In this review, we will be comparing Airmotiv XT2 and RP-280F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Emotiva and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 and Klipsch RP-280F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 | Klipsch RP-280F |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 25×32 mm" folded ribbon | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6" woven fiber cone | 2 x 8" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40 Hz – 27 kHz | 32-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 98 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 250 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.20kg / 48.8lbs | 28.41kg / 62.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44.75" x 10.25" x 12.25"
1137.0 x 258.0 x 311.0mm | 43-1/16" x 10-9/16" x 17-3/8"
1094.0 x 269.0 x 442.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 and Klipsch RP-280F 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 XT2 |
Klipsch RP-280F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Airmotiv XT2 is a 3-way design whereas the RP-280F 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.
Emotiva Airmotiv XT2Klipsch RP-280F
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 XT2 |
Klipsch RP-280F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
25×32 mm-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Airmotiv XT2 features a 25×32 mm" folded ribbon Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 6" woven fiber cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 430 Hz, 3.1 kHz. On the other hand, the RP-280F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1750 Hz.
Frequency Response
Airmotiv XT2 has a frequency range of 40 Hz – 27 kHz whereas RP-280F has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RP-280F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Airmotiv XT2's min frequency of 40Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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 XT2 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the RP-280F 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 XT2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Airmotiv XT2 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the RP-280F's is rated at 98 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-280F a more sensitive speaker compared to Emotiva Airmotiv XT2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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 XT2 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas RP-280F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Airmotiv XT2.
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 XT2 and RP-280F features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Emotiva Airmotiv XT2's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Klipsch RP-280F's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Airmotiv XT2 and RP-280F 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 XT2's and Klipsch RP-280F's external dimensions. Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 has external dimensions of 1137.0 x 258.0 x 311.0mm (44.75” x 8.5” x 12.25”) whereas Klipsch RP-280F has external dimensions of 1094.0 x 269.0 x 442.0mm (43-1/16 x 10-9/16 x 17-3/8inch).
Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 is 11mm narrower and 131mm less deeper than Klipsch RP-280F but it is also 43mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 and Klipsch RP-280F in scale.
Comparison image of Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 and Klipsch RP-280F 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 XT2 is approximately 802.4cm2 / 124.4inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-280F is approximately 1189.0cm2 / 184.3inch2. The Airmotiv XT2 requires 33% less surface area than the RP-280F 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 XT2 weighs 22.20kg / 48.8lbs and the Klipsch RP-280F weighs 28.41kg / 62.5lbs. This makes the RP-280F 28% heavier than the Airmotiv XT2.
Here is a comparison of how Airmotiv XT2 and RP-280F's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Klipsch RP-280F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-280F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker (Ebony)
- Speaker base
- Detachable magnetic grille
- Four 1-inch #6 Wood screws
- 4 Spike feet
- 6 Rubber feet
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
- Important Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
27k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
802cm2
vs
1189cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
98 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1094mm
vs
1137mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1198USD
vs
1499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-280F |
| Brand |
Emotiva |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 250 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
98 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40 Hz – 27 kHz |
32-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
woven fiber cone |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
SBR |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
25×32 mm" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
folded ribbon |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
430 Hz, 3.1 kHz |
1750 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1137.0mm (44.8") |
1094.0mm (43.1") |
| Width |
258.0mm (10.2") |
269.0mm (10.6") |
| Depth |
311.0mm (12.2") |
442.0mm (17.4") |
| Weight |
22.20kg (48.8lbs) |
28.41kg (62.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Walnut, 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 |
A generation apart: Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 is the newer design, against a 2015 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Klipsch RP-280F digs deeper - 32Hz against 40Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-280F is more sensitive (98dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Klipsch RP-280F is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 takes more power (250W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 is easier to place; Klipsch RP-280F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Emotiva Airmotiv XT2: bi-amping; Klipsch RP-280F: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-280F sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Klipsch RP-280F is cheaper - $1,198 against $1,499, about 20% less. |
A Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 B Klipsch RP-280F
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?
Klipsch RP-280F is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 40Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Emotiva Airmotiv XT2 the better fit for a very large room, and Klipsch RP-280F for a mid-size 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.