Qualio IQ Ultra Audiophile Speaker Review. An EASY Best of 2024!

Qualio IQ Ultra Audiophile Speaker Review. An EASY Best of 2024!

By Steve Huff

DISCLAIMER: I was not paid for this review nor did I get a free unit. This review is not sponsored. I made zero money on this review and do not offer ad space here. My words here are just my honest feelings and to me this is important. Enjoy! 

Welcome to my full written review for the Qualio IQ Ultra Speaker. In this review I will talk about the full experience I had with these audiophile speakers made in Poland. Let’s go!

Here we are in July 2024 and it’s time for another written review here on these pages. To be honest I much prefer writing reviews than making video reviews but it is 2024 and in these times videos are a must so I do both. The audio space for reviewing gear has EXPLODED on YouTube and there are hundreds of channels now reviewing audio gear, which is great for the audio hobby indeed! It’s about time I say.

As for me and this review, when I really really love a piece of gear I enjoy doing both the written and video reviews. So here we are.

Spolier: I really really enjoyed the Qualio IQ Ultra. 

My Video Review…

Over the last couple of weeks, day and night, I have been listening to and experiencing a new speaker that looks exotic, sounds exotic and comes from a division of a very well known and respected speaker company called Cube Audio. While not “cheap” these do not have the EXOTIC price tag which is why I wanted to hear them. They look the part and are supposed to sound the part yet they do not cost anywhere near what they can seemingly compete with, according to the own brands website about this speaker. Take a look for yourself here, but be sure to come back and read this review if you do!

The speakers made by Cube Audio (Qualio’s Parent Company) are up there in cost but offer up some of the finest quality speakers (they specialize in single driver) that we can find with custom made drivers and cabinets that deliver supreme musicality. The Qualio IQ series offers the same type of thing which is exotic high end audiophile sound but for much less cost while never skimping on quality or making ant real compromise.

In fact, after listening to these for about 100 hours now I have no idea how Qualio sells these for what they do. Starting at 6,900 euros these look, feel and sound like a much more expensive speaker. I mean, a much more expensive speaker. I’m talking in the $30k range. 

As stated above, Qualio makes some pretty bold claims on their website about this speaker so I knew I just had to hear them. Lo and behold, after a week or so of just thinking about these speakers I was contacted by Qualio asking if I would like to review them. Pretty cool as I did not contact them at all, though I was really hoping to hear them. It seemed the universe listened in more ways than one and soon I had a set of Qualio IQ Ultra in the most gorgeous Apple Wood finish that perfectly meshed with my space.

When I uboxed these speakers I noticed the Serial# was also quite unique, and my favorite number sequence...”111″. Hmmm, when I saw that I had a slight chill as that number has been important to me in many ways over the last decade or so. Learning that the Qualio brand is an offshoot of Cube Audio I was even more excited to listen to the IQ Ultras. I wondered if this was a “sign” that I would love them and want them, lol. We shall see. If so they would be added to my ever growing speakers collection (this would make seven sets in house to keep on hand for review comparisons).

This written review will showcase my experience with these speakers from unboxing to the day of writing this review, several weeks later.

The Cube Audio Lotus 10 (starts at $21k Euros) is a high quality instrument and made with custom made drivers and parts. The Qualio team are in all reality the Cube Audio team but they are able to make a speaker that hangs with the Cube brand for much less by using drivers already available vs making their own. Even so, the drivers in the new Qualio IQ Ultra are some of the finest in the world. Notice the feet of these $21k speakers are the same ones the IQ Ultras ship with. 

The people over at Cube Audio know how to make a fantastic (but expensive) speaker and now they are doing so with a model that is much more accessible to many more people (The IQ and IQ Ultra) with a newer company as well to showcase what they have created. They also sell direct from the website and the IQ speaker starts at $6900 and goes up from there depending on version (standard or ultra) and finish (plain matte color or exotic veneer).

The set of Qualio IQ Ultra that I have here are the “Exotic Veneer” version with Indian apple veneer and come in at $11,700 Euro. This is the most expensive version of the IQ that you can purchase, the Ultra with the exotic finish. BTW, these speakers are made in and ship from Poland.

Another speaker I adore from Poland are my OGY and BOB open bass baffle units from Closer Acoustics. In fact, they have been my main reference for a year or so and still are today. Can the Qualio IQ best or equal them in my room for my tastes? Probably not, as all speakers sound different and we usually deal with just that, differences. So I wondered just how different that they would be.

Out of the shipping crates I instantly fell for the beauty of the IQ Ultra speakers as did my wife who instantly fell for the design and looks in the room. While you may hate the looks, some will adore them. We think that these are some of the nicest looking speakers we have seen to date. In the flesh they are outstanding with a very high level of attention to detail.

The Qualio IQ now has an Ultra model

The standard Qualio IQ speaker has been out for a couple of years now and it has gotten rave review after rave review from both press and regular customers alike. I suggest anyone looking at these search the old google and read reports from owners as well as pro reviews. Do not take my word for it, see what others say. It’s always good to hear different opinions after all (though every report I read on these was A+ positive, many calling them end game, of which many speakers are).

The OG IQ (non ultra) speaker originally launched at $5500 (Now $6900) and those who heard it said it sounded 2-3X its cost. I believe this as the Qualio IQ Ultra that I have here comes in at under $10k but it truly does sound and look like like a $30k speaker. No joke, no hyperbole. I have no reason to do those things when not warranted as I do not get paid a cent to do my reviews. My only motivation to speak of my experience is my passion for music. Nothing more and nothing less.

The IQ Ultra is the model I have been enjoying for some time now and they have been such an awesome fit in my system, my space, my room in all ways.Unique? CHECK!

1. Beautiful? CHECK!
2. Easy to place in room? CHECK!
3. Sound matches looks? CHECK!

The ultra models has some improvements over the standard version and these improvement are listed below:

-Internal cabling – Mundorf Angelique Copper-Silver-Gold

– ISOACOUSTICS Gaia 2 – footers included in the price

The looks of the IQ Ultra are much different from most box speakers with the upper level clear plexiglass holding the Mundorf AMT driver (used as a super-tweeter that covers frequency to 31 kHz) and mid Satori driver that can be considered as full-range since it offers great extension to 15 kHz. This open baffle top end helps to make it appear as if the music is floating above the bass cabinet, sort of. Some may say that the plexiglass and drivers do not look quite right but I assure you they are. I wouldn’t change a thing here for one reason…the sound as they sit is quite special and very three dimensional, among the most holographic I have heard. No, they are the most holographic I have EVER heard besting the best in this area of layered three dimensional sound. This is what the IQ does best.

The reason for this type of 3D sound is no accident as the tweeter and mid driver are dipole and produce sound from the front and back of the drivers. The tweeter performance here is very revealing and yet very open and extended. The resolution is haunting and what it can pull from a recording is remarkable yet you guys know I hate hard sounding tweeters. I despise them and hear many of them but they will never see a review here. Most of these types are very pricey as well but never for me.

Luckily, this AMT Super Tweeter really is quite super as it never sounds hard or harsh, at all. It’s really a treat though to hear so much extension while staying refined. This dipole design allows the sound to saturate the room better, to allow for a larger soundstage and much more prevalent holographic imaging. After over 100 hours of listening I can agree. These speaker are all out champs in these areas.

They are, easily, the most holographic speakers I have ever heard IN MY LIFE.

They best the best I have had in the past (for my ears) such as the Dynaudio Heritage Special, the Fleetwood Sound Deville, the Sonus Faber Guarneri Evolution and well every other I have heard, for this three dimensional type of presentation. It’s pretty awesome. Now some will take those words out of context…note I did not say “these are the best of the best I have heard”. There is no such thing in audio but yes, these are “the best” when it comes to holographic imaging of any speaker I have heard in the past.

As I sit now I am listening to Depeche Mode’s Exciter album. The track “I Feel Loved” is on and there is a segment in the middle with an instrumental and it’s incredibly 3D with the Ultras as voices float out and above down the middle…synths to the left, synths out forward to the right along with more sounds emerging below the center voice. It’s sucking me in…right now. I have also never heard the cracks in Dave Gahans voice quite like this before.

I will get more to the sound strengths and weaknesses further down, but right out of the gate these IQ Ultra speakers wowed me with their packaging (best I have seen in life, no matter the cost), the design and quality of parts and of course with the sound.

Let’s talk about the first thing that really WOWED me about the IQ Ultra speakers.

THE Packaging with the Qualio IQ Ultra is how EVERY speaker over $6500 should be packaged. Period. End of Story. 

Yes, as a reviewer I have received speakers from Fed Ex and UPS that were damaged due to some manufactures cheaping out in this area (packaging). One set was a $1,200.00 set, the other was a pair that retailed for $8,500.00. Both had subpar packaging. I also had a set come in not so long ago where holes were made into the speaker from something during the shipping process. The boxes had holes and sure enough these holes went right to the speaker. They were small sized, much like a nail hole. Crazy.

I can say that if I bought speakers and they arrived like that I would be pretty upset. These IQ speakers shipped via freight from Poland and were delivered via Semi Truck. They were on a small pallet and the crates were just remarkable containers for the speakers. 

I have never in life seen packaging for speakers done as well as Qualio does it. There is literally no chance of them being damaged. Each speaker is custom fitted inside of a rather nice wooden crate. There are also compartments inside for accessories, all separated and safe from moving around. Just a few screws of the front wooden piece and you have full access to the goods inside.

So the packaging gets a 10 out of 10 for me. Wonderful.

In The Box

Inside of the boxes are the main lower bass unit enclosure that houses the bass driver and this has a traditional bass port in the back that can be plugged up with the included foam piece if there is too much bass in your room (I leave them out and they are just about perfect as these never boom or sound loose).

There is also a box with some pretty awesome ISOACOUSTICS Gaia 2 feet that screw in the bottom and this helps stabilize the speakers from any vibrations. I recently found out how feet like this could cure an issue in some rooms. The Borresen X2’s were speakers that needed some new “feet’ to absorb some vibrations in my space and when I placed some Axxess Noir feet under them all of the issues melted away. I feel Borresen should build these feet into the speakers much like Qualio does here with the IQ Ultra as they cost $600 for a set of four (The Noir Feet), or $1200 for eight, which is what one needs for a set of X2’s.

I love that Qualio added quality feet to the Ultras as they really do help with vibrations keeping it all composed, refined and clean.

Also in box are two small boxes that house several sets of copper nickel resistors to be used to sort of “tune” the tweeter to your preferences, ear and room. There are five different resistors included so you can boost or take down the treble some. I tried them all and preferred the red one (they are color coded) just as Qualio recommends for most rooms. Boosting the treble was too much for me, reducing it some made them not as three dimensional. So for me, red was perfect and offered the best sound. Your results may vary but how cool is it that you can tune these to your preferences?

These can also be bi-amped by the way. You can use a nice class D powerhouse to power the bass and a nice class A/B for the mids, or vice versa as you never know what will sound best.

Qualio made the Ultra versions ultra configurable.

The Sound

Qualio makes some pretty bold marketing claims on their website about how these will best any speaker made, and for much less cash outlay. I do not know about these kind of statements as speaker choice is personal. In my opinion, there is no “best” of anything IMO in audio because what one person likes in their sound can be much different from what someone else would enjoy. Some like warm, some like intensely detailed. Some like musical and others prefer that audiophile level of performance. Some like it lean, some like it fat.

Sure, there can be a best in build or design or quality of parts used but there can be no “best” in sound. There can be a best for YOU, for ME and for EVERYONE but it is rarely the same. I wanted to find out if these IQ Ultras would be the best that I have heard, for ME. After all, Qualio says “Even far more expensive speakers do not stand a chance in direct comparison”. Hmmmm.

A screen grab from the Qualio website with these big claims!

So how do these Qualio do for the most important aspect of why we buy a speaker, the sound? 

I will start by saying that the sound of these speakers is very unique. They have a very audiophile high end sound to them yet cost so much less than the exotic brands offerings that provide a similar or maybe not even as good sound.

These IQ Ultra speakers are about detail, air, spatial presentations, decay, three dimensional imaging and all out clean sound. Heck, with the right amp they even do the warmth and heartstring thing very well, more on that later.

The IQ Ultra can be a touch, or even a hair lean in the midrange with some amps which in turn allows the midrange to sound large as life as well as clean, silky and wide open. This brings the voices center and a touch forward, out into the room much like sitting very close to an artist while they perform. Instrument separation is A+ world class and I have not heard better. Equal? Sure, Better? No.

There is no blurring or bass bump to muddy up the imaging. This is a fine line and some speakers get it so right while others can get this so wrong. When it is done right it can be magical, when done wrong it can sound thin, grey and hard.

The IQ Ultra are done right here and they indeed bring the magic in a beautiful way.

This is a very well designed speaker y friends. I was hearing things I never heard before due to these being partially open baffle and allowing sound to seemingly float above the tweeter and also due to sound coming from behind as well. It’s quite the sound and have I ever told you guys I love things within audio that are unique? Many amps, speakers and even sources these days are copycats of others that have come before them. New casings, slight changes, double the cost..Cha Ching.

The Ultras do not sound like a box speaker, nor so they sound like a full open baffle speaker setup. It’s a hybrid and I feel because of this the bass is so so good. It does go deep but stays so tuneful and clean. No boom or bloom here in the bass. These speakers are all about being clean and pure to the source.

AMPS

I tested the IQ Ultra with my AGD Duet amps, with a Galion A20 Class A Amp and with a $700 Tube integrated from Black Ice audio, the FX10 H.

Let’s start with the Class D GaN Amps, the AGD Duets. 

The AGD amps are my pure reference amps for 2024 and hopefully beyond, period.

These beauties are true end game “take them to the grave” lifetime amps and have delivered gorgeous music with every speaker I have attached them to.

Adding in the AGD Alto II preamp with my HIFi Rose RS130 Streamer brings a world class digital streaming solution that keeps me up until 3-4 AM on some nights. These are fast Amps and I liken them to lightning in a case but with humanity and glow built in. They also offer pristine sound, much like the IQ themselves so I wasn’t sure if they would be the best match here.

At this moment (while writing this review)  a track from Ray LaMontagne called “Long Way Home” came on. As I write this I am listening to Spotify and after one of my playlists finish I get recommended songs that start to play. You may think...”why are you listening to crappy Spotify on this high end system”. Well, two reasons. One, the HiFi Rose RS130 makes magic with Spotify connect streaming like no other streamer I have heard. Not sure what they do or have done to achieve this but it sounds so good and I love it. I prefer it to Tidal and Qobuz but also because I have tons of playlists from over the years as well. It’s my chill out and relax streaming service.

Anyway, this song comes on and I instantly notice the warmth in the vocals, the warmth in the guitar strums and I am able to feel what it was like in that studio when this song was recorded. This shows the Qualio speakers are indeed true to the source with the AGD amps, as this song as a holistic warm vibe. That’s how it was recorded so the IQ’s play it just as intended. I was entranced for a few minutes and took a break from writing to soak in the very intimate song.

Man, I sure love my digital streaming setup. It’s the only one that “stuck” for good and the 130 plays so well with the custom DAC inside of the AGD Alto II, which is an end game DAC, about as good as it gets in 2024, inside of a preamp. A very nice preamp though ; )

With the IQ Ultras hooked up to this setup the sound was intensely REAL, detailed, clean, clear and as open as can be without any real coloration. For example, the Pearl Sibelius Speakers that I just sent back were clean and clear but also had some color to them, some beauty and romance dialed in to the midrange (warmth) to make each listening experience a wonderful treat for the heart.

The IQ Ultras do not have that slight warmth in the upper mids with the GaN AGD Duet amps, rather they are clean as a whistle which makes listening to music quite stunning and almost like an all new experience vs others I have heard. As I said, if warmth is in the recording you will get that warmth with the IQ’s but if not, you will not. They are not adding romance.

The Pearls could never match the IQ Ultras though when it comes to impact and overall size of the sound (big). The Pearls weave their magic in a simple heartfelt way, a gentle way, an intimate way. The IQ’s have most of that as well but can also be brutes with huge impact and volume as well as soundstage size, which can be as huge as your room will allow in width and height. Depth is also quite nice and the AGD partnering really brought out the layers of the music as well.

Due to the open nature of the tweeter and mid driver, and this is what makes them so unique, the sound fills the room with an effortless ease, as if the speaker breath music into the room. Let me state again though, if you like a mid bass hump to give drums more kick and voices more girth then these will not do that for you at least with the Class D amps I have heard with them (AGD and VTV).

My Borresen X2’s do this trick of bigger fatter mids much better as they do have a mid bass bump (in my space with the AGD amps) that makes them really rock out with EDM and Metal. I mean, nightclub level of volume and thump! The IQ Ultras also rock out but are more about that surreal holographic vibe and pristine presentation of what is on the recording.

The IQ’s seem to excel with vocals, jazz, chamber, classical, acoustic, piano, modern pop/rock and more. Very life like with the IQ’s and that is what these do, present music in a real, life like way with the AGD amps.

The Qualio IQ focuses on the material in the music. Bells and Cymbals pop out in a 3D space above the speakers (sound demo here that showcases this on my YouTube members area, $5 for all videos), guitar strums reveal every note and string being easily heard, vocals emerge from a blackness of space and forge out to the room while music floats around the room.

The sound is forceful yet at the same time light, meaning again, no mid bass bump. As for the low bass it is incredible and goes down to 28hz. Many confuse mid bass with bass and while these keep it clean in the mids without the pumping up of the bass frequencies within the mids, the bass can really shake your foundation with some tracks. If low bass exists in the music you listen to, you will hear it and feel it with the IQ’s.

Ambient music is scary good on the IQ Ultras. They do the spatial thing as well as any I have heard, truly. This is their Forte, their specialty so to speak. Bringing the music to the room like a painting and this painting has a large canvas, as wide as your room. Each sound paints a picture with a fine brush, allowing all hidden details to emerge in space before them. Then a large brush is used for the voice, the heart of the music. Very nice painting indeed.

PARTY HARD or EXPERIENCE? 

These are not party speakers like Klipsch or JBL. These are true audiophile speakers that look and sound like $30k speakers. While they demand your attention and focus to really hear the magic they weave I found that they can go from sounding amazing to extraordinary depending on your source and amplification.

The Qualio IQ are one of those speakers that bring an experience. Well, It’s more of that sit down, focus and experience the music than get up and dance, boogie and feeling the beat (though you may find yourself doing that as well). They are so good you will want to sit and focus on the music as it is then you will hear what these are really doing. They also sound quite lovely as background music, even when in another room. Not all speakers can pull this off either!

For those who look for these kind qualities in a speaker, I have heard none finer (that didn’t cost $30k and up) in my lifetime. 

Class A?

When moving to the Galion Class A amp, the A20 I still hear the AGD Alto II character which is also clean, clear and revealing but now with a hint of warmth and a more fatter presentation but only by a little. The Galion A 20 sounds rich, deep and full but also is very detailed. While not pulling out the microscopic details like the AGD Duets, the A20 from Galion sounds fantastic to me with the IQ Ultras and this amp is only putting out 20 WPC in Class A. It has plenty of current for these current hogs (they are) obviously as the sound warms up the speakers just enough to make them so enjoyable. While I love and prefer  the AGD Duets with the Ultra speakers, the much less pricey A20 from Galion powers them wonderfully in my 13X18 space. In fact, I think this is Thomas’s best product he sells, this A20. It’s a remarkable amp at a superb price.

Moving to the new Black Ice audio FX10 H, which only puts out 13 WPC and is all tube really wowed me. I expected it to fall flat but it too sounded beautiful when hooked up to the RS130 streamer and a Denafrips Ares 12th-1 DAC. As kong as I was not trying to rock out the FX10 H was sounding awesome with the IQ Ultras but at the end of the day the fave for me was with the A20. The FX10H brought a touch of warmth and body and for some music like rock and metal this enhanced the listening experience for these Genres. I started to run out of steam when I went to play very very loud, way past 85 DB. While a high current amp, these 13 watts do go a long way. This amp had the IQ’s sounding pretty special at low volume as well.

The Black Ice Audio FX10H – $799, USA Company and Sounds KILLER! Sub out. two inputs, remote. 

This little amp only puts out 13 WPC but has gobs of current so it powers these just fine in my space though in a larger space I would prefer a more powerful amp. Even so, the $799 FX 10H is remarkable. One of the big no brainers in the HiFi world. A full tube amp from a USA company with remote, sub out and dual inputs for $799. Awesome stuff.

VS Borrsen X2

I love the Borresen X2 speakers. I acquired the review units and they are usually in when I have no speaker here for review. I split time with the others I have here and enjoy. I love the X2 for a few reasons. First, the low volume listening is so good with the X2 as they remain full sounding with a big bass and full mid bass yet have one of the smoothest least offensive tweeters I have ever heard. In some ways they sound like something I had in the 80s but 100X better. On those days when I want that full fat sound but with amazing details that are gentle and flow like liquid I pull out the X2’s. They sound best to me with the AGD Duets.

They are what I would call “warm” in my room yet with very good detail done in a beautiful way. These are close to the same cost as the IQ Ultras (a couple grand less) but the Ultras sound quite different from the X2. The IQ Ultras have a bit of a leaner mid bass vs X2 which is more “fat” when using AGD amps. Overall, I have to give the nod to the IQ Ultras as they sound more real, are more open and more dynamic and 3D.

IQ Ultra is also a touch shinier in the treble and tighter (but just as big) in the lower bass. There is no slop anywhere with the IQ Ultra. They deliver what is there and nothing is taken away or added.

Listening to Ethyl Caine and her “Preachers Daughter” album in its entirety on the IQ Ultra was an otherworldly experience with goosebumps and all. It was all there, in the room just like live and there were moments where I closed my eyes and it seemed as if I was in the middle of a concert but without the smells or the noise of others. It was one for the memory books as the music went from soft and delicate to an all out assault on the senses. The IQ Ultra delivered this to me in a way no other speaker ever has. That’s one more trait I hear with these, the Dynamic Range is extraordinary. Those moments from soft to loud are done as well as I have heard. I actually preffered the AGD duets when this album was on because this album has a nice deep bass going on, so with the A20 it was warmer still yet both amps sound absolutely killer with the Ultras.

Hmmm, so far those Quailo claims are matching up to my experience with these speakers. The more I listen the more I hear just what a crazy deal these speakers are. The more I hear how special they are. The more I feel that these indeed may be my fave speakers I have heard to date. I have heard many a fine speaker and have loved and owned a slew of them. I enjoy hearing new gear to learn what these differences really, and I often as “is this worth it”? For the IQ Ultra they really do perform to a much higher level than the price dictates.

VS Triangle Duetto 40th 

I loved the 40th Anniversary Triangles so much I bought them as well. They also get rotated in when I am in the mood for detail and a less warm presentation vs the X2. The Triangles are the closest in sound to the Qualio IQ Ultras that I have here really and they deliver a clean sound with tight snappy bass and an extended horn loaded treble which is pretty amazing, though not quite the same as the super tweeter on the IQ’s.

The Traingles are two way and do not offer up all of the airiness and enhanced holographic nature of the Qualio IQ Ultra., nor the grand scale of sound of the IQ’s. They also have a more beefy mid bass as well vs the IQ Ultra but sound like a smaller version, in some ways, though not quite. The Traingles are airy, open, and beautiful to look at and listen to. The IQ Ultras deliver more and cost about $3k more than the Duettos but I would say that extra is well worth it for what we get.

Closer Acoustics BOB and OGY

My other set of reference speakers are ones I have had here for about a year now and I love them more than when I reviewed them. The OGY and BOB are the most oddball in looks of them all as they are modular with six pieces, well, eight pieces really. The sound though… it is remarkable and just sounds like life coming from the speakers. As music is “being born” in real time.

They put out more bass in the mids vs the IQ Ultra but again, are not as airy and three dimensional as the Ultras. It’s that open baffle dipole thing going on with the Ultras tweeter as it makes it appear that sound is floating above each speaker as well.

I love the BOB units with the OGY though and while the OGY treble doesn’t quite match the IQ Ultra when it comes to revealing while being smooth I still enjoy the OGY and BOB immensely. I feel the IQ Ultra may be picked by some for its more complete nature in design (not in several pieces) and more holographic sound. I feel the OGY and BOB will be enjoyed more by some for the character they bring to the sound, which has more color within it than the IQ Ultra.

It’s more like the OGY/BOB paint in 4K and the IQ Ultra paint in 8K.

If asked right now which I would pick if I had to, it would be the IQ Ultra but I heard from Jacek at Closer Acoustics who told me that they will be sending me the new top speaker for BOB, which will replace the OGY (not that the OGY is going away, just a new option). It’s much larger and the same size as the BOB units. Who knows what THAT will bring, but I am excited to hear them.

For now, I would take the IQ Ultra vs the OGY and BOB but it’s close and I could be happy with either for life. There are MANY End Game speakers out there that exist in the world. Many. I call these, the OGY/BOB, the X2, the Fleetwood Devilles, the Klipsch LaScala…and others “End Game” and depending on the sound you like, any of them can fill that role.

Again, the IQ Ultra will come in for $2-$3k more than the OGY and BOB, which are also from Poland. The IQ Ultra are also able to be tuned to your room, which is quite unique. No DSP required.

Room TUNE without DSP

How amazing is it that these speakers are able to be tuned to your ear and room? Let me explain how this is done and without a digital DSP unit (which I am not a fan of). The IQ Ultras ship with a variety of copper nickel resistors that can tame or extend the treble of the super tweeter. There are five sets to choose from and I tried them all.

These can go from very lifted up in the highs to very subdued. In the end I kept the RED resistors that Qualio says works best in most rooms, as it did in mine. They are all color coded to make it easy and come with a legend telling you what color does what.

The RED delivered a treble in my room that is very extended and open (it’s pretty special) yet never hard or splashy. I love that you can tune these easily like this, and big differences can be had. Lower the treble by 1db and it brings more warmth to the mids as that is now where the attention lies. It’s so cool and means these can fit into almost any room and please any ear.

Heck, I said there is no such thing as a best speaker but this sure starts to make the case for the IQ Ultras being just that. You can tune these to you room via the tweeter. Takes 30 seconds to switch these out and hear the changes.

When you start to look at what the IQ Ultra offers…the ISO ACOUSTICS FEET, ABILITY TO TUNE TO YOUR SPACE, THE QUALITY DRIVERS and DESIGN, and of course THE PACKAGING and EASE of SETUP…well, it’s pretty impressive.

Final Word

The IQ Ultra speakers from Qualio sit among the finest I have experienced when it comes to speakers in the higher end realm of audio, no matter the cost. These Ultras come in from $9900 to $11k+ depending on finish and offer up some of the finest parts and build I have come across in my lifetime. With that being said, the sound is remarkable for those who prefer a speaker that offers detail, clarity, snap and cleanliness all while delivering a wide open three dimensional sound that brings the music to the entire room. These are the most three dimensional speakers I have EVER heard besting all others who came before them. So Qualios claims? They are right, it’s not just marketing hyperbole.These may just be the best for YOU that YOU have ever heard.

These are NOT the most punchy or aggressive speakers I have heard and the midrange is not puffed up or beefed up, so mid bass fans may wonder where that thickness is. It’s not here and this is what makes them shine in the areas that they shine in.

Are they for me? Well, let me think for a minute. I have a few speakers I classified as faves and speakers like the Fleetwood Deville, The Klipsch LaScala, the Dynaudio Heritage Special and even my old Guarneri and Avantgarde Uno from back in the day. There were QLN speakers I adored as well as some from Daniel Hertz that were mated to their Maria amp. If I go back to all of them I have fond memories with all of these music makers and any of them are worthy of ownership. But guess what? None compete with the Qualio IQ Ultra in my world. As good as all of those are, I feel these IQ Ultra are just a better speaker in many ways, but most importantly the sound. They are more refined than the Deville and with more bass. They are are much more refined and complete than the LaScala yet just as open and huge sounding. They are on another level from the $7k Heritage specials and all of this really blows my mind when I sit and think.

Yes, these are amazing speakers that have the ability to back up the claims on the website, easily. To get this performance though you must give them a decent source and amp. If they sound bright to you it could be an amp issue as every amp I tried sounded different here. The IQ Ultras love current much more than watts per channel. The Galion A20 which is 20 WPC of Class A sound was awesome with the IQ Ultras and was driven by the AGD Alto II preamp and was using its custom DAC. Overall the AGD Duets brought out more air, layers and magic but it was close.

These IQ Ultras for me sit among the finest I have heard and while there is no real “Best” for all of us my guess is there will be very very few, if any really, who would not adore these speakers unless you prefer a beefed up midrange. It’s all here from quality of parts, quality of build and design and the sound, which is $30k sound for $11k in this pair I have here.

No real sweet spot needed as the off axis performance is also remarkable. No big toe in needed as in my space the IQ Ultra sounded best with barely any toe in at all. These were easy to set up, an experience to unbox and offer up tremendous pride of ownership. They played well with the $20k amps and pre I tested them with as well as the $799 amp and $900 DAC I tested them with. They all did GREAT.

These are speakers that will be tough to beat for the asking price and the good news is that the standard versions can be had for 6,900 euros and at that cost I know of nothing that could touch them. The Ultras I have here with a price of just over $11k are also well worth this cost. They do things that the big money speakers do but without the overkill analytical nature that some of them have.

Also, how cool is it that you can tune these to your room? How amazing are the drivers and design?

I really have enjoyed my time with the Qualio IQ and I truly would love to add them to my reference stable simply due to the fact that they match my room so well, my wife loves them (oh and she loves the sound as well, she listens with me) and the serial # is my all time fave combo of numbers? It’s a sign to me that these would be horribly missed if I let them go and I will have to find something to offload in order to purchase these (will not be speakers). They have etched special memories within me already, and there is no going back.

I have heard many special speakers. I have owned some of them and still do today. I have heard speakers of all price ranges, even 1 million dollar systems. At the end of the day those big systems never did it for me but every now and again I find a speaker that has something about it that is special, unique and magical. The funny thing is there are many speakers like this and all sound different but special in their own way. I also hear many speakers that sound lackluster and dull, and those get sent back without review. If you guys knew the products I passed on some of you would be very surprised.

The Qualio IQ is not only special in their own way but special, period. They are impossible to beat at this price if you value a big stage, the finest holographic imaging you may have ever heard, realistic live mids and vocals that are spooky good with bass that goes deep and very low without a smidge of slop.

You could spend $20, $30 or $40k for a snazzy set of audiophile speakers but there really is no need unless you just want to or have a solid preference for a specific brand or model. I think many will pass these by because of the LOW price in comparison to those exotic speakers that cost much more. That is the thing to remember. These sit in the Exotic area of HiFi but do not have the Exotic pricing.

Those who seek high end like to spend big, so these may get passed by and that would be a shame. For those who have a lower budget, that is ok too as these can be a speaker to dream about owning one day. I used to do a lot of that when I was in my 20’s and even 30’s. Dream of the speakers I saw in stereophile, hoping to one day hear or even own.

There are some things within audio that are worth every cent of their asking price. The IQ Ultras are indeed one of them, and then some 100%!

See more info at the Qualio website here.

PS – I was not paid a cent for this review nor will I make a cent if you buy a set. I do my reviews when I truly love a product and feel you would as well. I own several speakers personally and the Qualio IQ Ultra will join the OGY/BOB, the Borresen X2 and other speakers that will get shared listening time, now seven sets for review comparisons! I love all of the speakers I own but again… I will never review a bad speaker. Why waste my time and energy for something negative? No thanks ; ) 

UPDATE JULY 19th 2024:

I have had even more time with the Qualio IQ’s and love them more now than when I wrote this review. Right now I am listening to them with the $329 WiiM Ultra doing streaming, DAC and preamp duties into my AGD Duet Amps. Even with this $329 WiiM the sound is beautiful and even brings a little more midrange beef to the Qualio IQ Ultras, all while staying beautifully detailed and extremely musical. Switching to a $1500 Class D amp with the $329 WiiM I still hear and amazing reproduction of music with the IQ Ultras…just beautiful so big money amps are not required here, just current. These are very special speakers and I now proclaim them as the finest I have ever heard in life, regardless of cost, for my likes. These are really grossly underpriced if we compare them to what is out there right now. In fact I know of some $16k speakers that would be embarrassed by the Qualio IQ Ultra. Really. I heard them in my room and it’s not even close. So yea, Qualio’s claims are dead on. I still adore my OGY and BOB’s and they will stay but the Qualio’s are stunners in every way.