In this review, we will be comparing Bronze 50 and Bronze 1, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Bronze 50 and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Bronze 50 | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" C-CAM | 5.5" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-30k Hz | 55-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-80 watts | 20-70 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.00kg / 11lbs | 3.50kg / 7.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.0" x 6.5" x 10.4"
281.0 x 166.0 x 265.0mm | 10.2" x 6.4" x 8.0"
260.0 x 165.0 x 205.0mm |
|---|
Bronze 50 and Bronze 1 are members of Monitor Audio's Bronze series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Monitor Audio Bronze Series
History
What size room are the Monitor Audio Bronze 50 and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 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 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
No way |
(* 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 Bronze 1 are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Bronze 50Monitor Audio Bronze 1
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 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.5-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 Bronze 1 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
Bronze 50 has a frequency range of 40-30k Hz whereas Bronze 1 has a frequency range of 55-30k 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 Bronze 1's min frequency of 55Hz.
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 Bronze 1 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 Bronze 1's is at 88 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 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.
Bronze 50 can handle a max power of 80 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 1 has a max power handling value of 70 watts RMS, 10 watts less than the Bronze 50.
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. Bronze 1 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Monitor Audio Bronze 1's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Bronze 50 and Bronze 1 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.
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 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 50's and Monitor Audio Bronze 1'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 Monitor Audio Bronze 1 has external dimensions of 260.0 x 165.0 x 205.0mm (10.2 x 6.4 x 8.0inch).
Monitor Audio Bronze 50 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 1mm wider, 21mm taller and 60mm deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 1.
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 Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is approximately 338.3cm2 / 52.4inch2. The Bronze 50 requires 30% more surface area than the Bronze 1 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 50 weighs 5.00kg / 11lbs and the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 weighs 3.50kg / 7.7lbs. This makes the Bronze 50 43% heavier than the Bronze 1.
Here is a comparison of how Bronze 50 and Bronze 1'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 Monitor Audio Bronze 1?
Here are the items that come with the Bronze 1:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Hex-key
- Owner's Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
80 watts
vs
70 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
5.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
260mm
vs
281mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
338cm2
vs
439cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
550USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Monitor Audio Bronze 50 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-80 watts |
20-70 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
40-30k Hz |
55-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
C-CAM |
| 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 |
2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
281.0mm (11.1") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Width |
166.0mm (6.5") |
165.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
265.0mm (10.4") |
205.0mm (8.1") |
| Weight |
5.00kg (11lbs) |
3.50kg (7.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black, White, Urban Grey |
Walnut, White, Rosemah, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
28-32" |
30-31" |
| 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 |
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 | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 50 digs deeper - 40Hz against 55Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is more sensitive (88dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (80W vs 70W). |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is easier to place; Monitor Audio Bronze 50 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 50: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is cheaper - $299 against $550, about 46% less; arguably a different class. |
A Monitor Audio Bronze 50 B Monitor Audio Bronze 1
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 50 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 84% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Monitor Audio Bronze 1 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Monitor Audio Bronze 50 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 55Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Monitor Audio Bronze 1 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Monitor Audio Bronze 1 the better fit for near-field listening; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.