In this review, we will be comparing HTM72 S3 and Airmotiv C2+, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Emotiva.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W HTM72 S3 and Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
B&W HTM72 S3 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Decoupled Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 5" Continuum cone Woofer
- 70-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-120watts
- Weight:9.70kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 166.0" x 18-13/16" x 11-15/16"( 166.0 x 478.0 x 304.0mm )
Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter
- 3" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" woven fiber cone Woofer
- 3" Midrange
- 45 Hz – 28 kHz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:Up to 150watts
- Weight:16.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 220.0" x 31-15/16" x 10-1/2"( 220.0 x 812.0 x 267.0mm )
What size room are the B&W HTM72 S3 and Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
B&W HTM72 S3 |
Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the B&W HTM72 S3 and Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that HTM72 S3 is a 2-way design whereas the Airmotiv C2+ is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
B&W HTM72 S3 |
Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
2 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
HTM72 S3 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Decoupled Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Continuum cone Woofer . On the other hand, the Airmotiv C2+ features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter , a 3" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350 Hz and 3200Hz.
Frequency Response
HTM72 S3 has a frequency range of 70-28k Hz whereas Airmotiv C2+ has a frequency range of 45 Hz – 28 kHz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Airmotiv C2+ can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the HTM72 S3's min frequency of 70Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
HTM72 S3 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Airmotiv C2+ which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Airmotiv C2+ can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. HTM72 S3 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Airmotiv C2+'s is rated at 92 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W HTM72 S3, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
HTM72 S3 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas HTM72 S3 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS , 30 watts less than the Airmotiv C2+.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both HTM72 S3 and Airmotiv C2+ features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
B&W HTM72 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Emotiva Airmotiv C2+'s Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both HTM72 S3 and Airmotiv C2+ have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ Port
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare B&W HTM72 S3's and Emotiva Airmotiv C2+'s external dimensions. B&W HTM72 S3 has external dimensions of 166.0 x 478.0 x 304.0mm ( 6-1/2inch x 18-13/16inch x 11-15/16inch ) whereas Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ has external dimensions of 220.0 x 812.0 x 267.0mm ( 8-5/8 x 31-15/16 x 10-1/2inch) .
B&W HTM72 S3 is 334mm narrower and 54mm shorter than Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ but it is also 37mm deeper.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the B&W HTM72 S3 is approximately 1453.1cm2 / 225.2inch2 and base area of the Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ is approximately 2168.0cm2 / 336.0inch2. The HTM72 S3 requires 33% less surface area than the Airmotiv C2+ which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.