In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Dynaudio. Dynaudio Emit 20 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Emit 25C is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Dynaudio Emit 20 and Dynaudio Emit 25C first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Dynaudio Emit 20 | Dynaudio Emit 25C |
|---|
| Brand | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1.1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 7" MSP | 2 x 5.5" MSP |
|---|
| Frequency response | 53-25k Hz | 53-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Weight | 10.30kg / 22.7lbs | 11.00kg / 24.2lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 6-11/16" x 21-5/8" x 10-11/16"
170.0 x 550.0 x 272.0mm |
|---|
Emit 20 and Emit 25C 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 25C 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 25C |
| 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Emit 20 is a 2-way design whereas the Emit 25C 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.
Dynaudio Emit 20Dynaudio Emit 25C
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 25C |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 7-inch
|
2 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 25C features a 1.1" Cerotar Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.5" MSP Woofer with a Crossover frequency at (1000)/3500 Hz.
Frequency Response
Emit 20 and Emit 25C has exactly the same frequency range of 53-25k Hz.
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 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Emit 25C 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 Emit 25C can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Emit 20 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Emit 25C's is rated at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Dynaudio Emit 25C a more sensitive speaker compared to Dynaudio Emit 20, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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 25C 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 25C 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 25C'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 25C has external dimensions of 170.0 x 550.0 x 272.0mm (6-11/16 x 21-5/8 x 10-11/16inch).
Dynaudio Emit 25C is 200mm shorter and 40mm less deeper than Dynaudio Emit 20 but it is also 345mm wider.
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 25C needs about 134% 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 200mm 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 25C is approximately 1496.0cm2 / 231.9inch2. The Emit 20 requires 57% less surface area than the Emit 25C which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.