In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Emotiva. Emotiva Airmotiv XB1 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Airmotiv XA2 is a Surround speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv XB1 and Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Airmotiv XB1 | Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Folded Motion | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon |
|---|
| Woofer | 4" Woven fibre | 5.25" woven fiber cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-27k Hz | 75 Hz – 27 kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 82 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-120 watts | Up to 80 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 3.74kg / 8.2lbs | 10.00kg / 22lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10-1/4" x 6-1/2" x 7-15/16"
260.0 x 165.0 x 201.0mm | 12.5" x 7.15" x 8.5"
317 x 182 x 216 mm |
|---|
Airmotiv XB1 and Airmotiv XA2 are members of Emotiva's Airmotiv X series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Emotiva Airmotiv X Series
History
What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv XB1 and Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 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 XB1 |
Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
No way |
(* 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 XB1 and Airmotiv XA2 are 2-way speakers.
Emotiva Airmotiv XB1Emotiva Airmotiv XA2
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 XB1 |
Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
Airmotiv XB1 features a 1" Airmotiv folded ribbon Folded Motion Tweeter and 1 x 4" Woven fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600Hz. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv XB1 has a frequency range of 65-27k Hz whereas Airmotiv XA2 has a frequency range of 75 Hz – 27 kHz. With a minimum frequency of 65Hz, the Airmotiv XB1 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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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 XB1 and Airmotiv XA2 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Airmotiv XB1 sensitivity is rated at 82 dB and the Airmotiv XA2's is at 86 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 a more sensitive speaker compared to Emotiva Airmotiv XB1, 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 XB1 and the Airmotiv XB1 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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 XB1 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas Airmotiv XA2 has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS, 40 watts less than the Airmotiv XB1.
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 XB1 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Airmotiv XA2 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Emotiva Airmotiv XA2's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Airmotiv XB1 and Airmotiv XA2 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 XB1's and Emotiva Airmotiv XA2's external dimensions. Emotiva Airmotiv XB1 has external dimensions of 260.0 x 165.0 x 201.0mm (10-1/4 x 6-1/2 x 7-15/16inch) whereas Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 has external dimensions of 317 x 182 x 216 mm (12.5” x 7.15” x 8.5”).
Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 17mm wider, 57mm taller and 15mm deeper than Emotiva Airmotiv XB1.
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 XA2 needs about 19% more floor or shelf area. Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 is 15mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 is 57mm 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 XB1 is approximately 331.7cm2 / 51.4inch2 and base area of the Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 is approximately 393.1cm2 / 60.9inch2. The Airmotiv XB1 requires 16% less surface area than the Airmotiv XA2 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.