Short answer: the Philharmonic BMR (v1). It ranks #30 of 84 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $2200; the Buchardt S400 MKII ranks #48 and costs $2400, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Philharmonic BMR (v1) offers: Large three-way combining a Scan-Speak 7-inch paper/carbon woofer, 2.5-inch Tectonic balanced-mode midrange and RAAL 64-10 ribbon. Watch for: The measured 83dB sensitivity and roughly 4-ohm load demand meaningful external amplification.
What the Buchardt S400 MKII offers: Two-way design with a 3/4” tweeter on a well-implemented aluminum waveguide (compression-driver style, letting the small tweeter cross unusually low at 1800Hz), a 6” SB Acoustics-style mid-woofer, and a tunable 5x8” passive… Watch for: Sounds a bit bright and slightly boosted above about 7-8kHz on-axis, even with 30° of toe-out - benefits from about 1 inch of sidewall absorption at the first reflection points to tame it.
Buy the Philharmonic BMR (v1). It ranks higher for sound quality than the Buchardt S400 MKII and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Philharmonic BMR (v1) | Buchardt S400 MKII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Current version: $2,200/pair | $2400 |
| Ranked | #30 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #48 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | Approximately 62Hz relative to mean (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner website) | 59Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | Approximately 83dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 84.7dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | Approximately 4 ohms nominal (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | RAAL 64-10 ribbon; 2.5" BMR midrange; 7" Scan-Speak woofer | 6.5" aluminum cone woofer, 1" soft dome tweeter |
| Port Tuning | Mid/low-30Hz range (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | - | 14.4"H x 7"W x 11"D (365.8 x 177.8 x 279.4 mm) |
| Weight | - | 16.5 lbs / 7.5 kg each |
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- Buchardt S400 MKII vs Philharmonic BMR Monitor
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The Two Speakers In Full
Philharmonic BMR (v1): Current version: $2,200/pair Philharmonic Audio
Pros: Large three-way combining a Scan-Speak 7-inch paper/carbon woofer, 2.5-inch Tectonic balanced-mode midrange and RAAL 64-10 ribbon. Erin measured approximately +/-1.5dB linearity from 80Hz upward, very broad +/-40-degree-or-better horizontal coverage and about 83dB/2.83V/1m sensitivity. The port is tuned in the mid/low-30Hz region without audible chuffing, the midrange provides unusually expansive staging, and distortion remained subjectively unobtrusive.
Cons: The measured 83dB sensitivity and roughly 4-ohm load demand meaningful external amplification. A 1-2dB shelf below about 300Hz reduces warmth unless corrected, while a response/impedance feature near 250-300Hz corresponded with Erin’s sense of resonance. The ribbon produces narrower vertical than horizontal radiation, and second-order high-frequency distortion plus dynamic enhancement near 3kHz appeared in testing. This was an earlier cabinet/version, not the current v2.
Full Philharmonic BMR (v1) review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | Approximately 62Hz relative to mean (measured, Erin's Audio Corner website) |
|---|---|
| Drivers | RAAL 64-10 ribbon; 2.5" BMR midrange; 7" Scan-Speak woofer |
| Impedance | Approximately 4 ohms nominal (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Port Tuning | Mid/low-30Hz range (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | Approximately 83dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
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Buchardt S400 MKII: $2400 Buchardtaudio
Pros: Two-way design with a 3/4” tweeter on a well-implemented aluminum waveguide (compression-driver style, letting the small tweeter cross unusually low at 1800Hz), a 6” SB Acoustics-style mid-woofer, and a tunable 5x8” passive radiator adjustable via rear weights. Exceptionally flat on-axis linearity, within about ±2dB from 80Hz to 16kHz. Wide horizontal radiation for a waveguided design (about ±45-50°), notably broader than a comparable narrow-waveguide rival like the Klipsch Sevens (~±30°). Well-focused, precise imaging, aided by tight pair matching between the two speakers. Takes very well to EQ correction, letting listeners easily dial in the top end or add midrange fullness to taste. Bass extension reaches a genuine 50Hz in-room from a mellow, well-tuned rolloff rather than an artificially boosted one.
Cons: Sounds a bit bright and slightly boosted above about 7-8kHz on-axis, even with 30° of toe-out - benefits from about 1 inch of sidewall absorption at the first reflection points to tame it. A mild dullness noted especially on male vocals, alongside a small dip around 300-600Hz. Vertical positioning is critical and unusually “temperamental” - sitting even slightly toward the tweeter line causes a suckout, while sitting above it adds too much energy; not well suited to multi-height home theater seating. Distortion is fine at 86dB but runs into real issues by 96dB - not a high-output speaker. Some compression-related enhancement appears around 1.2kHz (crossover-region interaction), and the tweeter shows clear compression at 102dB. The woofer can bottom out at extreme low-frequency content played very loud; crossing to a subwoofer below 60Hz caused output problems at high volume, while 80-100Hz worked well. A subwoofer isn’t strictly required to protect the speaker at moderate listening levels (80-85dB at 3 meters), but is still recommended for genuine low-octave extension.
Full Buchardt S400 MKII review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 59Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 14.4"H x 7"W x 11"D (365.8 x 177.8 x 279.4 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" aluminum cone woofer, 1" soft dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 84.7dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 16.5 lbs / 7.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons