Short answer: the Infinity Reference R162 for directivity; the Dynaudio Emit 20 for driver pedigree. The R162’s CEA2034 spinorama shows good, wide directivity and blended early reflections, though output above 3kHz adds brightness and a resonance around 700Hz sits near the crossover. The Dynaudio’s 28mm Esotar tweeter and 18cm mid-woofer are undermined by a 600-800Hz resonance that muffles percussion.
Buy the Dynaudio Emit 20 new; the Infinity Reference R162 is no longer sold new, so it only makes sense as a used find.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Infinity Reference R162 | Dynaudio Emit 20 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $500 per pair Discontinued | $1,049.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #67 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #77 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 67.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 54Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41.9Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) | 83.5dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86dB manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal | 6 ohms nominal (5.5 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Frequency Response | 49Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Drivers | 1” CMMD tweeter with waveguide, 6.5” CMMD woofer | 7.1” Magnesium Silicate Polymer woofer, 1.1” Cerotar soft dome with Hexis tweeter |
| Weight | 17.6 lbs (8 kg) each | 12.8 lbs (5.8 kg) |
| Dimensions | 15.5”H x 7.9”W x 11.2”D (394 x 200 x 285 mm) | 14.6”H x 8.1”W x 12.3”D (370.0 x 205.0 x 312.0 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.07 (spinorama.org) | 4.22 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.26 (spinorama.org) | 5.92 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Infinity Reference R162 compares with other leading options:
- ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63 vs Infinity Reference R162
- ELAC DBR62 vs Infinity Reference R162
- Yamaha NS-800A vs Infinity Reference R162
- Definitive Technology Demand D11 vs Infinity Reference R162
- Dynaudio Contour 20i vs Infinity Reference R162
Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 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
Infinity Reference R162: $500 per pair Discontinued eBay
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows good directivity with wide, consistent horizontal and vertical response, and blended early reflections that need little room treatment. 1” CMMD waveguide tweeter and 6.5” CMMD woofer, 85.5dB sensitivity. Measured bass extension of 67.4Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 87dB.
Cons: Elevated output above 3kHz adds brightness, with a resonance around 700Hz and some distortion near the crossover point. EQ or a simple inline tweeter resistor can tame the treble; the reviewer still called it a very enjoyable system for the price. Discontinued.
Full Infinity Reference R162 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41.9Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 67.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 15.5”H x 7.9”W x 11.2”D (394 x 200 x 285 mm) |
| Drivers | 1” CMMD tweeter with waveguide, 6.5” CMMD woofer |
| Frequency Response | 49Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.07 (spinorama.org) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.26 (spinorama.org) |
| Weight | 17.6 lbs (8 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Infinity Reference R162 vs SVS Ultra Bookshelf
- Infinity Reference R162 vs Dynaudio Contour 20i
- Infinity Reference R162 vs Klipsch RP-600M II
- Infinity Reference R162 vs Definitive Technology Demand D11
- Infinity Reference R162 vs Yamaha NS-800A
- Infinity Reference R162 vs ELAC DBR62
- Infinity Reference R162 vs JBL Studio 630
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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 |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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