Short answer: the Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 for better sound quality, the ELAC DB63 for the lower price. The Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 ranks #32 of 100 bookshelf speakers at $549. The ELAC DB63 ranks #33 at $499, $50 cheaper.
What the Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 offers: Very neutral, linear frequency response at the recommended toe-out angle, with better directivity than the similarly-priced ELAC DB63. Watch for: Slight recessed upper-midrange around 2kHz from the tweeter-to-woofer handoff.
The case for the ELAC DB63: 1” aluminum dome tweeter with a distinctive partial-lens waveguide design paired with a 6.5” third-generation aramid fiber cone woofer, in a robustly built cabinet for the price. The tradeoff: A dip in the lower midrange (300-600Hz, about 1.5dB) reduces vocal warmth and can make voices sound slightly hollow.
Buy the Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the ELAC DB63 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 | ELAC DB63 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $549 | $499.00 |
| Ranked | #32 of 100 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #33 of 100 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 76Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 12.8" x 8.5" x 11.5" (325 x 216 x 292 mm) | 13.3"H x 7.7"W x 11.7"D (337.8 x 195.6 x 297.2 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (safe with 8-ohm rated amps) | 6 ohms nominal (4.4 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (2.83V/1m, Manufacturer specified) | 86.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 1x 6" woven cone woofer, 1x 25x32mm AMT folded ribbon tweeter | 6.5" Aramid Fiber woofer, 1" soft dome tweeter |
| Weight | 18.1 lbs / 8.2 kg | 17.2 lbs / 7.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | Bass reflex, rear ported | ported, rear |
| Frequency Response | 48Hz - 27kHz (+3/-3dB, Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Crossover Frequency | 2.6kHz | - |
| Output Power | 125W continuous, 200W peak | - |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Arendal 1723 Bookshelf S THX vs Power Sound Audio MT-110-M
- Arendal 1723 Bookshelf S THX vs JBL HDI-1600
- Philharmonic BMR (v1) vs Arendal 1723 Bookshelf S THX
- Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 vs StarkSound Beta 5
- ELAC DB63 vs Revel Concerta2 M16
The Two Speakers In Full
Emotiva Airmotiv XB2: $549 Emotiva
Pros: Very neutral, linear frequency response at the recommended toe-out angle, with better directivity than the similarly-priced ELAC DB63. Decent bass extension for a bookshelf (F3 at 62Hz). AMT folded-ribbon tweeter with a rotating waveguide for placement flexibility. Great value - rated a top-three performer for the money by Erin’s Audio Corner.
Cons: Slight recessed upper-midrange around 2kHz from the tweeter-to-woofer handoff. Sounds noticeably bright pointed directly at the listener - needs toeing out 10-20 degrees, crossfiring behind the head, for the most linear result. Elevated multi-tone distortion at higher output leads to some grainy, compressed mids when pushed. Irregular compression deviations affect dynamics at higher volume. Needs a subwoofer for real bass authority.
Full Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2.6kHz |
| Dimensions | 12.8" x 8.5" x 11.5" (325 x 216 x 292 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 6" woven cone woofer, 1x 25x32mm AMT folded ribbon tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 48Hz - 27kHz (+3/-3dB, Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (safe with 8-ohm rated amps) |
| Output Power | 125W continuous, 200W peak |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (2.83V/1m, Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 18.1 lbs / 8.2 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | Bass reflex, rear ported |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 vs JBL HDI-1600
- Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 vs ELAC VELA BS 403
- Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 vs StarkSound Beta 5
- Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 vs Revel M126Be
- Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 vs Revel Concerta2 M16
- Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 vs Wharfedale Linton 85
- Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 vs ELAC Uni-Fi Reference UBR62
- Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 vs Monolith Encore B6
- See all 9 comparisons
ELAC DB63: $499.00 Amazon Crutchfield
Pros: 1” aluminum dome tweeter with a distinctive partial-lens waveguide design paired with a 6.5” third-generation aramid fiber cone woofer, in a robustly built cabinet for the price. Shallow bass rolloff (F3 76Hz, F10 40Hz) allows placement close to a wall without excessive boominess, useful for smaller living rooms. Solid measured performance for the price: on-axis linearity within about 2.5dB, impedance dipping only to about 4.4 ohms (easily AVR-driven), and roughly 20-26dB of usable dynamic range. A clear improvement over its sibling ELAC DB62, which has a sibilance issue tied to the crossover that can’t be fixed with EQ. Wide horizontal radiation of about ±60°, giving a spacious soundstage. Distortion looks good at a moderate 86dB and still reasonable at 96dB. Takes well to EQ correction - the reviewer provides a specific filter set (a low-shelf boost at 650Hz plus peaking cuts/boosts at 550Hz, 660Hz, and 3kHz) that meaningfully smooths out its known deviations.
Cons: A dip in the lower midrange (300-600Hz, about 1.5dB) reduces vocal warmth and can make voices sound slightly hollow. A high-Q resonance around 650-750Hz shows up clearly in measurements, though the reviewer couldn’t reliably hear it in his own A/B testing. A dip around 2-3kHz (roughly 1-2dB) slightly reduces speech intelligibility and attack in the upper midrange. Directivity droops above about 2kHz as the midwoofer narrows toward its beaming frequency while the tweeter’s pattern behaves differently - an inherent trade-off of physically separated drivers that can’t be fully corrected without introducing other issues. Multitone distortion crosses the reviewer’s 3% threshold in the 200Hz-1kHz range, and adding a subwoofer at an 80Hz crossover only modestly reduces it. Toeing the speaker away from the listener loses noticeable top-end air and cymbal energy, giving a softer upper register. Practical loudness ceiling is around 90dB at typical listening distance before midrange distortion and bass attack begin to degrade. Still needs a subwoofer for extension below about 40Hz.
Full ELAC DB63 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 76Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 13.3"H x 7.7"W x 11.7"D (337.8 x 195.6 x 297.2 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" Aramid Fiber woofer, 1" soft dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (4.4 ohms minimum, measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86.2dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs / 7.8 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