In this review, we will be comparing Airmotiv XC1 and Airmotiv XC3, two Passive Center Channel speakers by Emotiva.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 and Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 | Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 4.5" | 2 x 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" woven fiber cone | 4 x 6" woven fiber cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50 Hz – 27 kHz | 45 Hz – 27 kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 120 watts | Up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 11.30kg / 24.9lbs | 29.00kg / 63.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7.5" x 26" x 9.5"
190 x 660 x 241 mm | 9.25" x 51.25" x 12"
235 x 1302 x 305 mm |
|---|
Airmotiv XC1 and Airmotiv XC3 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 XC1 and Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 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 XC3 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 XC1 and Airmotiv XC3 are 3-way speakers.
Emotiva Airmotiv XC1Emotiva Airmotiv XC3
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 XC1 |
Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.5-inch |
2 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
4 x 6-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 XC3 features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 4 x 6" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 370 Hz, 2.8 kHz.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv XC1 has a frequency range of 50 Hz – 27 kHz whereas Airmotiv XC3 has a frequency range of 45 Hz – 27 kHz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Airmotiv XC3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Airmotiv XC1's min frequency of 50Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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 XC1 and Airmotiv XC3 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 XC3's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 a more sensitive speaker compared to Emotiva Airmotiv XC1, 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
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 XC3 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Airmotiv XC1 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 130 watts less than the Airmotiv XC3.
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 XC1 and Airmotiv XC3 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Emotiva Airmotiv XC1's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Emotiva Airmotiv XC3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Airmotiv XC1 and Airmotiv XC3 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 XC1's and Emotiva Airmotiv XC3'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 XC3 has external dimensions of 235 x 1302 x 305 mm (9.25″ x 51.25″ x 12″).
Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 642mm wider, 45mm taller and 64mm deeper than Emotiva Airmotiv XC1.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 and Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 in scale.
Comparison image of Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 and Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 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 XC3 is approximately 3971.1cm2 / 615.5inch2. The Airmotiv XC1 requires 60% less surface area than the Airmotiv XC3 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 XC1 weighs 11.30kg / 24.9lbs and the Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 weighs 29.00kg / 63.8lbs. This makes the Airmotiv XC3 157% heavier than the Airmotiv XC1.
Here is a comparison of how Airmotiv XC1 and Airmotiv XC3's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
 Height |
190mm
vs
235mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1590cm2
vs
3971cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
399USD
vs
799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 |
Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 |
| Brand |
Emotiva |
Emotiva |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 120 watts |
Up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50 Hz – 27 kHz |
45 Hz – 27 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6" |
| 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" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
620 Hz, 3.1 kHz |
370 Hz, 2.8 kHz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
190.0mm (7.5") |
235.0mm (9.3") |
| Width |
660.0mm (26") |
1302.0mm (51.3") |
| Depth |
241.0mm (9.5") |
305.0mm (12") |
| Weight |
11.30kg (24.9lbs) |
29.00kg (63.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass reflex |
Bass reflex |
| 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 |
Siblings in Emotiva's Airmotiv X series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 digs deeper - 45Hz against 50Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 takes more power (250W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 is easier to place; Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Emotiva Airmotiv XC1: bi-amping; Emotiva Airmotiv XC3: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 is cheaper - $399 against $799, about 50% less; arguably a different class. |
A Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 B Emotiva Airmotiv XC3
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 XC3 measures better, Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 costs about about 100% more% 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 50Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 the better fit for a small room, and Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 for a large room and a very 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.