Short answer: the Dynaudio Emit 20 for better sound quality, the Behringer B2030P for the lower price. The Dynaudio Emit 20 ranks #54 of 100 bookshelf speakers at $1049. The Behringer B2030P ranks #57 at $220, $829 cheaper.
What the Dynaudio Emit 20 offers: Two-way design with a 28mm Esotar soft dome tweeter (Hexis-damped) and an 18cm mid-woofer, using a first-order crossover on the tweeter and second-order on the woofer. Watch for: A resonance around 600-800Hz gives snares and similar percussion a muffled, flat quality lacking impact - confirmed as originating in the woofer itself (isolated via measurements of the raw driver out of the cabinet).
The case for the Behringer B2030P: CEA2034 spinorama shows strong horizontal directivity control, keeping the response nearly constant off-axis through most of the audible spectrum, with a wide beamwidth that eases seating position and toe-in requirements. The tradeoff: A resonance around 800Hz shows up clearly in the on-axis response and the waterfall/CSD plot, and the flat, near-horizontal predicted in-room response makes it sound bright without an equalization target curve.
Buy the Dynaudio Emit 20 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Behringer B2030P if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Dynaudio Emit 20 | Behringer B2030P | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,049.00 | $220 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #54 of 100 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #57 of 100 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 79Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 7.1" Magnesium Silicate Polymer woofer, 1.1" Cerotar soft dome with Hexis tweeter | 6.75" woofer, 0.75" ferrofluid-cooled tweeter |
| Weight | 12.8 lbs / 5.8 kg | 15.4 lbs / 7.0 kg each |
| Sensitivity | 83.5dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86dB manufacturer specified) | 84.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (5.5 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Dimensions | 14.6"H x 8.1"W x 12.3"D (370.0 x 205.0 x 312.0 mm) | 12.5H x 8.4W x 8.3D in |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, vertical slot |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 75Hz - 21kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | - | up to 100W |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Infinity Reference R162 vs JBL Studio 630
- Klipsch RP-600M II vs JBL Studio 630
- ELAC DBR62 vs Klipsch RP-600M II
- Dynaudio Emit 20 vs Infinity IL10
- Dynaudio Emit 20 vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
The Two Speakers In Full
Dynaudio Emit 20: $1,049.00 Amazon
Pros: Two-way design with a 28mm Esotar soft dome tweeter (Hexis-damped) and an 18cm mid-woofer, using a first-order crossover on the tweeter and second-order on the woofer. Exceptional bass extension for a bookshelf speaker - reaches a clean, authoritative 40Hz in-room, rare enough that the reviewer says most listeners could skip a subwoofer for typical music. Very low distortion across the board, staying below 1% THD down to 40Hz at 86dB and below 3% even at 96dB - unusually clean bass performance where most two-way bookshelf speakers start rising in distortion around 80Hz. Wide, remarkably consistent horizontal directivity (about ±50-60°) that holds steady up to roughly 13kHz - rare for a speaker in this format, thanks to a beveled tweeter edge that acts as a mild waveguide. Excellent compression and dynamic-range linearity at the frequency extremes, actually showing slight bass enhancement rather than the sharp low-end compression common in similarly-sized bookshelf speakers.
Cons: A resonance around 600-800Hz gives snares and similar percussion a muffled, flat quality lacking impact - confirmed as originating in the woofer itself (isolated via measurements of the raw driver out of the cabinet), and attempts at constrained-layer damping didn’t resolve it. A peak around 4kHz adds a sharp, edgy quality to some male vocals. A roughly 5dB boost above 10kHz gives cymbals and hi-hats excess shimmer that can sound unnatural, especially pointed directly on-axis. Vertical dispersion shows two separate crossover-related notches (above and below the tweeter reference line around 5kHz) rather than the usual single one, a direct consequence of the shallow crossover slopes used on both drivers. Multitone distortion is elevated in the midrange, possibly due to the woofer’s magnet structure lacking a shorting ring. Best aimed slightly off-axis (about 10-15° of toe-out) to tame the excess high-frequency shimmer, rather than pointed straight at the listener.
Full Dynaudio Emit 20 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 14.6"H x 8.1"W x 12.3"D (370.0 x 205.0 x 312.0 mm) |
| Drivers | 7.1" Magnesium Silicate Polymer woofer, 1.1" Cerotar soft dome with Hexis tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (5.5 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 83.5dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner; 86dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 12.8 lbs / 5.8 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Dynaudio Emit 20 vs Klipsch RP-600M II
- Dynaudio Emit 20 vs JBL Studio 630
- Dynaudio Emit 20 vs Infinity Reference R162
- Dynaudio Emit 20 vs Infinity IL10
- Dynaudio Emit 20 vs SVS Ultra Bookshelf
- Dynaudio Emit 20 vs Dynaudio Special Forty
- Dynaudio Emit 20 vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
- Dynaudio Emit 20 vs SVS Prime Bookshelf
- See all 9 comparisons
Behringer B2030P: $220 Discontinued
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows strong horizontal directivity control, keeping the response nearly constant off-axis through most of the audible spectrum, with a wide beamwidth that eases seating position and toe-in requirements. Distortion measurements hold up well against the pricier Revel M106 at both 86dB and 106dB SPL. With EQ to tame a resonance around 800Hz and a bit of a bass fill, the reviewer called it a “winner” that could play loud without bottoming out.
Cons: A resonance around 800Hz shows up clearly in the on-axis response and the waterfall/CSD plot, and the flat, near-horizontal predicted in-room response makes it sound bright without an equalization target curve. Vertical directivity is only typical, not exceptional. Long discontinued - the reviewer noted you’ll have to hunt for a used pair. Discontinued.
Full Behringer B2030P review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 79Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 12.5H x 8.4W x 8.3D in |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 6.75" woofer, 0.75" ferrofluid-cooled tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 21kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | up to 100W |
| Sensitivity | 84.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 15.4 lbs / 7.0 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, vertical slot |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Behringer B2030P vs JBL Studio 630
- Behringer B2030P vs Infinity IL10
- Behringer B2030P vs Klipsch RP-600M II
- Behringer B2030P vs Dynaudio Special Forty
- Behringer B2030P vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
- Behringer B2030P vs Infinity Reference R162
- Behringer B2030P vs SVS Prime Bookshelf
- Behringer B2030P vs KEF Q3 Meta
- See all 9 comparisons