Short answer: a tie on sound quality. Both are rated 3.6/5 (#134 and #138 of 222 bookshelf speakers), so choose on features and fit.
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 4.17 for the Mission LX-3 MKII. Its bass reaches about 47Hz before falling 3dB, against 67.4Hz for the Mission LX-3 MKII. 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.
The case for the Mission LX-3 MKII: Large affordable standmount speakers with a 6.5 inch woofer, useful bass and easy to drive sensitivity. The catch: On-axis smoothness of 0.217 and predicted in-room smoothness of 0.344 reveal clear response unevenness, with a -0.46dB-per-octave downward tilt.
Buy the Philharmonic BMR Monitor or the Mission LX-3 MKII on features: they are rated the same for sound quality at close to the same price.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Three-way bookshelf speakers with premium drivers, a well-built cabinet and extremely wide dispersion for a broad soundstage.
Large affordable standmount speakers with a 6.5 inch woofer, useful bass and easy to drive sensitivity.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Philharmonic BMR Monitor | Mission LX-3 MKII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2200 per pair | £249 per pair |
| Ranked | #134 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #138 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 42.5Hz (derived from ASR on-axis curve, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 47Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 67.4Hz (measured, ASR via spinorama.org) |
| Dimensions | 20”H x 8”W x 12.5”D (508 x 203.2 x 317.5 mm) | 13.6H x 8.9W x 12.1D in |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal, 4.1 ohms minimum |
| Drivers | 6” Ceramic woofer, Balanced Mode Radiator 2.5” midrange, RAAL 64-10X OEM tweeter | 1” microfiber-dome tweeter, 6.5” composite-fiber woofer |
| Sensitivity | 84dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 88dB |
| Weight | 32 lbs (14.5 kg) each | 18.5 lbs (8.4 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.02 (spinorama.org) | 4.17 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.67 (spinorama.org) | 6.42 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Enclosure | - | 2-way, bass-reflex |
| Country | - | United Kingdom (design) |
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