In this review, we will be comparing Bronze 200 and C 97 II, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Monitor Audio and Jamo.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Bronze 200 and Jamo C 97 II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Bronze 200 | Jamo C 97 II |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Jamo
Denmark · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" C-CAM | 3 x 6" Composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-30k Hz | 32-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-120 watts | 50-180 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.84kg / 28.2lbs | 24.55kg / 54lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 36" x 9" x 12-1/8"
915.0 x 229.0 x 308.0mm | 42-1/8" x 9-3/4" x 15-13/16"
1070.0 x 248.0 x 402.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Bronze 200 and Jamo C 97 II 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 200 |
Jamo C 97 II |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Bronze 200 is a 2-way design whereas the C 97 II is a 3-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.
Monitor Audio Bronze 200Jamo C 97 II
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 200 |
Jamo C 97 II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
3 x 6-inch
|
Bronze 200 features a 1" gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" C-CAM Woofer. On the other hand, the C 97 II features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6" Composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
Bronze 200 has a frequency range of 35-30k Hz whereas C 97 II has a frequency range of 32-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the C 97 II can go slightly deeper then the Bronze 200's min frequency of 35Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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 200 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the C 97 II which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Bronze 200 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the C 97 II's is rated at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Jamo C 97 II a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Bronze 200, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
C 97 II can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 200 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 60 watts less than the C 97 II.
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
Both Bronze 200 and C 97 II features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Jamo C 97 II's Posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 200's and Jamo C 97 II's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Bronze 200 has external dimensions of 915.0 x 229.0 x 308.0mm (36 x 9 x 12-1/8inch) whereas Jamo C 97 II has external dimensions of 1070.0 x 248.0 x 402.0mm (42-1/8 x 9-3/4 x 15-13/16inch).
Jamo C 97 II is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 19mm wider, 155mm taller and 94mm deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 200.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Bronze 200 and Jamo C 97 II in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Bronze 200 and Jamo C 97 II 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 200 is approximately 705.3cm2 / 109.3inch2 and base area of the Jamo C 97 II is approximately 997.0cm2 / 154.5inch2. The Bronze 200 requires 29% less surface area than the C 97 II 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 200 weighs 12.84kg / 28.2lbs and the Jamo C 97 II weighs 24.55kg / 54lbs. This makes the C 97 II 91% heavier than the Bronze 200.
Here is a comparison of how Bronze 200 and C 97 II's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Bronze 200?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Bronze 200:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Outrigger feet (w/ 4 adjustment dials and locking-nuts)
- 4 Spikes (pre-installed on outrigger feet)
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Large course-thread screws
- 4 Small machine screws
- 2 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Hex-key
- Quick Start Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of Jamo C 97 II?
Here are the items that come with the C 97 II:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes (pre-installed on outrigger feet)
- 4 Rubber feet
- 8 Machine screws
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Hex-key
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
915mm
vs
1070mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
705cm2
vs
997cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1150USD
vs
1378USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
180 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Monitor Audio Bronze 200 |
Jamo Concert 9 Series C 97 II |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Jamo |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-120 watts |
50-180 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-30k Hz |
32-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
Composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
915.0mm (36") |
1070.0mm (42.1") |
| Width |
229.0mm (9") |
248.0mm (9.8") |
| Depth |
308.0mm (12.1") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
12.84kg (28.2lbs) |
24.55kg (54lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Monitor Audio Bronze 200 is the newer design, against a 2016 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 | Jamo C 97 II digs deeper - 32Hz against 35Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 200 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | Jamo C 97 II takes more power (180W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Bronze 200 is easier to place; Jamo C 97 II is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 200: bi-amping and Atmos drivers; Jamo C 97 II: bi-amping. Monitor Audio Bronze 200 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 200 is cheaper - $1,150 against $1,378, about 17% less. |
A Monitor Audio Bronze 200 B Jamo C 97 II
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. In a large or open-plan room, Jamo C 97 II has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Monitor Audio Bronze 200 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.