In this review, we will be comparing Bronze 2 and Motion 15, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Monitor Audio and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Bronze 2 and MartinLogan 15 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Bronze 2 | MartinLogan 15 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" C-CAM | 5.25" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-30k Hz | 60-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 5 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-100 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.30kg / 11.7lbs | 5.40kg / 11.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.7" x 7.2" x 11.0"
350.0 x 185.0 x 281.0mm | 11.4" x 6.8" x 9.4"
290.0 x 173.0 x 240.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 and MartinLogan 15 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 2 |
MartinLogan 15 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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 2 and Motion 15 are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Bronze 2MartinLogan 15
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 2 |
MartinLogan 15 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
Bronze 2 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3100Hz. On the other hand, the Motion 15 features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
Bronze 2 has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz whereas Motion 15 has a frequency range of 60-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Bronze 2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion 15's min frequency of 60Hz.
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 2 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Motion 15 which has a nominal impedance of 5 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Bronze 2 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Motion 15's is rated at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 15 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Bronze 2, 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.
Motion 15 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 2 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Motion 15.
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 2 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Motion 15 has a Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Bronze 2 has a front firing port whereas Motion 15 has a rear firing ports. Monitor Audio Bronze 2's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to MartinLogan 15 with its rear-firing 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 2's and MartinLogan 15's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Bronze 2 has external dimensions of 350.0 x 185.0 x 281.0mm (13.7 x 7.2 x 11.0inch) whereas MartinLogan 15 has external dimensions of 290.0 x 173.0 x 240.0mm (11.4 x 6.8 x 9.4inch).
Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 12mm wider, 60mm taller and 41mm deeper than MartinLogan 15.
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.
Monitor Audio Bronze 2 needs about 25% more floor or shelf area. Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is 41mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is 60mm 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 2 is approximately 519.9cm2 / 80.6inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 15 is approximately 415.2cm2 / 64.4inch2. The Bronze 2 requires 25% more surface area than the Motion 15 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 Monitor Audio Bronze 2 weighs 5.30kg / 11.7lbs and the MartinLogan 15 weighs 5.40kg / 11.9lbs. This makes the Motion 15 2% heavier than the Bronze 2.
Here is a comparison of how Bronze 2 and Motion 15'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 2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Bronze 2:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Hex-key
- Owner's Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 15?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 15:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- Users Manual
- Warranty/Registration Information
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
5 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
42 Hz
vs
60 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 |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Price per pair* |
379USD
vs
800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
290mm
vs
350mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
415cm2
vs
519cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Monitor Audio Bronze 2 |
MartinLogan Motion 15 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-100 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-30k Hz |
60-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.0 x 1.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Folded Motion |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3100Hz |
2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
Allow 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
350.0mm (13.8") |
290.0mm (11.4") |
| Width |
185.0mm (7.3") |
173.0mm (6.8") |
| Depth |
281.0mm (11.1") |
240.0mm (9.4") |
| Weight |
5.30kg (11.7lbs) |
5.40kg (11.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
Piano Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, White, Rosemah, Black |
Gloss Black, Matt White, Red Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
30-31" |
24-30" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
These sit in different price classes - MartinLogan 15 costs roughly 2.1x what Monitor Audio Bronze 2 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 | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 2 digs deeper - 42Hz against 60Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | MartinLogan 15 is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | MartinLogan 15 takes more power (200W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | MartinLogan 15 is easier to place; Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Monitor Audio Bronze 2: bi-amping. MartinLogan 15 sits in a wider range (18 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is cheaper - $379 against $800, about 53% less; arguably a different class. |
A Monitor Audio Bronze 2 B MartinLogan 15
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 60Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Monitor Audio Bronze 2 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and MartinLogan 15 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.