In this review, we will be comparing Bronze 1 and BW 607, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Monitor Audio and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Bronze 1 and B&W 607 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 | B&W 607 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.5" C-CAM | 5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-30k Hz | 52-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 84 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-70 watts | 30-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 3.50kg / 7.7lbs | 4.70kg / 10.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.2" x 6.4" x 8.0"
260.0 x 165.0 x 205.0mm | 11.8" x 6.4" x 8.1"
300.0 x 165.0 x 207.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 and B&W 607 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* |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
B&W 607 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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 Bronze 1 and BW 607 are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Bronze 1B&W 607
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
B&W 607 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
Bronze 1 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz. On the other hand, the BW 607 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Bronze 1 has a frequency range of 55-30k Hz whereas BW 607 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the BW 607 can go slightly deeper then the Bronze 1's min frequency of 55Hz.
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
Bronze 1 and BW 607 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Bronze 1 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the BW 607's is at 84 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 607, 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.
BW 607 can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 1 has a max power handling value of 70 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the BW 607.
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
BW 607 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Bronze 1 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Monitor Audio Bronze 1's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Bronze 1 and BW 607 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 Monitor Audio Bronze 1's and B&W 607's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Bronze 1 has external dimensions of 260.0 x 165.0 x 205.0mm (10.2 x 6.4 x 8.0inch) whereas B&W 607 has external dimensions of 300.0 x 165.0 x 207.0mm (11.8 x 6.4 x 8.1inch).
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.
Near-identical footprints. B&W 607 is 40mm 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 Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is approximately 338.3cm2 / 52.4inch2 and base area of the B&W 607 is approximately 341.6cm2 / 52.9inch2. The Bronze 1 requires 1% less surface area than the BW 607 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 Monitor Audio Bronze 1 weighs 3.50kg / 7.7lbs and the B&W 607 weighs 4.70kg / 10.3lbs. This makes the BW 607 34% heavier than the Bronze 1.
Here is a comparison of how Bronze 1 and BW 607'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 1?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Bronze 1:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Hex-key
- Owner's Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of B&W 607?
Here are the items that come with the BW 607:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Two-piece foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-straps
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
84 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
5.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
260mm
vs
300mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
338cm2
vs
341cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
100 watts
vs
70 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Low Frequency Response |
52 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
Bowers & Wilkins 607 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-70 watts |
30-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
84 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.0 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-30k Hz |
52-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2700Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
260.0mm (10.2") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Width |
165.0mm (6.5") |
165.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
205.0mm (8.1") |
207.0mm (8.1") |
| Weight |
3.50kg (7.7lbs) |
4.70kg (10.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, White, Rosemah, Black |
Black, White, Oak |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
30-31" |
24-26" |
| 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 |
These sit in different price classes - B&W 607 costs roughly 2.7x 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 | B | B&W 607 digs deeper - 52Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is more sensitive (88dB vs 84dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | B&W 607 takes more power (100W vs 70W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 607: bi-amping. Monitor Audio Bronze 1 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is cheaper - $299 against $799, about 63% less; arguably a different class. |
A Monitor Audio Bronze 1 B B&W 607
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?
B&W 607 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 2.7x the price. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Monitor Audio Bronze 1 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the B&W 607 appeals to you. Match it to your room: we rate Monitor Audio Bronze 1 the better fit for near-field listening; elsewhere the two are rated the same. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Monitor Audio Bronze 1 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.