Short answer: the Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ for better sound quality, the ELAC DF63 for the lower price. The Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ ranks #22 of 56 floorstanding speakers at $999. The ELAC DF63 ranks #27 at $649, $350 cheaper.
What the Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ gets right: High-value three-way tower with strong output and unusually deep usable sealed-room bass for the price. The catch: The nominal 4-ohm system approaches 3 ohms near 100Hz in Erin’s measurement, so a high-current amplifier is preferable.
The case for the ELAC DF63: Three-driver floorstanding layout: two 6” dedicated midbase drivers plus a separate 6” mid-range driver (confirmed by measuring different driver impedance/inductance) and a 1” dome tweeter. The tradeoff: A genuine measured resonance around 200-300Hz (visible in frequency response, impedance, and group delay) causes an audible “droning” coloration on female vocals.
Buy the Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the ELAC DF63 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ | ELAC DF63 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $999/pair | $649.00 |
| Ranked | #22 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #27 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 71Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 29Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | Approximately 89.5dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 86.6dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | Approximately 3 ohms minimum near 100Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms nominal (3.4 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 32mm folded-ribbon tweeter; 5.25" midrange; dual 8" woofers | Two 6.5" Aramid Fiber woofer, 6.5" Aramid Fiber midrange, 1" Aluminum Dome tweeter |
| Dimensions | 42.7"H x 12.2"W x 12.3"D | 43.1"H x 7.7"W x 10.6"D (1094.7 x 195.6 x 269.2 mm) |
| Weight | 56.9 lb each | 58.2 lbs / 26.4 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
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- Polk Audio Reserve R700 vs Polk Reserve R500
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Klipsch RP-5000F II
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs Infinity Primus 360
- JBL Studio 698 vs Emotiva Airmotiv T2+
The Two Speakers In Full
Emotiva Airmotiv T2+: $999/pair Emotiva
Pros: High-value three-way tower with strong output and unusually deep usable sealed-room bass for the price. Erin measured F3 at 62Hz and F10 at 32Hz, with sensitivity just under 90dB/2.83V/1m. Dual 8-inch woven-fiber woofers relieve the 5.25-inch midrange, and the 32mm folded-ribbon tweeter provides broad horizontal coverage. Approximately +/-2.5dB response linearity, solid cabinet bracing and low compression allow substantial playback levels; the gradual low-frequency roll-off integrates well with either room gain or a subwoofer.
Cons: The nominal 4-ohm system approaches 3 ohms near 100Hz in Erin’s measurement, so a high-current amplifier is preferable. Horizontal and especially vertical directivity through the midrange/tweeter transition is less uniform than the best waveguided or coaxial designs; listener height and nearby reflections matter, and EQ cannot correct the narrowing mismatch. The large rear-ported cabinet needs placement clearance, and its deep F10 should not be confused with flat 30Hz output at cinema levels.
Full Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 42.7"H x 12.2"W x 12.3"D |
| Drivers | 32mm folded-ribbon tweeter; 5.25" midrange; dual 8" woofers |
| Impedance | Approximately 3 ohms minimum near 100Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | Approximately 89.5dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 56.9 lb each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs JBL HDI-3600
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs Polk Audio Reserve R700
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs Q Acoustics 5040
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs KEF R11 Meta
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs Revel Concerta2 F35
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs PSB Imagine T65
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs Revel F206
- Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ vs JBL Studio 698
- See all 14 comparisons
ELAC DF63: $649.00 Amazon
Pros: Three-driver floorstanding layout: two 6” dedicated midbase drivers plus a separate 6” mid-range driver (confirmed by measuring different driver impedance/inductance) and a 1” dome tweeter, each woofer given its own stuffed chamber inside the cabinet. The dedicated midrange driver keeps distortion low even at higher output, avoiding the intermodulation grain typical of two-way bookshelf designs. The waveguide keeps high-frequency directivity well controlled, and overall horizontal directivity is good up to about 2kHz. Harmonic distortion looks good at both 86dB and 96dB, and multitone distortion stays below the reviewer’s 3% threshold. A shallow bass rolloff (F3 71Hz, F10 29Hz) lets it extend fairly low without a hard cutoff. Preferred by the reviewer over the similarly-priced Polk R500 (too much high-frequency narrowing, less neutral) and considered ahead of the Polk R700 as well.
Cons: A genuine measured resonance around 200-300Hz (visible in frequency response, impedance, and group delay) causes an audible “droning” coloration on female vocals. A mild peak around 10kHz makes shakers and similar high-frequency percussion jump too far forward in the mix; needed about 2dB of EQ to tame in testing. A dip in the 1-3kHz range gives the speaker a warm, slightly veiled character - the reviewer suspects the tweeter crossover point (around 2-3kHz) is set a bit high and could be lowered to fill this in. Directivity shows a noticeable handoff mismatch around 2.5kHz where the midrange driver hands off to the tweeter, though it’s minor at the -6dB point. Vertical directivity is narrower than horizontal, so listeners need to stay close to the tweeter axis. Low EPDR (about 1.5 ohms minimum) means a Class AB amplifier should be well-ventilated. Best positioned pointed directly at the listener and closer to the front wall - toeing it out into the room causes too much high-frequency rolloff.
Full ELAC DF63 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 29Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 71Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 43.1"H x 7.7"W x 10.6"D (1094.7 x 195.6 x 269.2 mm) |
| Drivers | Two 6.5" Aramid Fiber woofer, 6.5" Aramid Fiber midrange, 1" Aluminum Dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (3.4 ohms minimum, measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86.6dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 58.2 lbs / 26.4 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons