In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Emotiva. Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Airmotiv C2+ is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ and Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ | Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 2 x 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" woven fiber cone | 2 x 6.5" woven fiber cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48 Hz – 28 kHz | 45 Hz – 28 kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 70 watts | Up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.00kg / 8.8lbs | 16.40kg / 36.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10-3/4" x 7-1/8" x 8-1/4"
274.0 x 181.0 x 210.0mm | 8-5/8" x 31-15/16" x 10-1/2"
220.0 x 812.0 x 267.0mm |
|---|
Airmotiv B1+ and Airmotiv C2+ are members of Emotiva's Airmotiv series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Emotiva Airmotiv Series
History
What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ 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* |
Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ |
Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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.)
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 Airmotiv B1+ 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.
Emotiva Airmotiv B1+Emotiva Airmotiv C2+
MidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ |
Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
2 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Airmotiv B1+ features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz. 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
Airmotiv B1+ has a frequency range of 48 Hz – 28 kHz whereas Airmotiv C2+ has a frequency range of 45 Hz – 28 kHz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Airmotiv C2+ can go slightly deeper then the Airmotiv B1+'s min frequency of 48Hz.
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
Airmotiv B1+ 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. Airmotiv B1+ sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Airmotiv C2+'s is rated at 92 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ a more sensitive speaker compared to Emotiva Airmotiv B1+, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Airmotiv C2+ can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas Airmotiv B1+ has a max power handling value of 70 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the Airmotiv C2+.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Airmotiv B1+ 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 B1+ Port
Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ Port
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 Emotiva Airmotiv B1+'s and Emotiva Airmotiv C2+'s external dimensions. Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ has external dimensions of 274.0 x 181.0 x 210.0mm (10-3/4 x 7-1/8 x 8-1/4inch) 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).
Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ is 631mm narrower and 57mm less deeper than Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ but it is also 54mm 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 Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ is approximately 380.1cm2 / 58.9inch2 and base area of the Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ is approximately 2168.0cm2 / 336.0inch2. The Airmotiv B1+ requires 82% less surface area than the Airmotiv C2+ which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.