Q acoustics concept 500 review

Напольная акустика Q Acoustics Concept 500: чистота кристальная

Бренд Q Acoustics настолько молод, что многие помнят год его рождения — 2006-й. Наверное, стоит отметить впечатляющую яркость этого события — иначе оно осталось бы незамеченным, — а также честность подхода тех, кто за ним стоял. Аудиофильской публике была обещана акустика с выдающимся соотношением цена/качество, и именно она и появилась на полках магазинов — сначала британских, а затем и во многих других странах.

А три года назад, в 2017-м, компания Q Acoustics приняла решение выйти за рамки первоначальной стратегии, нацеленной на бюджетный сегмент рынка, и выпустить более статусные и, соответственно, дорогие колонки, чтобы заявить о себе как о поставщике акустики более широкого ценового диапазона. Такой моделью как раз и стали напольники Concept 500.

В их облике нетрудно разглядеть «фамильные» черты: глубокие корпуса со скругленными ребрами, излюбленную разработчиками компании схему D'Appolito при двухполосной фазоинверторной конструкции, необычные пьедесталы — но в Concept 500 явственно ощущается принадлежность к более высокому классу продуктов.

Они выглядят по-настоящему роскошно. Комбинированная отделка великолепна (и изобретательна), на скругленных по краям передних панелях нет ничего, кроме динамиков, и, конечно, взор притягивает металлический цоколь в форме кольца — тоже весьма остроумное решение.

Мало шума — много музыки

Все серьезные производители акустики уделяют особое внимание борьбе с вибрациями корпусов и со стоячими волнами в их внутреннем пространстве. И чем выше цена модели — тем бескомпромисснее предпринимаемые меры

Но, как видно, разработчики Q Acoustics Concept 500 поставили ее во главу угла — и не прогадали. При достаточно скромной цене колонок, не без основания позиционируемых как продукт High-End-класса, им удалось добиться весьма высокого качества звучания, дающего фору конкурентам подороже.

Отсутствие паразитных шумов позволяет 500-м формировать очень четкую, отменно проработанную, наделенную глубокой перспективой музыкальную сцену с точно и голографически выпукло сфокусированными звуковыми образами. Этот же фактор обуславливает тембральную насыщенность, поскольку до слушателя доходит весь комплект обертонов голосов инструментов и вокала.

Большой порт фазоинвертора выходит на заднюю панель. Это стоит учитывать при установке колонок. В случае необходимости предлагается воспользоваться комплектными поролоновыми заглушками, которыми можно частично или полностью «закупорить» порт для подстройки басового диапазона под акустические условия помещения

А в совокупности с тональной сбалансированностью (о которой создатели Concept 500 также позаботились) обретается гарантия, что в нем не будет перекосов — то есть подача материала будет максимально естественной и достоверной. И даже на динамике это сказывается самым положительным образом: сравните мысленно удар по мячику жесткой ракеткой для настольного тенниса и, допустим, ладонью.

Overall

We all know speakers are a very emotional thing, I for example swear by my KEF R700s which are old, well run in and were one of my earliest HiFi purchases. However, directly in their place these Q Acoustics Concept 500s have really made me think about how old they are and how good cabinet and speaker technology is these days (although the Qs are at least twice the price). The speakers are especially pleasant at lower volumes which is where I tend to listen to most of my music, the bass control is certainly working for me. I think these speakers demand a listen, if you are in this price bracket. Whether you are driving them with a powerful Naim amplifier or another, they can cope admirably. Indeed, have just taken delivery of the Auralic Polaris ‘all-in-one' system which I expect will have no bother at all driving these very sensitive and controlled floor standing speakers.

Love

The split veneer/piano gloss finish
The rear terminals
Low mid range to bass
Open presentation

I've got them for a couple more weeks!

Wish

For nothing more from these

They were a bit lighter, although of course that does not work

The Q Acoustics Concept 500 are retailing near £4,000 for the pair and are now available. Check your Q Acoustics retailer for more details.

Take a look at the Concept 500 brochure here. The are also technical papers on the site.

Антивибрационная концепция

500-е входят в фирменное семейство Concept, а это значит, что они имеют многослойные корпуса, выполненные по технологии Gelcore: в данном случае, три листа MDF, а не два, как у почти всех остальных АС Concept, проложены (спрессованы под давлением) специальным гелем, преобразующим вибрации конструкции в тепло.

Из пяти предлагаемых вариантов отделки три комбинированных: с однотонным «передом» и шпонированным «тылом», причем раздел проходит примерно посередине боковых панелей

Меры по борьбе с резонансами в корпусах этим не ограничиваются. В них также применены распорки, размещенные в тех точках, где их наличие особенно эффективно для подавления стоячих волн, а также специальные заполненные демпфирующим материалом трубки, получившие название Helmholtz Pressure Equalizer (HPE), действующие по известному принципу, получившему название в честь этого немецкого физика, для снижения неравномерности давления в высоких корпусах АС. Таким образом, борьба с паразитными шумами, возникающими из-за вибраций, охватывает все частотные диапазоны.

СЧ/НЧ-динамики прикрепляются болтами с дополнительным подпружиниванием к внутренним распоркам, а от корпуса изолируются демпфирующими прослойками. Поэтому головок винтов вокруг этих излучателей не то что бы не видно, а их там попросту нет, и к тому же снимается проблема ослабления фиксации с течением времени.

В аудиотракт, составленный для тестирования Q Acoustics Concept 500, входили также CD-проигрыватель Lyngdorf CD-2 и интегрированный усилитель Parasound HINT 6

Твитер также помещен в специально разработанную прокладку из резины, обеспечивающую ему надежную развязку с корпусом.

Сами динамические головки — 28-мм твитер с мягким куполом и 16,5-см среднечастотники/вуферы с диффузорами из обработанной специальным образом бумаги — не выглядят экстраординарными, однако над каждым элементом их конструкций тщательно поработали, чтобы добиться максимально возможного качества звучания. То же можно сказать и о кроссовере четвертого порядка, осуществляющем раздел полос на частоте 2,5 кГц.

К вокалу — с любовью

Загружаем в CD-проигрыватель «Реквием» Дж. Верди — произведение для солистов, хора и большого оркестра — и перед нами возникает сцена, на которой зримо присутствуют все эти исполнители. Им не тесно, все на своих местах. В очень тихом вступлении слышно все до мельчайших деталей.

С помощью перемычек, вставляемых в отверстия на этой панели, можно повысить или понизить на 0,5 дБ относительно базового уровень высоких частот

Также хочется отметить точную и выразительную динамику: внезапные изменения громкости подаются очень эффектно, а уж «Dies Irae» так и вовсе представляется громом небесным с его грохотом барабанов и как бы летающими из стороны в сторону голосами хористов.

Вокалу Concept 500 благоволят особо. Это заметно и в «Реквиеме», где голос каждого из четырех солистов прописан до мельчайших подробностей, а их образы прекрасно сфокусированы на переднем плане, и на любом другом музыкальном материале. К примеру, контратенор Девида Дениелса (CD «J.S. Bach. Sacred Arias & Cantatas. David Daniels») в данном случае не вводит в заблуждение: ни на миг невозможно усомниться в том, что поет мужчина, настолько точно переданы все характерные нюансы вокала.

В песне «Sweet the Sting» с альбома «The Beekeeper» Тори Эймос отлично согласуются тягучий басовый ритм и выразительный, чуть надтреснутый голос певицы, что удается не всякой системе. Нижний диапазон прекрасно контролируется, он весом и объемен, а вокал полон мельчайших подробностей, иронических интонаций и кокетства.

Concept 500 Specification

Adjustment plate

Frequency Response – 41 Hz – 30 kHz

Average Impedance – 6 Ω

Minimum Impedance – 3.7 Ω

Recommended Power – 25 – 200 W

Distortion (120 Hz – 20 kHz) – 0.2 %

Crossover Frequency – 2.5 kHz

Mid Bass / Driver – 2 x 165 mm

Rear jumper adjustment

High Frequency Unit – 28 mm

Size (W x H x D) – 400 x 1150 x 350 mm (excl. spikes)

Weight – 42 kg

I just wanted to add that, although the frequency range ‘looks' a tad low-end ‘light' there is certainly no problem here with the beautifully controlled bass. Also worth mentioning is that although the speakers are pretty heavy, and they are definitely a ‘two man' lift, the solid aluminium base lends itself nicely as a ‘handle' leaving the heavier speaker end to a more capable carrier (I assume the base can be used a carry handle, Q Acoustics?).

Картина ясная

Старый, записанный фирмой «Мелодия» CD «Кармен-сюита» с музыкой Бизе-Щедрина к одноименному балету звучит превосходно. Возможно, в данном случае сказывается плавная, но при этом уверенная подача, присущая усилителю Parasound HINT 6 (именно он работал на тесте), однако и кристальная чистота колонок, безусловно, вносит свой вклад.

Такую ясную, живую картину при воспроизведении этой записи удается получить нечасто. Все струнные инструменты играют благозвучно, без диссонансов, которые возникают при неточной передаче их обертонов — при этом их образы отлично сфокусированы на объемной сцене. Разнообразная перкуссия дополняет мелодические линии, навеянные темами из оперы Ж. Бизе, делая сюиту самостоятельным произведением искусства, созданным Р. Щедриным.

Щелчки, стуки, хлопки, дробь барабанов, нежные переливы ксилофона — все узнаваемо, зримо, разделено и прекрасно согласовано. Фронты этих звуков острые, ритмы отточенные, верха — легкие, подвижные, приятно округлые, без малейших намеков на резкость. Масштабность и вариативность динамики также вносит весомый вклад в эмоциональный посыл этой музыки.

CD «Black Holes and Revelations» группы Muse также требователен по части динамики и детальности — и Concept 500 без проблем справляются с его подачей. В нагромождении электронных инструментов и эффектов легко прослеживаются все мелодические и ритмические партии

Вокалу и здесь уделяется особое внимание, так что он звучит артикулировано и выразительно. Бас весомый и упругий, он четко контролируется и во многом обеспечивает заводной драйв таких композиций, как «Starlight»

Sound

It doesn't matter what type of music you play. Stravinsky's shows off the 500s' wide-ranging dynamics and ability to handle a multitude of instrumental strands without losing cohesion or the overall musical message.

There's so much detail on offer, and it's organised with care and composure. Low-level nuances aren't overshadowed and, equally, sounds meant to dominate do so with confidence.

Pleasingly, this is not a product that emphasises the leading edge of notes just to appear impressive. The Concept 500s are more mature than that. They sound welcoming and easy-going without losing the excitement in the music.

Their full-bodied tonal balance has plenty in the way of richness and weight but balances this with a fine sense of agility when the music requires.

The 500s' stereo imaging is good for speakers of this type – the elaborate cabinet construction making itself heard in the way they project the sound as much as in the undeniable dynamic benefits it offers.

Massive Attack's has long been a favourite test track and these floorstanders take its juggernaut of a bassline in stride. We love the way they render bass – it's properly deep and powerful, but tuneful with it. We're surprised a pair of 16.5cm drivers can dig so deep so convincingly.

Vocals are delivered with clarity and finesse. There's no shortage of dynamic subtlety here, or transparency. This talent through the midrange points to well-designed drive units and crossovers, as well as a properly designed cabinet.

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We listen to everything from the stadium rock of and folk of , all the way through to the large-scale sonic pyrotechnics of Hans Zimmer's and these Q Acoustics handle it unfussily. They sound comfortable and composed regardless of volume level or musical complexity.

Importantly, their broad skill-set means they simply don't intrude on the musical experience. All pieces of hi-fi, particularly speakers, add a bit of character to the presentation, but it's very easy to accept the 500s' version of the truth.

Design

There is a lot going on with these Concept 500 speakers. Because Q Acoustics were coming from a higher turnover end of the speaker world they have engaged the services of Speaker gurus Fink Audio Consultants and IDA to develop their first forays into the high end of the market. Karl Heinz Fink has been involved in the development of these speakers, he has Naim for Bentley to his name amongst other very notable projects.

Concept 500 design features include a Gelcore adhesive that binds the triple layered MDF cabinet construction. The gel does not set, lending itself to absorption of tiny resonances in the cabinet, contributing to the refined audio output; the gel actually resonates itself, this generates heat that dissipates the resonant energy. Additionally, there are numerous bracing points in the tall structure designed to lend rigidity to the cabinet whilst minimising low end frequency vibration. The speaker cones are cunningly mounted from the rear, removing the need for screws at the front of the speaker, contributing to the aesthetics of these speakers.

Terminal detail

There is a rather large rear port to facilitate air movement which presumably compliments the array of bracing and pressure equalisation that is managed in these tall and very heavy floor standing loudspeakers. Of note are the beautiful speaker terminals, that may received bi wired cable if needed. They are very neatly designed with the terminal screw tightening around the cable terminal itself.

There is also a jumper for adjusting tweeter output by half a decibel up or down, which gives it a degree of room tuning capability; I have played with this and have not actually found it to make much difference if I am honest, albeit I am in not near the walls in the room (I gather the jumper is more useful if you are closer to the wall where bass gets accentuated).

The speakers come with a choice of silver metal spikes or balled feet, I love spikes. I have the piano black finish but there is also a white finish (main picture). I am bound to say such is the polished finish of the split veneer and lacquer black speakers I have I'm having a bit of fingerprint nightmare when I'm fiddling with the sound in the room (otherwise known as a ‘Middle Class' problem!!).

Q Acoustics Concept 500

While so many of our Elite Dealer showrooms are closed, we are offering Concept 500 speakers for sale on this website.

Key Features

The High-end Concept 500 Floorstanding Speakers adopt advanced, innovative technologies to deliver pure audio excellence and a sensational sound stage.
The Concept 500 pairs Point-to-Point (P2P) bracing to deal with low-frequency panel vibrations with Helmholtz Pressure Equalizers (HPE) to balance out pressure irregularities.
Three separate layers filled with a non-setting gel, which dampens the cabinet walls and converts higher frequency vibrations into heat for better performance.

Cabinet Plinth:

Concept 500 is the embodiment of elegant design, compatible with a contemporary living space and not specific to any particular style of interior. The appearance has been pared-back to be as clean looking as possible, with rear-mounted mid / bass drivers keeping the baffle uncluttered and embedded magnets securing the grille so no fixings are visible.

Gloss black or gloss white finishes have each been combined with Italian realwood veneer, chosen for its consistency in colour and pattern. The veneer is used sparingly in a subtle strip to create a cabinet that is visually light and clean. The white gloss finish has been attractively paired with pale oak and the black gloss with deep rosewood. Multiple coats of lacquer have then been added to give a deep piano gloss finish.

Build

That 115cm tall cabinet retains the brand's distinctive visual identity, but adds a neat wood veneer strip along the sides for an extra touch of luxury. It's a sturdy box, as you'd expect, but here Q Acoustics uses no less than three layers of MDF separated by a soft decoupling material called Gelcore.

It's a technique the company has used in its existing Concept models and really does help reduce the cabinet's contribution to the overall sound. Any vibration transmitted through the wooden layers is absorbed and turned into heat, but the enclosure doesn't warm to the touch during use, even at party levels.

The whole structure is strategically braced too, reducing vibration without transmitting unwanted mechanical energy to other parts of the cabinet where it can degrade performance.

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The drive units may not appear unusual on paper – the twin 16.5cm mid/bass drivers use treated paper cones and the tweeter is a conventional soft dome design – but there has been plenty of engineering effort expended on the details of suspension, motor system, diaphragm profiles, material and drive unit mounting to extract the most from these ingredients. The same can be said of the crossover design and the components used in it.

The Concept 500s prove relatively unfussy in positioning. We keep them well away from the rear and sidewalls of our medium-sized listening room, and angle them in a touch towards the listening position.

It isn't hard to find a position where the frequency range sounds balanced and the stereo imaging proves convincing. Despite that, the engineers have developed a system to alter the tweeter output level – using a moveable link – to help fine-tune performance.

We end up with the link set to the neutral position, but can imagine the adjustment being useful in certain circumstances.

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We've long felt Q Acoustics products have tended to be pretty forgiving of partnering equipment and source material quality. That proves the case here — the speaker's excellent refinement and smooth delivery refuses to make a meal of poorer, more aggressive inputs.

That's not to say these speakers don't need anything better to shine. The downside of the Concept 500's aggressive pricing – remember we're talking high-end standards where £4000 is considered entry-level – is there's a strong likelihood they be partnered with similarly priced sources and amplification.

That's a shame because, while we're sure they'll sound more than acceptable with such electronics, we know these speakers are capable of so much more.

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Put them on the end of something more ambitious – we used our reference set-up of Naim NDS/555PS streamer and Gamut D3i/D200i pre/power amplification – and they're capable of a performance that puts most rivals to shame and strongly challenges alternatives up to twice their price.

Hyperbole? All any doubters need to do is have a careful listen to a properly set-up pair on the end of some capable electronics. We're sure they'll be as convinced as we are.

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Founded in 2006, Q Acoustics quickly built a reputation for designing and manufacturing class-leading loudspeakers. Concept 500 is the culmination of Q Acoustics continual evolution and refinement resulting in what we believe is sonic perfection.

Designed to appeal to discerning audiophiles, the Concept 500 achieves a perfect balance between art and science. It is a loudspeaker that is at once, stylish, contemporary, fine-sounding and astonishingly accurate. It couples low directivity with wide bandwidth, good sensitivity and sensible impedance. This makes the new Concept 500 both room-friendly and an easy load to drive, allowing amplifiers to deliver their best performance.

To create a stereo soundstage which gives as good an impression of width, depth and height as that found in a live performance requires high quality drive units, a well designed crossover and an accurately constructed cabinet. To achieve this, Q Acoustics formed a truly talented team with many years of experience in the design, engineering and manufacture of world-class loudspeakers. A combination that resulted in a state-of-the-art loudspeaker worthy of any high-end system.

Performance

Test Set-up

I have tested these speakers with first a Rega Planar 3 turntable into a Roksan K2 integrated amplifier which was a very pleasant experience indeed. I'm using QED Supremus loudspeaker cables. Therafter I used the Oppo UDP-205 as a CD Player (review to follow) directly into the T+A AMP 8 then into the T+A DAC 8 & AMP 8 combination. There is tons of power from the AMP 8 so this has produced a really nice image. I have an Atlas Mains Conditioner for general plugging in of sources, pre and power amplifier, etc.

I have, as a point of fact, had a bit of a fiddle trying to get the best sound from these speakers, although I am very happy with the outcome. The speakers are ‘toed-in' more than I expected as they are not transmission line in design.

Without getting into the music thing, I generally use the same tracks for most of my listening as I am trying to listen particular things. For example, ‘Everything's Not Lost' for Pianos, etc. Although I have noted elsewhere on this site, Fasil Say's Chopin Nocturnes are hard to beat if you want to hear very beautiful pianos.

Vinyl reproduction with Rega Planar 3 and Roksan K2

Although this is the least likely set-up you are likely to have with these beautiful speakers I nevertheless feel it worth seeing how they perform with a more, let's say, ‘standard' integrated amplifier that packs a punch. The sound is indeed crisp, powerful and very satisfying indeed. I went for the B Side of ‘In Rainbows' for its detail, complex structure and yet simple production. Indeed the sound is crystal clear, deep and beautiful. Obviously with several thousand pounds of cables and the rest in loud speaker design and build this is a crystal clear reproduction from the needle confirming the versatility of the K2 in all conditions. ‘Faust Arp' is such a mesmerising track and the resolution from the record confirms why vinyl is the most perfect analogue source. The speakers present such a huge amount of detail and depth that you can almost see Jonny Greenwood with his guitar sat between the speakers, just to the right on ‘House of Cards'.

Digital sources with Oppo CD, T+A DAC 8/AMP 8 configuration

This is the set-up I have listened to most closely with the Q Acoustics Concept 500 loud speakers. The T+A DAC 8 AMP 8 combination is a very digital solution but one more appropriate for the speakers on show. As a source I have used the Oppo UDP-205 CD player and an MQA'd Bluesound Node. The CD Player is absolutely amazing, delivering an open signal that is to be heard to be believed. With the Oppo CD Player configured to the AMP 8 as balanced output the AMP 8 just does its job amplifying a beautiful source. From London Grammar to Taylor Swift, the CDs are as good as they can be with the speakers breathing beautifully across all ranges. Most notable at the outset (and with the Rega too) is the bass control. For example, the basic bass thump on Taylor Swift's ‘Style', whatever you think about it as a piece of music, is not an easy sound to reproduce but the Concept 500 controls the pulsing beat perfectly with no hint of blurring that can occur with this track. There is plenty of depth at the very low frequencies too, with the low end rumble at the end of London Grammar's ‘Rooting for You' getting right in your sternum.

Tonally, I have found the 500s to be brighter in the treble range. Having said that, I have felt no undue fatigue from listening to these speakers after expended periods. I think the bass is very nicely controlled and it is certainly to my liking.

Dynamically, I find these speakers very open and easy to listen to. On Stevie Ray Vaughn's ‘Tin Pan Alley' the speakers keep up comfortably with the track and with the changes in direction and tone. The detail is great too. I find the sound stage always wide and deep. The feeling of listening to a dominant sound prevails, all good.

Naim NAP 250 performance

I have now put the speakers into my lounge to hear them driven by a Naim NAP 250 (not DR) with a NAC-N 272 source. The outcome is, as I was hoping, very comfortable indeed. The sound stage from Concept 500s with this set-up is again dominant and wide open. Again, I've had a fiddle getting them exactly right (I'm thinking this is me now, tbh). The detail in the music is again terrific, Fazil Say's pianos are absolutely beautiful with the Chopin Nocturnes and Radiohead's ‘House of Cards' is again absolutely spot on. I note I have the QED Supremus cables here and I have no need to turn up the volume as much as I might do in other setups, the speakers are very sensitive with a 90.5db sensitivity quoted.

Performance

After spending some time adjusting the setup of the speakers, I settled on a slight toe-in to firm up the image, the tweeter set to ‘flat' and used without the bungs, as this gave the best overall balance. However, should you have to use the speakers close to a rear wall or corners, or have a room prone to bass reinforcement, use of either the outer foam ring or the whole bung with the central part in place will help tame the bass, albeit at a slight cost to the midband presence.

I mentioned ‘the best overall balance' but that's selling the Concept 500s short: in fact these speakers sound entirely spectacular when driven with high-quality amplification, which in my case ranged from an all-in-one system from German manufacturer AVM to my usual Naim pre/ power combination. And what became clear very quickly was that these speakers have a ‘rightness' about their sound that's just as satisfying as their ability to turn on the sonic fireworks when required.

You don't have to drive them hard to hear them at their best: even at low listening levels their superb imaging, broad and deep sound-staging and unforced tonal balance are much in evidence. The speakers are easy to drive, thanks to 90dB/W/m sensitivity and 6 ohm nominal impedance with a 3.7 ohm minimum, meaning you don't need huge amplifier power to get them singing, but it's worth using high-quality electronics upstream of them, so transparent do they sound.

What I really like is the way they reveal so much about the timbres of instruments and voices, whether with an intimate recording of solo instruments or small ensembles or much larger-scale works. The recent Sir John Eliot Gardiner recording of Bach's St Matthew Passion (SDG, 4/17) sounds magnificently dramatic and rich via these speakers – so much so that I had meant to dip in just to see how they handled it and ended up listening to it straight through in one sitting. The measured heartbeat pulse, the interplay of the two orchestras and choruses, the performances of the soloists – all spring from the speakers into the room in an entirely captivating manner.

It's that ability to create a realistically scaled sonic picture into which one can listen in as much detail as one wants, while still delivering a great sweep of sound, that makes the Concept 500s so appealing. It's the kind of sound I'm used to hearing from high-end speakers driven well; and while these speakers aren't exactly mass-market at £3995/pr, I can't help feeling that to better them you'd have to spend a lot more money. I'm thinking of the likes of the Focal Sopra series or even Bowers & Wilkins 800 Diamond Series here, as speakers able to deliver the kind of unfettered enjoyment and levels of information available from the Concept 500s. Look up the price-lists for those models, and you begin to realise just how much of a bargain this new Q Acoustic model is.

Playing a couple of recent Linn releases – the Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble's recording of Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale under Oliver Knussen (3/17) and William Carter's ‘Bach Reimagines Bach' (5/17) – extended my admiration for these very special speakers. The Stravinsky sounded wonderfully close and warm, with well-balanced voices and instruments, while the ability of the Concept 500s to ‘play it small' with the solo strings of the Carter set was just as impressive as their ability to deliver scale and power.

Concept 500 Floorstanding Speaker Pair

The Concept 500 adopts advanced, innovative technologies to deliver pure audio excellence and a sensational sound stage. Our floorstanding speakers couple low directivity with wide bandwidth, good sensitivity and sensible impedance, which makes them room-friendly and allows amplifiers to deliver their best performance. The Concept 500 pairs point-to-point (P2P) bracing to deal with low-frequency panel vibrations with Helmholtz Pressure Equalizers (HPE) to balance out pressure irregularities. Another component that allows for less vibration and coloration is the cabinet construction. Three separate layers are filled with a non-setting gel, which damps the the cabinet walls and converts higher frequency vibrations into heat.