In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Emotiva. Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Airmotiv B1+ is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ and Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter
- 3" Midrange
- 2 x 5.25" woven fiber cone Woofer
- 50 Hz – 28 kHz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:Up to 120watts
- Weight:8.45kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 197.0" x 20-1/2" x 8-1/4"( 197.0 x 521.0 x 210.0mm )
Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter
- 5.25" woven fiber cone Woofer
- 48 Hz – 28 kHz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:Up to 70watts
- Weight:4.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 274.0" x 7-1/8" x 8-1/4"( 274.0 x 181.0 x 210.0mm )
Airmotiv C1+ and Airmotiv B1+ 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 C1+ and Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ 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 C1+ |
Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ and Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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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 C1+ is a 3-way design whereas the Airmotiv B1+ is a 2-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 C1+ |
Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
Airmotiv C1+ features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter , a 3" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 550 Hz and 2600Hz. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv C1+ has a frequency range of 50 Hz – 28 kHz whereas Airmotiv B1+ has a frequency range of 48 Hz – 28 kHz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the Airmotiv B1+ can go slightly deeper then the Airmotiv C1+'s min frequency of 50Hz.
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
Airmotiv C1+ is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Airmotiv B1+ which has a nominal impedance of 8 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 C1+ can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Airmotiv C1+ sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Airmotiv B1+'s is rated at 86 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ a more sensitive speaker compared to Emotiva Airmotiv B1+, 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.
Airmotiv C1+ can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Airmotiv B1+ has a max power handling value of 70 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Airmotiv C1+.
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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Airmotiv C1+ and Airmotiv B1+ 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
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 C1+'s and Emotiva Airmotiv B1+'s external dimensions. Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ has external dimensions of 197.0 x 521.0 x 210.0mm ( 7-3/4 x 20-1/2 x 8-1/4inch) whereas 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) .
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 C1+ is approximately 1094.1cm2 / 169.6inch2 and base area of the Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ is approximately 380.1cm2 / 58.9inch2. The Airmotiv C1+ requires 188% more surface area than the Airmotiv B1+ which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Max Input Power 
Driver Setup 
Sensitivity 
Number of Woofers 
Height 
Nominal Impedance 
Base Surface Area