Short answer: the Philharmonic Ceramic Mini. It ranks #2 of 179 bookshelf speakers by sound quality (rated 4.7/5) at $900 and is still sold new; the Tekton Troubadour ranks #40 (rated 3.8/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
The Philharmonic Ceramic Mini is the better-sounding choice. A beautifully finished bookshelf speaker with near reference accuracy, low distortion, a touch of warmth and a wide soundstage. The tradeoff: Somewhat limited output capability for its size: audible woofer compression (“flopping”) around 95dB at 3 meters for a stereo pair, so keep to moderate levels or pair with a subwoofer for home theater use.
What the Tekton Troubadour does well: American made stand mounts with a multi driver array, wide dispersion that forgives seating height, and solid bass for their size. The tradeoff: Forward, elevated upper-midrange presentation from increased off-axis energy in the 2-8 kHz range, centered around 4 kHz, that can read as hot or aggressive depending on the room and listener; a couple bands of EQ can tame it.
Buy the Philharmonic Ceramic Mini. It is rated higher for sound quality; the Tekton Troubadour is no longer sold new.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Measured Differences
- Efficiency: the Tekton Troubadour is rated at 88 dB sensitivity against 82 dB for the Philharmonic Ceramic Mini, so it plays as loud with roughly a third of the amplifier power.
- Close enough not to matter: bass extension (36 Hz vs 39 Hz, 10 dB down); preference score with a subwoofer (7.8 vs 7.5).
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Specifications Side By Side
| Philharmonic Ceramic Mini | Tekton Troubadour | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $900 per pair | $1,000 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #2 of 179 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #40 of 179 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 36Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 12” x 8.5” x 11.3” (305 x 216 x 286 mm) | 21” x 13.5” x 9” (533 x 343 x 229 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.2 ohms min, 15 ohms max) (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 3.6 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 5.25” ceramic woofer, 1” ceramic dome tweeter | 2x 5.25” mid-woofers, 3x 1” dome tweeters (offset in-phase array) |
| Sensitivity | 82dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 88dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 17 lbs (7.7 kg) | 32 lbs (14.5 kg) each |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 20kHz (+1.5/-3dB, Manufacturer specified, ported) | - |
| Crossover Frequency | 2kHz (Linkwitz-Riley 4th order) | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | - |
| Country | USA (Vienna, Virginia) | USA |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.77 | 5.50 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.78 | 7.52 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Philharmonic Ceramic Mini: Spinorama.org measurements and reviews by Erin’s Audio Corner.
- Tekton Troubadour: Spinorama.org measurements and reviews by Erin’s Audio Corner.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
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