In this review, we will be comparing Airmotiv T1+ and R-820F, 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 R-820F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ | Klipsch R-820F |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6" woven fiber cone | 2 x 8" Copper-spun IMG |
|---|
| Frequency response | 37 Hz – 28 kHz | 35-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 97 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 150 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.20kg / 40lbs | 24.55kg / 54lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 43-1/8" x 10-7/8" x 16-3/4"
1096.0 x 277.0 x 426.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ and Klipsch R-820F 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 R-820F |
| 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 R-820F 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 R-820F
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 R-820F |
|
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 8-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 R-820F features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 8" Copper-spun IMG Woofer.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv T1+ has a frequency range of 37 Hz – 28 kHz whereas R-820F has a frequency range of 35-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the R-820F 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 R-820F 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 R-820F's is rated at 97 dB. This 9 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-820F 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 150 watts RMS, though Airmotiv T1+ is rated Up to 150 watts and R-820F up to 150 watts.
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. R-820F has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Emotiva Airmotiv T1+'s Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 R-820F'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 R-820F has external dimensions of 1096.0 x 277.0 x 426.0mm (43-1/8 x 10-7/8 x 16-3/4inch).
Klipsch R-820F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 64mm wider, 92mm taller and 130mm 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 R-820F needs about 87% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch R-820F is 130mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch R-820F is 92mm 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 Klipsch R-820F is approximately 1180.0cm2 / 182.9inch2. The Airmotiv T1+ requires 47% less surface area than the R-820F 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 R-820F weighs 24.55kg / 54lbs. This makes the R-820F 35% heavier than the Airmotiv T1+.
Here is a comparison of how Airmotiv T1+ and R-820F'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 R-820F?
Here are the items that come with the R-820F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Feet
- 4 Screws
- Quick Setup Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
- Loudspeaker Feet note
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1004mm
vs
1096mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
630cm2
vs
1180cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
1198USD
|
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 |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
37 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ |
Klipsch Reference R-820F |
| Brand |
Emotiva |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 150 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
97 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
37 Hz – 28 kHz |
35-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
woven fiber cone |
Copper-spun IMG |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
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") |
1096.0mm (43.1") |
| Width |
213.0mm (8.4") |
277.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
296.0mm (11.7") |
426.0mm (16.8") |
| Weight |
18.20kg (40lbs) |
24.55kg (54lbs) |
| 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 |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ is the newer design, against a 2018 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 (37Hz vs 35Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch R-820F is more sensitive (97dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Klipsch R-820F 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 150W). |
| Size | depends | Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ is easier to place; Klipsch R-820F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Emotiva Airmotiv T1+: bi-amping. Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ sits in a wider range (9 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ is cheaper - $799 against $1,198, about 33% less. |
A Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ B Klipsch R-820F
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?
Klipsch R-820F is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 50% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Klipsch R-820F appeals to you. In a large or open-plan room, Klipsch R-820F 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 R-820F 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.