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Monitor Audio Bronze 500 vs Monitor Audio Bronze 1 Comparison

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Monitor Audio Bronze 500

Passive Floor-standing | 32-30k Hz

Monitor Audio Bronze 500
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Monitor Audio Bronze 1

Passive Bookshelf | 55-30k Hz

Monitor Audio Bronze 1
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Monitor Audio Bronze 500 Monitor Audio Bronze...
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Monitor Audio Bronze 1 Monitor Audio Bronze...
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Monitor Audio Bronze...
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Monitor Audio Bronze 500 vs Monitor Audio Bronze 1 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Monitor Audio. Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Bronze 1 is a Bookshelf speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Monitor Audio Bronze 500 and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 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 )

Monitor Audio Bronze 1 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Dome Tweeter
  • 5.5" C-CAM Woofer
  • 55-30k Hz Frequency Response
  • 88 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:20-70watts
  • Weight:3.50kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 260.0" x 6.4" x 8.0"( 260.0 x 165.0 x 205.0mm )

Bronze 500 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
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
Monitor Audio Bronze 2
  
Bookshelf 42-30k Hz 90 dB8Ω 1 x 6.5"
Monitor Audio Bronze 50
  
Bookshelf 40-30k Hz 85 dB8Ω 1 x 5.25"
Monitor Audio Bronze 100
  
Bookshelf 37-30k Hz 87 dB8Ω 1 x 8"
Monitor Audio Bronze 1
Bookshelf 55-30k Hz 88 dB8Ω 1 x 5.5"
Monitor Audio Bronze 500
Floor-standing 32-30k Hz 90 dB8Ω 2 x 8"
Monitor Audio Bronze 200
  
Floor-standing 35-30k Hz 88 dB8Ω 2 x 5.25"

What size room are the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 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 500 Monitor Audio Bronze 1
Near-field Bad Good
Small Room Poor Good
Mid-size Room Good Average
Large Room Good Poor
Very Large Room Poor 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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 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

Both Bronze 500 and Bronze 1 are 2-way speakers.

Driver Monitor Audio Bronze 500 Monitor Audio Bronze 1
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 2 x 8-inch 1 x 5.5-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 Bronze 1 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.

Frequency Response

Bronze 500 has a frequency range of 32-30k Hz whereas Bronze 1 has a frequency range of 55-30k 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 Bronze 1's min frequency of 55Hz.

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
Bronze 1
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

Monitor Audio Bronze 500
Monitor Audio Bronze 1
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 Bronze 1 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 Bronze 1's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Bronze 1, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

Bronze 500
Bronze 1
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.

Bronze 500 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Bronze 1 has a max power handling value of 70 watts RMS, 130 watts less than the Bronze 500.

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. Bronze 1 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Monitor Audio Bronze 1Post Terminals
Monitor Audio Bronze 1's Post terminals

Monitor Audio Bronze 1  Port
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 Port

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 Monitor Audio Bronze 1'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 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 500 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 129mm wider, 717mm taller and 161mm 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 500 is approximately 1076.0cm2 / 166.8inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is approximately 338.3cm2 / 52.4inch2. The Bronze 500 requires 218% more surface area than the Bronze 1 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

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 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

  • Reasons to choose Monitor Audio Bronze 500 over Monitor Audio Bronze 1
    Max Input Power 200 watts vs 70 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Sensitivity 90 dB vs 88 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 8 inches vs 5.5 inches Larger woofer
    Number of Woofers 2 vs 1 More woofers
    Low Frequency Response 32 Hz vs 55 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring Yes vs No Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections
    Dolby Atmos Drivers Optional vs No Dolby Atmos Compatibility

    Reasons to choose Monitor Audio Bronze 1 over Monitor Audio Bronze 500

    Height 260mm vs 977mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 338cm2 vs 1076cm2 Takes less floor space
    Monitor Audio Bronze 500 vs Monitor Audio Bronze 1 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Monitor Audio Bronze 500 Monitor Audio Bronze 1
    Brand Monitor Audio Monitor Audio
    Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Bookshelf speakers
    Power Range 60-200 watts 20-70 watts
    Sensitivity 90 dB 88 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Frequency Response 32-30k Hz 55-30k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 2 1
    Woofer Size 8" 5.5"
    Woofer Composition C-CAM C-CAM
    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 2700Hz
    Firing Direction n/a rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 977.0mm (38.5") 260.0mm (10.2")
    Width 294.0mm (11.6") 165.0mm (6.5")
    Depth 366.0mm (14.4") 205.0mm (8.1")
    Weight 18.05kg (39.7lbs) 3.50kg (7.7lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF/Vinyl MDF/Wood-grain vinyl
    Available Colors Black Walnut, White, Rosemah, Black
    Mounting Bracket No No
    Recommended Stand Height n/a 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

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