Is BMR Still the Bomb?

To Doug Schneider,

I’m researching speaker systems and while looking for information on the Cambridge BMR technology I came across your review of the Aero 2 speakers that you wrote about a year and a half ago. BMR sounds interesting, but this is the first time I will buy a 5.1 setup and I’m a little nervous getting something different than the “tried and true” tweeters. Would you still recommend getting the Aero line if my budget is limited to roughly what they cost, or is there a better option at roughly this price range now? I’ve been reading everything I can on speakers, but unfortunately so little information is given by the manufacturers. I moved to Austria, and my German is not good enough to ask people in the shops here for help. Any advice you could give for a first-timer would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards,
Tom A.
Austria

There are always new speakers coming out, so you likely have more options today than when I reviewed the Aero 2. Still, keep that amazing speaker on your list, as well as the Aero 6, a floorstander, and the pricier Aeromax models.

Here’s the thing about Balanced Mode Radiator (BMR) technology: it is cheap; has fairly wide bandwidth; and sounds wickedly good, at least in the Aero 2. The 2’s bass, which is supplied by a conventional woofer, is about average in performance. But above 250Hz or so, the BMR kicks in and that’s where the magic happens, particularly through the midrange -- unbelievable transparency and clarity for the price. The only caveat is how loud the Aero 2 can play -- fairly loud, but not stupidly so. I have no idea what your expectations are for home theater, so keep that in mind. Obviously, I strongly encourage you to try a pair of Aeros, or five, and see if you think as much of the sound as I did when I had the Aero 2s here. . . . Doug Schneider