'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?
ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.
When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.
New Drop compact speakers blanket your desk with sound for under $130
The BMR1 speakers can be mounted either horizontally (above) or vertically (shown below).
Online retailer Drop sells everything from off-the-shelf tech to bespoke fashion accessories, but it's probably best known for products in two categories: mechanical keyboards and audio equipment.
Special Feature
The company's in-house brand is once again dipping into the latter arena, revealing its new Drop BMR1 Nearfield Monitors during CES 2023.
This new offering is a pair of compact desktop speakers that use some novel technology to create "a natural soundstage and excellent imaging capabilities" and can be oriented horizontally or vertically to fit your desktop and monitor setup.
Also: CES 2023 tech you can actually buy now
The BMR in the name comes from the single "balanced mode radiator" that does the heavy lifting of producing the sound for each speaker. This, combined with "force-canceling passive radiators," allows the tiny speakers to produce extremely loud sound output without distortion, Drop said.
Also: HyperX's new 3D-printed accessories line starts with a Cozy Cat
Drop also says the technology used here creates a wide dispersion field that allows users to experience great-quality sound without needing to worry about precise speaker placement or having to sit in a narrow sweet spot to maintain stereo imaging.
Drop clearly intends the speakers to be on the neutral side of the sound spectrum, using descriptors like "organic and natural tonality" for the sound profile, and saying that they will never sound "overly harsh or bright."
Also: ZDNET's guide to CES: Where, when, and who is it for?
The built-in Class D amplifier within the BMR1s provides peak power of 30W, with a sensitivity of 83.5 dB. Sound input can be via either a 3.5mm aux jack, or wirelessly over Bluetooth 5.0. The speakers also have a 3.5mm output port for connecting headphones or a subwoofer, for setups needing more bass than they can provide.
The 66 x 100 x 293mm dimensions should allow the speakers to squeeze in around just about any monitor.
Those who aren't feeling the industrial design of the bare drivers seen above can pick up a set of magnetic grilles that are expected to be available at launch in multiple styles. You can sign up to be notified when the BMR1 Nearfield Monitors are available at Drop for $129. The retailer expects to begin shipping units to customers in late February or March. Keep your eyes peeled for a full review here at ZDNET in the coming weeks as well.