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CES 2023: Drop’s BMR1 Nearfield Monitors bring audiophile sound to your desktop

Derek Malcolm
By

San Francisco-based audio product maker Drop announced the launch of its BMR1 Nearfield Monitors at CES 2023 today. This set of affordable and compact desktop speakers promises to bring pristine and natural high-quality sound to your workspace, whether you’re a professional sound mixer, a discerning sound snob, or just a work-from-homer.

Drop's new BMR1 Nearfield Monitors on a desktop with a computer.
Drop

A great set of desktop speakers can be hard to come by, especially ones that offer accurate sound reproduction at such a close distance. Nearfield speakers tend to have smaller drivers and are designed to be situated 2 feet to 3 feet from the listener, allowing for a direct sound that isn’t affected by the surrounding walls or room surfaces.

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Drop says that its BMR1 Nearfield Monitors can deliver loud, distortion-free audiophile-level sound with a wide and natural soundstage using what Drop calls balanced mode radiators (BMR) and force-canceling passive radiators, which allow the long, narrow speakers to be placed vertically or horizontally and in any position. This freedom of placement will bode well for desk jockeys without a lot of space as the speakers can be placed above, below, behind, or beside computer monitors and other office accouterments.

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While the Drop BMR1s are not packed with connectivity options, this can be forgiven considering their more than reasonable $129 price tag. Bluetooth 5.0 and a 3.5mm AUX input for direct-lining to a computer or other sound source are all you get here, but the speakers do offer a 3.5mm subwoofer output so you can add extra bass should you need it. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone out and the 2.6 x  3.9 x 11.5-inch speakers (WxDxH) come with sound-isolating stands, too. The Drop press release also says that customizable magnetic grills will be available for purchase, giving buyers additional style options.

Drop's new BMR1 Nearfield Monitors on a desktop with a computer.
Drop

“We consider our community members knowledgeable enthusiasts who are passionate about their gear and curate optimal combinations of performance and design-focused products for their setups,” said Jef Holove, CEO of Drop. “With that in mind, we sought to design speakers worthy of our first entry into the category, and we drew inspiration from our mechanical keyboard community to incorporate the customization and personal expression elements in the speakers, which are so essential to enthusiasts.”

The BMR1 Nearfield Monitors will retail for $129 and be available for preorder on Drop.com starting January 31, 2023, with preorder shipments set to arrive by late February.

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Derek Malcolm
Derek Malcolm
Contributing Editor, A/V
Derek Malcolm is a Toronto-based technology journalist, editor, and content specialist whose work has appeared in…
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