In this review, we will be comparing MartinLogan Foundation F1 and Bronze 500, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from MartinLogan and Monitor Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Foundation F1 and Monitor Audio Bronze 500 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the MartinLogan Foundation F1 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the MartinLogan Foundation F1 and Monitor Audio Bronze 500 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that MartinLogan Foundation F1 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.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Foundation F1 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 5.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
MartinLogan Foundation F1 features a 1" Gen2 Obsidian Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter , a 5.5" Midrange and 3 x 5.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 240 Hz - 3700 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
MartinLogan Foundation F1 has a frequency range of 41-23k 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 MartinLogan Foundation F1's min frequency of 41Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation F1
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation F1
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
MartinLogan Foundation F1 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Bronze 500 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 MartinLogan Foundation F1 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. MartinLogan Foundation F1 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Bronze 500's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Foundation F1 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Bronze 500, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation F1
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Bronze 500 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. MartinLogan Foundation F1 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MartinLogan Foundation F1's Binding post terminals
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare MartinLogan Foundation F1's and Monitor Audio Bronze 500's external dimensions. MartinLogan Foundation F1 has external dimensions of 1053.0 x 213.0 x 367.0mm ( 41-7/16inch x 8-3/8inch x 14-7/16inch ) 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 76mm shorter and 1mm less deeper than MartinLogan Foundation F1 but it is also 81mm wider.
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 MartinLogan Foundation F1 is approximately 781.7cm2 / 121.2inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is approximately 1076.0cm2 / 166.8inch2. The MartinLogan Foundation F1 requires 27% less surface area than the Bronze 500 which gives it a small advantage 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 MartinLogan Foundation F1 weighs 21.14kg / 46.5lbs and the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 weighs 18.05kg / 39.7lbs. This makes the MartinLogan Foundation F1 17% heavier than the Bronze 500.
Here is a comparison of how MartinLogan Foundation F1 and Bronze 500's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Foundation F1
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Bronze 500?
Here are the items that come with the Bronze 500:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Outrigger feet (w/ 4 adjustment dials and locking-nuts)4 Spikes (pre-installed on outrigger feet)4 Rubber feet4 Large course-thread screws4 Small machine screws2 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)2 Foam port plugsHex-keyQuick Start GuideImportant Safety Instructions
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Base Surface Area |
781cm2 (213x367mm)
vs
1076cm2 (294x366mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
| Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
41 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
977mm
vs
1053mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1496USD
vs
1499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
MartinLogan Foundation F1 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 200 watts |
60-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
41-23k Hz |
32-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion Ribbon |
gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
240 Hz - 3700 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1053.0mm (41.5") |
977.0mm (38.5") |
| Width |
213.0mm (8.4") |
294.0mm (11.6") |
| Depth |
367.0mm (14.4") |
366.0mm (14.4") |
| Weight |
21.14kg (46.5lbs) |
18.05kg (39.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut,Black,Satin White |
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 |