In this review, we will be comparing Bronze 50 and Q350, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Monitor Audio and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Bronze 50 and KEF Q350 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Bronze 50 | KEF Q350 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 11th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" C-CAM | 6.5" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-30k Hz | 63-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-80 watts | 10-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.00kg / 11lbs | 7.60kg / 16.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.0" x 6.5" x 10.4"
281.0 x 166.0 x 265.0mm | 14.0" x 8.2" x 12.0"
358.0 x 210.0 x 306.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Bronze 50 and KEF Q350 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 50 |
KEF Q350 |
| 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 50 and Q350 are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Bronze 50KEF Q350
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 50 |
KEF Q350 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Bronze 50 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the Q350 features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Bronze 50 has a frequency range of 40-30k Hz whereas Q350 has a frequency range of 63-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Bronze 50 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q350's min frequency of 63Hz.
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 50 and Q350 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Bronze 50 sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the Q350's is at 87 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the KEF Q350 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Bronze 50, 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.
Q350 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 50 has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS, 40 watts less than the Q350.
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 50 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Q350 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF Q350's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Bronze 50 and Q350 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 50's and KEF Q350's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Bronze 50 has external dimensions of 281.0 x 166.0 x 265.0mm (11.0 x 6.5 x 10.4inch) whereas KEF Q350 has external dimensions of 358.0 x 210.0 x 306.0mm (14.0 x 8.2 x 12.0inch).
KEF Q350 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 44mm wider, 77mm taller and 41mm deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 50.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Bronze 50 and KEF Q350 in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Bronze 50 and KEF Q350 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 50 is approximately 439.9cm2 / 68.2inch2 and base area of the KEF Q350 is approximately 642.6cm2 / 99.6inch2. The Bronze 50 requires 32% less surface area than the Q350 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 50 and KEF Q350 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 50 weighs 5.00kg / 11lbs and the KEF Q350 weighs 7.60kg / 16.7lbs. This makes the Q350 52% heavier than the Bronze 50.
Here is a comparison of how Bronze 50 and Q350'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 50?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Bronze 50:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Hex-key
- Quick Start Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of KEF Q350?
Here are the items that come with the Q350:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owner's Manual
- Warranty Registration Card
 Minimum Impedance |
4.4 ohms
vs
3.7 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
63 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
281mm
vs
358mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
439cm2
vs
642cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
550USD
vs
750USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
80 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| General |
Monitor Audio Bronze 50 |
KEF Q350 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-80 watts |
10-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.4 ohms |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-30k Hz |
63-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
281.0mm (11.1") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Width |
166.0mm (6.5") |
210.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
265.0mm (10.4") |
306.0mm (12") |
| Weight |
5.00kg (11lbs) |
7.60kg (16.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl-wrapped |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black, White, Urban Grey |
Black, Walnut, White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
28-32" |
18-24" |
| 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 |
A generation apart: Monitor Audio Bronze 50 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 | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 50 digs deeper - 40Hz against 63Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KEF Q350 is more sensitive (87dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | KEF Q350 takes more power (120W vs 80W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Bronze 50 is easier to place; KEF Q350 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 50: bi-amping. Monitor Audio Bronze 50 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 50 is cheaper - $550 against $750, about 27% less. |
A Monitor Audio Bronze 50 B KEF Q350
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 63Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Monitor Audio Bronze 50 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and KEF Q350 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.