In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Emotiva. Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Airmotiv T-Zero+ is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ and Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ | Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 3" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" woven fiber cone | 2 x 5.25" woven fiber cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50 Hz – 28 kHz | 48-28 kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 120 watts | Up to 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.45kg / 18.6lbs | 13.20kg / 29lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-3/4" x 20-1/2" x 8-1/4"
197.0 x 521.0 x 210.0mm | 38-1/8" x 38-1/8" x 10-1/2"
969.0 x 969.0 x 267.0mm |
|---|
Airmotiv C1+ and Airmotiv T-Zero+ 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 T-Zero+ 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 T-Zero+ |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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 C1+ is a 3-way design whereas the Airmotiv T-Zero+ 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.
Emotiva Airmotiv C1+Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+
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 C1+ |
Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ |
|
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
|
2 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 T-Zero+ features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv C1+ has a frequency range of 50 Hz – 28 kHz whereas Airmotiv T-Zero+ has a frequency range of 48-28 kHz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the Airmotiv T-Zero+ can go slightly deeper then the Airmotiv C1+'s min frequency of 50Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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 C1+ and Airmotiv T-Zero+ have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Airmotiv C1+ sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Airmotiv T-Zero+'s is at 87 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ a more sensitive speaker compared to Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+, 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 C1+ and the Airmotiv C1+ can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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 C1+ can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas Airmotiv T-Zero+ has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Airmotiv C1+.
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 C1+ and Airmotiv T-Zero+ 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 Emotiva Airmotiv C1+'s and Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+'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 T-Zero+ has external dimensions of 969.0 x 969.0 x 267.0mm (38-1/8 x 38-1/8 x 10-1/2inch).
Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 448mm wider, 772mm taller and 57mm deeper than Emotiva Airmotiv C1+.
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 T-Zero+ is approximately 2587.2cm2 / 401.0inch2. The Airmotiv C1+ requires 58% less surface area than the Airmotiv T-Zero+ which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.