The Q Acoustics Q Active 200 is the company’s first wireless active bookshelf speaker system, combining streaming architecture, amplification and acoustic engineering into a single, cohesive package. Within the Q Acoustics range the Q Active 200 sits at the top of the active lineup alongside the floorstanding Q Active 400, replacing the need for separate amplification, source components and speaker cables.
Balanced Mode Radiator Technology
Each Q Active 200 cabinet houses twin 58mm Balanced Mode Radiator (BMR) drive units in an offset configuration. Unlike conventional cone drivers that produce sound from a single point, BMR drivers radiate sound uniformly across a wide frequency range, creating what Q Acoustics describes as a “huge sweet spot” and panoramic stereo image. The offset mounting eliminates the symmetrical interference patterns that plague conventional driver layouts, delivering consistent tonal balance regardless of listening position.
Amplification & Bass
Each speaker contains six individual Class D amplifier channels delivering 100W continuous and 280W peak power. A dedicated 114mm high-excursion rear-firing subwoofer handles frequencies below the 150Hz crossover point, extending the system’s reach down to 46Hz (−6dB). The P2P (Point to Point) internal bracing, Q Acoustics’ proprietary ‘Dart’ brace design, ties opposing cabinet panels together to suppress standing waves and panel resonances. An EQ switch on each speaker allows optimisation for corner, wall or free-space placement.
Control Hub & Connectivity
All source connections route through the included Control Hub, a compact unit measuring 40 × 180 × 112mm. The hub communicates with the speakers over a dedicated 5.8GHz wireless link, keeping the audio path free of Wi-Fi congestion. Wired inputs include HDMI ARC (96kHz/16-bit, 2-channel), digital optical Toslink (96kHz/24-bit), analogue line level (300mV/18kΩ) and a built-in MM phono stage (2.6mV/47kΩ, RIAA equalised). A subwoofer output (1.20V, 0–300Hz) is also provided for adding external bass reinforcement.
Wireless streaming is handled by Chromecast built-in, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth 4.2, with Roon Ready certification for lossless multi-room playback. The system supports playback up to 24-bit/96kHz across Wi-Fi sources and decodes AAC, WAV, FLAC, MP3, Vorbis, WMA and ALAC formats. Voice control is available through Google Assistant and Apple Siri.
