In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Emotiva. Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Airmotiv XT3 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 and Emotiva Airmotiv XT3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 | Emotiva Airmotiv XT3 |
|---|
| 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 | 3 x 8" woven fiber cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50 Hz – 27 kHz | 30 Hz – 27 kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 120 watts | Up to 300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 11.30kg / 24.9lbs | 41.30kg / 90.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7.5" x 26" x 9.5"
190 x 660 x 241 mm | 48.7" x 12.5" x 16.75"
1240.0 x 315.0 x 425.0mm |
|---|
Airmotiv XC1 and Airmotiv XT3 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 XT3 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 XT3 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
(* 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 XT3 are 3-way speakers.
Emotiva Airmotiv XC1Emotiva Airmotiv XT3
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 XT3 |
|
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
|
3 x 8-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 XT3 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 300 Hz, 3.1 kHz.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv XC1 has a frequency range of 50 Hz – 27 kHz whereas Airmotiv XT3 has a frequency range of 30 Hz – 27 kHz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Airmotiv XT3 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 XT3 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 XT3's is at 91 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv XT3 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 XT3 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Airmotiv XC1 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 180 watts less than the Airmotiv XT3.
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 XT3 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 XT3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Airmotiv XC1 and Airmotiv XT3 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 XT3'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 XT3 has external dimensions of 1240.0 x 315.0 x 425.0mm (48.7” x 10.75” x 16.75”).
Emotiva Airmotiv XC1 is 1050mm shorter and 184mm less deeper than Emotiva Airmotiv XT3 but it is also 345mm 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 XC1 is approximately 1590.6cm2 / 246.5inch2 and base area of the Emotiva Airmotiv XT3 is approximately 1338.8cm2 / 207.5inch2. The Airmotiv XC1 requires 19% more surface area than the Airmotiv XT3 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.