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Bookshelf Speaker

Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ vs KEF Q350

Emotiva Airmotiv B1+

Emotiva Airmotiv B1+

70 reviews

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Best for Most

in Bookshelf Speaker

KEF Q350

78 reviews

View Product Details

Great sound quality and clarity

Versatile performance

Affordable price

Folded-ribbon tweeter produces magical sound

Solid choice for entry-level audio setup

Great performance for both movies and music

Clear and detailed sound

Good value for the price

Potential for optimal performance with a subwoofer

Positive reviews from experienced audio enthusiasts

Not much low bass extension

Some reviewers find them a bit thin sounding

None mentioned beyond these two points

Not ideal for placement close to a wall due to rear port design

Some negative reviews regarding build quality and blown tweeters (isolated incidents)

None mentioned

Verdict

Overall, the Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ speakers are highly praised for their sound quality, versatility, and affordability. Many reviewers recommend them as a great entry-level option for those looking to upgrade their audio setup. The folded-ribbon tweeter is particularly noted for its effortless and magical sound. While some reviewers mention a lack of bass extension, the overall consensus is that these speakers are a solid choice for the price.

Verdict

Overall, the KEF Q350 bookshelf speakers receive positive reviews for their performance and value. They are praised for their ability to handle both movies and music, with clear and detailed sound. Some reviewers recommend pairing them with a subwoofer for optimal performance. The rear port design is noted as a potential issue if placed too close to a wall. There are some negative reviews regarding the build quality and some issues with blown tweeters, but these seem to be isolated incidents. The KEF Q350 is generally considered a good buy at its retail price of $500.

Reviews by Topic

Our analysis shows how reviewers feel about different topics. Please note these are not full reviews.

Sound Quality

youtube

Airmotiv B1+ Bookshelf Speaker Full Review

You'Ve got magnetically attached grills, so it's easy to move them on and off, depending on your desires, your needs, and you also get rubber feet tha...

Positive

youtube

KEF's Q350 speakers pack a punch

Looking with the company's proprietary coaxial driver in the middle and nothing else, the driver consists of a 6.5 inch aluminum offer with a one-inch...

Positive

Price

Emotiva Airmotiv B1 review: Audiophile sound for a popcorn price

Emotiva has been delivering affordable studio gear for 10 years but has only started getting serious about consumer products in the last couple. The affordable Airmotiv B1 bookshelf and the Airmotiv T1 floorstander are the first entry-level models to appear, and by golly they're good.The B1 is the cheapest of the two and sounds tremendous for 300 bucks, with performance that's versatile in a way few budget speakers are. Sure, it's not much of a looker, but the magnetic grille will help some

Positive

youtube

KEF Q350 Review - One of the best speakers ... - YouTube

Wild Jacks. So what are we talking about today? The Kev Q350s currently priced at $700. We're going to get to that though. So if you're new here, cons...

Positive

Size

Picked up the klipsch r-41m for $90 on amazon, loving them!

To big and sounded like garbage to my ears, at least in a nearfield setup. Saw the sale on these and decided to pick them up and see what the deal is with klipsch.

Neutral

reddit.com/r/BudgetAudiophile

And the ultimate setup would be with the gigantic Q650C. But, they say, the center speaker is the most important speaker and you want the biggest speaker you can possibly afford.

Negative

reddit.com/r/hometheater

Connectivity

Cheap speakers and nicer sub vs nice speakers and cheap sub

Ideally I’d pair it w a set of Emotiva Airmotiv B1+, they’re cheap but punches way above their weight & goes down to 47Hz (w a pronounced top end)— plenty of compensation for the sub & speaker to integrate w each other. IMO — try to pair them so they’d work in harmony together, complimenting each other’s weak points.

Neutral

reddit.com/r/BudgetAudiophile

Excellent speakers, but be weary of less-than-ideal placement

After setting them up, I toed them in toward my listening position and connected them to my Marantz NR1607 ( Marantz NR1607 Ultra HD 7.2 Channel Network A/V Surround Receiver with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi ) using 12 gauge copper speaker wire. I then went through the Marantz Audyssey MultEQ room correction wizard using the Marantz-supplied calibration microphone.

Wireless Connectivity

Desktop Recommendations

I went through this exercise recently, here is my thread. I ended up paying more to get the Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ which are great (but the price has increased to $300 since I bought them). Do not try to use the Micca OoOs nearfield, the sweet spots are very narrow.

Negative

reddit.com/r/BudgetAudiophile

Excellent speakers, but be weary of less-than-ideal placement

UPDATE 3/26/18: Shortly after posting this review, my Marantz NR1607 died. Amazon processed it as a return, even though I was past my 30 days (thanks Amazon). I then purchased the Denon AVR-X3300W ( https://www.amazon

Mids

Upgrading 2.1 setup (with integrated amp) to 5.1.2 for Atmos

Reflected off the ceiling will be mediocre. Not sure what your budget is but if you're trying to keep things afordablish..

Positive

reddit.com/r/hometheater

youtube

The Kef for people who don’t like Kef | Q150 Bookshelf Speaker Review

New from Amazon for about $ 350, they go on sale for 350, quite often for that price. I think this is great. I will recommend this all day long for $ ...

Positive

Bass

Is KEF Q150 is the most popular speaker under $500

They don’t have much low bass extension (significantly less than the larger Q350). If you are considering those and you’re in the US, I would also advise that you consider the Emotiva B1+, the Q’s you mentioned, the Elac B5.2, the PSB Alpha P5, the Jamo C93 II, and the Wharfedale Diamond 225 (while they’re still available) as options.

Negative

reddit.com/r/BudgetAudiophile

Decent mid/high detail but bass is overwhelming, very undefined and sloppy

I tried the foam plugs for the bass reflex port in the back and positioning in/out from the walls, but the bass remained very woolly and not tight at all. Pairing with a subwoofer and having most of the bass go to the subwoofer cleans the sound signature up a little bit but the overall sound quality lacked detail and definition. The SONY CSS5 at $78-$128 per pair outperforms this $499-$599 speaker easily in definition, detail and instrument separation.

Design

These Speakers are Incredible, as well as the other components I purchased from Emotiva!

My wife asked him to design a system so that I could play all my albums again. We had a tight space to put this in, so she explained what was available. I had gotten rid of all of my audio components 30 years ago, so we were starting from scratch. Our friend recommended the Airmotiv B1+ Speakers with wall mounts, a BAS X TA1 Stereo Preamp/DAC/tuner and a Pro-Ject turntable

youtube

The KEF Q350 Loudspeaker REVIEWED! - YouTube

Featuring a computational fluid dynamics port design with the port repositioned to the rear of the speaker, clarity is improved by reducing the audibi...

Positive

Treble

Very Pleased With My B1+ Speakers!

I thought I would like the treble end of their range, and I do. What surprised me was the detail they are capable of as they descend into the mid-bass range, and the lack of distortion throughout, and these are just hours old. I have them in a near-field setup in a 2.1 configuration - with the sub crossed at 100 hrtz and turned down low

Q350 vs Q150 | The Definitive Review

Many reading this are probably in the same predicament they find themselves in when the Q150 and Q350 frequently go on sale for $300 and $500 respectively. I too found myself on that see-saw of trying to decide which to buy and if the Q350 was worth the extra $200. I scoured the internet for any comparisons or comments and found very little worthwhile info. From the bits I did gather, there seemed to be a general consensus that the Q150 had cleaner treble, but the Q350 sounded bigger, warmer, had better mids, and more bass

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