Anything better than Q Acoustics BT3 out there?

[cbmotorsport]

Dusted off my old hifi setup from the loft the other day and had a fantastic few hours listening.

Unfortunately, we've not really got the room for it, so thinking of a compromise setup and a set of decent active speakers seems like a good idea. We have various bluetooth speakers but nothing I'd sit and listen to for a while.

I've read some reviews and previous posts on here and the Q Acoustics BT3's seem to represent a good option, especially now they're £179 new.

Obviously they'll always be something better available, but anything else worth considering? Budget arounrd £250 tops.

My old system was a long in the tooth Arcam amp and some Kef Q series floor standers. Obviously not expecting to match scale of sound, but a bit of punch would be nice.

Thanks!

[belleair302]

I had a set but heat melted something on the inside and they cannot be repaired. Good sound, but I prefer the KEF Eggs myself for sound, or the Ruark MR1 (version 2) again for a better sound.

[cbmotorsport]

Thanks! I did look at both of these, but the BT3s are a fair bit cheaper. Man maths may take over though!

[tonyg58]

The thing about the BT3s is they've been discontinued for 5 or 6 years now, so they do only a very basic version of Bluetooth.
So, lots of things better out there with better Bluetooth transmission, but for £179 (with some sort of warranty?) they're a great buy

[cbmotorsport]

tonyg58 said:

The thing about the BT3s is they've been discontinued for 5 or 6 years now, so they do only a very basic version of Bluetooth.
So, lots of things better out there with better Bluetooth transmission, but for £179 (with some sort of warranty?) they're a great buy

I did consider this, and also what support I'd get in case of failure, it's not like they'll be able to replace them. Q Acoustics themselves only have a few pairs left, so it's a gamble despite the 2 year warranty.

On the connection front, The optical and line in options give me plenty of scope to connect up with the basic bluetooth being optional and adequate for what I need.

There doesn't seem to be a standout product to consider instead, in the same way the BT3's were stand out when they first came out....

More research required.

[dazmanultra]

If you can get hold of a Chromecast Audio, I'd consider pairing that with a small opamp... something like an SMSL. You can then use any speakers you want - much more flexible for the future and the sound quality through a Chromecast is excellent compared to Bluetooth. Just something to think about.

[cbmotorsport]

dazmanultra said:

If you can get hold of a Chromecast Audio, I'd consider pairing that with a small opamp... something like an SMSL. You can then use any speakers you want - much more flexible for the future and the sound quality through a Chromecast is excellent compared to Bluetooth. Just something to think about.

I've actually got an old pair of Tannoy Mercurys (too big so banished to the garage) and an SMSL amp set up in my in my garage! Sounds good, but i wanted to declutter as much as possible. I guess i really wanted a stereo wireless speaker setup with real ability, so these seemed like a good bet.

[cbmotorsport]

Bit the bullet and bought the BT3's. Very pleased indeed. Even if the design and tech is a few years old the sound is great. Just what I was looking for. Lovely sound stage and HiFi quality in a small and good looking clutter free package. Very happy.