In this review, we will be comparing Bronze 500 and Q550, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Monitor Audio and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Bronze 500 and KEF Q550 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 | KEF Q550 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 11th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" C-CAM | 2 x 5.25" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-30k Hz | 58-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 60-200 watts | 15-130 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.05kg / 39.7lbs | 14.55kg / 32lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38-7/16" x 11-9/16" x 14-3/8"
977.0 x 294.0 x 366.0mm | 35-3/16" x 11-5/8" x 12-5/16"
894.0 x 296.0 x 313.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 and KEF Q550 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 |
KEF Q550 |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
Both Bronze 500 and Q550 are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Bronze 500KEF Q550
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 500 |
KEF Q550 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 5.25-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 Q550 features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Bronze 500 has a frequency range of 32-30k Hz whereas Q550 has a frequency range of 58-28k 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 Q550's min frequency of 58Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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 500 and Q550 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 Q550's is at 87 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q550, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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 500 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Q550 has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the Bronze 500.
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 500 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Q550 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 500's and KEF Q550'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 KEF Q550 has external dimensions of 894.0 x 296.0 x 313.0mm (35-3/16 x 11-5/8 x 12-5/16inch).
KEF Q550 is 83mm shorter and 53mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 500 but it is also 2mm wider.
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 KEF Q550 is approximately 926.5cm2 / 143.6inch2. The Bronze 500 requires 16% more surface area than the Q550 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 500 weighs 18.05kg / 39.7lbs and the KEF Q550 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the Bronze 500 24% heavier than the Q550.
Here is a comparison of how Bronze 500 and Q550'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 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 KEF Q550?
Here are the items that come with the Q550:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 2 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 6 Screws
- 6 Washers
- 4 Rubber inserts
- Hex-key
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
130 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
58 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 |
 Passive Radiator |
2 x 5.25-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
894mm
vs
977mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
926cm2
vs
1076cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1400USD
vs
1496USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
KEF Q550 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
60-200 watts |
15-130 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-30k Hz |
58-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
977.0mm (38.5") |
894.0mm (35.2") |
| Width |
294.0mm (11.6") |
296.0mm (11.7") |
| Depth |
366.0mm (14.4") |
313.0mm (12.3") |
| Weight |
18.05kg (39.7lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
A |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 digs deeper - 32Hz against 58Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
A |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is more sensitive (90dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom |
A |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 takes more power (200W vs 130W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
KEF Q550 is easier to place; Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet |
depends |
Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Expandability |
A |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500: bi-amping and Atmos drivers; KEF Q550: Atmos drivers. Monitor Audio Bronze 500 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
evenly matched |
Much the same money ($1,496 vs $1,400 a pair). |
A Monitor Audio Bronze 500
B KEF Q550
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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 500 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 58Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Monitor Audio Bronze 500 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.