In this review, we will be comparing Bronze 1 and RTi A3, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Monitor Audio and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Bronze 1 and Polk RTi A3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 | Polk RTi A3 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.5" C-CAM | 6.5" Polymer composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-30k Hz | 50-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-70 watts | 20-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 3.50kg / 7.7lbs | 7.26kg / 16lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.2" x 6.4" x 8.0"
260.0 x 165.0 x 205.0mm | 14.7" x 8.4" x 14.0"
374.7 x 214.4 x 355.6mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 and Polk RTi A3 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 |
Polk RTi A3 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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
Both Bronze 1 and RTi A3 are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Bronze 1Polk RTi A3
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 |
Polk RTi A3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-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 RTi A3 features a 1" silk polymer composite Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polymer composite Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
Bronze 1 has a frequency range of 55-30k Hz whereas RTi A3 has a frequency range of 50-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the RTi A3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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 RTi A3 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 RTi A3's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk RTi A3 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.
RTi A3 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 1 has a max power handling value of 70 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the RTi A3.
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
RTi A3 features Pair of Dual 5-way Binding Posts - Gold-Plated 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
Bronze 1 has a rear firing port whereas RTi A3 has a back and front firing ports.
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 Polk RTi A3'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 Polk RTi A3 has external dimensions of 374.7 x 214.4 x 355.6mm (14.7 x 8.4 x 14.0inch).
Polk RTi A3 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 49.4mm wider, 114.7mm taller and 150.6mm 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.
Polk RTi A3 needs about 125% more floor or shelf area. Polk RTi A3 is 151mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Polk RTi A3 is 115mm 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 Polk RTi A3 is approximately 762.4cm2 / 118.2inch2. The Bronze 1 requires 56% less surface area than the RTi A3 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 Polk RTi A3 weighs 7.26kg / 16lbs. This makes the RTi A3 107% heavier than the Bronze 1.
Here is a comparison of how Bronze 1 and RTi A3'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 Polk RTi A3?
Here are the items that come with the RTi A3:
- 2 Cherry bookshelf speakers
- 2 Self-tapping screws
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owner's Manual
- Template
- Online registration sheet
- Polk Audio product brochure
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
260mm
vs
374mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
338cm2
vs
762cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
465USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
70 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Mounting Bracket |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows mounting on walls |
| General |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
Polk Audio RTi A3 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-70 watts |
20-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-30k Hz |
50-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
Polymer composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2700Hz |
2800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
back and front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
260.0mm (10.2") |
374.7mm (14.8") |
| Width |
165.0mm (6.5") |
214.4mm (8.4") |
| Depth |
205.0mm (8.1") |
355.6mm (14") |
| Weight |
3.50kg (7.7lbs) |
7.26kg (16lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
Real wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, White, Rosemah, Black |
Black, Cherry |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
Keyhole |
| Recommended Stand Height |
30-31" |
24-31" |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is the newer design, against a 2008 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Polk RTi A3 digs deeper - 50Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Polk RTi A3 takes more power (150W vs 70W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is easier to place; Polk RTi A3 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Polk RTi A3: 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 $465, about 36% less. |
A Monitor Audio Bronze 1 B Polk RTi A3
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: Polk RTi A3 measures better, Monitor Audio Bronze 1 costs about about 56% more% 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. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 55Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Monitor Audio Bronze 1 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Monitor Audio Bronze 1 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Polk RTi A3 for a mid-size room and a large 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.