In this review, we will be comparing Emit 20 and Emit 10, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Dynaudio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Dynaudio Emit 20 and Dynaudio Emit 10 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Dynaudio Emit 20 | Dynaudio Emit 10 |
|---|
| Brand | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1.1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 7" MSP | 5.5" MSP |
|---|
| Frequency response | 53-25k Hz | 64-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Weight | 10.30kg / 22.7lbs | 6.40kg / 14.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-9/16" x 8-1/16" x 12-5/16"
370.0 x 205.0 x 312.0mm | 11-7/16" x 6-11/16" x 10-11/16"
290.0 x 170.0 x 272.0mm |
|---|
Emit 20 and Emit 10 are members of Dynaudio's Emit series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Dynaudio Emit Series
History
What size room are the Dynaudio Emit 20 and Dynaudio Emit 10 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* |
Dynaudio Emit 20 |
Dynaudio Emit 10 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
No way |
(* 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Emit 20 and Emit 10 are 2-way speakers.
Dynaudio Emit 20Dynaudio Emit 10
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Dynaudio Emit 20 |
Dynaudio Emit 10 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 7-inch
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
Emit 20 features a 1.1" Cerotar Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 7" MSP Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3800 Hz. On the other hand, the Emit 10 features a 1.1" Cerotar Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" MSP Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3700 Hz.
Frequency Response
Emit 20 has a frequency range of 53-25k Hz whereas Emit 10 has a frequency range of 64-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 53Hz, the Emit 20 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Emit 10's min frequency of 64Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Emit 20 and Emit 10 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 86 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Emit 20 features Binding post type posts and Emit 10 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Emit 20 and Emit 10 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.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Dynaudio Emit 20's and Dynaudio Emit 10's external dimensions. Dynaudio Emit 20 has external dimensions of 370.0 x 205.0 x 312.0mm (14-9/16 x 8-1/16 x 12-5/16inch) whereas Dynaudio Emit 10 has external dimensions of 290.0 x 170.0 x 272.0mm (11-7/16 x 6-11/16 x 10-11/16inch).
Dynaudio Emit 20 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 35mm wider, 80mm taller and 40mm deeper than Dynaudio Emit 10.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Dynaudio Emit 20 needs about 38% more floor or shelf area. Dynaudio Emit 20 is 40mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Dynaudio Emit 20 is 80mm taller.
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 Dynaudio Emit 20 is approximately 639.6cm2 / 99.1inch2 and base area of the Dynaudio Emit 10 is approximately 462.4cm2 / 71.7inch2. The Emit 20 requires 38% more surface area than the Emit 10 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Dynaudio Emit 20 weighs 10.30kg / 22.7lbs and the Dynaudio Emit 10 weighs 6.40kg / 14.1lbs. This makes the Emit 20 61% heavier than the Emit 10.
Here is a comparison of how Emit 20 and Emit 10's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
 Max Input Power |
160 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
53 Hz
vs
64 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
290mm
vs
370mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
462cm2
vs
639cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
1049USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Dynaudio Emit 20 |
Dynaudio Emit 10 |
| Brand |
Dynaudio |
Dynaudio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
53-25k Hz |
64-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
MSP |
MSP |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3800 Hz |
3700 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
370.0mm (14.6") |
290.0mm (11.4") |
| Width |
205.0mm (8.1") |
170.0mm (6.7") |
| Depth |
312.0mm (12.3") |
272.0mm (10.7") |
| Weight |
10.30kg (22.7lbs) |
6.40kg (14.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
|
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Siblings in Dynaudio's Emit series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Dynaudio Emit 20 digs deeper - 53Hz against 64Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (160W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Dynaudio Emit 10 is easier to place; Dynaudio Emit 20 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | Dynaudio Emit 10 is cheaper - $799 against $1,049, about 24% less. |
A Dynaudio Emit 20 B Dynaudio Emit 10
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Dynaudio Emit 20 measures better, Dynaudio Emit 10 costs about about 31% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 64Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Dynaudio Emit 10 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Dynaudio Emit 20 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Dynaudio Emit 10 is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.