Thursday, September 17, 2015

Emotiva provides us with their new Bluetooth Speakers, the Airmotiv 3B

From personal audio and onto room filling sound, we move onto a pair of palm sized Bluetooth stereo speakers. Emotiva has provided me with the Airmotiv 3B, a pair of 2 way speakers measuring in at only 4 inches by 5 inches that have thirty watts of power going to each channel. These powered speakers provide real two way sound, by way of 3/4-inch tweeter and 3 inch woofer, while the enclosure comes with a tuned port design. I threw my pair up on my desktop, but they would fit in equally well on a nightstand or shelf, so it is time to see how they perform. 
My first thought after removing from the large box, was that of apprehension due to the small stature. However, once linked and streaming I was more than pleasantly surprised as there was so much sound, easily filling just about every room in my house. I was able to crank these speakers all the way up without distortion, although I would not suggest it as they get louder than most would think. On top of being loud, the Airmotiv 3B’s are clear with most music genres, I did notice that bass heavy hip hop gave these compact speakers a run for their money trying to hit the lower ranges of bass sometimes sounding a bit flat. But most importantly, a high bit rate playback provides a great listening experience, which is rarely found in Bluetooth speakers, especially those similar in size. 
With a number of HiFi Bluetooth speaker reviews under my belt, and I have come to the conclusion that speakers that come wrapped in fabric, never disappoint. If I could change anything, it would be the ability to add a subwoofer to get some more depth in the mix. Aside from the lack of depth, the clarity and the small footprint greatly overshadow the small complaint as they can fill a room with sound and were up to the beating, regardless of the playlist. Emotiva's Airmotiv 3B Bluetooth speakers are available now for $199.