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Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 vs Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 Comparison

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Emotiva Airmotiv XC1

Passive Floor-standing | 50 Hz – 27 kHz

Emotiva Airmotiv XC1
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Emotiva Airmotiv XA2

Passive Surround | 75 Hz – 27 kHz

Emotiva Airmotiv XA2
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Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 Emotiva Airmotiv XC1
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Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 Emotiva Airmotiv XA2
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Emotiva Airmotiv XC1
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Emotiva Airmotiv XA2
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Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 vs Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Emotiva. Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Airmotiv XA2 is a Surround speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 and Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter
  • 4.5" Midrange
  • 2 x 5.25" woven fiber cone Woofer
  • 50 Hz – 27 kHz Frequency Response
  • 88 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 4ohms
  • Power Range:Up to 120watts
  • Weight:11.30kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 190.0" x 26" x 9.5"( 190 x 660 x 241 mm )

Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter
  • 5.25" woven fiber cone Woofer
  • 75 Hz – 27 kHz Frequency Response
  • 86 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 4ohms
  • Power Range:Up to 80watts
  • Weight:10.00kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 317.0" x 7.15" x 8.5"( 317 x 182 x 216 mm )

Airmotiv XC1 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
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
Emotiva Airmotiv XB2
  
Bookshelf 55 Hz – 27 kHz 86 dB4Ω 1 x 6"
Emotiva Airmotiv XT3
  
Floor-standing 30 Hz – 27 kHz 91 dB4Ω 3 x 8"
Emotiva Airmotiv XT1
  
Floor-standing 45 Hz – 27 kHz 89 dB4Ω 3 x 5.25"
Emotiva Airmotiv XT2
  
Floor-standing 40 Hz – 27 kHz 90 dB4Ω 3 x 6"
Emotiva Airmotiv XC3
  
Center Channel 45 Hz – 27 kHz 90 dB4Ω 4 x 6"
Emotiva Airmotiv XC2
  
Center Channel 40 Hz – 27 kHz 89 dB4Ω 2 x 6"
Emotiva Airmotiv XC1
Center Channel 50 Hz – 27 kHz 88 dB4Ω 2 x 5.25"
Emotiva Airmotiv XA2
Surround 75 Hz – 27 kHz 86 dB4Ω 1 x 5.25"

What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 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 XC1 Emotiva Airmotiv XA2
Near-field Poor Good
Small Room Average Good
Mid-size Room Good Average
Large Room Average Poor
Very Large Room Poor 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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 and Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Airmotiv XC1 is a 3-way design whereas the Airmotiv XA2 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.

Driver Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 Emotiva Airmotiv XA2
Driver Setup 3-way 2-way
Tweeter 25×32 mm-inch 25×32 mm-inch
Midrange 1 x 4.5-inch -
Woofer 2 x 5.25-inch 1 x 5.25-inch

Airmotiv XC1 features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter , a 4.5" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 620 Hz, 3.1 kHz. 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 XC1 has a frequency range of 50 Hz – 27 kHz whereas Airmotiv XA2 has a frequency range of 75 Hz – 27 kHz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the Airmotiv XC1 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Airmotiv XA2's min frequency of 79Hz.

Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.

Low Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

Airmotiv XC1
Airmotiv XA2
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

Emotiva Airmotiv XC1
Emotiva Airmotiv XA2
Min
Average
Max

None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.

Impedance and Sensitivity

Airmotiv XC1 and Airmotiv XA2 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Airmotiv XC1 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Airmotiv XA2's is at 86 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 a more sensitive speaker compared to Emotiva Airmotiv XA2, 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 XC1 and the Airmotiv XC1 can provide this impedance level.

Sensitivity

Center Channel Speakers

Airmotiv XC1
Airmotiv XA2
Min
Average
Max

Power Range

Power range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.

Airmotiv XC1 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Airmotiv XA2 has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS, 40 watts less than the Airmotiv XC1.

Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Airmotiv XC1 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 XC1 Terminals
Emotiva Airmotiv XC1's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Emotiva Airmotiv XA2Binding post Terminals
Emotiva Airmotiv XA2's Binding post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both Airmotiv XC1 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

Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 XC1's and Emotiva Airmotiv XA2's external dimensions. Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 has external dimensions of 190 x 660 x 241 mm ( 7.5” x 26” x 9.5”) 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 478mm narrower and 25mm less deeper than Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 but it is also 127mm taller.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 and Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 in scale.

Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 vs Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 and Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 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 XC1 is approximately 1590.6cm2 / 246.5inch2 and base area of the Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 is approximately 393.1cm2 / 60.9inch2. The Airmotiv XC1 requires 305% more surface area than the Airmotiv XA2 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.


Reasons to choose Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 over Emotiva Airmotiv XA2
Max Input Power 120 watts vs 80 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
Driver Setup 3-way vs 2-way Have a dedicated mid-range driver
Sensitivity 88 dB vs 86 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Number of Woofers 2 vs 1 More woofers
Low Frequency Response 50 Hz vs 79 Hz Generates deeper bass
Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring Yes vs No Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections
Height 190mm vs 317mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces

Reasons to choose Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 over Emotiva Airmotiv XC1

Base Surface Area 393cm2 vs 1590cm2 Takes less floor space
Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 vs Emotiva Airmotiv XA2 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 Emotiva Airmotiv XA2
Brand Emotiva Emotiva
Speaker Type Center channel speaker Surround speaker
Power Range Up to 120 watts Up to 80 watts
Sensitivity 88 dB 86 dB
Impedance 4 ohms 4 ohms
Frequency Response 50 Hz – 27 kHz 75 Hz – 27 kHz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity 2 1
Woofer Size 5.25" 5.25"
Woofer Composition woven fiber cone woven fiber cone
Woofer Surround Material SBR SBR
Tweeter Size 25×32 mm" 25×32 mm"
Tweeter Type folded ribbon folded ribbon
Aimable Tweeter No No
Midrange Driver 4.5" No
Crossover Frequency 620 Hz, 3.1 kHz 3200Hz
Firing Direction rear rear
Physical Specs
Height 190.0mm (7.5") 317.0mm (12.5")
Width 660.0mm (26") 182.0mm (7.2")
Depth 241.0mm (9.5") 216.0mm (8.5")
Weight 11.30kg (24.9lbs) 10.00kg (22lbs)
Enclosure Bass reflex Bass reflex
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

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