In this review, we will be comparing Airmotiv T1+ and Alpha T20, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Emotiva and PSB.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ and PSB Alpha T20 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ | PSB Alpha T20 |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon | 0.75" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6" woven fiber cone | 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 37 Hz – 28 kHz | 36-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 150 watts | 15-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.20kg / 40lbs | 11.89kg / 26.2lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 34-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 9-13/16"
869.0 x 212.0 x 250.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ and PSB Alpha T20 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+ |
PSB Alpha T20 |
| 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 Alpha T20 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+PSB Alpha T20
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+ |
PSB Alpha T20 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
0.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
2 x 5.25-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 Alpha T20 features a 0.75" anodized aluminum with front waveguide Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv T1+ has a frequency range of 37 Hz – 28 kHz whereas Alpha T20 has a frequency range of 36-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Alpha T20 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 Alpha T20 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 Alpha T20's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the PSB Alpha T20 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 Alpha T20 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 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 Alpha T20 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
PSB Alpha T20's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Airmotiv T1+ and Alpha T20 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 PSB Alpha T20'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 PSB Alpha T20 has external dimensions of 869.0 x 212.0 x 250.0mm (34-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 9-13/16inch).
Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 1mm wider, 135mm taller and 46mm deeper than PSB Alpha T20.
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.
Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ needs about 19% more floor or shelf area. Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ is 46mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ is 135mm 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 PSB Alpha T20 is approximately 530.0cm2 / 82.2inch2. The Airmotiv T1+ requires 19% more surface area than the Alpha T20 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 T1+ weighs 18.20kg / 40lbs and the PSB Alpha T20 weighs 11.89kg / 26.2lbs. This makes the Airmotiv T1+ 53% heavier than the Alpha T20.
Here is a comparison of how Airmotiv T1+ and Alpha T20'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 PSB Alpha T20?
Here are the items that come with the Alpha T20:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Rubber feet
- 8 Spike feet
- 8 Hex-nuts
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Card
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
37 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
869mm
vs
1004mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
530cm2
vs
630cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ |
PSB Alpha T20 |
| Brand |
Emotiva |
PSB |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 150 watts |
15-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
37 Hz – 28 kHz |
36-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
woven fiber cone |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
25×32 mm" |
0.75" |
| Tweeter Type |
folded ribbon |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
275 Hz and 2700Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1004.0mm (39.5") |
869.0mm (34.2") |
| Width |
213.0mm (8.4") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
296.0mm (11.7") |
250.0mm (9.8") |
| Weight |
18.20kg (40lbs) |
11.89kg (26.2lbs) |
| 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 |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (37Hz vs 36Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | PSB Alpha T20 is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | PSB Alpha T20 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ takes more power (150W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | PSB Alpha T20 is easier to place; Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Emotiva Airmotiv T1+: bi-amping; PSB Alpha T20: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($799 vs $799 a pair). |
A Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ B PSB Alpha T20
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?
PSB Alpha T20 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, PSB Alpha T20 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.