In this review, we will be comparing Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) and Bronze 500, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Aperion and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) and Monitor Audio Bronze 500 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
|---|
| Brand | Aperion
United States · founded 1998 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" | 1" gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 2 x 8" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-42k Hz | 32-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-300 Watts watts | 60-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 48.99kg / 107.8lbs | 18.05kg / 39.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 49.6" x 13.1" x 13.8"
1259.8 x 332.7 x 350.5mm | 38-7/16" x 11-9/16" x 14-3/8"
977.0 x 294.0 x 366.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) and Monitor Audio Bronze 500 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) and Bronze 500 are 2-way speakers.
Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE)Monitor Audio Bronze 500
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) features a 1.1" Tweeter and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the Bronze 500 features a 1" gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 8" C-CAM Woofer.
Frequency Response
Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) has a frequency range of 28-42k Hz whereas Bronze 500 has a frequency range of 32-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) can go slightly deeper then the Bronze 500's min frequency of 32Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE)
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Bronze 500 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Bronze 500's is rated at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 a more sensitive speaker compared to Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE), hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE)
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) can handle a max power of 600 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 500 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 400 watts less than the Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE).
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE)
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Bronze 500 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE)'s and Monitor Audio Bronze 500's external dimensions. Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) has external dimensions of 1259.8 x 332.7 x 350.5mm (49.6 x 13.1 x 13.8inch) whereas Monitor Audio Bronze 500 has external dimensions of 977.0 x 294.0 x 366.0mm (38-7/16 x 11-9/16 x 14-3/8inch).
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is 38.7mm narrower and 282.8mm shorter than Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) but it is also 15.5mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) needs about 8% more floor or shelf area. Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is 16mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) is 283mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) is approximately 1166.1cm2 / 180.7inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is approximately 1076.0cm2 / 166.8inch2. The Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) requires 8% more surface area than the Bronze 500 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) weighs 48.99kg / 107.8lbs and the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 weighs 18.05kg / 39.7lbs. This makes the Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) 171% heavier than the Bronze 500.
Here is a comparison of how Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) and Bronze 500's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE)
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Bronze 500?
Here are the items that come with the Bronze 500:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Outrigger feet (w/ 4 adjustment dials and locking-nuts)
- 4 Spikes (pre-installed on outrigger feet)
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Large course-thread screws
- 4 Small machine screws
- 2 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Hex-key
- Quick Start Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
42k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
977mm
vs
1259mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1076cm2
vs
1166cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1496USD
vs
10998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
| Brand |
Aperion |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-300 Watts watts |
60-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
28-42k Hz |
32-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1259.8mm (49.6") |
977.0mm (38.5") |
| Width |
332.7mm (13.1") |
294.0mm (11.6") |
| Depth |
350.5mm (13.8") |
366.0mm (14.4") |
| Weight |
48.99kg (107.8lbs) |
18.05kg (39.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) costs roughly 7.4x what Monitor Audio Bronze 500 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) digs deeper - 28Hz against 32Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) takes more power (600W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is easier to place; Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 500: bi-amping and Atmos drivers. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is cheaper - $1,496 against $10,998, about 86% less; arguably a different class. |
A Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) B Monitor Audio Bronze 500
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Match it to your room: we rate Aperion Grandis GR8T 8" 3-Way High Fidelity Tower Speaker (SINGLE) the better fit for a very large room, and Monitor Audio Bronze 500 for a mid-size room. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.