In this review, we will be comparing Airmotiv T1+ and RP-6000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Emotiva and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ and Klipsch RP-6000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ | Klipsch RP-6000F |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6" woven fiber cone | 2 x 6.5" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 37 Hz – 28 kHz | 34-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 97 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 150 watts | up to 125 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.20kg / 40lbs | 22.27kg / 49lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 39-3/4" x 9-5/16" x 17"
1010.0 x 237.0 x 432.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ and Klipsch RP-6000F 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 T1+ |
Klipsch RP-6000F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Airmotiv T1+ is a 3-way design whereas the RP-6000F 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+Klipsch RP-6000F
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+ |
Klipsch RP-6000F |
|
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 RP-6000F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Cerametallic Woofer.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv T1+ has a frequency range of 37 Hz – 28 kHz whereas RP-6000F has a frequency range of 34-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the RP-6000F can go slightly deeper then 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 RP-6000F 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 RP-6000F's is rated at 97 dB. This 9 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-6000F 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.
Airmotiv T1+ can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas RP-6000F has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the Airmotiv T1+.
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
Both Airmotiv T1+ and RP-6000F features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Emotiva Airmotiv T1+'s Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Klipsch RP-6000F's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Airmotiv T1+ and RP-6000F 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 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 Klipsch RP-6000F'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 Klipsch RP-6000F has external dimensions of 1010.0 x 237.0 x 432.0mm (39-3/4 x 9-5/16 x 17inch).
Klipsch RP-6000F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 24mm wider, 6mm taller and 136mm deeper than Emotiva Airmotiv T1+.
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.
Klipsch RP-6000F needs about 62% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch RP-6000F is 136mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 Klipsch RP-6000F is approximately 1023.8cm2 / 158.7inch2. The Airmotiv T1+ requires 38% less surface area than the RP-6000F 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 Klipsch RP-6000F weighs 22.27kg / 49lbs. This makes the RP-6000F 22% heavier than the Airmotiv T1+.
Here is a comparison of how Airmotiv T1+ and RP-6000F'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 Klipsch RP-6000F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-6000F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Stabilizer feet (installed)
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Terminal jumpers (installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
125 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1004mm
vs
1010mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
630cm2
vs
1023cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
1378USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
97 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 |
34 Hz
vs
37 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-6000F |
| Brand |
Emotiva |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 150 watts |
up to 125 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
97 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
37 Hz – 28 kHz |
34-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
woven fiber cone |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
25×32 mm" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
folded ribbon |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
275 Hz and 2700Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1004.0mm (39.5") |
1010.0mm (39.8") |
| Width |
213.0mm (8.4") |
237.0mm (9.3") |
| Depth |
296.0mm (11.7") |
432.0mm (17") |
| Weight |
18.20kg (40lbs) |
22.27kg (49lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
HDF |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Walnut, Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Klipsch RP-6000F costs roughly 1.7x what Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ 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 | Klipsch RP-6000F digs deeper - 34Hz against 37Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-6000F is more sensitive (97dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Klipsch RP-6000F is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 125W). |
| Size | depends | Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ is easier to place; Klipsch RP-6000F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Emotiva Airmotiv T1+: bi-amping; Klipsch RP-6000F: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-6000F sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ is cheaper - $799 against $1,378, about 42% less; arguably a different class. |
A Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ B Klipsch RP-6000F
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: Klipsch RP-6000F measures better, Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ costs about about 72% more% 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. In a large or open-plan room, Klipsch RP-6000F has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch RP-6000F 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.