Stereophile review of Philharmonic BMR Monitor

[ry_]

I can't unsee the change even though I have the AMT on my HTS.

Now I want to get one of those RAAL bmrs as a collectors item.

Honestly, I might do the same. I’d been waiting on the F6BS for surrounds because our current space won’t accommodate the BMR monitors, but I was already planning to buy them down the road. They should fit in our next home, so it can’t hurt to get them now and have them ready for later.

Maybe they’ll be fun as desktop speakers in the short term

 

[jlx]

the Raal based curved BMRs aren't entirely gone, there will be a very limited run available in June in a special new color I chose with the burl walnut veneer.

 

[Mort]

the Raal based curved BMRs aren't entirely gone, there will be a very limited run available in June in a special new color I chose with the burl walnut veneer.

Electric mauve? Mud aqua? Tangerine spit?

I've seen the colors you like and hard pass.

 

[Mark609]

the Raal based curved BMRs aren't entirely gone, there will be a very limited run available in June in a special new color I chose with the burl walnut veneer.

Should be beautiful. I built subs with black walnut lumber and 1/4" furniture grade plywood over MDF. I've got the RAALs in an ELX tower. Love it.

Enjoy!

 

[Mort]

A little birdy tells me the RAAL will be available on BMR monitors for a while longer.

 

[jlx]

Should be beautiful. I built subs with black walnut lumber and 1/4" furniture grade plywood over MDF. I've got the RAALs in an ELX tower. Love it.

Enjoy!

very nicely done sir

 

[WillBrink]

So the base driver and the tweeter are difference since Erin's review a few years ago. Any changes to the X over since then? How would they compare to the Cadentia 3? Both speakers are visually beautiful to my eye, and that adds something too.

 

[Mort]

So the base driver and the tweeter are difference since Erin's review a few years ago. Any changes to the X over since then? How would they compare to the Cadentia 3? Both speakers are visually beautiful to my eye, and that adds something too.

Quite a bit wider in directivity. So Bigger soundstage, less precise location.

 

[jmdesignz2]

So the base driver and the tweeter are difference since Erin's review a few years ago. Any changes to the X over since then? How would they compare to the Cadentia 3? Both speakers are visually beautiful to my eye, and that adds something too.

You should email Philharmonic- they have been responsive to me

 

[elmoe420]

So the base driver and the tweeter are difference since Erin's review a few years ago. Any changes to the X over since then? How would they compare to the Cadentia 3? Both speakers are visually beautiful to my eye, and that adds something too.

Note that you can buy 6 BMR Monitors for the price of 2 Cadentia 3s. The Cadentia 3 is also hideous in my opinion but of course that's totally subjective.

 

[WillBrink]

Note that you can buy 6 BMR Monitors for the price of 2 Cadentia 3s. The Cadentia 3 is also hideous in my opinion but of course that's totally subjective.

I just posted on the page where the The Cadentia 3 page to comment they are almost 8k now! I had no idea. I'm sure they're very good speakers, but at that price point, the options are many.

 

[elmoe420]

I just posted on the page where the The Cadentia 3 page to comment they are almost 8k now! I had no idea. I'm sure they're very good speakers, but at that price point, the options are many.

Yeah a big part of the equation that makes Philharmonic awesome is the price point. Very hard to beat.

 

[Chanur]

I literally just ordered a set of these, set to arrive next week. Of course they restock and upgrade the tweeter to the AMT which has much better sensitivity. Son of a b###. I sure hate shopping online sometimes.

I doubt it makes significant difference at all due to the design of the woofer/speaker. The RAAL is amazing. I wouldn't want to change it.

 

[Beave]

So the base driver and the tweeter are difference since Erin's review a few years ago. Any changes to the X over since then? How would they compare to the Cadentia 3? Both speakers are visually beautiful to my eye, and that adds something too.

Erin has reviewed and measured the V1 (with the Scanspeak woofer) and the V2 (with the SB Acoustics woofer). Both had the RAAL tweeter. Crossovers were different to account for the different woofer and to lower the level of the RAAL just a touch in the V2 version.

The newest version with the AMT hasn't been reviewed (yet?) by anybody as far as I know. It would have a different crossover to account for the different tweeter.

 

[jlx]

Erin has reviewed and measured the V1 (with the Scanspeak woofer) and the V2 (with the SB Acoustics woofer). Both had the RAAL tweeter. Crossovers were different to account for the different woofer and to lower the level of the RAAL just a touch in the V2 version.

The newest version with the AMT hasn't been reviewed (yet?) by anybody as far as I know. It would have a different crossover to account for the different tweeter.

you missed the current Raal version of the BMR, known as the V2.5. The crossover was adjusted with the change to the superior 64-10x version of the tweeter

 

[jmdesignz2]

you missed the current Raal version of the BMR, known as the V2.5. The crossover was adjusted with the change to the superior 64-10x version of the tweeter

which BMR Monitor version was reviewed and rated class A by Stereophile?

 

[ryanosaur]

which BMR Monitor version was reviewed and rated class A by Stereophile?

Pretty certain that is with the 64-10X Tweeter; a much more recent review than Erin’s when the BMR Monitor was reintroduced back in the dark ages.

Edit: Noting that Erin's review posted in May 2022. Stereophile in April 2025.

 

[jlx]

which BMR Monitor version was reviewed and rated class A by Stereophile?

V2.5

 

[Rickysa]

Hmm, I guess I'm concocting a bit of a FrankenMonitor with the new BMRs, 64-10s due next week, and either the SBs or ScanSpeaks...first time playing with crossovers too