Buy: emotiva.com/collections/loudspeakers/products/airmotiv-t2-loudspeaker-pair?aff=14 (affiliate link; earns me a small commission at no additional cost to you)
You’ve already got a measurement robot, I demand you also purchase a camera robot for that sweet, sweet B-roll: ruclips.net/video/UIwdCN4dV6w/видео.html :p
I`m glad that such guys like you, Audioholics, Armin from AudioScienseReview exist to specify "how big is the fish actually" :) Keep doing good & honest job!
This is my first time watching your channel and I have to say that I am very impressed with your demeanor and the fact that you can make a good case for product testing by taking a section of the frequency range at a time and comparing your opinions to your measurements. Excellent review
Thanks and welcome! That kind of reaction is EXACTLY what I hope to achieve. To help people understand the importance and usefulness of data. I'm glad you found it helpful. :)
Thanks for the detailed review. I purchased a pair a couple months ago and loving them. I listen mostly to Acoustic Jazz, and occasional soft rock. I like my sound detailed so I can hear brush sticks on cymbals, pads as they are depressed on saxophone keys, listening to the strings on a cello or violin as the the bow runs across them, etc. I don't listen to movies with them. I power them with Outlaw RR2160 MkII receiver and they seem to be very efficient. Purchased them with a military discount. These speakers do it for me. I had a pair of ESS AMT1B many years ago and these sound similar except that they are not dipole but for my listening room they're great.
Thank you so much for the detailed and objective analyses you provide. For those of us who are inclined to crave more technical/meaningful information so that we might hope to make informed decisions and have reliable data exhibited on a product of interest so that we can try and predict our room influence, it means a lot!
I wish all audiophiles subscribed to your channel, that would stop almost all the snake oil being sold out there. I love your reviews and your work ethic. Subscriber for life.
Its refreshing to see an objective review centered around a standardized test for speakers. I don't dig subjective reviews too much because as a consumer looking to buy, they don't immediately tell me to buy or not to buy, but instead just become homework to compile every review, find the similarities between review (such as if 80% or more say the same thing), filter out the oddities (maybe only 1 person out of 5 said it) then pull the trigger and hope you made the right choice. Doesn't help I've yet to find an outright bad review of speakers. Like I can find reviews for headphones, TVs, reclining chairs, AVRs, power strip, etc that absolutely trash the product because its overpriced, not worth the money or just a terrible product. But not for speakers.
I've got a few outright bad reviews but luckily they are not too common. I think it is important to review the bad performers because it gives us a better idea of why another product may be worth spending a few bucks more on or even just to help keep manufacturers honest.
I appreciate your approach to not flaming the other reviewers. I also enjoy how you approach your reviews comparing what you heard and the results you get. Although I have to tell you, you lose me quite frequently!
Your channel is going to be successful (already is) me as a consumer, I'm tired of the bullshit. I followed subjective reviews for a long time subscribed to their channel, not anymore, consumers are getting educated, it's the normal evolution of the market, subjective impresión with no data behind are meaningful. Thank you for the great !!!
THX Erin... I REALLY appreciate it when channel listeners/reviewers REMIND us in their evaluations that one has to control for all one's variables. Ie. Like when you outlined where one of your peer reviewers made a statement about brightness... Are reviewers ONLY auditing from one static layout, or do they sample from a minimum of 2 or >? Distance from wall for example is HUGE to any perceived performance(s). It alters subjectivity. God Bless you for your thoroughness and your attention to scientific variables for which opinions can get pinpointed or skewed. :) Muchas gracias Sr.
Would you recommend these as an upgrade to a pair of RF 5s for instance? Looking at Klipsch RF 8000ii’s or Logan 40 or 60i’s possibly as well. 60% Movies 40% Music
@ErinsAudioCorner Hello Erin. You evaluated this Emotiva T2+ and the Klipsch 8000f II. I have steered away from Emotiva due to the limited usage of 4 ohm speakers. I have some 8000f on the way. Do you think there is a substantial qualitative loss in the 2-way versus 3 way implementation ? I think this also suffices as a bit of a gripe about Klipsch pricing. The lovely looking copper shouldn't be so expensive :)
Hey Erin love the channel ! amazing way to help us choose some gear way better than only subjective reviews ! Will you check the T3+ in the near future ? I might pull the trigger on them since they are almost full range for dual purpose 80% music 20% movies/gaming and they seem to may be able to avoid a sub !
Seconded. The fact that you have a method that standardizes the result by eliminating the room helps. My problem with other reviewers is their opinion based due to how the speaker sounds in their setup. I just want to buy a product and want to be told in a review if a product is or is not worth buying for the price or be recommended others. I've yet to see a speaker review that outright says this product is awful/not worth the money/there are better options. So it makes taking any review seriously hard is everything is "okay"
Thanks, Erin. I have a separate and dedicated music system in my theater room. I'm currently using Klipsch RP-280s for that, and they are pretty good, but I feel like I need better detailed mids that a 3-way design might deliver. I've been looking at these, they seem to be a lot of speaker for the money, and they will fit in the space I have. As you might know from my past comments, I prefer just a touch on the bright side, and from your comments it sounds like there are there.
Re: bass.... it's called an EQ! I hate the anti-EQ mindset in "audiophiles". Based on the graph you can eq the bass in down to 30-35hz and bring it up flat with the rest of the spectrum or even boost it to taste. As long as the cabinet design supports it and the drivers can handle it without excess excursion mechanically (outside the gap) then there is no issue. A speaker has to be engineered to be flat with a flat input signal, but they do not have to be flat to be great speakers, they just need to be capable of the desired frequency response with an insignificant amount of distortion. Often the way a speaker is made flatter is to pad the highs... that's no better than boosting the bass! Worse in my opinion. To boost the bass alone with eq you make your amp work harder down low... to play a padded speaker at equivalent volumes you're making the amp work harder across the board. If the speaker can play say 90db clean, then it can play 85db clean with a 5db bass boost. Simple concept. Never settle for unaltered response if you prefer more or less bass or treble. The overall sound depends on many factors so if you like the sound then eq for the response you want with a good multi-band parametric dsp eq. With most larger speakers (depending on desired volume - I'm assuming you want it fairly loud) they can give you between 30 and 40hz at the desired volume with eq. They typically can't really go below that. A sub is generally only REQUIRED for sub 30-40hz bass (not that it can't improve things crossed higher if you have one). I have my speakers set up with a 5 band parametric all points in use, and at 30hz I'm +18db. That's right, +18. This is simply because of the particular odd design of these custom speakers. Is it poor engineering? Sure, from the mindset of flatness. But do they sound great overall and especially in the bass region with eq? Yes. They use pro 15" jbl woofers that, in this particular cabinet and paired with this particular mid and tweeter, are simply not level matched below 150 and especially 100hz. The NATURAL falloff is steep... but the drivers are BARELY moving, which means when I boost 30hz at 18db they're still not moving much and are welllll within their capabilities. No boominess, no distorting the higher range of the woofer, just boosted bass to 30hz. That isn't flat either it's boosted to taste. Maybe 12db might be flat.
Great meta-analysis! That ~315Hz resonance would correspond to something just shy of a meter in length, which seems to me either: the top-bottom wave of the standing speaker, or maybe some vibration of the port?
Really appreciate the dedication to what you're doing. It's good to have the proof to go along with a review. It could be your niche. Really wish I could pull the trigger on the Emo line up, but I'm not there yet.
Great channel Erin! Would be cool for you to check out open baffle speakers such as the Spacial M3’s Since those are difficult to measure it would be a good experiment for objective measurements and subjective listening. Cheers man!
Ive got the t2 ce and 2 pair e2 i noticed on the t2 in stereo mode with heavy bass one of them started poping randomly. Could it be not enough power to push them, using a Merantz8015 with emotiva bas X 3 amp, will soon upgrade to xpa 3 emotiva amp 450 wats per channel.
The folded ribbon AMT tweeter is not right for all rooms and can sound very distorted at some frequencies and will need room treatments to correct it. THAT'S A BIG DEAL and a deal breaker for me. Off axis of the AMT is fair, remove the grills for better off axis listening. The T2+ are pretty flat overall and the drivers do sound seamless from one to the other and an overall smooth transition. Mids are very good and the bass is pretty tight, not boomy or sloppy. The price to performance is good.
When you talk about the on axis response are you essentially saying these should be "toed-in" directly at the MLP (or within +/- 20deg) or would that negatively affect the imaging? Thanks for the review, I'm enjoying them allot but looking to dial them in and make sure they are set up as best I can.
“On-axis” would be with the speaker aimed directly at you. Off-axis would be anything other than that. Most speakers are designed to be aimed on-axis. But others benefit from off-axis aiming (toe-out). How much depends on the design, the listener and the room. Hope that helps!
Nice review as always!! Just curious, but how does the t2s compare to a DIY speaker like the HTM-12s v2 that you've compared previously? And would you recommend one over the other?I'm on the fence between those two and as far as I know you're the only that have listened/tested both.
The DIYSG speakers I have reviewed have hardly any bass compared to these but the HTM-12v2 have really good directivity. Though, I think these might be better. I haven't looked at that data. I'm not sure there is a reason I would prefer the DIYSG over these, to be honest. But, again, I'd have to go back and look through the data.
I am looking at the t2+, the t3+, and whether or not i should purchase on of those sets, or splurge on a pair of goldenear triton 5's....any chance you could give your review on the goldenear triton 5's?
I'd honestly never even heard of that brand until you replied with the request. I don't think I'll have the opportunity to review those in the near future but never say never...
Nice review Erin, I appreciate your detailed statistics. Another reviewer mentioned these speakers were power hungry. Can they be driven properly in a movie theater setting with 100 watts at 8 ohms? The amp is only rated down to 6 ohms.
This or free sansui sp2000s that need a little work to get them 100% working again? What speaker beats the other one in terms of overall quality?? I am getting the sansuis tomorrow and looking forward to it.
Per the CTA-2034 spec: “In theory, with complete 360-degree anechoic data on a loudspeaker and sufficient acoustical and geometrical data on the listening room and its layout it would be possible to estimate with good precision what would be measured by an omnidirectional microphone located in the listening area of that room. By making some simplifying assumptions about the listening space, the data set described above permits a usefully accurate preview of how a given loudspeaker might perform in a typical domestic listening room. Obviously, there are no guarantees, because individual rooms can be acoustically aberrant. Sometimes rooms are excessively reflective (“live”) as happens in certain hot, humid climates, with certain styles of interior décor and in under-furnished rooms. Sometimes rooms are excessively “dead” as in other styles of décor and in some custom home theaters where acoustical treatment has been used excessively. This form of post processing is offered only as an estimate of what might happen in a domestic living space with carpet on the floor and a “normal” amount of seating, drapes and cabinetry. For these limited circumstances it has been found that a usefully accurate Predicted In-Room (PIR) amplitude response, also known as a “room curve” is obtained by a weighted average consisting of 12 % listening window, 44 % early reflections and 44 % sound power. At very high frequencies errors can creep in because of excessive absorption, microphone directivity, and room geometry. These discrepancies are not considered to be of great importance.”
@@ErinsAudioCorner Thanks, I am aware of that. I guess the answer is in the 44% early reflections weighting, some of which will come from the side walls. In a large room you aren't going to be hitting 44% so maybe that is the difference. Your direct sound is a larger slice of the pie.
@@matsudakodo right. I didn’t know if you knew the makeup. Aiming can have an effect, too, where a more narrow radiation in the HF (such as in this speaker) would not have much HF reflection when pointed toward the listener. But… when facing out toward the room… there is more sidewall bounce for those higher frequencies. 👍
Erin, what is your audio system that supplies the signals to the speaker under test? Is the system certified by an audio certification standardization body? I ask this because, obviously, a speaker's output is controlled only by the input. Am I correct in my thinking here? I have not seen an audio certification authority yet. I admit I am a bit of a "greenhorn" in the audio world even though I am 50+ years old. It seems that there needs to be a standard to follow. Maybe the testing system you and others have is now the standard. I am a welder and a machinist. Those of us in the trades (all trades) have have standards, calibrations and certifications that we must adhere to. But, off course, audio is up to personal taste and objectiveness. Just like any form of art is. Thanks for all of your efforts, unbiased reviews and willingness to test all price levels of gear. Please have a great day!
This is the test system I use: www.klippel.de/products/rd-system/modules/nfs-near-field-scanner.html This is the specification the data is provided by: webstore.ansi.org/standards/cea/cea20342015ansi
@@ErinsAudioCorner Thank you for that info! But, holy big bucks Batman! That machine is so expensive. Now I would like to know what your income stream is to be able to afford the purchase one of those. Surely, that is a secret world that very few is allowed in. Hey, good for you sir. My deepest respect. There's obviously no hope left for me. Time to give up working 10-16hrs/7 days to get above water and simply head for the homeless shelter.
Same here . I had some EMO bucks and was just about to pull the trigger on these when the 590's went on sale at $445.00 each. Jumped on them and they are awesome! I am sure the T2's are very nice speakers. Great review here.
I returned them they sounded poor, without detail at that price point. B1 feels amazing for the price but for me t2 doesn't. It doesn't have to deep bass and I have monitors with better and deeper bass
I am working on a video that will discuss attributes to look for in various center channels and will have a few discussed in there that should fit your needs. Hopefully.
Read the review and came away not that impressed. I guess for $1k they're all right but I would have expected more output capability for their size. That "folded paper" tweeter real holds it back. I'd rather spend a little more and get something that is smaller, looks better, has better dispersion and has just as much output.
Yea, I'm not sure what beats these for this price. Doesn't mean there aren't any options. Just that *I* don't know what they are at this moment. But as I continue to review more and more, maybe I can come up with an answer to that.
I would see if you can get away with using an AVR. If so, it would save you a little bit of money. If not, then you'd have to pick a budget. These don't need a lot of power unless you're sitting far away. I was using an amp that delivers about 220w @ 4ohms. You can pick up a cheap Crown XLS DriveCore 2 series amplifier (I own the XLS 1502 for my home theater speakers) as a good entry level amplifier with tons of power if you need it.
At those price points you are (usually) paying more for the look of the speaker than the outright performance. But I have tested a couple $13k+ speakers. Currently have a set at home waiting for test.
@@ErinsAudioCorner great. I meat like to test Wilson audio with there sb acoustics drivers ( they claims that those are special versions). Or Raidho with there diamond drivers... so to demystify those high end stories
Hi Erin, just something I hope constructive. Don't know why but the audio in your videos is quite boomy, don't know why, but I don't have it on other RUclips videos.
I am very sensitive to this. I run plugged q100's at my desk with sub. If things are boomy, the sub definitely picks it up. I didn't notice any boominess. Just my 2c
@@ErinsAudioCorner No worries, I'm always watching, just first time commenting :). We have a jock that describes the situation: A boy didn't speak for the first 5 years of his life, then one day they sit at diner, he looks up and said: The soup is too hot. Everyone baffled, why now? The Boy; Till now everything was perfect ;D
I noticed this in his last review, his voice seemed very "chesty" or boomy to me too. Was listening on my HT system which is tuned to be pretty neutral for audio (I Listen to a lot of music).
Actually, not really. I didn’t hate them. But I didn’t love them. I did have a really good physics professor, though, who made the subject much more entertaining.
@@ErinsAudioCorner 😂😂 that's nice.. if they mapped out the lessons to practical items like speakers and amps, it would be very interesting than just drawing theoretical circuits 😅
Great review, and surprised by the measurements. It's a great budget speaker. Could be cheaper from what I'm seeing though. Looks like about a 7-800$ a pair max.
The data can be excellent & they can sound great but let's just say it: They are fugly as heck. I wouldn't have them anywhere except a basement or man cave. They look like something someone left on a neighborhood street corner to give away.
Buy: emotiva.com/collections/loudspeakers/products/airmotiv-t2-loudspeaker-pair?aff=14
(affiliate link; earns me a small commission at no additional cost to you)
This video could’ve used a few more edits but I’m backed up on products so you’ll have to forgive me for not being perfect. 😉
All good. You have a wife, children and a full time job. You also dedicate so much time and effort to measuring speakers. Happy Thanksgiving 😊
Erin, no need for any extra edits. The review is perfect as is with a ton of useful information. Thank you, Brian.
You’ve already got a measurement robot, I demand you also purchase a camera robot for that sweet, sweet B-roll:
ruclips.net/video/UIwdCN4dV6w/видео.html
:p
Spot on as is... all good.
Great job !!!, understandable the data is there that's what matters
I`m glad that such guys like you, Audioholics, Armin from AudioScienseReview exist to specify "how big is the fish actually" :) Keep doing good & honest job!
This is my first time watching your channel and I have to say that I am very impressed with your demeanor and the fact that you can make a good case for product testing by taking a section of the frequency range at a time and comparing your opinions to your measurements. Excellent review
Thanks and welcome! That kind of reaction is EXACTLY what I hope to achieve. To help people understand the importance and usefulness of data. I'm glad you found it helpful. :)
Just heard their brand new tower Airmotiv XT3 on Montreal Audiofest and I think those are great.
Hope Emotiva will send you a pair.
Thanks for the detailed review. I purchased a pair a couple months ago and loving them. I listen mostly to Acoustic Jazz, and occasional soft rock. I like my sound detailed so I can hear brush sticks on cymbals, pads as they are depressed on saxophone keys, listening to the strings on a cello or violin as the the bow runs across them, etc. I don't listen to movies with them. I power them with Outlaw RR2160 MkII receiver and they seem to be very efficient. Purchased them with a military discount. These speakers do it for me. I had a pair of ESS AMT1B many years ago and these sound similar except that they are not dipole but for my listening room they're great.
Wow, seriously the most informative objective review ever on T2+! I own this and agree 100%!
Thank you so much for the detailed and objective analyses you provide. For those of us who are inclined to crave more technical/meaningful information so that we might hope to make informed decisions and have reliable data exhibited on a product of interest so that we can try and predict our room influence, it means a lot!
I wish all audiophiles subscribed to your channel, that would stop almost all the snake oil being sold out there. I love your reviews and your work ethic. Subscriber for life.
Thank you!
Ever try questioning a devote christians religious beliefs?
@@DescartesRenegade you might need to improve your grammar as this question is unclear. Thank you.
@@RowanTasmanian how would you phrase it?
@@DescartesRenegade I am not the one asking the question.
If the question is indecisive, so must the answer be. Thank you
Its refreshing to see an objective review centered around a standardized test for speakers. I don't dig subjective reviews too much because as a consumer looking to buy, they don't immediately tell me to buy or not to buy, but instead just become homework to compile every review, find the similarities between review (such as if 80% or more say the same thing), filter out the oddities (maybe only 1 person out of 5 said it) then pull the trigger and hope you made the right choice.
Doesn't help I've yet to find an outright bad review of speakers. Like I can find reviews for headphones, TVs, reclining chairs, AVRs, power strip, etc that absolutely trash the product because its overpriced, not worth the money or just a terrible product. But not for speakers.
I've got a few outright bad reviews but luckily they are not too common. I think it is important to review the bad performers because it gives us a better idea of why another product may be worth spending a few bucks more on or even just to help keep manufacturers honest.
I can't wait for the shootout or comparison with the T2+ and Xt2.
Emotiva makes some impressive audio products. Thanks for the review.
Perfect light saber sound @14:30, impressive.
😂
I appreciate your approach to not flaming the other reviewers. I also enjoy how you approach your reviews comparing what you heard and the results you get. Although I have to tell you, you lose me quite frequently!
Hang in there, man. I promise, it gets easier. We all have to learn so I've definitely been there (and am continually learning).
Your channel is going to be successful (already is) me as a consumer, I'm tired of the bullshit. I followed subjective reviews for a long time subscribed to their channel, not anymore, consumers are getting educated, it's the normal evolution of the market, subjective impresión with no data behind are meaningful. Thank you for the great !!!
Thanks for that. :)
I'm driving my T2+ speakers with a Vincent Audio SV-237MKII Hybrid Stereo Integrated Amplifier.
Couldn't be happier with the sound.
Wow. Very fancy robot speaker testing process. Thank you for your review.
"...13khz...."; I cannot hear past 11.9khz, so this doesn't exist to me 😂.
THX Erin...
I REALLY appreciate it when channel listeners/reviewers REMIND us in their evaluations that one has to control for all one's variables.
Ie. Like when you outlined where one of your peer reviewers made a statement about brightness... Are reviewers ONLY auditing from one static layout, or do they sample from a minimum of 2 or >? Distance from wall for example is HUGE to any perceived performance(s). It alters subjectivity.
God Bless you for your thoroughness and your attention to scientific variables for which opinions can get pinpointed or skewed.
:) Muchas gracias Sr.
I love the measurements!
i do like this kind of review. thanks.
Impressed your test methodology, really great value for audiophile national.
Loved this detailed review and comparison to other reviews. I subscribed before the video even ended. Great job!!!
Another great review Erin! Thanks for all the hard work.
My pleasure!
Great review, I like this new format. I almost went with Emotiva before I got the killer deal on JBL Studio series speakers. Very happy though.
Would you recommend these as an upgrade to a pair of RF 5s for instance? Looking at Klipsch RF 8000ii’s or Logan 40 or 60i’s possibly as well. 60% Movies 40% Music
They are on sale now for $699
Thanks! Nice format and good insights and comparisons.
Glad you liked it!
@ErinsAudioCorner Hello Erin. You evaluated this Emotiva T2+ and the Klipsch 8000f II.
I have steered away from Emotiva due to the limited usage of 4 ohm speakers.
I have some 8000f on the way. Do you think there is a substantial qualitative loss in the 2-way versus 3 way implementation ? I think this also suffices as a bit of a gripe about Klipsch pricing. The lovely looking copper shouldn't be so expensive :)
Hey Erin love the channel ! amazing way to help us choose some gear way better than only subjective reviews !
Will you check the T3+ in the near future ? I might pull the trigger on them since they are almost full range for dual purpose 80% music 20% movies/gaming and they seem to may be able to avoid a sub !
Excellent review Erin. Definitely enjoying the new comparison style.
Glad to hear it!
Seconded. The fact that you have a method that standardizes the result by eliminating the room helps. My problem with other reviewers is their opinion based due to how the speaker sounds in their setup. I just want to buy a product and want to be told in a review if a product is or is not worth buying for the price or be recommended others. I've yet to see a speaker review that outright says this product is awful/not worth the money/there are better options. So it makes taking any review seriously hard is everything is "okay"
@@martinarrieta4536 I’ve definitely got some reviews where I flat out say I wouldn’t buy something. No worries there. 👍
Thanks, Erin. I have a separate and dedicated music system in my theater room. I'm currently using Klipsch RP-280s for that, and they are pretty good, but I feel like I need better detailed mids that a 3-way design might deliver. I've been looking at these, they seem to be a lot of speaker for the money, and they will fit in the space I have. As you might know from my past comments, I prefer just a touch on the bright side, and from your comments it sounds like there are there.
Thanks for that review. Was looking towards that one.
No problem 👍
Re: bass.... it's called an EQ! I hate the anti-EQ mindset in "audiophiles". Based on the graph you can eq the bass in down to 30-35hz and bring it up flat with the rest of the spectrum or even boost it to taste. As long as the cabinet design supports it and the drivers can handle it without excess excursion mechanically (outside the gap) then there is no issue. A speaker has to be engineered to be flat with a flat input signal, but they do not have to be flat to be great speakers, they just need to be capable of the desired frequency response with an insignificant amount of distortion. Often the way a speaker is made flatter is to pad the highs... that's no better than boosting the bass! Worse in my opinion. To boost the bass alone with eq you make your amp work harder down low... to play a padded speaker at equivalent volumes you're making the amp work harder across the board. If the speaker can play say 90db clean, then it can play 85db clean with a 5db bass boost. Simple concept. Never settle for unaltered response if you prefer more or less bass or treble. The overall sound depends on many factors so if you like the sound then eq for the response you want with a good multi-band parametric dsp eq. With most larger speakers (depending on desired volume - I'm assuming you want it fairly loud) they can give you between 30 and 40hz at the desired volume with eq. They typically can't really go below that. A sub is generally only REQUIRED for sub 30-40hz bass (not that it can't improve things crossed higher if you have one). I have my speakers set up with a 5 band parametric all points in use, and at 30hz I'm +18db. That's right, +18. This is simply because of the particular odd design of these custom speakers. Is it poor engineering? Sure, from the mindset of flatness. But do they sound great overall and especially in the bass region with eq? Yes. They use pro 15" jbl woofers that, in this particular cabinet and paired with this particular mid and tweeter, are simply not level matched below 150 and especially 100hz. The NATURAL falloff is steep... but the drivers are BARELY moving, which means when I boost 30hz at 18db they're still not moving much and are welllll within their capabilities. No boominess, no distorting the higher range of the woofer, just boosted bass to 30hz. That isn't flat either it's boosted to taste. Maybe 12db might be flat.
Great meta-analysis! That ~315Hz resonance would correspond to something just shy of a meter in length, which seems to me either: the top-bottom wave of the standing speaker, or maybe some vibration of the port?
Really appreciate the dedication to what you're doing. It's good to have the proof to go along with a review. It could be your niche.
Really wish I could pull the trigger on the Emo line up, but I'm not there yet.
Well, that's how I started this channel last year. Data-centric. Accountability. :)
I love my S55 but I’ve always thought these were a very very good looking speaker
Nicely done ..as usual. Appreciate you man !! Even without the various wigs .. You're Important. !
Great channel Erin!
Would be cool for you to check out open baffle speakers such as the Spacial M3’s
Since those are difficult to measure it would be a good experiment for objective measurements and subjective listening.
Cheers man!
Maybe one day. :)
“Texture” ahh typical audiophile jargons, lol
That buttery, warm sonic embrace, enveloping the listener in a lush, silky soundscape 😂😂
Well, different opinions are good to have, but data, if measured properly, always speaks for itself and is free from personal preferences and biases.
Ive got the t2 ce and 2 pair e2 i noticed on the t2 in stereo mode with heavy bass one of them started poping randomly. Could it be not enough power to push them, using a Merantz8015 with emotiva bas X 3 amp, will soon upgrade to xpa 3 emotiva amp 450 wats per channel.
Mr. Erin. Please, one day make test SVS speakers. SVS Prime Pinnacle. Thanks!
The folded ribbon AMT tweeter is not right for all rooms and can sound very distorted at some frequencies and will need room treatments to correct it. THAT'S A BIG DEAL and a deal breaker for me. Off axis of the AMT is fair, remove the grills for better off axis listening. The T2+ are pretty flat overall and the drivers do sound seamless from one to the other and an overall smooth transition. Mids are very good and the bass is pretty tight, not boomy or sloppy. The price to performance is good.
When you talk about the on axis response are you essentially saying these should be "toed-in" directly at the MLP (or within +/- 20deg) or would that negatively affect the imaging? Thanks for the review, I'm enjoying them allot but looking to dial them in and make sure they are set up as best I can.
“On-axis” would be with the speaker aimed directly at you. Off-axis would be anything other than that.
Most speakers are designed to be aimed on-axis. But others benefit from off-axis aiming (toe-out). How much depends on the design, the listener and the room. Hope that helps!
I have an Onkyo receiver with 80w per channel and capable of 4 ohms. I wonder if this will be a goood choice for music.
To me they look to be ”too hot” in the 3-4khz area.
But for the money they look really good
Nice review as always!! Just curious, but how does the t2s compare to a DIY speaker like the HTM-12s v2 that you've compared previously? And would you recommend one over the other?I'm on the fence between those two and as far as I know you're the only that have listened/tested both.
The DIYSG speakers I have reviewed have hardly any bass compared to these but the HTM-12v2 have really good directivity. Though, I think these might be better. I haven't looked at that data. I'm not sure there is a reason I would prefer the DIYSG over these, to be honest. But, again, I'd have to go back and look through the data.
I am looking at the t2+, the t3+, and whether or not i should purchase on of those sets, or splurge on a pair of goldenear triton 5's....any chance you could give your review on the goldenear triton 5's?
10:09 What was that? 😆
Great great review! Would you say these speakers are a good investment for $1,000?
I really look forward to your detailed reviews. Can you do the HECO Aurora 700? Others seem to like it.
I'd honestly never even heard of that brand until you replied with the request. I don't think I'll have the opportunity to review those in the near future but never say never...
Nice review Erin, I appreciate your detailed statistics. Another reviewer mentioned these speakers were power hungry. Can they be driven properly in a movie theater setting with 100 watts at 8 ohms? The amp is only rated down to 6 ohms.
No, they are 4 ohm. They are not power hungry @ Efficiency: 91 dB. The T2+ is not a low volume listening speaker.
how good are these vs JBL 698s vs klipsch rp8000f for double duty, movies and music?
Please measure a CerwinVega speaker, there really isn’t anything out there for measurements on them. 🤞🏼
Gotta find someone to send me some.
This or free sansui sp2000s that need a little work to get them 100% working again?
What speaker beats the other one in terms of overall quality??
I am getting the sansuis tomorrow and looking forward to it.
I would love to see how Wharfedale Diamonds 12.2 or Evo 4.2 perform to your ear and measurements.
I have the emotiva airmotivs in my theater setup but I'm thinking about upgrading to the arendal 1723s do you think that's a worthy upgrade
Any plans to measure an Emotiva center channel?
Not currently.
Does the predicted in-room assume there to be side wall reflections? Trying to understand how the PIR can be accurate given your hypothesis at 6:00
Per the CTA-2034 spec:
“In theory, with complete 360-degree anechoic data on a loudspeaker and sufficient acoustical and geometrical data on the listening room and its layout it would be possible to estimate with good precision what would be measured by an omnidirectional microphone located in the listening area of that room. By making some simplifying assumptions about the listening space, the data set described above permits a usefully accurate preview of how a given loudspeaker might perform in a typical domestic listening room. Obviously, there are no guarantees, because individual rooms can be acoustically aberrant. Sometimes rooms are excessively reflective (“live”) as happens in certain hot, humid climates, with certain styles of interior décor and in under-furnished rooms. Sometimes rooms are excessively “dead” as in other styles of décor and in some custom home theaters where acoustical treatment has been used excessively. This form of post processing is offered only as an estimate of what might happen in a domestic living space with carpet on the floor and a “normal” amount of seating, drapes and cabinetry.
For these limited circumstances it has been found that a usefully accurate Predicted In-Room (PIR) amplitude response, also known as a “room curve” is obtained by a weighted average consisting of 12 % listening window, 44 % early reflections and 44 % sound power. At very high frequencies errors can creep in because of excessive absorption, microphone directivity, and room geometry. These discrepancies are not considered to be of great importance.”
@@ErinsAudioCorner Thanks, I am aware of that. I guess the answer is in the 44% early reflections weighting, some of which will come from the side walls. In a large room you aren't going to be hitting 44% so maybe that is the difference. Your direct sound is a larger slice of the pie.
@@matsudakodo right. I didn’t know if you knew the makeup. Aiming can have an effect, too, where a more narrow radiation in the HF (such as in this speaker) would not have much HF reflection when pointed toward the listener. But… when facing out toward the room… there is more sidewall bounce for those higher frequencies. 👍
Erin, what is your audio system that supplies the signals to the speaker under test? Is the system certified by an audio certification standardization body? I ask this because, obviously, a speaker's output is controlled only by the input. Am I correct in my thinking here? I have not seen an audio certification authority yet. I admit I am a bit of a "greenhorn" in the audio world even though I am 50+ years old. It seems that there needs to be a standard to follow. Maybe the testing system you and others have is now the standard.
I am a welder and a machinist. Those of us in the trades (all trades) have have standards, calibrations and certifications that we must adhere to. But, off course, audio is up to personal taste and objectiveness. Just like any form of art is.
Thanks for all of your efforts, unbiased reviews and willingness to test all price levels of gear.
Please have a great day!
This is the test system I use:
www.klippel.de/products/rd-system/modules/nfs-near-field-scanner.html
This is the specification the data is provided by:
webstore.ansi.org/standards/cea/cea20342015ansi
@@ErinsAudioCorner Thank you for that info! But, holy big bucks Batman! That machine is so expensive. Now I would like to know what your income stream is to be able to afford the purchase one of those. Surely, that is a secret world that very few is allowed in. Hey, good for you sir. My deepest respect. There's obviously no hope left for me. Time to give up working 10-16hrs/7 days to get above water and simply head for the homeless shelter.
Thanks for this. I ordered JBL 590s and was considering auditioning these. The Emotivas look pretty good, but I think the JBLs will be better.
Same here . I had some EMO bucks and was just about to pull the trigger on these when the 590's went on sale at $445.00 each. Jumped on them and they are awesome!
I am sure the T2's are very nice speakers. Great review here.
@@randyjones180
Good to hear. I wouldnt mind trying the Emotiva C2+ center. I am tempted to pick up a jbl 570 to try for a center.
I'd like to test the JBL stuff but I've spent too much lately on other stuff to review.
@@ErinsAudioCorner
I hear you Erin. Thanks for your work. It is hard to find independent measurements on tower speakers.
Klippel test more Skar Audio! LOL More cheap stuff - Or maybe some main stream ones like Hertz Legend, Focal M,
I returned them they sounded poor, without detail at that price point. B1 feels amazing for the price but for me t2 doesn't. It doesn't have to deep bass and I have monitors with better and deeper bass
Do you have a list of center speakers you recommend in the near $500 range maybe up to $700 that have good off axis?
I am working on a video that will discuss attributes to look for in various center channels and will have a few discussed in there that should fit your needs. Hopefully.
@@ErinsAudioCorner thanks!
Decisions Decisions.
how does these compare to the monoprice enore t6?
any chance you could do a micca rb 42. there is conflicting data out there
Possibly. What conflicting info are you seeing? I'd like to look into it.
@@ErinsAudioCorner I don't see it as a bright speaker and neither the 200hz bump. GR and asr have different measurements
Read the review and came away not that impressed. I guess for $1k they're all right but I would have expected more output capability for their size. That "folded paper" tweeter real holds it back. I'd rather spend a little more and get something that is smaller, looks better, has better dispersion and has just as much output.
Not smaller, but the JBL 590's have your other criteria covered.
Yea, I'm not sure what beats these for this price. Doesn't mean there aren't any options. Just that *I* don't know what they are at this moment. But as I continue to review more and more, maybe I can come up with an answer to that.
What kind of amp goes well with these? I don't own any
I would see if you can get away with using an AVR. If so, it would save you a little bit of money. If not, then you'd have to pick a budget. These don't need a lot of power unless you're sitting far away. I was using an amp that delivers about 220w @ 4ohms. You can pick up a cheap Crown XLS DriveCore 2 series amplifier (I own the XLS 1502 for my home theater speakers) as a good entry level amplifier with tons of power if you need it.
How are these speakers with tube amps?
No idea. I wouldn't bother, personally.
It would be great if you could test some high end speakers (20.000$+) and justifie extra money for extra sound quality
At those price points you are (usually) paying more for the look of the speaker than the outright performance. But I have tested a couple $13k+ speakers. Currently have a set at home waiting for test.
@@ErinsAudioCorner great. I meat like to test Wilson audio with there sb acoustics drivers ( they claims that those are special versions). Or Raidho with there diamond drivers... so to demystify those high end stories
Hi Erin, just something I hope constructive. Don't know why but the audio in your videos is quite boomy, don't know why, but I don't have it on other RUclips videos.
I’ll look into it. Probably a setting on my compressor. It’s happened before. 👍
I am very sensitive to this. I run plugged q100's at my desk with sub. If things are boomy, the sub definitely picks it up. I didn't notice any boominess. Just my 2c
@@ErinsAudioCorner No worries, I'm always watching, just first time commenting :). We have a jock that describes the situation: A boy didn't speak for the first 5 years of his life, then one day they sit at diner, he looks up and said: The soup is too hot. Everyone baffled, why now? The Boy; Till now everything was perfect ;D
@@NakeanWickliff Could also be a resonance in my room, don't know, but I noticed it just on Erin's videos.
I noticed this in his last review, his voice seemed very "chesty" or boomy to me too. Was listening on my HT system which is tuned to be pretty neutral for audio (I Listen to a lot of music).
You must have really enjoyed your physics and math classes 😅😂
Actually, not really. I didn’t hate them. But I didn’t love them. I did have a really good physics professor, though, who made the subject much more entertaining.
@@ErinsAudioCorner 😂😂 that's nice.. if they mapped out the lessons to practical items like speakers and amps, it would be very interesting than just drawing theoretical circuits 😅
🙏🙏🙏🙏👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Great review, and surprised by the measurements. It's a great budget speaker. Could be cheaper from what I'm seeing though. Looks like about a 7-800$ a pair max.
The data can be excellent & they can sound great but let's just say it: They are fugly as heck. I wouldn't have them anywhere except a basement or man cave. They look like something someone left on a neighborhood street corner to give away.
It's all subjective. You lost me buddy.....