In this review, we will be comparing Airmotiv C3+ and HDI-4500, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Emotiva and JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ and JBL HDI-4500 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ | JBL HDI-4500 |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon | 1" horn-loaded high-frequency compression |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 6.5" woven fiber cone | 4 x 5.25" Advanced Aluminum Matrix cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40 Hz – 28 kHz | 50-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 200 watts | 20-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.80kg / 59lbs | 20.15kg / 44.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8-5/8" x 54-3/4" x 12-1/4"
220.0 x 1391.0 x 312.0mm | 7-3/4" x 33-1/8" x 12-3/16"
197.0 x 842.0 x 310.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ and JBL HDI-4500 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 C3+ |
JBL HDI-4500 |
| 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Airmotiv C3+ is a 3-way design whereas the HDI-4500 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 C3+JBL HDI-4500
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 C3+ |
JBL HDI-4500 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
4 x 5.25-inch
|
Airmotiv C3+ features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350 Hz and 2800Hz. On the other hand, the HDI-4500 features a 1" horn-loaded high-frequency compression Tweeter and 4 x 5.25" Advanced Aluminum Matrix cone Woofer.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv C3+ has a frequency range of 40 Hz – 28 kHz whereas HDI-4500 has a frequency range of 50-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Airmotiv C3+ can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the HDI-4500'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 C3+ and HDI-4500 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Airmotiv C3+ sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the HDI-4500's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL HDI-4500, 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 C3+ and the Airmotiv C3+ 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.
HDI-4500 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Airmotiv C3+ has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the HDI-4500.
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 C3+ features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. HDI-4500 has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Emotiva Airmotiv C3+'s Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
JBL HDI-4500's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Airmotiv C3+ and HDI-4500 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 C3+ double Port
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 C3+'s and JBL HDI-4500's external dimensions. Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ has external dimensions of 220.0 x 1391.0 x 312.0mm (8-5/8-inch x 54-3/4-inch x 12-1/4-inch) whereas JBL HDI-4500 has external dimensions of 197.0 x 842.0 x 310.0mm (7-3/4 x 33-1/8 x 12-3/16inch).
Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 549mm wider, 23mm taller and 2mm deeper than JBL HDI-4500.
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 C3+ is approximately 4339.9cm2 / 672.7inch2 and base area of the JBL HDI-4500 is approximately 2610.2cm2 / 404.6inch2. The Airmotiv C3+ requires 66% more surface area than the HDI-4500 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 C3+ weighs 26.80kg / 59lbs and the JBL HDI-4500 weighs 20.15kg / 44.3lbs. This makes the Airmotiv C3+ 33% heavier than the HDI-4500.
Here is a comparison of how Airmotiv C3+ and HDI-4500'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 JBL HDI-4500?
Here are the items that come with the HDI-4500:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
899USD
vs
1925USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
197mm
vs
220mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2610cm2
vs
4339cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ |
JBL HDI-4500 |
| Brand |
Emotiva |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 200 watts |
20-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40 Hz – 28 kHz |
50-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
woven fiber cone |
Advanced Aluminum Matrix cone |
| Tweeter Size |
25×32 mm" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
folded ribbon |
horn-loaded high-frequency compression |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
350 Hz and 2800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
220.0mm (8.7") |
197.0mm (7.8") |
| Width |
1391.0mm (54.8") |
842.0mm (33.1") |
| Depth |
312.0mm (12.3") |
310.0mm (12.2") |
| Weight |
26.80kg (59lbs) |
20.15kg (44.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
HDF |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - JBL HDI-4500 costs roughly 2.1x what Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ 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 | A | Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ digs deeper - 40Hz against 50Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | JBL HDI-4500 takes more power (250W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | JBL HDI-4500 is easier to place; Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Emotiva Airmotiv C3+: bi-amping. Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ sits in a wider range (9 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ is cheaper - $899 against $1,925, about 53% less; arguably a different class. |
A Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ B JBL HDI-4500
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?
Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take JBL HDI-4500 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 50Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Emotiva Airmotiv C3+ the better fit for a small room, and JBL HDI-4500 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.