Short answer: the Dynaudio Emit 20. It ranks #121 of 203 bookshelf speakers by sound quality (rated 3.6/5) at $1,049 and is still sold new; the Emotiva Airmotiv B2+ ranks #169 (rated 3.0/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The Emotiva Airmotiv B2+’s replacement, the Emotiva Airmotiv XB2, is rated 4.2/5.
The Dynaudio Emit 20 is the better-sounding, deeper-bass pick. 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. Its bass reaches about 54Hz before falling 3dB, against 66Hz for the Emotiva Airmotiv B2+. 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), and attempts at constrained-layer damping didn’t resolve it.
The Emotiva Airmotiv B2+ is the more accurate pick. Erin measured a useful 86dB average sensitivity and strong midbass punch around 120Hz. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 5.60 against 4.22 for the Dynaudio Emit 20. The catch: The replacement B2+ did not deliver the neutral upgrade Erin expected.
Buy the Dynaudio Emit 20. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Emotiva Airmotiv B2+ is discontinued, so it is only available used.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Dynaudio Emit 20 | Emotiva Airmotiv B2+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,049.00 per pair | $449 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #121 of 203 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #169 of 203 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 66Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 7.1” Magnesium Silicate Polymer woofer, 1.1” Cerotar soft dome with Hexis tweeter | 6.5” woven-fiber woofer, 32 x 25mm folded-ribbon tweeter |
| Weight | 12.8 lbs (5.8 kg) | 15.7 lbs (7.1 kg) each |
| Sensitivity | 83.5dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86dB manufacturer specified) | 86dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (5.5 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal (manufacturer specified) |
| Dimensions | 14.6”H x 8.1”W x 12.3”D (370.0 x 205.0 x 312.0 mm) | 12.8”H x 8.5”W x 11.5”D (324 x 216 x 293 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.22 | 5.60 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.92 | 7.96 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 9, 2026 at 8:01 AM 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
Same family: the Dynaudio Emit 10 (smaller bookshelf, estimated 3.2/5), the Dynaudio Emit 30 (smaller floorstanding, rated 3.9/5), the Dynaudio Emit 50 (larger floorstanding, estimated 4.2/5) and the Dynaudio Emit 25C (center, estimated 3.7/5).
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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Emotiva Airmotiv B2+: $449 per pair Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Emotiva Airmotiv XB2, ranked higher, rated 4.2/5.
Same family: the Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ (floorstanding, rated 4.2/5) and the Emotiva Airmotiv C2+ (center, rated 2.9/5).
Pros: Erin measured a useful 86dB average sensitivity and strong midbass punch around 120Hz. The folded-ribbon tweeter provides very broad upper-treble radiation, and the speaker can create a spacious presentation when positioned carefully. Response and directivity remain reasonably orderly below the roughly 2kHz crossover region. The 6.5-inch woofer offers more output capability than compact 5-inch competitors, while F3/F10 of 66/43Hz leave adequate overlap for a conventional 80Hz subwoofer crossover. Horizontal directivity data makes the broad baffle-step trend amenable to partial EQ below the crossover. Measured bass extension of 66Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86dB.
Cons: The replacement B2+ did not deliver the neutral upgrade Erin expected. A baffle-step loss around 500Hz depresses the lower midrange while the AMT’s much wider radiation above crossover injects excess room energy, yielding a bright, forward balance and false impression of cymbal detail. The directivity discontinuity near 2kHz cannot be completely equalized. Erin measured F3 at 66Hz and F10 at 43Hz, so meaningful kick-drum fundamentals and low bass still need a subwoofer. Vertical listening tolerance is roughly +/-10 degrees, with best results between the top of the woofer and tweeter axes. Broad lateral treble energy may require careful toe-out and sidewall absorption. Despite a large cabinet, it offers limited deep-bass advantage and was not Erin’s hoped-for successor to the more linear Emotiva B1+. Discontinued.
Full Emotiva Airmotiv B2+ review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 66Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 12.8”H x 8.5”W x 11.5”D (324 x 216 x 293 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5” woven-fiber woofer, 32 x 25mm folded-ribbon tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.60 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.96 |
| Weight | 15.7 lbs (7.1 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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