Short answer: the Philharmonic BMR Monitor. Both are rated 3.6/5 for sound quality (#129 and #138 of 214 bookshelf speakers), and the Philharmonic BMR Monitor costs $2,200 against $2,300 for the Natural Sound NS17, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
The case for the Natural Sound NS17: A Chinese two-way with a 6.5” solid wood diaphragm woofer and a 1” silk dome tweeter, in a heavy cabinet. Watch for: The on-axis response is less even (0.55 average deviation).
The Philharmonic BMR Monitor is the more accurate, deeper-bass choice. Three-way design combining a 6” SB Acoustics mid-woofer, a 2.5” Tectonic balanced-mode radiator (BMR) for the midrange, and a ribbon tweeter: premium component choices relative to the asking price. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 6.02 against 4.87 for the Natural Sound NS17. Its bass reaches about 47Hz before falling 3dB, against 60.1Hz for the Natural Sound NS17. 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. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $100 less than the Natural Sound NS17.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Natural Sound NS17 | Philharmonic BMR Monitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,300 per pair | $2200 per pair |
| Ranked | #138 of 214 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #129 of 214 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 6.5” solid wood woofer, 1” silk dome tweeter | 6” Ceramic woofer, Balanced Mode Radiator 2.5” midrange, RAAL 64-10X OEM tweeter |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (manufacturer specified) | 84dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms nominal (3 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 26.5 lbs (12 kg) each | 32 lbs (14.5 kg) each |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60.1Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 47Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | about 35.6Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.87 | 6.02 (spinorama.org) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.75 | 7.67 (spinorama.org) |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Dimensions | - | 20”H x 8”W x 12.5”D (508 x 203.2 x 317.5 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported, rear |
Frequency Response Compared
Both speakers’ spinorama measurements, overlaid. A flatter line is more neutral: peaks sound forward or harsh, dips sound recessed. Each curve is shifted so its average from 300 Hz to 3 kHz sits at 0 dB, so loudness differences between the two are removed and only the shape is compared. The two were measured by different sources, so small differences, especially in the bass, can come from the measurement setup rather than the speakers.
Measurement data: Natural Sound NS17 (measured by Audio Science Review) and Philharmonic BMR Monitor (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner), via spinorama.org.
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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
Natural Sound NS17: $2,300 per pair Aoshida Audio eBay
Pros: A Chinese two-way with a 6.5” solid wood diaphragm woofer and a 1” silk dome tweeter, in a heavy cabinet. Sensitivity is 87dB. Audio Science Review measured a preference score of 4.87 that reaches 6.75 with an ideal subwoofer, with 0.42 listening window deviation. Measured bass extension of 60.1Hz (-3dB).
Cons: The on-axis response is less even (0.55 average deviation). It is sold mainly through importers such as Aoshida Audio. Bass reaches 60.1Hz (-3dB) and about 36Hz (-10dB).
Full Natural Sound NS17 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | about 35.6Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60.1Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Drivers | 6.5” solid wood woofer, 1” silk dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.87 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.75 |
| Weight | 26.5 lbs (12 kg) each |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Philharmonic BMR Monitor: $2200 per pair Philharmonic Audio eBay
Older model: the Philharmonic BMR (v1) (ranked higher, rated 4.3/5). See every Philharmonic BMR generation.
Pros: Three-way design combining a 6” SB Acoustics mid-woofer, a 2.5” Tectonic balanced-mode radiator (BMR) for the midrange, and a ribbon tweeter: premium component choices relative to the asking price. A clear improvement over the V1: the earlier version’s overly hot, plateauing treble has been resolved, leaving a genuinely good in-room response outside of one specific area. Extremely wide horizontal radiation of about ±70-80°, creating an enveloping, wide soundstage that illuminates the sidewalls. Well-built, attractive cabinet. Midrange and tweeter show no stress or elevated distortion even at higher output: all the compression and distortion issues trace back to the mid-woofer alone. Measured bass extension of 47Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 84dB.
Cons: A 1-2dB bump around 2-3kHz creates a “glare” on vocals, guitars, and strings that the reviewer noticed consistently across many tracks. The extremely wide radiation trades off against imaging precision: instrument placement became noticeably more diffuse and harder to pinpoint in a narrower, more reflective room, though it improved substantially in a larger, more open room with less sidewall interaction. A suspected resonance around 500Hz shows up as an imbalance in sound power and horizontal directivity measurements, loosely correlating with a vague sense of resonance the reviewer heard subjectively. Moderate sensitivity (about 84.1dB anechoic) and a mid-woofer that runs out of steam under real stress: distortion exceeds 3% even at 100Hz at 96dB, and the reviewer notes SB Acoustics’ published excursion specs tend to overstate real-world linear excursion by nearly 2x. Significant compression appears at 102dB: the woofer audibly unloads around 120Hz, and the ribbon tweeter also compresses heavily at high output. Not well suited to very loud two-channel listening (above about 90dB at 4 meters). In-room bass rolls off around 50Hz, so a subwoofer is recommended for most music. Benefits noticeably from a few bands of EQ if available.
Full Philharmonic BMR Monitor review and specifications →
| Released | 2015 (11 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 47Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 20”H x 8”W x 12.5”D (508 x 203.2 x 317.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 6” Ceramic woofer, Balanced Mode Radiator 2.5” midrange, RAAL 64-10X OEM tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 84dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.02 (spinorama.org) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.67 (spinorama.org) |
| Weight | 32 lbs (14.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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