigid structure that resists resonances. The lack of visible joints and fixings is also a feature.

Why a centre speaker?

The Q Acoustics 3090c Centre Speaker is designed to be used in home cinema systems. It is well-matched with the other speakers in the “C” range that have a similar design. Most film soundtracks are mixed with a centre channel in mind.

Without a centre speaker, you are missing out on clear dialogue and some effects. Effects are also sometimes fed to the centre channel. Multi-channel sound for movies actually goes back to the 1940s. There are various surround sound formats available from simple 5.1 systems to Dolby Atmos, that can have up to seventeen channels.

A choice of amplifier

The Q Acoustics “C” range, including the Q Acoustics 3090c Centre Speaker, consists of three stand-mounted models and a pair of floor standers. These can be used to create a home cinema system along with a suitable amplifier. AV receivers are intended for home cinema systems.

They have the required number of amplified channels as well as the necessary decoding software for the encoding used. Notably, Dolby Atmos systems also have side, height and ceiling speakers. A simple 5.1 system has a front left and right pair of speakers along with a rear pair and a centre speaker. The .1 refers to a subwoofer.