The Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 ranks #23 out of 56 total Large Size Bookshelf Speakers for sound quality. See Top Recommended Speakers By Attribute for all the top speaker suggestions.
#23 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.
How it compares: Just above it: Dynaudio Contour 20i - $5201 more, 3.5Hz lower bass extension (-3dB). Just below it: ELAC DBR62 - $250 more.
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz |
| 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 |
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Product prices and availability were last checked August 12, 2026 at 5:33 PM UTC 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.