In this review, we will be comparing Airmotiv C1+ and C426Be, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Emotiva and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ and Revel C426Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ | Revel C426Be |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | 3" | 5-1/4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" woven fiber cone | 4 x 6.5" aluminum with Deep Ceramic Composite coating |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50 Hz – 28 kHz | 38-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 120 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.45kg / 18.6lbs | 33.05kg / 72.7lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 12-5/16" x 38-5/8" x 14-1/16"
313.0 x 982.0 x 358.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ and Revel C426Be 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+ |
Revel C426Be |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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
Both Airmotiv C1+ and C426Be are 3-way speakers.
Emotiva Airmotiv C1+Revel C426Be
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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+ |
Revel C426Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
1 x 5-1/4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
4 x 6.5-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 C426Be features a 1" beryllium dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter, a 5-1/4" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" aluminum with Deep Ceramic Composite coating Woofer.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv C1+ has a frequency range of 50 Hz – 28 kHz whereas C426Be has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the C426Be can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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+ is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the C426Be 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 C426Be's is rated at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Revel C426Be a more sensitive speaker compared to Emotiva Airmotiv C1+, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
C426Be can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Airmotiv C1+ has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 180 watts less than the C426Be.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Airmotiv C1+ features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. C426Be has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Emotiva Airmotiv C1+'s Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Revel C426Be's Binding post terminals
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 Revel C426Be'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 Revel C426Be has external dimensions of 313.0 x 982.0 x 358.0mm (12-5/16 x 38-5/8 x 14-1/16inch).
Revel C426Be is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 461mm wider, 116mm taller and 148mm 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 Revel C426Be is approximately 3515.6cm2 / 544.9inch2. The Airmotiv C1+ requires 69% less surface area than the C426Be which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ weighs 8.45kg / 18.6lbs and the Revel C426Be weighs 33.05kg / 72.7lbs. This makes the C426Be 291% heavier than the Airmotiv C1+.
Here is a comparison of how Airmotiv C1+ and C426Be's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Revel C426Be?
Here are the items that come with the C426Be:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Feet assembly
- 2 Port plugs
- Owners Manual
 Height |
197mm
vs
313mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1094cm2
vs
3515cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
4950USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
38 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ |
Revel C426Be |
| Brand |
Emotiva |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 120 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50 Hz – 28 kHz |
38-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
woven fiber cone |
aluminum with Deep Ceramic Composite coating |
| Tweeter Size |
25×32 mm" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
folded ribbon |
dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
5-1/4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
550 Hz and 2600Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
197.0mm (7.8") |
313.0mm (12.3") |
| Width |
521.0mm (20.5") |
982.0mm (38.7") |
| Depth |
210.0mm (8.3") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Weight |
8.45kg (18.6lbs) |
33.05kg (72.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
HDF |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Revel C426Be costs roughly 16.6x what Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Revel C426Be digs deeper - 38Hz against 50Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Revel C426Be is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | Revel C426Be takes more power (300W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ is easier to place; Revel C426Be is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Emotiva Airmotiv C1+: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ is cheaper - $299 against $4,950, about 94% less; arguably a different class. |
A Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ B Revel C426Be
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Revel C426Be measures better, Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ costs about about 16.6x the price% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 50Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ the better fit for a small room, and Revel C426Be for a large room and a very large room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.