In this review, we will be comparing Airmotiv T3+ and Airmotiv T-Zero+, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Emotiva.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv T3+ and Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Airmotiv T3+ | Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 8" woven fiber cone | 2 x 5.25" woven fiber cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 29 Hz – 28 kHz | 48-28 kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 250 watts | Up to 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 38.60kg / 84.9lbs | 13.20kg / 29lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 49-1/2" x 12-1/2" x 17"
1258.0 x 318.0 x 432.0mm | 38-1/8" x 38-1/8" x 10-1/2"
969.0 x 969.0 x 267.0mm |
|---|
Airmotiv T3+ and Airmotiv T-Zero+ are members of Emotiva's Airmotiv series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Emotiva Airmotiv Series
History
What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv T3+ and Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ 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 T3+ |
Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Bad |
(* 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 T3+ is a 3-way design whereas the Airmotiv T-Zero+ 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 T3+Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+
MidrangeWoofer
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 T3+ |
Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 8-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Airmotiv T3+ features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 8" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350 Hz and 2800Hz. On the other hand, the Airmotiv T-Zero+ features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv T3+ has a frequency range of 29 Hz – 28 kHz whereas Airmotiv T-Zero+ has a frequency range of 48-28 kHz. With a minimum frequency of 29Hz, the Airmotiv T3+ can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Airmotiv T-Zero+'s min frequency of 48Hz.
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 T3+ and Airmotiv T-Zero+ have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Airmotiv T3+ sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Airmotiv T-Zero+'s is at 87 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv T3+ a more sensitive speaker compared to Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+, 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 T3+ and the Airmotiv T3+ can provide this impedance level.
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 T3+ can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Airmotiv T-Zero+ has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Airmotiv T3+.
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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Airmotiv T3+ and Airmotiv T-Zero+ 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.
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 T3+'s and Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+'s external dimensions. Emotiva Airmotiv T3+ has external dimensions of 1258.0 x 318.0 x 432.0mm (49-1/2-inch x 12-1/2-inch x 17-inch) whereas Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ has external dimensions of 969.0 x 969.0 x 267.0mm (38-1/8 x 38-1/8 x 10-1/2inch).
Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ is 289mm shorter and 165mm less deeper than Emotiva Airmotiv T3+ but it is also 651mm wider.
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 T3+ is approximately 1373.8cm2 / 212.9inch2 and base area of the Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ is approximately 2587.2cm2 / 401.0inch2. The Airmotiv T3+ requires 47% less surface area than the Airmotiv T-Zero+ 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 T3+ weighs 38.60kg / 84.9lbs and the Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ weighs 13.20kg / 29lbs. This makes the Airmotiv T3+ 192% heavier than the Airmotiv T-Zero+.
Here is a comparison of how Airmotiv T3+ and Airmotiv T-Zero+'s weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
29 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
1373cm2
vs
2587cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Height |
969mm
vs
1258mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
1899USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Emotiva Airmotiv T3+ |
Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ |
| Brand |
Emotiva |
Emotiva |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 250 watts |
Up to 100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
29 Hz – 28 kHz |
48-28 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
woven fiber cone |
woven fiber cone |
| Tweeter Size |
25×32 mm" |
25×32 mm" |
| Tweeter Type |
folded ribbon |
folded ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
350 Hz and 2800Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1258.0mm (49.5") |
969.0mm (38.1") |
| Width |
318.0mm (12.5") |
969.0mm (38.1") |
| Depth |
432.0mm (17") |
267.0mm (10.5") |
| Weight |
38.60kg (84.9lbs) |
13.20kg (29lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass reflex |
Bass reflex |
| Finish |
HDF |
HDF |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in Emotiva's Airmotiv series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Emotiva Airmotiv T3+ digs deeper - 29Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Emotiva Airmotiv T3+ is more sensitive (91dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Emotiva Airmotiv T3+ takes more power (250W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Emotiva Airmotiv T3+ is easier to place; Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Emotiva Airmotiv T3+: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ is cheaper - $499 against $1,899, about 74% less; arguably a different class. |
A Emotiva Airmotiv T3+ B Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+
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: Emotiva Airmotiv T3+ measures better, Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ costs about about 3.8x the price% 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. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Emotiva Airmotiv T3+ the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Emotiva Airmotiv T-Zero+ for a small room and a mid-size 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.