SpeakerDecision
  • SPEAKERS by TYPE
    • Passive Bookshelf Speakers
    • Passive Floor-standing Speakers
    • Passive Center Channel Speakers
    • Passive In-wall Speakers
    • All Passive Speakers
    • Powered Subwoofers
    • Powered Stereo Speakers
  • AMPLIFIERS
  • SMART FIND

Monitor Audio Bronze 500 vs Focal Chora 816 Comparison

x
Speaker to replace
Change

Monitor Audio Bronze 500

Passive Floor-standing | 32-30k Hz

Monitor Audio Bronze 500
CHECK PRICE
Change
    
Focal Chora 816

Passive Floor-standing | 50-28k Hz

Focal Chora 816
CHECK PRICE
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 Monitor Audio Bronze...
See at AMAZON
Focal Chora 816 Focal Chora 816
See at AMAZON
Monitor Audio Bronze...
See at AMAZON
Focal Chora 816
See at AMAZON
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 vs Focal Chora 816 Speaker Comparison

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.

Monitor Audio Bronze 500 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide Tweeter
  • 2 x 8" C-CAM Woofer
  • 32-30k Hz Frequency Response
  • 90 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:60-200watts
  • Weight:18.05kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 977.0" x 11-9/16" x 14-3/8"( 977.0 x 294.0 x 366.0mm )

Focal Chora 816 Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 1" inverted dome Tweeter
  • 6.5" Midrange
  • 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer
  • 6.5" Midrange
  • 50-28k Hz Frequency Response
  • 89.5 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:40-200watts
  • Weight:18.50kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1007.0" x 12" x 15-7/8"( 1007.0 x 305.0 x 404.0mm )

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:

Listening Environment* Monitor Audio Bronze 500 Focal Chora 816
Near-field Bad Bad
Small Room Poor Poor
Mid-size Room Good Good
Large Room Good Good
Very Large Room Poor 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.)

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

Bronze 500
Chora 816
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

Monitor Audio Bronze 500
Focal Chora 816
Min
Average
Max

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

Bronze 500
Chora 816
Min
Average
Max

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.

Monitor Audio Bronze 500 vs Focal Chora 816 Size Comparison - Front View
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
Monitor Audio Bronze 500
Focal Chora 816
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Bronze 500?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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
  • What's in the Box of Focal Chora 816?

    Here are the items that come with the Chora 816:
  • Floorstanding loudspeaker
  • Base
  • 4 Rubber feet
  • 4 Spike feet
  • 4 Nuts
  • 4 Screws
  • 4 Washers
  • Hex-key
  • Grille
  • User manual

  • Reasons to choose Monitor Audio Bronze 500 over Focal Chora 816
    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 vs 1232cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 1496USD vs 1798USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

    Reasons to choose Focal Chora 816 over Monitor Audio Bronze 500

    Driver Setup 3-way vs 2-way Have a dedicated mid-range driver
    Monitor Audio Bronze 500 vs Focal Chora 816 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    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

    Most Popular Speakers
    Klipsch Reference R-51M
    Klipsch R-51M
    2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
    Wharfedale Elysian 2
    Wharfedale Elysian 2
    3-way | 89 dB | 4 ohms
    ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
    ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
    2-way | 87 dB | 6 ohms
    Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition
    B&W 606 S2
    2-way | 88 dB | 8 ohms
    KEF Q150
    KEF Q150
    2-way | 86 dB | 8 ohms
    Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-500M
    Klipsch RP-500M
    2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
    Wharfedale EVO4.1
    Wharfedale EVO4.1
    2-way | 87 dB | 8 ohms
    Bowers & Wilkins 606
    B&W 606
    2-way | 88 dB | 8 ohms
    Copyright © 2025 by SpeakerDecision
    About Privacy Contact US Camera Decision

    Report a Correction