Short answer: the Klipsch Heresy IV for sensitivity and dynamics, the Dynaudio Emit 30 if you want a conventional floorstander. The Heresy IV measures 94.5dB/2.83V/1m with strong short-term output from its 12-inch woofer and horns, but its 77Hz F3 and in-room rolloff near 100Hz mean a subwoofer is required. The Emit 30’s lower-treble dip around 2-5kHz makes its top end uneven.
Buy the Dynaudio Emit 30. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Klipsch Heresy IV and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Klipsch Heresy IV | Dynaudio Emit 30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3,198 per pair | $1,274.25 per pair |
| Ranked | #72 of 74 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #50 of 74 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 77Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 44Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50.0Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 36Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 94.5dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 87dB |
| Impedance | Approximately 4 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms |
| Drivers | 1” horn-loaded tweeter; 1.75” horn-loaded midrange; 12” woofer | Dual 5.25” mid-woofers, 1” soft dome tweeter |
| Dimensions | 24.8”H x 15.6”W x 13.3”D | 35.4”H x 6.7”W x 10.7”D (900.0 x 170.0 x 272.0 mm) |
| Weight | 45 lbs (20.4 kg) each | 34.2 lbs (15.5 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear (dual) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 2.27 | 3.84 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.02 | 5.69 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 44Hz - 25kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | - | 180W (IEC rated) |
| Country | - | Denmark |
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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
Klipsch Heresy IV: $3,198 per pair Amazon Crutchfield eBay
Pros: Very high 94.5dB/2.83V/1m sensitivity in Erin’s anechoic measurement (well below Klipsch’s 99dB in-room claim, but still excellent) and strong short-term output from a 12-inch woofer plus horn-loaded midrange and tweeter. The compact, furniture-grade Heritage cabinet is easier to place than most high-efficiency designs, and dynamics at moderate levels can sound lively. A stable four-ohm-capable amplifier can produce substantial SPL with relatively little voltage. Measured bass extension of 77Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 94.5dB.
Cons: Erin measured a 77Hz F3 and response rolling away near 100Hz in-room, so a subwoofer is required for modern full-range reproduction. The impedance dips to about 4 ohms, reducing the practical amplifier advantage implied by its sensitivity. Pronounced directivity mismatch at the driver transitions, impedance/response resonances and elevated distortion spikes around the crossover remain audible concerns that EQ cannot fully solve. At 102dB Erin measured roughly 1.5dB midband compression; at 96dB distortion rises around crossover. Performance is difficult to justify at the price, and Erin explicitly did not recommend it.
Full Klipsch Heresy IV review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50.0Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 77Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 24.8”H x 15.6”W x 13.3”D |
| Drivers | 1” horn-loaded tweeter; 1.75” horn-loaded midrange; 12” woofer |
| Impedance | Approximately 4 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 94.5dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 2.27 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.02 |
| Weight | 45 lbs (20.4 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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Dynaudio Emit 30: $1,274.25 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: A 2.5-way floorstander: two 5.25” mid-woofers paired with a roughly 1” dome tweeter, driven through dual rear bass-reflex ports. The two woofers hand off at staggered crossover points (around 1kHz and 3.5kHz) rather than sharing one, which avoids the acoustic lobing a shared crossover point would cause between the tweeter and the lower woofer, and adds a few dB of sensitivity in the process. Genuinely deep bass for a speaker around this price: measured F3 near 44Hz and extends audibly down to about 40Hz in-room without much difficulty. Harmonic distortion measures clean and low at both 86dB and 96dB SPL/1m. Good CTA-2034 sound power and uniform directivity mean the speaker takes EQ correction well if a listener wants to dial in its one tonal weak point. Dynamic range and compression performance are strong overall, with only a minor, high-Q compression artifact tied to a cone-edge resonance that’s unlikely to be audible. Wide, consistent horizontal dispersion around ±70° with just a small ~10° narrowing between 1-3kHz, and a reasonably forgiving ±20° vertical window centered on the tweeter axis. Measured bass extension of 44Hz (-3dB).
Cons: A dip and inconsistency in the lower-treble presence region (roughly 2-5kHz) makes the top end sound uneven (sometimes soft, sometimes forward) depending on the specific instrument or frequency being reproduced; male vocals can lack presence and cymbals can lack sizzle as a result. A cone-edge surround resonance shows up around 1-1.3kHz in burst-decay measurements (a trait the reviewer has also seen on other Dynaudio models) and lines up with elevated multitone distortion across roughly 600Hz-1.5kHz. An enclosure resonance appears around 350Hz in the impedance curve. Placed too close to a rear wall, the dual ports make the bass noticeably boomy: pulling the speaker out is needed to keep the low end from overloading the room. Fully resolving the top-end inconsistency needs a modest EQ correction (roughly +2dB with a Q of about 1, centered 3-6kHz), so out-of-the-box tonal accuracy in that band isn’t quite class-leading despite otherwise strong measured performance.
Full Dynaudio Emit 30 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 36Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 44Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Country | Denmark |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 35.4”H x 6.7”W x 10.7”D (900.0 x 170.0 x 272.0 mm) |
| Drivers | Dual 5.25” mid-woofers, 1” soft dome tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 44Hz - 25kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms |
| Power Handling | 180W (IEC rated) |
| Sensitivity | 87dB |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.84 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.69 |
| Weight | 34.2 lbs (15.5 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear (dual) |
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