Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 vs SVS Prime Satellite Comparison

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Emotiva Airmotiv XA2

Passive Surround | 75 Hz – 27 kHz

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SVS Prime Satellite

Passive Bookshelf | 69-25k Hz

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Emotiva Airmotiv XA2

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SVS Prime Satellite

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Emotiva Airmotiv XA2

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SVS Prime Satellite

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Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 vs SVS Prime Satellite Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers. Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 is a Surround speaker whereas the Prime Satellite is a Bookshelf speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 and SVS Prime Satellite first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	Emotiva Airmotiv XA2	SVS Prime Satellite
Brand	Emotiva United States · founded 2003	SVS United States · founded 1998
Design	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	25×32 mm" folded ribbon	1" Hard-Dome
Woofer	5.25" woven fiber cone	4.5" Polypropylene
Frequency response	75 Hz – 27 kHz	69-25k Hz
Sensitivity	86 dB	85 dB
Impedance	4 ohms	8 ohms
Power range	Up to 80 watts	20-150 watts
Weight	10.00kg / 22lbs	3.00kg / 6.6lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	12.5" x 7.15" x 8.5" 317 x 182 x 216 mm	8-13/16" x 4-15/16" x 6-3/8" 224.0 x 126.0 x 162.0mm

What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 and SVS Prime Satellite 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 XA2	SVS Prime Satellite
Near-field	Good	Poor
Small Room	Good	Poor
Mid-size Room	Average	Good
Large Room	Poor	Good
Very Large Room	No way	Average

(* 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

Both Airmotiv XA2 and Prime Satellite are 2-way speakers.

Emotiva Airmotiv XA2

SVS Prime Satellite

TweeterWoofer

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 XA2	SVS Prime Satellite
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	25×32 mm-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	1 x 5.25-inch	1 x 4.5-inch

Airmotiv XA2 features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3200Hz. On the other hand, the Prime Satellite features a 1" aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Polypropylene Woofer.

Frequency Response

Airmotiv XA2 has a frequency range of 75 Hz – 27 kHz whereas Prime Satellite has a frequency range of 69-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 69Hz, the Prime Satellite can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Airmotiv XA2's min frequency of 79Hz.

The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Surround class in our database.

Low Frequency

Surround Speakers

Airmotiv XA2

Prime Satellite

Min

Average

Median

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 XA2 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Prime Satellite 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 XA2 can provide this impedance level.

These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Airmotiv XA2 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Prime Satellite's is rated at 85 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Prime Satellite, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Surround Speakers

Airmotiv XA2

Prime Satellite

Min

Average

Median

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.

Prime Satellite can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas Airmotiv XA2 has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the Prime Satellite.

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.

Amplifier - change this

Distance

Playing as

Emotiva Airmotiv XA2

SVS Prime Satellite

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Airmotiv XA2 features 5-Way post type posts and Prime Satellite has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Emotiva Airmotiv XA2's Binding post terminals

SVS Prime Satellite's 5-Way post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both Airmotiv XA2 and Prime Satellite 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 XA2's and SVS Prime Satellite's external dimensions. Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 has external dimensions of 317 x 182 x 216 mm (12.5” x 7.15” x 8.5”) whereas SVS Prime Satellite has external dimensions of 224.0 x 126.0 x 162.0mm (28-32inch x 4-15/16inch x 6-3/8inch).

Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 56mm wider, 93mm taller and 54mm deeper than SVS Prime Satellite.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 and SVS Prime Satellite in scale.

Comparison image of Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 and SVS Prime Satellite Size and External Dimensions

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 XA2 is approximately 393.1cm² / 60.9inch² and base area of the SVS Prime Satellite is approximately 204.1cm² / 31.6inch². The Airmotiv XA2 requires 93% more surface area than the Prime Satellite which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of SVS Prime Satellite?

Here are the items that come with the Prime Satellite:

2 Satellite loudspeakers
2 Grilles (pre-installed)
8 Self-adhesive rubber bumpers
Owners Manual
SVS brochure
Online Product Registration Card

Reasons to choose Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 over SVS Prime Satellite

Sensitivity	86 dB vs 85 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Woofer Size	5.25 inches vs 4.5 inches	Larger woofer
High Frequency Response	27k Hz vs 25k Hz	Generates higher frequency

Reasons to choose SVS Prime Satellite over Emotiva Airmotiv XA2

Max Input Power	150 watts vs 80 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Nominal Impedance	8 ohms vs 4 ohms	Less selective with amplifiers
Low Frequency Response	69 Hz vs 79 Hz	Generates deeper bass
Height	224mm vs 317mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	204cm² vs 393cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	349USD vs 499USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 vs SVS Prime Satellite Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Emotiva Airmotiv XA2	SVS Prime Satellite
Brand	Emotiva	SVS
Speaker Type	Surround speaker	Bookshelf speakers
Power Range	Up to 80 watts	20-150 watts
Sensitivity	86 dB	85 dB
Impedance	4 ohms	8 ohms
Impedance	n/a	3.2 ohms
Frequency Response	75 Hz – 27 kHz	69-25k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	1
Woofer Size	5.25"	4.5"
Woofer Composition	woven fiber cone	Polypropylene
Woofer Surround Material	SBR	Rubber
Tweeter Size	25×32 mm"	1"
Tweeter Type	folded ribbon	Hard-Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Crossover Frequency	3200Hz	n/a
Firing Direction	rear	rear
Physical Specs
Height	317.0mm (12.5")	224.0mm (8.8")
Width	182.0mm (7.2")	126.0mm (5")
Depth	216.0mm (8.5")	162.0mm (6.4")
Weight	10.00kg (22lbs)	3.00kg (6.6lbs)
Enclosure	Bass reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	n/a	MDF/Wood-grain vinyl
Available Colors	Black	Black
Mounting Bracket	Yes
Recommended Stand Height	n/a	28-32"
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	n/a	No
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	5 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Years	5 Years

Verdict

A surround against a bookshelf. They are built for different places in a room, so start with where these have to go rather than which looks better on paper.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	B	SVS Prime Satellite digs deeper - 69Hz against 79Hz.
Amplifier needs	evenly matched	Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 85dB) - both want much the same power.
Amplifier match	B	SVS Prime Satellite is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it.
Headroom	B	SVS Prime Satellite takes more power (150W vs 80W) - more in hand in a big room.
Size	depends	SVS Prime Satellite is easier to place; Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
Type	depends	A Passive Surround against a Passive Bookshelf - a different job rather than a better one.
Price	B	SVS Prime Satellite is cheaper - $349 against $499, about 30% less.

A Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 B SVS Prime Satellite
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?

SVS Prime Satellite is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 79Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and SVS Prime Satellite for a mid-size room and a large 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.