In this review, we will be comparing Bronze 500 and R500, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Monitor Audio and Polk Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Bronze 500 and Polk R500 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 and Polk R500 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 Polk R500 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Bronze 500 and R500 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
Polk R500 |
|
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 R500 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Bronze 500 has a frequency range of 32-30k Hz whereas R500 has a frequency range of 49-38k 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 R500's min frequency of 49Hz.
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 R500 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 R500's is at 87 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R500, 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. 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. R500 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R500's Post terminals
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 Polk R500'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 Polk R500 has external dimensions of 1044.5 x 255.4 x 348.8mm ( 41.1 x 10.1 x 13.7inch) .
Polk R500 is 38.6mm narrower and 17.2mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 500 but it is also 67.5mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Bronze 500 and Polk R500 in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Bronze 500 and Polk R500 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 Polk R500 is approximately 890.8cm2 / 138.1inch2. The Bronze 500 requires 21% more surface area than the R500 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 Polk R500 weighs 17.70kg / 38.9lbs. This makes the Bronze 500 2% heavier than the R500.
Here is a comparison of how Bronze 500 and R500'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 Polk R500?
Here are the items that come with the R500:
Floorstanding loudspeaker
4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
Grille
Hex-key
Owner's Manual
Online Registration
 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
49 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 |
 Height |
977mm
vs
1044mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 High Frequency Response |
36k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
890cm2 (255x348mm)
vs
1076cm2 (294x366mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1298USD
vs
1496USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
Polk Audio Reserve R500 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
60-200 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.9 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-30k Hz |
49-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
977.0mm (38.5") |
1044.5mm (41.1") |
| Width |
294.0mm (11.6") |
255.4mm (10.1") |
| Depth |
366.0mm (14.4") |
348.8mm (13.7") |
| Weight |
18.05kg (39.7lbs) |
17.70kg (38.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black, Walnut, White |
| 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 |