Short answer: the Philharmonic BMR Monitor. It ranks #134 of 222 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 3.6/5, at $2,200. The GR-Research X-LS Encore ranks #146, rated 3.5/5, at $1,300, $900 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
Why pick the GR-Research X-LS Encore: Two-way bookshelf speakers with a Peerless woofer, also sold as a kit so builders can save money by assembling them. Watch for: A slight depression in the upper bass and some peaking in the lower bass shows up on-axis, along with directivity error in the crossover region.
The Philharmonic BMR Monitor is the more accurate, deeper-bass choice. Three-way bookshelf speakers with premium drivers, a well-built cabinet and extremely wide dispersion for a broad soundstage. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 6.02 against 5.05 for the GR-Research X-LS Encore. Its bass reaches about 47Hz before falling 3dB, against 64Hz for the GR-Research X-LS Encore. The catch: 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 Philharmonic BMR Monitor. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $900 with the GR-Research X-LS Encore does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Two-way bookshelf speakers with a Peerless woofer, also sold as a kit so builders can save money by assembling them.
Three-way bookshelf speakers with premium drivers, a well-built cabinet and extremely wide dispersion for a broad soundstage.
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Specifications Side By Side
| GR-Research X-LS Encore | Philharmonic BMR Monitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1300 per pair | $2200 per pair |
| Ranked | #146 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #134 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 64Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 47Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 13.5”H x 8.5”W x 12.1”D (342.9 x 215.9 x 308 mm) | 20”H x 8”W x 12.5”D (508 x 203.2 x 317.5 mm) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms nominal (3 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 84.4dB (measured by Audio Science Review on the kit; 87dB manufacturer specified) | 84dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 6.5” Peerless M-165 paper composite cone, non-resonant polymer frame woofer, 1” Peerless India T26SG tweeter | 6” Ceramic woofer, Balanced Mode Radiator 2.5” midrange, RAAL 64-10X OEM tweeter |
| Weight | 17 lbs (7.7 kg) each | 32 lbs (14.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.05 (measured, spinorama.org) | 6.02 (spinorama.org) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.42 (measured, spinorama.org) | 7.67 (spinorama.org) |
| DIY Kit | - | No |
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