QLN Speakers

[karlsushi]

Slowly starting to look around at some stand-mount speakers for my living room system for a purchase some time later in 2023 and one model that I keep coming back to is the QLN Prestige One.

There are some seriously gushy reviews about QLN speakers online and I love the little pyramid design.

Not much said about them on here though, so just wondering if anyone has heard them and their thoughts on performance against other offerings up to around 5 or £6k new?

They would be in a fairly big room, with the intention of adding a DSP-controlled sub or two at a later date due to bass issues I have in this room.

Some talk of the QLNs going very low for their size, which actually would be less appealing for me due to my room bass mode issues.

It's all academic at the minute because I won't be in a position to purchase for about 6 months, but we've got to have something to get excited about haven't we...

 

[Lurch]

TBH, with the issues you've mentioned with your lounge, I'd be inclined to get a pair of QA 3030i and spend the rest adding an Mscaler to your DAVE.

 

[karlsushi]

TBH, with the issues you've mentioned with your lounge, I'd be inclined to get a pair of QA 3030i and spend the rest adding an Mscaler to your DAVE.

Not a bad suggestion. The problem with my system utilising DAVE is the size of the room and speakers. Sounds incredible with a lot of music, but I guess I'm looking for something a bit 'bigger' sounding for the living room, for when I'm in a party mood!

I actually have some Snell K's in the living room at the minute and they are doing an excellent job as a stop gap, but having heard a few stunning systems over the past few months (including your Martin Logans IIRC!!) I know there's more out there to be had!

 

[Lurch]

Yep, if you went to the show it was indeed my MLs you heard.

 

[uzzy]

Personal view - get a pair of small standmounts - the footprint will stay the same but the bass response will be better. The choices are fairly endless and your ears need to choose but get a listen to the Proacs/PMC/ etc.
Stand mounts are a pain - you have to spend a fortune to get a decent stand and then worry about people knocking the speakers off ...

 

[karlsushi]

Personal view - get a pair of small standmounts - the footprint will stay the same but the bass response will be better. The choices are fairly endless and your ears need to choose but get a listen to the Proacs/PMC/ etc.
Stand mounts are a pain - you have to spend a fortune to get a decent stand and then worry about people knocking the speakers off ...

I assume that was supposed to say 'get a small pair of floorstanders'!?

Better bass response is exactly why I don't want floor-standers in that room!! The less bass the better, until I start looking at subs with DSP/RC.

 

[karlsushi]

So I'm guessing from this thread that there's not much in the way of QLN Prestige One experience amongst Wammers?

 

[garn63]

 

[uzzy]

I assume that was supposed to say 'get a small pair of floorstanders'!?

Better bass response is exactly why I don't want floor-standers in that room!! The less bass the better, until I start looking at subs with DSP/RC.

You should have a look at Art Stiletto and Proacs .. by better it does not mean more just better and the only way to see if it works is to try it at home. Neither have bloated bass response and are a joy in my books

 

[The Hifi Gallery]

Up front here, I am a QLN dealer. Mods delete if inappropriate.

Had a customer recently come in to demo Prestige 3, he also tried the Prestige One, he bought the even cheaper QLN One, unlike the prestige models it has a paper bass driver, him and I both preferred it, bass was better textured and overall sound was more natural, best of all it was the least expensive, can be had with dedicated stand too.

So if still wanting to try Prestige one, also insist on hearing QLN One.

 

[karlsushi]

Up front here, I am a QLN dealer. Mods delete if inappropriate.

Had a customer recently come in to demo Prestige 3, he also tried the Prestige One, he bought the even cheaper QLN One, unlike the prestige models it has a paper bass driver, him and I both preferred it, bass was better textured and overall sound was more natural, best of all it was the least expensive, can be had with dedicated stand too.

So if still wanting to try Prestige one, also insist on hearing QLN One.

Some useful advice there thank you. Better and cheaper always appeals!

A quick additional question if I may.

The specs suggest they shouldn't be particularly hard speakers to drive, but equally, they are probably not what you would describe as high sensitivity speakers (87.5dB at 8 Ohms- interestingly, the specs are identical for both the One and Prestige One, even though they employ a different mid-bass driver).

I would be powering them with a 60W Class A amp (Pass Aleph 5) in what is a fairly large room (8m x 4m).

Do you think this is the right kind of speaker for room filling sound on the end of 60W (bearing in mind there is an intention to get a sub or two at some point in the future), or might I be barking up the wrong speaker?

 

[The Hifi Gallery]

60 watts is plenty, but the One is louder for same input, the Prestige One has more bass weight, but the One is more open down below.

A sub is a good consideration, but personally I prefer them on their own, OK if you want to go louder, and have lots of oomph, add the sub, but they really don’t need it, all you really loose is a little weight, but it’s more than made up for by the speed and articulation. (I sell subs so not just downing on them)

I suggest you try to hear both models, I prefer the sound of the One, but you may prefer the P1.