Scansonic "Q" series

I am a Scansonic and Margules dealer and heard the Q10 at AXPONA powered by the Margules I-240. It was very good and makes for a richer, fuller sound compared to the MB-B series, especially in the midbass and midrange. I liked the sound so much but wanted a smaller form factor, so I purchased the Q8 in walnut that were on display. They look as good in real life as they do in the studio pictures. I will be receiving it this Monday or Tuesday.  

FWIW, The Scansonic MB-2.5B is probably the best speaker you can buy under $5K as long as the room isn’t too big for it. With the proper amplification to wake them up, I find they sound wonderful in even medium sized rooms (~18’x22’). 

I'm very curious about the sound of the Q8. I await your review after you have listened to them

@yukio Give me a few days to burn them in, but I did receive them yesterday and set them up to run in for a few nights. Out of the box they sound lovely. Very punchy and articulate, images well, with a richer mid bass and midrange.

Interestingly, I find the MB-2.5 to have a richer tonality than the MB-5B, probably because it uses its down-firing port to add to the midbass. The MB-5B sounds a bit leaner and more articulate. My first impression of the Q8 is that it at least retains the speed and performance of the MB-5B while also retaining the tonal richness of the MB-2.5B.

The Q8 also look excellent in Walnut. I’ll post pics in the coming days. More to come.

@blisshifi I'm waiting to hear from you :)

Do you know the New Axxess L3? 

@yukio Thank you for your patience and for reminding me. First things first, I have heard of the Axxess L3, but I have not heard it so I have nothing of value to share on it. I do know Audio Group Denmark is hard at work putting decent products out through the Axxess line at more accessible price points to consumers.

I've put approximately 100 hours on the Scansonic Q8. In summary, I feel it is an excellent speaker for its price point and an improvement over the MB-B series.

Associated equipment in these evaluations my reference system listed in my virtual system, but obviously my G1 Spirits were substituted for the Scansonic Q8, and I used Synergistic Research's Atmosphere SX Euphoria speaker cables instead of the SRX series.

Considering I did not want to move the Giya G1 Spirits out of the way, I placed the Q8 just inside of the Spirits, taking precautions that there was nothing in the way of the rear ports of the Q8 and the front wall. As they were placed a bit closer together, I placed the speakers with minimal toe in, pointing almost straight out into the room. Dispersion was excellent this way, with a fairly wide sweet spot while also delivering a holographic soundstage where the speakers disappear, and the stage extends to the left and right walls. I am certain that if I did move the Spirits out of the way, I could get an even larger, more immersive stage.

What I appreciate most is the larger woofer and optimized cabinet design allows for a more plump bass and richer tonality overall while retaining the realistic, live presence of the MB-B series. The MB-B series also was an exceptional performer, but it requires very high current amplifiers be able to deliver harmonics into its sound signature. With the Q8, I feel it is more compatible with a wider range of amplifiers.

I've found that the bass and midbass, while more plump and present, do not get in the way of the remainder of the frequency spectrum. Like the MB-B series, the imaging is still impeccably delineated. It is less forward sounding, and does a great job of presenting the source material on the intended stage / room type.

My room is 19ft wide x 24ft deep with a sloped ceiling from 8ft to 18ft. I did not find a subwoofer was required to fill even that large of a space to have it deliver a full spectrum down to 30Hz. Its measurements are VERY conservative, stating 37Hz at -6dB, but I find room gain contributes significantly. Of course, in my room you can get even better performance with a pair of high quality subwoofers, but it is not necessary. In a smaller room, you may never feel the need to have subwoofers at all.

From a tonality perspective, I can easily say that the sonics are accurate in portraying voices and acoustic instruments. I need to reiterate the lifelike presence that I mention above, which is similar to many Raidho and Borresen speakers, and the tonality and performance of the speaker overall is very reminiscent of the Vivid Audio Kaya 90, which retails $31,000 and also on my floor. I would say that through recollection, higher end Borresen 02 are more articulate and faster than the Q8, but the Q8 is more relaxed in a good way, just a little bit, such that it's not as in your face. Compared to the Vivid Kaya 90, I find I also prefer the midrange and treble of the Vivid, which is faster, but softer and more effortless/refined, allowing me to hear more with trying less. But in these cases, we are comparing the $14,500 USD Q8 to a $31K Kaya 90 and $55K Borresen 02. That in itself should be considered a praise to the Q8.

The speakers are also beautifully designed and are a delight to look at. Just like the MB-B series, I find the walnut finish is worth the extra cost as it makes the speakers look much more premium. Here are a few photos of one speaker in place.

Despite the slim silhouette from the front, I really appreciate the bevels and extrusions towards the back of the speaker.

I hope this information is helpful in guiding you. It seems you are in Italy, so hopefully there are dealers near you out there. I'm happy to answer more specific questions about it if you have any.