In this review, we will be comparing E50 and Bronze 2, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Buchardt and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Buchardt E50 and Monitor Audio Bronze 2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Buchardt E50 | Monitor Audio Bronze 2 |
|---|
| Brand | Buchardt
Denmark · founded 2014 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" waveguide | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" PURIFI Extended Stroke | 6.5" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 36-30k Hz | 42-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 60-200 watts | 30-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.60kg / 18.9lbs | 5.30kg / 11.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15.5" x 7.5" x 11.1"
395 x 190 x 284 mm | 13.7" x 7.2" x 11.0"
350.0 x 185.0 x 281.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Buchardt E50 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* |
Buchardt E50 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 2 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 E50 and Bronze 2 are 2-way speakers.
Buchardt E50Monitor 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 |
Buchardt E50 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
E50 features a 1" Custom Scanspeak textile dome waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" PURIFI Extended Stroke Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz. 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
E50 has a frequency range of 36-30k Hz whereas Bronze 2 has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the E50 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Bronze 2's min frequency of 42Hz.
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
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
E50 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Bronze 2 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 E50 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. E50 sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the Bronze 2's is rated at 90 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 a more sensitive speaker compared to Buchardt E50, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
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.
E50 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 2 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the E50.
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.
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 Buchardt E50's and Monitor Audio Bronze 2's external dimensions. Buchardt E50 has external dimensions of 395 x 190 x 284 mm (15.5 x 7.5 x 11.1 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).
Buchardt E50 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 5mm wider, 45mm taller and 3mm deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 2.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Buchardt E50 and Monitor Audio Bronze 2 in scale.
Comparison image of Buchardt E50 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 Buchardt E50 is approximately 539.6cm2 / 83.6inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is approximately 519.9cm2 / 80.6inch2. The E50 requires 4% more surface area than the Bronze 2 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Buchardt E50 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 Buchardt E50 weighs 8.60kg / 18.9lbs and the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 weighs 5.30kg / 11.7lbs. This makes the E50 62% heavier than the Bronze 2.
Here is a comparison of how E50 and Bronze 2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
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
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Passive Radiator |
two 6-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
350mm
vs
395mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
519cm2
vs
539cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
379USD
vs
3950USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Buchardt E50 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 2 |
| Brand |
Buchardt |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
60-200 watts |
30-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
36-30k Hz |
42-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
PURIFI Extended Stroke |
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
waveguide |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2000Hz |
3100Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
395.0mm (15.6") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Width |
190.0mm (7.5") |
185.0mm (7.3") |
| Depth |
284.0mm (11.2") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Weight |
8.60kg (18.9lbs) |
5.30kg (11.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
19 & 28mm (front baffle) solid european wood |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Stained Black, Rounded Natural Oak, Smoked Natural Oak, Rounded Charcoal, Smoked Oak, Natural Oak |
Walnut, White, Rosemah, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
30-31" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Buchardt E50 costs roughly 10.4x 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 | A | Buchardt E50 digs deeper - 36Hz against 42Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is more sensitive (90dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Buchardt E50 takes more power (200W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Expandability | B | 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 $3,950, about 90% less; arguably a different class. |
A Buchardt E50 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 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 42Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Monitor Audio Bronze 2 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Buchardt E50 the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Monitor Audio Bronze 2 for near-field listening and a small room.
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.