In this review, we will be comparing Bronze 2 and Prime Bookshelf, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Monitor Audio and SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Bronze 2 and SVS Prime Bookshelf first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Bronze 2 | SVS Prime Bookshelf |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | SVS
United States · founded 1998 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" C-CAM | 6.5" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-30k Hz | 48-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-100 watts | 25-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.30kg / 11.7lbs | 7.03kg / 15.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.7" x 7.2" x 11.0"
350.0 x 185.0 x 281.0mm | 13.2" x 8.0" x 10.2"
337.8 x 203.2 x 261.6mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 and SVS Prime Bookshelf 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 |
SVS Prime Bookshelf |
| 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 Prime Bookshelf are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Bronze 2SVS Prime Bookshelf
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 |
SVS Prime Bookshelf |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-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 Prime Bookshelf features a 1" aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2300Hz.
Frequency Response
Bronze 2 has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz whereas Prime Bookshelf has a frequency range of 48-25k 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 Prime Bookshelf's min frequency of 48Hz.
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 and Prime Bookshelf have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Bronze 2 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Prime Bookshelf's is at 87 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Prime Bookshelf, 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.
Prime Bookshelf can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 2 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Prime Bookshelf.
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. Prime Bookshelf has a 5-way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Prime Bookshelf's 5-way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Bronze 2 has a front firing port whereas Prime Bookshelf 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 SVS Prime Bookshelf 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 SVS Prime Bookshelf'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 SVS Prime Bookshelf has external dimensions of 337.8 x 203.2 x 261.6mm (13.2 x 8.0 x 10.2inch).
SVS Prime Bookshelf is 12.2mm shorter and 19.4mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 2 but it is also 18.2mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Bronze 2 and SVS Prime Bookshelf in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Bronze 2 and SVS Prime Bookshelf 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 Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is approximately 519.9cm2 / 80.6inch2 and base area of the SVS Prime Bookshelf is approximately 531.6cm2 / 82.4inch2. The Bronze 2 requires 2% less surface area than the Prime Bookshelf which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Monitor Audio Bronze 2 and SVS Prime Bookshelf on a Media Console
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 SVS Prime Bookshelf weighs 7.03kg / 15.5lbs. This makes the Prime Bookshelf 33% heavier than the Bronze 2.
Here is a comparison of how Bronze 2 and Prime Bookshelf'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 SVS Prime Bookshelf?
Here are the items that come with the Prime Bookshelf:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber bumpers
- Owners Manual SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
42 Hz
vs
48 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 |
 Base Surface Area |
519cm2
vs
531cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
379USD
vs
600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Height |
337mm
vs
350mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Monitor Audio Bronze 2 |
SVS Prime Bookshelf |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-100 watts |
25-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-30k Hz |
48-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
|
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3100Hz |
2300Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
350.0mm (13.8") |
337.8mm (13.3") |
| Width |
185.0mm (7.3") |
203.2mm (8") |
| Depth |
281.0mm (11.1") |
261.6mm (10.3") |
| Weight |
5.30kg (11.7lbs) |
7.03kg (15.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, White, Rosemah, Black |
Black Ash,Piano Gloss Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
30-31" |
24-28" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
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 | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 2 digs deeper - 42Hz against 48Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is more sensitive (90dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | SVS Prime Bookshelf takes more power (150W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 2: bi-amping. Monitor Audio Bronze 2 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is cheaper - $379 against $600, about 37% less. |
A Monitor Audio Bronze 2 B SVS Prime Bookshelf
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?
Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take SVS Prime Bookshelf if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz 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 SVS Prime Bookshelf 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.