In this review, we will be comparing Aria 906 and Bronze 1, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Focal and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Aria 906 and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Aria 906 | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Inverted Hard Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Flax | 5.5" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-28k Hz | 55-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89.5 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 20-70 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.64kg / 19lbs | 3.50kg / 7.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15-3/8" x 8-15/16" x 11-5/16"
391.0 x 228.0 x 288.0mm | 10.2" x 6.4" x 8.0"
260.0 x 165.0 x 205.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Aria 906 and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 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* |
Focal Aria 906 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
No way |
(* 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 Aria 906 and Bronze 1 are 2-way speakers.
Focal Aria 906Monitor Audio Bronze 1
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Focal Aria 906 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
Aria 906 features a 1" TNF aluminum/magnesium Inverted Hard Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz. On the other hand, the Bronze 1 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
Aria 906 has a frequency range of 55-28k Hz whereas Bronze 1 has a frequency range of 55-30k Hz.
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
Aria 906 and Bronze 1 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Aria 906 sensitivity is rated at 89.5 dB and the Bronze 1's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal Aria 906 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Bronze 1, 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.
Aria 906 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 1 has a max power handling value of 70 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Aria 906.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Aria 906 features Post type posts and Bronze 1 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Aria 906's Binding post terminals
Monitor Audio Bronze 1's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Aria 906 and Bronze 1 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 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 Focal Aria 906's and Monitor Audio Bronze 1's external dimensions. Focal Aria 906 has external dimensions of 391.0 x 228.0 x 288.0mm (15-3/8 x 8-15/16 x 11-5/16inch) whereas Monitor Audio Bronze 1 has external dimensions of 260.0 x 165.0 x 205.0mm (10.2 x 6.4 x 8.0inch).
Focal Aria 906 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 63mm wider, 131mm taller and 83mm deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 1.
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.
Focal Aria 906 needs about 94% more floor or shelf area. Focal Aria 906 is 83mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Focal Aria 906 is 131mm 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 Focal Aria 906 is approximately 656.6cm2 / 101.8inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is approximately 338.3cm2 / 52.4inch2. The Aria 906 requires 94% more surface area than the Bronze 1 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 Focal Aria 906 weighs 8.64kg / 19lbs and the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 weighs 3.50kg / 7.7lbs. This makes the Aria 906 147% heavier than the Bronze 1.
Here is a comparison of how Aria 906 and Bronze 1's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Focal Aria 906?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Aria 906:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Cloth grilles
- User manual
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Bronze 1?
Here are the items that come with the Bronze 1:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Hex-key
- Owner's Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
70 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
260mm
vs
391mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
338cm2
vs
656cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
2198USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Aria 906 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
20-70 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89.5 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.6 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
55-28k Hz |
55-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Flax |
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Inverted Hard Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2800Hz |
2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
391.0mm (15.4") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Width |
228.0mm (9") |
165.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
288.0mm (11.3") |
205.0mm (8.1") |
| Weight |
8.64kg (19lbs) |
3.50kg (7.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Glass/Leather |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black |
Walnut, White, Rosemah, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
30-31" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Focal Aria 906 costs roughly 7.4x what Monitor Audio Bronze 1 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (55Hz vs 55Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | Focal Aria 906 is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Focal Aria 906 takes more power (120W vs 70W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is easier to place; Focal Aria 906 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Monitor Audio Bronze 1 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is cheaper - $299 against $2,198, about 86% less; arguably a different class. |
A Focal Aria 906 B Monitor Audio Bronze 1
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?
The usual trade-off: Focal Aria 906 measures better, Monitor Audio Bronze 1 costs about about 7.4x the price% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. Match it to your room: we rate Focal Aria 906 the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 for near-field listening and a small room. In a large or open-plan room, Focal Aria 906 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Monitor Audio Bronze 1 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.