In this review, we will be comparing Stage 280F and Bronze 500, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from JBL and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Stage 280F and Monitor Audio Bronze 500 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL Stage 280F | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Polycellulose | 2 x 8" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 39-25k Hz | 32-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-225 watts | 60-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 25.09kg / 55.2lbs | 18.05kg / 39.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-13/16" x 14-1/8" x 16-1/2"
1113.0 x 359.0 x 420.0mm | 38-7/16" x 11-9/16" x 14-3/8"
977.0 x 294.0 x 366.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the JBL Stage 280F 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* |
JBL Stage 280F |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Stage 280F is a 3-way design whereas the Bronze 500 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
JBL Stage 280FMonitor 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 |
JBL Stage 280F |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Stage 280F features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 8" Polycellulose 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
Stage 280F has a frequency range of 39-25k Hz whereas Bronze 500 has a frequency range of 32-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the Bronze 500 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Stage 280F's min frequency of 39Hz.
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
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
Stage 280F is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Bronze 500 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Stage 280F sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Bronze 500's is rated at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the JBL Stage 280F a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Bronze 500, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
Stage 280F can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 500 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the Stage 280F.
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
Bronze 500 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Stage 280F has a 5-Way 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 JBL Stage 280F's and Monitor Audio Bronze 500's external dimensions. JBL Stage 280F has external dimensions of 1113.0 x 359.0 x 420.0mm (43-13/16inch x 14-1/8inch x 16-1/2inch) 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).
JBL Stage 280F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 65mm wider, 136mm taller and 54mm deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 500.
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 JBL Stage 280F is approximately 1507.8cm2 / 233.7inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is approximately 1076.0cm2 / 166.8inch2. The Stage 280F requires 40% 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 JBL Stage 280F weighs 25.09kg / 55.2lbs and the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 weighs 18.05kg / 39.7lbs. This makes the Stage 280F 39% heavier than the Bronze 500.
Here is a comparison of how Stage 280F and Bronze 500's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of JBL Stage 280F?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Stage 280F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker Grille Plinth 4 Spikes 4 Screws Hex-key Quick Start Guide Important Safety Instructions
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 |
225 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1496USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
39 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
977mm
vs
1113mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1076cm2
vs
1507cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
JBL Stage 280F |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
| Brand |
JBL |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-225 watts |
60-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
39-25k Hz |
32-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polycellulose |
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1113.0mm (43.8") |
977.0mm (38.5") |
| Width |
359.0mm (14.1") |
294.0mm (11.6") |
| Depth |
420.0mm (16.5") |
366.0mm (14.4") |
| Weight |
25.09kg (55.2lbs) |
18.05kg (39.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Espresso,Latte |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 digs deeper - 32Hz against 39Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (225W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is easier to place; JBL Stage 280F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | JBL Stage 280F: Atmos drivers; Monitor Audio Bronze 500: bi-amping and Atmos drivers. Monitor Audio Bronze 500 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | JBL Stage 280F is cheaper - $1,199 against $1,496, about 20% less. |
A JBL Stage 280F 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?
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 leads across most of the measured areas for a fairly modest premium, which makes it the easier pick if the budget stretches. JBL Stage 280F is the one to take if it does not. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 39Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper JBL Stage 280F much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate JBL Stage 280F the better fit for a very large room, and Monitor Audio Bronze 500 for a mid-size 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.