In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Emotiva. Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Airmotiv XB2 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 and Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 4 x 6" woven fiber cone Woofer
- 45 Hz – 27 kHz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:Up to 250watts
- Weight:29.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 235.0" x 51.25" x 12"( 235 x 1302 x 305 mm )
Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter
- 6" woven fiber cone Woofer
- 55 Hz – 27 kHz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:Up to 125watts
- Weight:8.16kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 325.0" x 8.5" x 11.5"( 325 x 216 x 292 mm )
Airmotiv XC3 and Airmotiv XB2 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 XC3 and Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 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 XC3 |
Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* 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 XC3 and Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 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 XC3 is a 3-way design whereas the Airmotiv XB2 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 XC3 |
Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 6-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the Airmotiv XB2 features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 6" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600Hz.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv XC3 has a frequency range of 45 Hz – 27 kHz whereas Airmotiv XB2 has a frequency range of 55 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 XB2's min frequency of 55Hz.
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 XC3 and Airmotiv XB2 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Airmotiv XC3 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Airmotiv XB2's is at 86 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 a more sensitive speaker compared to Emotiva Airmotiv XB2, 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 XC3 and the Airmotiv XC3 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. 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 XC3 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Airmotiv XB2 has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS, 125 watts less than the Airmotiv XC3.
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 XC3 and Airmotiv XB2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Emotiva Airmotiv XC3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Emotiva Airmotiv XB2's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Airmotiv XC3 and Airmotiv XB2 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 XC3's and Emotiva Airmotiv XB2's external dimensions. Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 has external dimensions of 235 x 1302 x 305 mm ( 9.25″ x 51.25″ x 12″) whereas Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 has external dimensions of 325 x 216 x 292 mm ( 12.8” x 8.5” x 11.5”) .
Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 is 1086mm narrower and 13mm less deeper than Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 but it is also 90mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 and Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 in scale.
Comparison image of Emotiva Airmotiv XC3 and Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 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 XC3 is approximately 3971.1cm2 / 615.5inch2 and base area of the Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 is approximately 630.7cm2 / 97.8inch2. The Airmotiv XC3 requires 530% more surface area than the Airmotiv XB2 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Max Input Power 
Driver Setup 
Sensitivity 
Number of Woofers 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair*