Soundbars: the compact and convenient ways of bringing cinematic sound into your home, are very much here to stay, that much is certain. As much is evidenced by the fact that brands which made their mark a few years ago (when soundbars were still a new phenomenon) continuing to build on past successes.
Do you remember the Q Acoustics Media M4? It was a very early offering in the market that proved to have excellent longevity (it’s still selling, and selling well, to this very day) and it was a roaring success critically too. Despite coming from a brand that wasn’t best known for home cinema, it scooped up multiple awards. Q Acoustics then moved onto other things, content that their singular soundbar was enough. And, to a great extent, it was.
Until this came along:
The new Q Acoustics Media M3 Soundbar is the smaller alternative to 2016’s award winning M4. The very slight downside to the M4 was that it was less suitable for smaller spaces (mostly down to its slightly dated shape and large size) so Q decided to make another that was a little more versatile in terms of size and placement.
This bar is both smaller and sleeker, with a modernised shape which is both pleasing to the eye, and to the spaces it will occupy. When inside, while the technolofy is certainly inspired by the successes of the Media M4, there are some small yet substantial differences, including wide dispersion BMRs and a fitted Dual Voice Coil (DVC) subwoofer.
Perhaps the most notable difference the Q Acoustics Media M3 offers is its intelligent pre-amp:
“Designed to effortlessly adapt to your home setup making the M3 a true plug and play soundbar. All you need to do is connect to your home entertainment setup using Bluetooth aptX or the ARC HDMI input.” ~ Q Acoustics
After all, everyone has a different space and a different set up. Q Acoustics has recognised this, with a useful feature built right into the design, which aids in its improved versatility. It also boasts a switchable EQ, which means no matter where you place it (or fix it) it will be able to adapt. It’s also worth noting that it now has a HDMI output included (missing from the M4) in the vast array, alongside ARC, an optical, analogue RCAs and a 3.5mm. And, when all else fails, Bluetooth AptX picks up the rest.
Other than that, Q have stuck to their very simple guns with this soundbar, something that was deemed as a triumph with the M4 was its abundant simplicity. It didn’t have many features, but it didn’t need them either. The M3 follows in this suit: very simple, very straightforward but very capable in the way it handles itself, and its sound. It’s worth noting that the M3 isn’t intended to be a replacement for the M4, merely a smaller and shapelier alternative for those with more demanding spaces.
Like what you see? Click here to take a closer look, or come and visit our Soundbar demo section in the showroom.