Short answer: both have a resonance problem, so choose on placement. The Behringer B2030P keeps horizontal directivity under strong control with a wide beamwidth that eases seating and toe-in, but an 800Hz resonance shows on-axis and in the waterfall, and its flat in-room curve sounds bright without an equalization target. The Dynaudio Emit 20’s 600-800Hz resonance gives snares a muffled, flat quality lacking impact. They are $829 apart.
Buy the Dynaudio Emit 20 if you want one new; the Behringer B2030P is discontinued, so only look for it used.
Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Dynaudio Emit 20 | Behringer B2030P | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,049.00 per pair | $220 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #77 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #80 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 50.8Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 98.1Hz (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) | 8 ohms |
| 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 |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.22 | 3.30 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.92 | 6.37 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 75Hz - 21kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | - | up to 100W |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 3, 2026 at 10:26 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Dynaudio Emit 20: $1,049.00 per pair Amazon eBay
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. Measured bass extension of 54Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 83.5dB.
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) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| 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) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.22 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.92 |
| Weight | 12.8 lbs (5.8 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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Behringer B2030P: $220 per pair Discontinued eBay
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. Measured bass extension of 98.1Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 84.5dB.
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.
Full Behringer B2030P review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50.8Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 98.1Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 12.5H x 8.4W x 8.3D in |
| Drivers | 6.75” woofer, 0.75” ferrofluid-cooled tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 21kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Power Handling | up to 100W |
| Sensitivity | 84.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.30 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.37 |
| Weight | 15.4 lbs (7.0 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, vertical slot |
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