In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Emotiva. Emotiva Airmotiv B2+ is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Airmotiv C3+ is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv B2+ and Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Emotiva Airmotiv B2+ Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter
- 6.25" woven fiber cone Woofer
- 40-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:Up to 125watts
- Weight:7.10kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 324.0" x 8-1/2" x 11-1/2"( 324.0 x 216.0 x 293.0mm )
Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 4 x 6.5" woven fiber cone Woofer
- 5.25" Midrange
- 40 Hz – 28 kHz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:Up to 200watts
- Weight:26.80kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 220.0" x 54-3/4" x 12-1/4"( 220.0 x 1391.0 x 312.0mm )
Airmotiv B2+ and Airmotiv C3+ 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 B2+ and Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ 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 B2+ |
Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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 Emotiva Airmotiv B2+ and Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ 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 Airmotiv B2+ is a 2-way design whereas the Airmotiv C3+ 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 |
Emotiva Airmotiv B2+ |
Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
2 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.25-inch
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
Airmotiv B2+ features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 6.25" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz. On the other hand, the Airmotiv C3+ features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350 Hz and 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv B2+ has a frequency range of 40-28k Hz whereas Airmotiv C3+ has a frequency range of 40 Hz – 28 kHz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Airmotiv B2+ and Airmotiv C3+ have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Airmotiv B2+ sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Airmotiv C3+'s is at 92 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ a more sensitive speaker compared to Emotiva Airmotiv B2+, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Airmotiv B2+ and the Airmotiv B2+ can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Airmotiv B2+ can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Airmotiv B2+ has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS , 75 watts less than the Airmotiv C3+.
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 Airmotiv B2+ and Airmotiv C3+ features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Emotiva Airmotiv B2+'s Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Emotiva Airmotiv C3+'s Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Airmotiv B2+ and Airmotiv C3+ 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 B2+ Port
Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ double 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 Emotiva Airmotiv B2+'s and Emotiva Airmotiv C3+'s external dimensions. Emotiva Airmotiv B2+ has external dimensions of 324.0 x 216.0 x 293.0mm ( 12-3/4-inch x 8-1/2-inch x 11-1/2-inch) whereas Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ has external dimensions of 220.0 x 1391.0 x 312.0mm ( 8-5/8-inch x 54-3/4-inch x 12-1/4-inch) .
Emotiva Airmotiv B2+ is 1175mm narrower and 19mm less deeper than Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ but it is also 104mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Emotiva Airmotiv B2+ and Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ in scale.
Comparison image of Emotiva Airmotiv B2+ and Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ Size and External Dimensions
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 B2+ is approximately 632.9cm2 / 98.1inch2 and base area of the Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ is approximately 4339.9cm2 / 672.7inch2. The Airmotiv B2+ requires 85% less surface area than the Airmotiv C3+ which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.