In this review, we will be comparing RP-8000F II and Bronze 500, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Klipsch and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RP-8000F II and Monitor Audio Bronze 500 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch RP-8000F II | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Tractrix Horn | 1" gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Cerametallic cone | 2 x 8" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-25k Hz | 32-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 98 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 150 watts | 60-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 28.00kg / 61.6lbs | 18.05kg / 39.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-3/16" x 10-7/8" x 17-9/16"
1097.0 x 277.0 x 447.0mm | 38-7/16" x 11-9/16" x 14-3/8"
977.0 x 294.0 x 366.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Klipsch RP-8000F II 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* |
Klipsch RP-8000F II |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.
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Drivers
Both RP-8000F II and Bronze 500 are 2-way speakers.
Klipsch RP-8000F IIMonitor 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 |
Klipsch RP-8000F II |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
RP-8000F II features a 1" titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1630 Hz. 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
RP-8000F II has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz whereas Bronze 500 has a frequency range of 32-30k Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the 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
RP-8000F II and Bronze 500 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. RP-8000F II sensitivity is rated at 98 dB and the Bronze 500's is at 90 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-8000F II 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.
Bronze 500 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas RP-8000F II has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Bronze 500.
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
Both RP-8000F II and Bronze 500 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Klipsch RP-8000F II's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or 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 Klipsch RP-8000F II's and Monitor Audio Bronze 500's external dimensions. Klipsch RP-8000F II has external dimensions of 1097.0 x 277.0 x 447.0mm (43-3/16 x 10-7/8 x 17-9/16inch) 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 120mm shorter and 81mm less deeper than Klipsch RP-8000F II but it is also 17mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch RP-8000F II and Monitor Audio Bronze 500 in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch RP-8000F II and Monitor Audio Bronze 500 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 Klipsch RP-8000F II is approximately 1238.2cm2 / 191.9inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is approximately 1076.0cm2 / 166.8inch2. The RP-8000F II requires 15% 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 Klipsch RP-8000F II weighs 28.00kg / 61.6lbs and the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 weighs 18.05kg / 39.7lbs. This makes the RP-8000F II 55% heavier than the Bronze 500.
Here is a comparison of how RP-8000F II 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 Klipsch RP-8000F II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of RP-8000F II:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Stabilizer feet (pre-installed)
- Grille
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Rubber cap (pre-installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
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
 Sensitivity |
98 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
977mm
vs
1097mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1076cm2
vs
1238cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1496USD
vs
1798USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-8000F II |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 150 watts |
60-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
98 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-25k Hz |
32-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic cone |
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Tractrix Horn |
gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1630 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1097.0mm (43.2") |
977.0mm (38.5") |
| Width |
277.0mm (10.9") |
294.0mm (11.6") |
| Depth |
447.0mm (17.6") |
366.0mm (14.4") |
| Weight |
28.00kg (61.6lbs) |
18.05kg (39.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black |
Black |
| 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 |
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 |
evenly matched |
Much the same reach (32Hz vs 32Hz). |
| Amplifier needs |
A |
Klipsch RP-8000F II is more sensitive (98dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom |
B |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is easier to place; Klipsch RP-8000F II is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
depends |
Klipsch RP-8000F II: bi-amping and Atmos drivers; Monitor Audio Bronze 500: bi-amping and Atmos drivers. |
| Price |
B |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is cheaper - $1,496 against $1,798, about 17% less. |
A Klipsch RP-8000F II
B Monitor Audio Bronze 500
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch RP-8000F II 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.