In this review, we will be comparing Bronze 500 and Chora 816, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Monitor Audio and Focal. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Bronze 500 and Focal Chora 816 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 and Focal Chora 816 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 and Focal Chora 816 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Bronze 500 is a 2-way design whereas the Chora 816 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.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
Focal Chora 816 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Bronze 500 features a 1" gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 8" C-CAM Woofer . On the other hand, the Chora 816 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270Hz and 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
Bronze 500 has a frequency range of 32-30k Hz whereas Chora 816 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the Bronze 500 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Chora 816's min frequency of 50Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Bronze 500 and Chora 816 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Bronze 500 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Chora 816's is at 89.5 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Bronze 500 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Chora 816 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 500's and Focal Chora 816's external dimensions. 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) whereas Focal Chora 816 has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 305.0 x 404.0mm ( 39-5/8 x 12 x 15-7/8inch) .
Focal Chora 816 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 11mm wider, 30mm taller and 38mm deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 500.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Bronze 500 and Focal Chora 816 in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Bronze 500 and Focal Chora 816 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 500 is approximately 1076.0cm2 / 166.8inch2 and base area of the Focal Chora 816 is approximately 1232.2cm2 / 191.0inch2. The Bronze 500 requires 13% less surface area than the Chora 816 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 500 weighs 18.05kg / 39.7lbs and the Focal Chora 816 weighs 18.50kg / 40.7lbs. This makes the Chora 816 2% heavier than the Bronze 500.
Here is a comparison of how Bronze 500 and Chora 816'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 500?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Bronze 500:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Outrigger feet (w/ 4 adjustment dials and locking-nuts)4 Spikes (pre-installed on outrigger feet)4 Rubber feet4 Large course-thread screws4 Small machine screws2 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)2 Foam port plugsHex-keyQuick Start GuideImportant Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of Focal Chora 816?
Here are the items that come with the Chora 816:
Floorstanding loudspeakerBase4 Rubber feet4 Spike feet4 Nuts4 Screws4 WashersHex-keyGrilleUser manual
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
50 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 |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
977mm
vs
1007mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1076cm2 (294x366mm)
vs
1232cm2 (305x404mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1496USD
vs
1798USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
| General |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
Focal Chora 816 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
60-200 watts |
40-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
89.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-30k Hz |
50-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
Slatefiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide |
inverted dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
270Hz and 2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
977.0mm (38.5") |
1007.0mm (39.6") |
| Width |
294.0mm (11.6") |
305.0mm (12") |
| Depth |
366.0mm (14.4") |
404.0mm (15.9") |
| Weight |
18.05kg (39.7lbs) |
18.50kg (40.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl-wrap |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black, Dark wood, Light wood |
| 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 |