Short answer: the Behringer Eurolive B215XL. It ranks #50 of 62 15-inch pa speakers by sound quality, rated 3.0/5, at $329; the Yamaha CBR15 ranks #59, rated 2.7/5, and costs $384, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Behringer Eurolive B215XL does well: High-quality independent measurement data gives a clear, well-documented result: a 3.39 ideal-subwoofer preference score with 77Hz extension. Watch for: Being passive, it needs an external amplifier and crossover to work at all, and RMS power handling and build quality trail every powered alternative in this ranking.
Why pick the Yamaha CBR15: The passive version of the measured Yamaha DBR15, sharing its 15” woofer, compression driver and lightweight polypropylene cabinet with 90° x 60° coverage. The tradeoff: No independent measurements yet, so it can’t be compared with ranked PA speakers.
Buy the Behringer Eurolive B215XL. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Yamaha CBR15 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Worth knowing: the Yamaha CBR15 has not been measured yet. Its rating is estimated from related models, with a likely range of 2.3 to 3.1, so treat this verdict as provisional.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete PA & Live Sound rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Behringer Eurolive B215XL | Yamaha CBR15 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.00 Passive | $384.00 Passive |
| Ranked | #50 of 62 in 15-Inch PA Speakers | #59 of 62 in 15-Inch PA Speakers Estimated |
| Passive | Yes | Yes |
| Configuration | Passive 2-way bass-reflex PA speaker | Passive 2-way bass-reflex PA speaker |
| Drivers | 15” woofer, 1.75” titanium-diaphragm compression driver | 15” woofer, 1” voice coil compression driver |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 20kHz (manufacturer specified) | 46Hz - 20kHz (-10dB, manufacturer specified) |
| Dimensions | 27.4”H x 17.3”W x 13.2”D (695 x 440 x 335 mm) | - |
| Inputs | Parallel professional twist-lock and quarter-inch inputs | - |
| Amplifier Power | Passive speaker; use external amplification within the 1,000W peak handling rating | Passive speaker; requires external amplification |
| Power Handling | 1,000W peak (manufacturer specified) | 1,000W peak |
| Cabinet Material | Molded enclosure | - |
| Rigging | Standard speaker-pole mount; optional wall bracket | 3 x M8 inserts; 35mm pole socket |
| Coverage | 70° x 40° | 90° x 60° |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 85Hz (measured, independent data) | - |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Weight | 38.8 lbs (17.6 kg) | 39 lbs (17.7 kg) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 0.25 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 3.39 | - |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | - |
| TRS Input | Yes | - |
| Optical Input | No | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | - |
| USB Input | No | - |
| HDMI Input | No | - |
| AES Input | No | - |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Microphone Input | No | - |
| Guitar Input | No | - |
| DSP | No (passive) | No (passive) |
| Maximum SPL | 126dB (manufacturer specified) | 126dB (calculated, manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | - | 96dB |
| Impedance | - | 8 ohms |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Behringer Eurolive B215XL:
- RCF ART 735-A MK4 vs Behringer Eurolive B215XL
- DAS Audio Vantec 15A vs Behringer Eurolive B215XL
- Behringer Eurolive B215XL vs RCF ART 715-A MK4
- Behringer Eurolive B215XL vs Yamaha DBR15
- Behringer Eurolive B215XL vs Behringer Eurolive B212XL
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Behringer Eurolive B215XL: $329.00 Passive Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Same family: the Behringer Eurolive B212XL (smaller model, rated 2.3/5).
Pros: High-quality independent measurement data gives a clear, well-documented result: a 3.39 ideal-subwoofer preference score with 77Hz extension. At a fraction of the price of every active speaker here, it is a genuine budget entry point for a 15-inch two-way box. Measured bass extension of 85Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Being passive, it needs an external amplifier and crossover to work at all, and RMS power handling and build quality trail every powered alternative in this ranking. The 70° x 40° pattern is on the narrow side.
Full Behringer Eurolive B215XL review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | Passive speaker; use external amplification within the 1,000W peak handling rating |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 85Hz (measured, independent data) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Cabinet Material | Molded enclosure |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Configuration | Passive 2-way bass-reflex PA speaker |
| Coverage | 70° x 40° |
| DSP | No (passive) |
| Dimensions | 27.4”H x 17.3”W x 13.2”D (695 x 440 x 335 mm) |
| Drivers | 15” woofer, 1.75” titanium-diaphragm compression driver |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 20kHz (manufacturer specified) |
| Guitar Input | No |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | Parallel professional twist-lock and quarter-inch inputs |
| Maximum SPL | 126dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Microphone Input | No |
| Optical Input | No |
| Passive | Yes |
| Power Handling | 1,000W peak (manufacturer specified) |
| RCA Input | No |
| Rigging | Standard speaker-pole mount; optional wall bracket |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 0.25 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 3.39 |
| TRS Input | Yes |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 38.8 lbs (17.6 kg) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Yamaha CBR15: $384.00 Passive Estimated B&H Photo Video eBay
Same family: the Yamaha DBR10 (smallest powered model, rated 3.4/5), the Yamaha DBR12 (powered model, rated 3.6/5), the Yamaha DBR15 (largest powered model, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5), the Yamaha CBR10 (smaller passive model, estimated 3.2/5) and the Yamaha CBR12 (smaller passive model, estimated 3.4/5).
Pros: The passive version of the measured Yamaha DBR15, sharing its 15” woofer, compression driver and lightweight polypropylene cabinet with 90° x 60° coverage. Yamaha rates it at 96dB sensitivity, 126dB maximum SPL and bass to 46Hz (-10dB), and at 17.7 kg it is one of the lighter 15-inch boxes.
Cons: No independent measurements yet, so it can’t be compared with ranked PA speakers. It needs an external amplifier, and without the powered model’s DSP its response depends on the amplifier’s EQ. The measured powered version is a budget design, so expect the same limits on output and smoothness.
Full Yamaha CBR15 review and specifications →
| Released | Dec 2014 (11 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | Passive speaker; requires external amplification |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Configuration | Passive 2-way bass-reflex PA speaker |
| Coverage | 90° x 60° |
| DSP | No (passive) |
| Drivers | 15” woofer, 1” voice coil compression driver |
| Frequency Response | 46Hz - 20kHz (-10dB, manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Maximum SPL | 126dB (calculated, manufacturer specified) |
| Passive | Yes |
| Power Handling | 1,000W peak |
| Rigging | 3 x M8 inserts; 35mm pole socket |
| Sensitivity | 96dB |
| Weight | 39 lbs (17.7 kg) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons