B&W 707 S2 vs Monitor Audio Bronze 2 Comparison

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B&W 707 S2

Passive Bookshelf | 50-28k Hz

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Monitor Audio Bronze 2

Passive Bookshelf | 42-30k Hz

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B&W 707 S2

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Monitor Audio Bronze...

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B&W 707 S2

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Monitor Audio Bronze...

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B&W 707 S2 vs Monitor Audio Bronze 2 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing 707 S2 and Bronze 2, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Monitor Audio.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of B&W 707 S2 and Monitor Audio Bronze 2 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	B&W 707 S2	Monitor Audio Bronze 2
Brand	Bowers Wilkins United Kingdom · founded 1966	Monitor Audio United Kingdom · founded 1972
Design	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1" Decoupled Soft-Dome	1" Dome
Woofer	5" Continuum	6.5" C-CAM
Frequency response	50-28k Hz	42-30k Hz
Sensitivity	84 dB	90 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Power range	30-100 watts	30-100 watts
Weight	6.00kg / 13.2lbs	5.30kg / 11.7lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	11" x 6.5" x 10.9" 280.0 x 165.0 x 276.0mm	13.7" x 7.2" x 11.0" 350.0 x 185.0 x 281.0mm

What size room are the B&W 707 S2 and Monitor Audio Bronze 2 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*	B&W 707 S2	Monitor Audio Bronze 2
Near-field	Average	Average
Small Room	Good	Good
Mid-size Room	Average	Average
Large Room	Poor	Poor
Very Large Room	Bad	Bad

(* 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 707 S2 and Bronze 2 are 2-way speakers.

B&W 707 S2

Monitor Audio Bronze 2

TweeterWoofer

Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.

Driver	B&W 707 S2	Monitor Audio Bronze 2
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	1 x 5-inch	1 x 6.5-inch

707 S2 features a 1" Decoupled Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Continuum Woofer. On the other hand, the Bronze 2 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3100Hz.

Frequency Response

707 S2 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz whereas Bronze 2 has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Bronze 2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 707 S2's min frequency of 50Hz.

The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.

Low Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

707 S2

Bronze 2

Min

Average

Median

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

707 S2 and Bronze 2 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 707 S2 sensitivity is rated at 84 dB and the Bronze 2's is at 90 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 707 S2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

707 S2

Bronze 2

Min

Average

Median

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.

707 S2 and Bronze 2 have the same power range of 30-100 watts.

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.

Amplifier - change this

Distance

Playing as

B&W 707 S2

Monitor Audio Bronze 2

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Both 707 S2 and Bronze 2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

Cabinet Type and Port Position

707 S2 has a rear firing port whereas Bronze 2 has a front firing ports. Monitor Audio Bronze 2's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 707 S2 with its rear-firing port.

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 B&W 707 S2's and Monitor Audio Bronze 2's external dimensions. B&W 707 S2 has external dimensions of 280.0 x 165.0 x 276.0mm (11-inch x 6.5-inch x 10.9-inch) whereas Monitor Audio Bronze 2 has external dimensions of 350.0 x 185.0 x 281.0mm (13.7 x 7.2 x 11.0inch).

Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 20mm wider, 70mm taller and 5mm deeper than B&W 707 S2.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 707 S2 and Monitor Audio Bronze 2 in scale.

Comparison image of B&W 707 S2 and Monitor Audio Bronze 2 Size and External Dimensions

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 B&W 707 S2 is approximately 455.4cm² / 70.6inch² and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is approximately 519.9cm² / 80.6inch². The 707 S2 requires 12% less surface area than the Bronze 2 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:

Size Comparison image of B&W 707 S2 and Monitor Audio Bronze 2 on a Media Console

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 B&W 707 S2 weighs 6.00kg / 13.2lbs and the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 weighs 5.30kg / 11.7lbs. This makes the 707 S2 13% heavier than the Bronze 2.

Here is a comparison of how 707 S2 and Bronze 2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers

B&W 707 S2

Monitor Audio Bronze 2

Min

Average

Max

What's in the Box of B&W 707 S2?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of 707 S2:

2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
2 Grilles
2 Two-piece foam port plugs
8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
4 Jumper-straps
Manual
Bowers & Wilkins brochure
Warranty Information

What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Bronze 2?

Here are the items that come with the Bronze 2:

2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
2 Grilles
2 Foam port plugs
Hex-key
Owner's Manual
Important Safety Instructions

Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins 707 S2 over Monitor Audio Bronze 2

Height	280mm vs 350mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	455cm² vs 519cm²	Takes less floor space

Reasons to choose Monitor Audio Bronze 2 over Bowers & Wilkins 707 S2

Sensitivity	90 dB vs 84 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Woofer Size	6.5 inches vs 5 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	42 Hz vs 50 Hz	Generates deeper bass
High Frequency Response	30k Hz vs 28k Hz	Generates higher frequency
Port Position	Front vs Rear	Gives more flexibility placing close to walls
Price per pair*	379USD vs 1599USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

B&W 707 S2 vs Monitor Audio Bronze 2 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Bowers & Wilkins 707 S2	Monitor Audio Bronze 2
Brand	Bowers Wilkins	Monitor Audio
Speaker Type	Bookshelf speakers	Bookshelf speakers
Power Range	30-100 watts	30-100 watts
Sensitivity	84 dB	90 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Impedance	4.0 ohms	n/a
Frequency Response	50-28k Hz	42-30k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	1
Woofer Size	5"	6.5"
Woofer Composition	Continuum	C-CAM
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	Rubber
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	Decoupled Soft-Dome	Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Crossover Frequency	n/a	3100Hz
Firing Direction	rear	front
Physical Specs
Height	280.0mm (11")	350.0mm (13.8")
Width	165.0mm (6.5")	185.0mm (7.3")
Depth	276.0mm (10.9")	281.0mm (11.1")
Weight	6.00kg (13.2lbs)	5.30kg (11.7lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	MDF/Wood Veneer	MDF/Wood-grain vinyl
Available Colors	Rosewood, Gloss Black, Satin White	Walnut, White, Rosemah, Black
Mounting Bracket	No	No
Recommended Stand Height	24-26"	30-31"
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	Yes	Yes
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	5 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Years	5 Years

Verdict

These sit in different price classes - B&W 707 S2 costs roughly 4.2x what Monitor Audio Bronze 2 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	B	Monitor Audio Bronze 2 digs deeper - 42Hz against 50Hz. A subwoofer would even that out.
Amplifier needs	B	Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is more sensitive (90dB vs 84dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier.
Headroom	evenly matched	Similar power handling (100W vs 100W).
Size	depends	B&W 707 S2 is easier to place; Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
Expandability	depends	B&W 707 S2: bi-amping; Monitor Audio Bronze 2: bi-amping. Monitor Audio Bronze 2 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later.
Price	B	Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is cheaper - $379 against $1,599, about 76% less; arguably a different class.

A B&W 707 S2 B Monitor Audio Bronze 2
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?

Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take B&W 707 S2 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 50Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Monitor Audio Bronze 2 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, B&W 707 S2 is the easier speaker to get right.

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.