In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers . Emotiva Airmotiv XC2 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the RP-4000F is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv XC2 and Klipsch RP-4000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Emotiva Airmotiv XC2 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 2 x 6" woven fiber cone Woofer
- 40 Hz – 27 kHz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:Up to 150watts
- Weight:16.80kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 216.0" x 31.5" x 10.25"( 216 x 800 x 260 mm )
Klipsch RP-4000F Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter
- 2 x 4" Cerametallic Woofer
- 37-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 95 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 75watts
- Weight:13.18kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 870.0" x 7-3/8" x 11-3/8"( 870.0 x 188.0 x 289.0mm )
What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv XC2 and Klipsch RP-4000F 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 XC2 |
Klipsch RP-4000F |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| 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 XC2 and Klipsch RP-4000F compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Airmotiv XC2 is a 3-way design whereas the RP-4000F 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 XC2 |
Klipsch RP-4000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
2 x 4-inch
|
Airmotiv XC2 features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 600 Hz, 3.1 kHz. On the other hand, the RP-4000F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 4" Cerametallic Woofer .
Frequency Response
Airmotiv XC2 has a frequency range of 40 Hz – 27 kHz whereas RP-4000F has a frequency range of 37-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the RP-4000F can go slightly deeper then the Airmotiv XC2's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
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 XC2 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the RP-4000F 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 XC2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Airmotiv XC2 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the RP-4000F's is rated at 95 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-4000F a more sensitive speaker compared to Emotiva Airmotiv XC2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
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 XC2 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas RP-4000F has a max power handling value of 75 watts RMS, 75 watts less than the Airmotiv XC2.
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
Both Airmotiv XC2 and RP-4000F features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Emotiva Airmotiv XC2's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Airmotiv XC2 and RP-4000F 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 XC2's and Klipsch RP-4000F's external dimensions. Emotiva Airmotiv XC2 has external dimensions of 216 x 800 x 260 mm ( 8.5” x 31.5” x 10.25”) whereas Klipsch RP-4000F has external dimensions of 870.0 x 188.0 x 289.0mm ( 34-1/4 x 7-3/8 x 11-3/8inch) .
Emotiva Airmotiv XC2 is 654mm shorter and 29mm less deeper than Klipsch RP-4000F but it is also 612mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Emotiva Airmotiv XC2 and Klipsch RP-4000F in scale.
Comparison image of Emotiva Airmotiv XC2 and Klipsch RP-4000F 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 XC2 is approximately 2080.0cm2 / 322.4inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-4000F is approximately 543.3cm2 / 84.2inch2. The Airmotiv XC2 requires 283% more surface area than the RP-4000F which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.