In this review, we will be comparing Airmotiv C1+ and Prime Center, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Emotiva and SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ and SVS Prime Center first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ | SVS Prime Center |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | SVS
United States · founded 1998 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon | 1" dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 3" | 3-1/2" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" woven fiber cone | 2 x 5.25" polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50 Hz – 28 kHz | 48-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 120 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.45kg / 18.6lbs | 9.18kg / 20.2lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 7-11/16" x 18-11/16" x 9-1/8"
196.0 x 475.0 x 232.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ and SVS Prime Center 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+ |
SVS Prime Center |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Airmotiv C1+ and Prime Center are 3-way speakers.
Emotiva Airmotiv C1+SVS Prime Center
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+ |
SVS Prime Center |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
1 x 3-1/2-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 Prime Center features a 1" aluminum dome Tweeter, a 3-1/2" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2400Hz.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv C1+ has a frequency range of 50 Hz – 28 kHz whereas Prime Center has a frequency range of 48-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the Prime Center 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+ is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Prime Center 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 Prime Center's is rated at 86 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Prime Center, 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.
Prime Center can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Airmotiv C1+ has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the Prime Center.
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. Prime Center has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Emotiva Airmotiv C1+'s Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
SVS Prime Center's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Airmotiv C1+ and Prime Center 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 SVS Prime Center'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 SVS Prime Center has external dimensions of 196.0 x 475.0 x 232.0mm (7-11/16 x 18-11/16 x 9-1/8inch).
SVS Prime Center is 46mm narrower and 1mm shorter than Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ but it is also 22mm deeper.
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 SVS Prime Center is approximately 1102.0cm2 / 170.8inch2. The Airmotiv C1+ requires 1% less surface area than the Prime Center 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 SVS Prime Center weighs 9.18kg / 20.2lbs. This makes the Prime Center 9% heavier than the Airmotiv C1+.
Here is a comparison of how Airmotiv C1+ and Prime Center'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 SVS Prime Center?
Here are the items that come with the Prime Center:
- Center channel loudspeaker
- Grille (pre-installed)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber bumpers
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1094cm2
vs
1102cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
399USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
48 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
196mm
vs
197mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ |
SVS Prime Center |
| Brand |
Emotiva |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker (Premium Black Ash) |
| Power Range |
Up to 120 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50 Hz – 28 kHz |
48-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
woven fiber cone |
polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
25×32 mm" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
folded ribbon |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
3-1/2" |
| Crossover Frequency |
550 Hz and 2600Hz |
350Hz and 2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
197.0mm (7.8") |
196.0mm (7.7") |
| Width |
521.0mm (20.5") |
475.0mm (18.7") |
| Depth |
210.0mm (8.3") |
232.0mm (9.1") |
| Weight |
8.45kg (18.6lbs) |
9.18kg (20.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
HDF |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| 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 |
A generation apart: Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ is the newer design, against a 2015 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (50Hz vs 48Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ is more sensitive (89dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | SVS Prime Center is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | SVS Prime Center takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | A | Emotiva Airmotiv C1+: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ is cheaper - $299 against $399, about 25% less. |
A Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ B SVS Prime Center
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Emotiva Airmotiv C1+ is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $100 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.