For the better part of almost three years, a pair of Q Acoustics M20 HD Wireless Loudspeakers have been my reference desktop bookshelf speakers. Not only do they fit perfectly on either side of a 27-inch Apple iMac, but they make it incredibly easy to test turntables, CD players, and even subwoofers with as I listen and write.
The Q Acoustics 3030i that I use in my bedroom system are simply too large for a desk and their bass response forces one to keep them at least 20 inches from the wall behind them which is not practical for me.
If only Q Acoustics made a larger, active wireless speaker system that could be placed on either side of a bookshelf unit that is perpendicular to my desk and the hub of a 2.1 music/movie system that includes one of the last Panasonic ZT50 Plasma TVs.
The vast majority of consumers do not have the room to place a pair of floor standing loudspeakers 2 to 3 feet from the wall; unless they do not have children, pets, a spouse, or zero house guests. Basically a hermit. Or typical Twitter user.
The other issue is that said loudspeakers must be able to work equally as well with music and movies/television and not require a subwoofer; although Q Acoustics makes a rather capable subwoofer that augments its 5000 and 3000 series loudspeakers rather well.
Micro Towers
Enter the Q Acoustics M40 Active Micro Towers.
These rather compact micro-tower loudspeakers are only 28 inches tall and offer trickle down technology from the new 5000 series.
If you have followed our rather extensive coverage of the Q Acoustics 5000 Series, which includes the award-winning 5020 bookshelf loudspeakers and 5040 floor standing loudspeakers, you have read about the latest Q Acoustics advancement in driver technology: the C3 Continuous Curved Cone mid/bass driver.
C3 (pronounced ‘C cubed’) combines the bass performance of a traditional straight cone with the high/midrange control and fidelity of a flared cone.
In addition, the M40 features a decoupled tweeter, along with Helmholtz Pressure Equalizer (HPE) technology to reduce unwanted standing waves inside the cabinet.
The cabinet features Q Acoustics’ proprietary Point to Point (P2P) internal bracing to keep the speaker as rigid and inert as possible.
It’s easy to set-up the M40 so the system is always performing to its maximum, no matter where it is in the room.
As well as being able to designate the powered speaker as either the left or right channel (to make accessing mains power as simple as possible), there’s also an EQ switch to let the system know if each speaker is positioned in a corner, against a wall or in free space.
Particular attention has been given to the M40 grille design. Fixing the grille to the baffle, rather than be removable, allows for added strength derived from the baffle and significantly reduces the grille’s structure, particularly around the drivers.
The result of the M40’s open grille design minimises disruption of sound dispersion patterns, while reducing reflections for a smoother sonic performance.
Both loudspeakers are powered by a 100 watt (50 watts per channel) class D amplifier that is housed in the primary loudspeaker.
The M40 also supports Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD and aptX LL compatibility.
Who is This For?
We have known about the M40 for a number of months and you can listen to our podcast with the Q Acoustics team to learn more about its design ethos and where they feel it sits within the existing wireless category.
The height of the M40 will certainly raise a few eyebrows but the reality is that Q Acoustics are not the first manufacturer to offer a pair of floor standing loudspeakers that are less than 30 inches high and our experience with some of them has been rather positive.
Neat Acoustics’ IOTA Alpha Loudspeakers are even shorter than the M40 and compensate for their 45 cm height but angling the drivers upward into the room; a pair of the British loudspeakers occupied my last listening space in Teaneck for over 3 months and were surprisingly more than enough to fill our 20′ x 11′ x 9′ living room at the time.
Never judge a loudspeaker by its size.
Unlike the M20 HD on my desk, the M40 utilize Q Acoustics’ latest driver technology and having listened to the 5040 with over 15 amplifiers so far in less than 12 months — the decision to use the same C3 Continuous Curved Cone mid/bass drivers in a pair of active loudspeakers is a very exciting development.
We expect the M40 to offer the huge soundstage of the 5000 series, along with its very open and transparent presentation. The bass response of the 5040 is not as thick sounding as the 3050i or 3030i, and its overall performance is heavily influenced by the amplifier on the other end.
We suspect that the bass range of the M40 will be surprisingly robust based on the class D amplifier that has been integrated into the loudspeakers.
The M40 is defined for those who do not have a lot of space; apartment dwellers, students, music listeners who might desire a second system in an office, den, or bedroom.
The speakers can be integrated into a 2.1 music/home theater system through its optical input and subwoofer output.
Support for aptX, aptX HD, aptX Low Latency, SBC, and AAC makes them compatible with a range of smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
The one notable omission is the absence of a phono pre-amplifier; the decision to keep the loudspeaker priced below $999 USD impacted that design choice.
There are a wide range of affordable phono pre-amplifiers and turntables like the Cambridge Alva TT V2 or U-Turn Audio Theory with internal phono pre-amplifiers that one can add to this system rather easily.
Our review sample will be here soon. Stay tuned.
Price & Availability
Q Acoustics M40 is available now for $999/pair at Amazon in walnut, black or white.
For more information, visit www.qacoustics.com (US) or www.qacoustics.co.uk, to check for local independent dealers and retailers. International pricing is set at £749 or €899 per pair.
Specifications
- Power Supply Voltage 100V-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz
- Power Consumption Standby / Typical use <0.5 Watts / ~10 W
- Peak Power Output 2 x 100 W
- Rated Output Power (4 Ohms) 2 x 50 W RMS
- THD @ Rated Power <0.7%
- Enclosure type 2-way reflex (ported)
- Mid/Bass unit 2 x 125 mm (5.0 in)
- Treble unit 1 x 22 mm (0.9 in)
- Crossover frequency 2.5 kHz
- Frequency Response (-6dB) 38 Hz – 22 kHz
- Analog Inputs (2 x RCA)
- Sensitivity 700 mV RMS
- Max. input level 2.15 V RMS
- Analog Input (3.5mm Jack)
- Sensitivity 400 mV RMS
- Max. input level 1.25 V RMS
- Optical (S/PDIF) TOSLINK (Maximum resolution: 24-bit/192kHz)
- USB Type B connector (Maximum resolution: 24-bit/192kHz)
- Bluetooth version 5.0
- Supported codecs aptX, aptX HD, aptX Low Latency, SBC, AAC
- Sub out (Phono) with Max. Output 1 V RMS
- Dimensions (W x H x D) 250 mm x 710 mm x 296 mm (10” x 28” x 11.7”) with stabilizers
- Weight
- Amplified speaker 12.4 kg (27 lb 5 oz)
- Passive speaker 11.8 kg (26 lb)
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Asa
February 15, 2024 at 5:09 pm
I think these will be popular (currently sold out on their website), and I have a place in our home where these would fit perfectly. Would their own 3060s sub work with these?
Looking forward to an extensive review.
Mel
February 16, 2024 at 1:41 pm
Thanks for the news but since when 38Hz – 22kHZ frequency response is considered as ‘full-range’?
Asa
February 16, 2024 at 5:23 pm
Fairly common low-end range…30-40Hz. 38Hz is one of the lowest in their entire range of speakers including their $7K speakers.
Ian White
February 16, 2024 at 6:50 pm
I think the full-range comment has to be interpreted within the context of how these will be used and the rooms where they will be set-up.
As someone who has listened to and reviewed almost their entire lineup over the past 6 years, they don’t fudge their numbers. I also own 6 different loudspeakers that they make and have some inside knowledge of the M40 and how it will perform.
Will they shake the rafters? No. Will they offer a full-range sound that will work with movies and music without a subwoofer? Yes.
We will have one of the first review pairs.
Best,
Ian
Asa
February 16, 2024 at 8:21 pm
Looking forward to it!
For kicks, I looked up additional “full range” speakers on Crutchfield and most were within the same frequency range. I wouldn’t expect them to keep up with larger HT units designed for full throttle usage in large spaces.
Any idea when they’ll actually be available for purchase? No sign of them for sale in the wild yet.
Brian Mitchell
February 16, 2024 at 10:34 pm
We’ve been told M40 inventory has arrived in the U.S. and should be available to order in no more than a few days.