@audionewbi...they are quiet.   I have them flanking an iMac so theres some noise from the computer and at my seated position about three feet away I can hear nothing from the Airmotivs. I can just start to hear a faint hiss about a foot or so from them...so really not bad at all.

I can't speak for the 4's but have the 5's and have been blown away by them.  I have been going through my whole collection to hear what I have been missing.  See my mini review here:  http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/EmotivaPro-Airmotiv-5