In this review, we will be comparing Airmotiv T1+ and Concord, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Emotiva and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ and KLH Concord first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ | KLH Concord |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6" woven fiber cone | 2 x 6.5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 37 Hz – 28 kHz | 28-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 150 watts | up to 225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.20kg / 40lbs | 20.45kg / 45lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39-1/2" x 8-3/8" x 11-5/8"
1004.0 x 213.0 x 296.0mm | 40-3/8" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
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 T1+ is a 3-way design whereas the Concord 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 T1+KLH Concord
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 T1+ |
KLH Concord |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Airmotiv T1+ features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 275 Hz and 2700Hz. On the other hand, the Concord features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv T1+ has a frequency range of 37 Hz – 28 kHz whereas Concord has a frequency range of 28-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Concord can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Airmotiv T1+'s min frequency of 37Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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 T1+ is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Concord 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 T1+ can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Airmotiv T1+ sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Concord's is rated at 94 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the KLH Concord a more sensitive speaker compared to Emotiva Airmotiv T1+, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
Concord can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS, whereas Airmotiv T1+ has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 75 watts less than the Concord.
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 T1+ features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Concord has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Emotiva Airmotiv T1+'s Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
KLH Concord's 5-Way post terminals
Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ 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 T1+'s and KLH Concord's external dimensions. Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ has external dimensions of 1004.0 x 213.0 x 296.0mm (39-1/2 x 8-3/8 x 11-5/8inch) whereas KLH Concord has external dimensions of 1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/8 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ is 22mm shorter and 84mm less deeper than KLH Concord but it is also 1mm wider.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
KLH Concord needs about 28% more floor or shelf area. KLH Concord is 84mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. KLH Concord is 22mm 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 T1+ is approximately 630.5cm2 / 97.7inch2 and base area of the KLH Concord is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Airmotiv T1+ requires 22% less surface area than the Concord 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 T1+ weighs 18.20kg / 40lbs and the KLH Concord weighs 20.45kg / 45lbs. This makes the Concord 12% heavier than the Airmotiv T1+.
Here is a comparison of how Airmotiv T1+ and Concord's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of KLH Concord?
Here are the items that come with the Concord:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet (w/ locking nut attached)
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Rubber feet
- Port plug
- Manual
- ATTENTION! note
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1004mm
vs
1026mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
630cm2
vs
805cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
1000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
225 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
88 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
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
37 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ |
KLH Concord |
| Brand |
Emotiva |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 150 watts |
up to 225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
37 Hz – 28 kHz |
28-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
woven fiber cone |
Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
25×32 mm" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
folded ribbon |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
275 Hz and 2700Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1004.0mm (39.5") |
1026.0mm (40.4") |
| Width |
213.0mm (8.4") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
296.0mm (11.7") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
18.20kg (40lbs) |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
HDF |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | KLH Concord digs deeper - 28Hz against 37Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Concord is more sensitive (94dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | KLH Concord is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | KLH Concord takes more power (225W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ is easier to place; KLH Concord is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Emotiva Airmotiv T1+: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ is cheaper - $799 against $1,000, about 20% less. |
A Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ B KLH Concord
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?
KLH Concord leads across most of the measured areas for a fairly modest premium, which makes it the easier pick if the budget stretches. Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ is the one to take if it does not. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 37Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ much easier to justify. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KLH Concord is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.