Emotiva B2+ Review – Should You Upgrade Your B1+ Speakers?

I recently ordered the new Emotiva B2+ speakers to review as I’m always recommending the Emotiva B1+ model to friends looking for affordable bookshelf speakers.

As I was reading back through my review of the B1+ speakers, I thought it would be more interesting to write an article comparing the two speakers for anyone who might own the B1+ speakers and are considering upgrading to the new B2+ models.

I’ve narrowed down the differences between the speakers to three categories: size, specs and sound.

Let’s discuss each difference below to help you decide if upgrading to the B2+ is the right decision for you.

What Is The Size Difference Between The Emotiva B1+ and B2+?

The smaller B1+ speakers measure 10 3/4″ high by 7 1/8″ wide and 8 1/4″ deep while the larger B2+ speakers measure 12 3/4″ high by 8 1/2″ wide and 11 1/2″ deep.

The B1+ speakers each weigh 8.8 pounds while the B2+ weigh 15.6 pounds each.

If you are looking for speakers for a desktop system and are trying to decide between the B1+ and B2+, Emotiva suggests the smaller B1+ speakers. After having the speakers side by side in my system, I agree with Emotiva that the B1+ is the better size of the two to fit in a desktop system.

What Are The Different Specs Between The Emotiva B1+ and Emotiva B2+ Speakers?

Below are the similarities and differences in specs for the B1+ and B2+:

Both the B1+ and B2+ have the same 32mm folded ribbon tweeter

Both the B1+ and B2+ are rear ported
Both the B1+ and B2+ have the same efficiency of 86db
Both the B1+ and B2+ have the same crossover at 2 kHz, 12db/octave

The B2+ has a larger woofer at 6 1/2 inches versus the B1+’s size of 5 1/4 inches
The B2+ has the ability to handle more power at 125 watts continuous with a 200 watt peak while the B1+ handles 70 watts continuous with a 150 watt peak
The recommended amp power for the B2+ is 50 watts to 300 watts per channel while the B1+ is from 50 watts to only 250 watts per channel

The nominal impedance for the B2+ is 4 ohms while the B1+ is 8 ohms
Due to the larger woofer, the B2+ frequency response is 40 hz while the B1+ is 48 hz
The B2+ speakers can be bi-amped while the B1+ speakers cannot be

Note the B2+ on the right with the ability to bi-wire the speaker which cannot be done on the B1+.

What Is The Sound Difference Between The Emotiva B1+ and the B2+ Speakers?

The biggest difference in sound is thanks to the larger speaker and woofer size of the B2+.

The larger woofer in the B2+ allows for a lower frequency response, down to 40 hz, which adds a notable amount of bass, both in volume and depth, over the smaller B1+ speaker.

Chances are, if you use the B1+ speakers and love bass, you probably pair them with a subwoofer. The B2+ speakers would easily fit into a system without a subwoofer thanks to the larger driver size.

Because of the B2+ speakers larger size, they can handle more amp power, which in turn produces a more substantial sound.

One thing that stayed consistent between the models is the 32mm folder ribbon tweeter. I wrote in depth about how much I love this tweeter in my review of the B1+’s so I won’t spend too much time here repeating myself.

I was happy to see Emotiva include the same tweeter in the B2+’s to produce the same high frequency clarity that I’ve grown to love on the B1+.

Finally, if you have the ability to bi-wire the B2+ speakers, the sound produced will most likely be enhanced even further. I do not have the ability to bi-wire for this review so I cannot speak specifically to the sound improvement.

In short, I listened to many different genres on the B2+ speakers, from classical to jazz, some rock and even hip hop. The speakers held their own perfectly fine with every genre I threw at them.

Should You Purchase The Emotiva B2+ Speakers?

I am a big fan of Emotiva’s speakers, both the B1+ and B2+ models. It’s really hard to find quality sound for just $249 for the B1+ and $449 for the B2+.

If you are choosing between the two models, I think your decision comes down to where you intend on placing the speakers.

For instance, if you are lacking a lot of space, or want speakers for your desktop system, the B1+ are the best choice as they take up very little room. If you are a big fan of bass, be prepared to compliment the B1+ with a subwoofer.

However, if you are interested in regular sized bookshelf speakers and are looking for a larger sound with more bass, the B2+ is the right choice.

Speaker Design of the Emotiva B2+

A lot of people do not like the beveled edges that Emotiva uses on the both the B1+ and B2+. I joked in my review of the B1+ that they remind me of something you would see on the Death Star, and that is the same for the B2+.

If you’ve disliked the Emotiva design of the past, you will most likely not approve of them keeping with the aesthetic for the B2+.

Given the great price, it’s easy to understand why Emotiva only offers black speakers, while other manufacturers offer different colors. That being said, it would be nice to see Emotiva branch out at some point with some color options for future speaker lines.

Both speakers have removeable grilles that are held in place by magnets, making them easy to pull off and put back on.

One More Thing!

If you’d like the see the speakers up close, I also posted a video on YouTube showing the differences in the speakers!

Before You Go…

Thank you for taking time to read my article about the Emotiva B1+ and B2+ speakers.

I have reviewed several other pieces of audio equipment if you would like more information about the following pieces of gear:

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