Short answer: the Revel Concerta2 M16. It ranks #36 of 84 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $600; the Philharmonic BMR Monitor ranks #51 and costs $2200, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Revel Concerta2 M16 offers: CEA2034 spinorama shows an on-axis response that’s essentially flat from 200Hz to 10kHz, with some bass boost around 100Hz. Watch for: Harmonic distortion shows a notable peak around 80Hz and a sharp spike around 350Hz, plus the woofer appears to get a bit unhappy right before handing off to the tweeter.
What the Philharmonic BMR Monitor offers: 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. 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.
Buy the Revel Concerta2 M16. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Philharmonic BMR Monitor and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Revel Concerta2 M16 | Philharmonic BMR Monitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | about $600 used | $2200 |
| Ranked | #36 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #51 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 25mm tweeter + 165mm woofer | 6" Ceramic woofer, Balanced Mode Radiator 2.5" midrange, RAAL 64-10X OEM tweeter |
| Weight | 32 lbs / 14.5 kg | 32 lbs / 14.5 kg each |
| Sensitivity | 86dB | 84dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms nominal (3 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 14.8"H x 8.6"W x 10.8"D (374.7 x 218.4 x 273.3 mm) | 20"H x 8"W x 12.5"D (508 x 203.2 x 317.5 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60.1Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 47Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Revel Concerta2 M16: about $600 used
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows an on-axis response that’s essentially flat from 200Hz to 10kHz, with some bass boost around 100Hz. Predicted in-room response is very nice, with just extra bass and a bit of roll-off above 20kHz - the reviewer calls it “nice!” Distortion is well controlled through most of the range at both test levels.
Cons: Harmonic distortion shows a notable peak around 80Hz and a sharp spike around 350Hz, plus the woofer appears to get a bit unhappy right before handing off to the tweeter. Cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) shows some lingering resonances in the 300Hz-1kHz region. The reviewer cautions not to over-cover the cabinet/grille area with thin fabric, as it can audibly affect the top-end response.
Full Revel Concerta2 M16 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60.1Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 14.8"H x 8.6"W x 10.8"D (374.7 x 218.4 x 273.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 25mm tweeter + 165mm woofer |
| Impedance | 6 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 86dB |
| Weight | 32 lbs / 14.5 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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Philharmonic BMR Monitor: $2200 Philharmonicaudio
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.
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 →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 47Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| 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) |
| Weight | 32 lbs / 14.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons