In this review, we will be comparing Bronze 300 7G and Bronze 500, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Bronze 300 7G and Monitor Audio Bronze 500 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Bronze 300 7G | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6" C-CAM | 2 x 8" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 34-30k Hz | 32-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-150 watts | 60-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.63kg / 34.4lbs | 18.05kg / 39.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39-3/4" x 10-5/8" x 15-7/16"
1010.0 x 270.0 x 393.0mm | 38-7/16" x 11-9/16" x 14-3/8"
977.0 x 294.0 x 366.0mm |
|---|
Bronze 300 7G and Bronze 500 are members of Monitor Audio's Bronze series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Monitor Audio Bronze Series
History
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Bronze 300 7G and Bronze 500 are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Bronze 300 7GMonitor Audio Bronze 500
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 300 7G |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Bronze 300 7G features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6" C-CAM Woofer. On the other hand, the Bronze 500 features a 1" gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 8" C-CAM Woofer.
Frequency Response
Bronze 300 7G has a frequency range of 34-30k Hz whereas Bronze 500 has a frequency range of 32-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the Bronze 500 can go slightly deeper then the Bronze 300 7G's min frequency of 34Hz.
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 300 7G and Bronze 500 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Bronze 300 7G sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Bronze 500's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Bronze 300 7G, 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.
Bronze 500 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 300 7G has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Bronze 500.
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.
Monitor Audio Bronze 300 7G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Bronze 300 7G and Bronze 500 features dual binding post speaker terminals for 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 300 7G's and Monitor Audio Bronze 500's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Bronze 300 7G has external dimensions of 1010.0 x 270.0 x 393.0mm (39-3/4inch x 10-5/8inch x 15-7/16inch) whereas Monitor Audio Bronze 500 has external dimensions of 977.0 x 294.0 x 366.0mm (38-7/16 x 11-9/16 x 14-3/8inch).
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is 33mm shorter and 27mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 300 7G but it is also 24mm wider.
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 300 7G is approximately 1061.1cm2 / 164.5inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is approximately 1076.0cm2 / 166.8inch2. The Bronze 300 7G requires 1% less surface area than the Bronze 500 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 300 7G weighs 15.63kg / 34.4lbs and the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 weighs 18.05kg / 39.7lbs. This makes the Bronze 500 15% heavier than the Bronze 300 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Bronze 300 7G and Bronze 500's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Monitor Audio Bronze 300 7G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Bronze 300 7G?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Bronze 300 7G:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Outrigger feet
- 8 Spikes
- Eight M10x25mm hex-screws
- Eight M4x15mm hex-screws
- 4 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Foam port plugs
- Quick Start Guide
- Important Safety
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Bronze 500?
Here are the items that come with the Bronze 500:
- 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
 Base Surface Area |
1061cm2
vs
1076cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1249USD
vs
1496USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
977mm
vs
1010mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Monitor Audio Bronze 300 7G |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-150 watts |
60-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
34-30k Hz |
32-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1010.0mm (39.8") |
977.0mm (38.5") |
| Width |
270.0mm (10.6") |
294.0mm (11.6") |
| Depth |
393.0mm (15.5") |
366.0mm (14.4") |
| Weight |
15.63kg (34.4lbs) |
18.05kg (39.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in Monitor Audio's Bronze series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (34Hz vs 32Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 300 7G: bi-amping; Monitor Audio Bronze 500: bi-amping and Atmos drivers. |
| Price | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 300 7G is cheaper - $1,249 against $1,496, about 17% less. |
A Monitor Audio Bronze 300 7G B Monitor Audio Bronze 500
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 500 leads across most of the measured areas for a fairly modest premium, which makes it the easier pick if the budget stretches. Monitor Audio Bronze 300 7G is the one to take if it does not. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Monitor Audio Bronze 500 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.