The Philharmonic Ceramic Mini ranks #2 out of 89 total Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers for sound quality. See all Passive Home rankings for every top pick.
Brand: Philharmonic
Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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.
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#2 Philharmonic Ceramic Mini: $900 per pair Philharmonic Audio eBay
Pros: Gorgeous looks and finish options for the price. Very low midrange distortion for the size, well under 1% above about 400-500Hz. Excellent on-axis linearity. Mild, pleasant bass bump around 100Hz that adds welcome warmth without being excessive. Wide soundstage and dispersion (~70-80 degrees horizontally). Clean cabinet and port with no measured resonances. A great value combination of looks and performance at this price. Measured bass extension of 51Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 82dB.
Cons: 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. A mild diffraction-related dip around 4-6kHz can cause occasional sibilance on some vocal tracks. Measured sensitivity (82.2dB average) runs a bit below the manufacturer’s claimed 84dB, so it needs more amp power than the spec alone suggests. Needs a subwoofer for real bass authority below about 40Hz.
How it compares: Just above it: Audio First Fidelia - 2Hz higher bass extension (-3dB). Just below it: Ascend Sierra 1 v2 - $100 more, 0.5Hz lower bass extension (-3dB).
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 36Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Country | USA (Vienna, Virginia) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2kHz (Linkwitz-Riley 4th order) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 12” x 8.5” x 11.3” (305 x 216 x 286 mm) |
| Drivers | 5.25” ceramic woofer, 1” ceramic dome tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 20kHz (+1.5/-3dB, Manufacturer specified, ported) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.2 ohms min, 15 ohms max) (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 82dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.77 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.78 |
| Weight | 17 lbs (7.7 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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