Short answer: the Klipsch Heresy IV for better sound quality, the Dynaudio Emit 30 for the lower price. The Klipsch Heresy IV ranks #34 of 56 floorstanding speakers at $3198. The Dynaudio Emit 30 ranks #43 at $1274.25, $1923.75 cheaper.
What the Klipsch Heresy IV offers: 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. Watch for: Erin measured a 77Hz F3 and response rolling away near 100Hz in-room, so a subwoofer is required for modern full-range reproduction.
On the Dynaudio Emit 30 side: A 2.5-way floorstander: two 5.25” mid-woofers paired with a roughly 1” dome tweeter, driven through dual rear bass-reflex ports. Set against that: 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.
Buy the Klipsch Heresy IV if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Dynaudio Emit 30 if the price matters more than sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Dynaudio Emit 30. It ranks near the bottom of the 56 floorstanding speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Klipsch Heresy IV | Dynaudio Emit 30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3,198/pair | $1,274.25 |
| Ranked | #34 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #43 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 77Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 44Hz (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 lb each | 34.2 lbs / 15.5 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear (dual) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 36Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Frequency Response | - | 44Hz - 25kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | - | 180W (IEC rated) |
| Country of Origin | - | Denmark |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Klipsch RP-8000F II vs Focal Aria Evo X N°2
- Klipsch RP-6000F II vs Focal Aria Evo X N°2
- KLH Model Five vs Klipsch RP-8000F II
- Klipsch Heresy IV vs KEF Q11 Meta
- Q Acoustics 5040 vs Klipsch Heresy IV
The Two Speakers In Full
Klipsch Heresy IV: $3,198/pair Amazon Crutchfield
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.
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 (-3dB) | 77Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| 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) |
| Weight | 45 lb 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
- Klipsch Heresy IV vs Klipsch Forte IV
- Klipsch Heresy IV vs KEF Q11 Meta
- Klipsch Heresy IV vs Infinity Primus 360
- Klipsch Heresy IV vs Definitive Technology BP-9020
- Klipsch Heresy IV vs Klipsch RP-5000F II
- Klipsch Heresy IV vs SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle
- Klipsch Heresy IV vs Polk Reserve R500
- Klipsch Heresy IV vs ELAC DF63
- See all 14 comparisons
Dynaudio Emit 30: $1,274.25 Amazon
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.
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 of Origin | Denmark |
| 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 |
| Weight | 34.2 lbs / 15.5 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear (dual) |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Dynaudio Emit 30 vs Klipsch RP-6000F II
- Dynaudio Emit 30 vs Klipsch RP-8000F II
- Dynaudio Emit 30 vs Polk T50
- Dynaudio Emit 30 vs Focal Aria Evo X N°2
- Dynaudio Emit 30 vs Sony SS-CS3
- Dynaudio Emit 30 vs SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle
- Dynaudio Emit 30 vs Klipsch RP-5000F II
- Dynaudio Emit 30 vs Infinity Reference 253
- See all 12 comparisons