Short answer: the Dynaudio Contour 20i for better sound quality, the Philharmonic BMR Monitor for the lower price. The Dynaudio Contour 20i ranks #96 of 222 bookshelf speakers, rated 3.9/5, at $5,750. The Philharmonic BMR Monitor ranks #134, rated 3.6/5, at $2,200, $3,550 cheaper.
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 56Hz for the Dynaudio Contour 20i. Watch for: A 1-2dB bump around 2-3kHz creates a “glare” on vocals, guitars, and strings that the reviewer noticed consistently across many tracks.
The case for the Dynaudio Contour 20i: Beautifully built bookshelf speakers with wide, spacious sound, clean output at high volume, and bass that blends easily near a wall. The tradeoff: Notably room-dependent: sounds too bright in the lower treble in smaller rooms with close sidewalls, needing sidewall absorption to sound neutral, while performing better in larger or more open rooms without that treatment.
Buy the Philharmonic BMR Monitor if the price is the priority over sound quality, or the Dynaudio Contour 20i if sound quality is the priority over the price.
Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.
Three-way bookshelf speakers with premium drivers, a well-built cabinet and extremely wide dispersion for a broad soundstage.
Beautifully built bookshelf speakers with wide, spacious sound, clean output at high volume, and bass that blends easily near a wall.
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
| Philharmonic BMR Monitor | Dynaudio Contour 20i | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2200 per pair | $5750 per pair |
| Ranked | #134 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #96 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 47Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 56Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 20”H x 8”W x 12.5”D (508 x 203.2 x 317.5 mm) | 17.4”H x 8.5”W x 14.2”D (442 x 215.9 x 360.7 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms |
| Drivers | 6” Ceramic woofer, Balanced Mode Radiator 2.5” midrange, RAAL 64-10X OEM tweeter | 18 cm MSP woofer, 28mm Esotar 2i with Hexis tweeter |
| Sensitivity | 84dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 82.5dB |
| Weight | 32 lbs (14.5 kg) each | 30.9 lbs (14 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.02 (spinorama.org) | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.67 (spinorama.org) | - |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Dynaudio Contour 20i: