In this review, we will be comparing Bronze 50 and Bronze 100, 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 100 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Bronze 50 | Monitor Audio Bronze 100 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" C-CAM | 8" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-30k Hz | 37-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-80 watts | 30-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.00kg / 11lbs | 7.80kg / 17.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.0" x 6.5" x 10.4"
281.0 x 166.0 x 265.0mm | 14.8" x 9.0" x 12.7"
376.0 x 231.0 x 325.0mm |
|---|
Bronze 50 and Bronze 100 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 100 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 100 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Bad |
(* 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 100 are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Bronze 50Monitor Audio Bronze 100
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 100 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 8-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 100 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
Bronze 50 has a frequency range of 40-30k Hz whereas Bronze 100 has a frequency range of 37-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the Bronze 100 can go slightly deeper then the Bronze 50's min frequency of 40Hz.
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 100 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 100's is at 87 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Bronze 100 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 100 can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 50 has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Bronze 100.
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 50 and Bronze 100 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Bronze 50 and Bronze 100 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 Monitor Audio Bronze 100'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 100 has external dimensions of 376.0 x 231.0 x 325.0mm (14.8 x 9.0 x 12.7inch).
Monitor Audio Bronze 100 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 65mm wider, 95mm taller and 60mm deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 50.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Bronze 50 and Monitor Audio Bronze 100 in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Bronze 50 and Monitor Audio Bronze 100 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 Monitor Audio Bronze 100 is approximately 750.8cm2 / 116.4inch2. The Bronze 50 requires 41% less surface area than the Bronze 100 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 Monitor Audio Bronze 100 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 Monitor Audio Bronze 100 weighs 7.80kg / 17.2lbs. This makes the Bronze 100 56% heavier than the Bronze 50.
Here is a comparison of how Bronze 50 and Bronze 100'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 100?
Here are the items that come with the Bronze 100:
- 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
 Height |
281mm
vs
376mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
439cm2
vs
750cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
550USD
vs
675USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
100 watts
vs
80 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.5 ohms
vs
4.4 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
37 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Monitor Audio Bronze 50 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 100 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-80 watts |
30-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.4 ohms |
4.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-30k Hz |
37-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
281.0mm (11.1") |
376.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
166.0mm (6.5") |
231.0mm (9.1") |
| Depth |
265.0mm (10.4") |
325.0mm (12.8") |
| Weight |
5.00kg (11lbs) |
7.80kg (17.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black, White, Urban Grey |
Walnut, Black, White, Urban Grey |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
28-32" |
22-26" |
| 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 |
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 | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 100 digs deeper - 37Hz against 40Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 100 is more sensitive (87dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 100 takes more power (100W vs 80W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Bronze 50 is easier to place; Monitor Audio Bronze 100 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Monitor Audio Bronze 50: bi-amping; Monitor Audio Bronze 100: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Monitor Audio Bronze 50 is cheaper - $550 against $675, about 19% less. |
A Monitor Audio Bronze 50 B Monitor Audio Bronze 100
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 100 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 50 is the one to take if it does not. In a large or open-plan room, Monitor Audio Bronze 100 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Monitor Audio Bronze 50 is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Monitor Audio Bronze 100 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.