Short answer: the Klipsch The Sevens for better sound quality, the Emotiva Airmotiv 6s for the lower price. The Klipsch The Sevens ranks #38 of 40 powered bookshelf speakers at $999.99. The Emotiva Airmotiv 6s ranks #39 at $400, $599.99 cheaper.
What the Klipsch The Sevens gets right: Genuinely good bass - reaches about 40 Hz in-room with a solid, controlled thump and no real strain, backed by measured extension to F3 49Hz/F10 36Hz. The catch: Notably narrower horizontal radiation than its stablemate, the Klipsch The Nines.
The case for the Emotiva Airmotiv 6s: CEA2034 spinorama shows lots of bass energy below 300Hz and the ability to play louder than a JBL 305P MKII comparison unit. The tradeoff: A suckout between 300-600Hz on the listening window is followed by a peak from 600Hz up.
Buy the Klipsch The Sevens if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Emotiva Airmotiv 6s if the price matters more than sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip both of these and look higher up the 40 powered bookshelf speakers instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Klipsch The Sevens | Emotiva Airmotiv 6s | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $999.99 | $400 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #38 of 40 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #39 of 40 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 6.5" high-excursion woofer, 1" titanium tweeter on Tractrix horn | 6.5" AirMotiv low-frequency transducer, 60x32mm AirMotiv tweeter |
| Output Power | 200W total (400W peak) | 210W total (100W tweeter, 110W woofer) |
| Inputs | HDMI, Phono, 3.5mm, USB, Optical, Bluetooth | - |
| Dimensions | 16.375"H x 8.125"W x 13.1875"D | - |
| Weight | 22.3 lbs (primary), 19.9 lbs (secondary) | 24.9 lbs / 11.3 kg each |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 49Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 72Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 36Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 55Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| App | Yes (treble/mid/bass EQ, subwoofer output, dynamic bass mode) | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear flared port | - |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 42Hz - 25kHz (+0/-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | - | Yes (built-in presets) |
| DSP | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Adam Audio T7V vs Adam Audio S2V
- Kali Audio LP-6 vs Adam Audio S2V
- Adam Audio T8V vs Adam Audio S2V
- JBL 306P MKII vs Klipsch The Sevens
- Edifier R2850DB vs Klipsch The Sevens
The Two Speakers In Full
Klipsch The Sevens: $999.99 Amazon
Pros: Genuinely good bass - reaches about 40 Hz in-room with a solid, controlled thump and no real strain, backed by measured extension to F3 49Hz/F10 36Hz. “Wireless” design only requires one power outlet: a single signal cable runs from the primary speaker to the secondary, so only the primary needs a power cable. Extensive inputs - HDMI, phono, 3.5mm, USB, optical, plus Bluetooth. Companion app exposes treble/mid/bass adjustment, subwoofer output, and a dynamic bass mode, giving real tuning flexibility. Good linearity overall once EQ’d - dropping the treble by 1-2dB got the reviewer to a more satisfying tonal balance.
Cons: Notably narrower horizontal radiation than its stablemate, the Klipsch The Nines, meaning less favorable room interaction and a smaller sweet spot - the reviewer suspects this is a meaningful part of why he preferred the Nines. Out of the box (flat EQ), the top end is a bit too lifted/bright. A persistent dip in the upper mid-range (2-4kHz) that the reviewer found dull and lifeless regardless of EQ tweaking to the treble control - he felt this region specifically needed better tuning from Klipsch, not just a treble slider adjustment. Response isn’t quite flat even after adjustment - there’s peaking up around 8kHz that reinforces a scooped-sounding in-room balance at the listening seat.
Full Klipsch The Sevens review and specifications →
| App | Yes (treble/mid/bass EQ, subwoofer output, dynamic bass mode) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 36Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 49Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 16.375"H x 8.125"W x 13.1875"D |
| Drivers | 6.5" high-excursion woofer, 1" titanium tweeter on Tractrix horn |
| Inputs | HDMI, Phono, 3.5mm, USB, Optical, Bluetooth |
| Output Power | 200W total (400W peak) |
| Weight | 22.3 lbs (primary), 19.9 lbs (secondary) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear flared port |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Klipsch The Sevens vs Adam Audio S2V
- Klipsch The Sevens vs Genelec 8341A
- Klipsch The Sevens vs JBL 306P MKII
- Klipsch The Sevens vs Focal Twin6 Be
- Klipsch The Sevens vs Edifier S3000Pro
- Klipsch The Sevens vs Edifier R2850DB
- Klipsch The Sevens vs Kali Audio LP-6
- Klipsch The Sevens vs Klipsch The Nines
- See all 13 comparisons
Emotiva Airmotiv 6s: $400 Discontinued
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows lots of bass energy below 300Hz and the ability to play louder than a JBL 305P MKII comparison unit. Bi-amped design with 100W (tweeter) plus 110W (woofer) drives a 6.5” AirMotiv low-frequency transducer and AMT-style tweeter.
Cons: A suckout between 300-600Hz on the listening window is followed by a peak from 600Hz up. The built-in EQ options don’t fix this - one preset has the same dip plus a 3-7kHz peak. Vertical response droops at the 2.5kHz crossover. The reviewer’s verdict: there’s no reason to buy a speaker with a suckout in the upper bass if you have a choice. Discontinued.
Full Emotiva Airmotiv 6s review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 72Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DSP | No |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 6.5" AirMotiv low-frequency transducer, 60x32mm AirMotiv tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (built-in presets) |
| Frequency Response | 42Hz - 25kHz (+0/-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 210W total (100W tweeter, 110W woofer) |
| Weight | 24.9 lbs / 11.3 kg each |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Emotiva Airmotiv 6s vs Adam Audio S2V
- Emotiva Airmotiv 6s vs Genelec 8341A
- Emotiva Airmotiv 6s vs JBL 306P MKII
- Emotiva Airmotiv 6s vs Focal Twin6 Be
- Emotiva Airmotiv 6s vs Edifier R2850DB
- Emotiva Airmotiv 6s vs Kali Audio LP-6
- Emotiva Airmotiv 6s vs Klipsch The Nines
- Emotiva Airmotiv 6s vs Adam Audio T7V