In this review, we will be comparing Airmotiv C1+ and Airmotiv XC1, two Passive Center Channel speakers by Emotiva Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ and Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 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 XC1 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter
- 4.5" Midrange
- 2 x 5.25" woven fiber cone Woofer
- 4.5" Midrange
- 50 Hz – 27 kHz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:Up to 120watts
- Weight:11.30kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 190.0" x 26" x 9.5"( 190 x 660 x 241 mm )
What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ and Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 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 XC1 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 C1+ and Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 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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Drivers
Both Airmotiv C1+ and Airmotiv XC1 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ |
Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
1 x 4.5-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 XC1 features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter , a 4.5" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 620 Hz, 3.1 kHz.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv C1+ has a frequency range of 50 Hz – 28 kHz whereas Airmotiv XC1 has a frequency range of 50 Hz – 27 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 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+ and Airmotiv XC1 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 XC1's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ a more sensitive speaker compared to Emotiva Airmotiv XC1, 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. 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+ and Airmotiv XC1 has the same power range of Up to 120 watts.
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 C1+ and Airmotiv XC1 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Emotiva Airmotiv C1+'s Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Emotiva Airmotiv XC1's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Airmotiv C1+ and Airmotiv XC1 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
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 XC1'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 XC1 has external dimensions of 190 x 660 x 241 mm ( 7.5” x 26” x 9.5”) .
Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ is 139mm narrower and 31mm less deeper than Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 but it is also 7mm 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 C1+ is approximately 1094.1cm2 / 169.6inch2 and base area of the Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 is approximately 1590.6cm2 / 246.5inch2. The Airmotiv C1+ requires 31% less surface area than the Airmotiv XC1 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Sensitivity 
High Frequency Response 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair* 
Height