Short answer: the Emotiva Airmotiv XB2. It ranks #48 of 222 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $549; the Philharmonic BMR Monitor ranks #134, rated 3.6/5, and costs $2,200, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
The Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 is the better-sounding pick. A great value bookshelf speaker with neutral sound, an AMT ribbon tweeter, and decent bass for its size. The catch: Slight recessed upper-midrange around 2kHz from the tweeter-to-woofer handoff.
The Philharmonic BMR Monitor is the deeper-bass choice. Three-way bookshelf speakers with premium drivers, a well-built cabinet and extremely wide dispersion for a broad soundstage. Its bass reaches about 47Hz before falling 3dB, against 62Hz for the Emotiva Airmotiv XB2. The tradeoff: A 1-2dB bump around 2-3kHz creates a “glare” on vocals, guitars, and strings that the reviewer noticed consistently across many tracks.
Buy the Emotiva Airmotiv XB2. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Philharmonic BMR Monitor and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
A great value bookshelf speaker with neutral sound, an AMT ribbon tweeter, and decent bass for its size.
Three-way bookshelf speakers with premium drivers, a well-built cabinet and extremely wide dispersion for a broad soundstage.
Prices on this page were last checked October 31, 2026 at 7:11 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Specifications Side By Side
| Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 | Philharmonic BMR Monitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $549 per pair | $2200 per pair |
| Ranked | #48 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #134 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 47Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 12.8” x 8.5” x 11.5” (325 x 216 x 292 mm) | 20”H x 8”W x 12.5”D (508 x 203.2 x 317.5 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (safe with 8-ohm rated amps) | 4 ohms nominal (3 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (2.83V/1m, Manufacturer specified) | 84dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 1x 6” woven cone woofer, 1x 25x32mm AMT folded ribbon tweeter | 6” Ceramic woofer, Balanced Mode Radiator 2.5” midrange, RAAL 64-10X OEM tweeter |
| Weight | 18.1 lbs (8.2 kg) | 32 lbs (14.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | Bass reflex, rear ported | ported, rear |
| Frequency Response | 48Hz - 27kHz (+3/-3dB, Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Crossover Frequency | 2.6kHz | - |
| Power Handling | 125W continuous, 200W peak | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.65 | 6.02 (spinorama.org) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.93 | 7.67 (spinorama.org) |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Emotiva Airmotiv XB2 compares with other leading options: