In this review, we will be comparing R100 and Bronze 50, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Polk Audio and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R100 and Monitor Audio Bronze 50 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Polk R100 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer
- 58-39k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-150watts
- Weight:5.55kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 326.0" x 6-9/16" x 10-3/16"( 326.0 x 167.0 x 259.0mm )
Monitor Audio Bronze 50 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" C-CAM Woofer
- 40-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-80watts
- Weight:5.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 281.0" x 6.5" x 10.4"( 281.0 x 166.0 x 265.0mm )
What size room are the Polk R100 and Monitor Audio Bronze 50 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* |
Polk R100 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 50 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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 Polk R100 and Monitor Audio Bronze 50 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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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both R100 and Bronze 50 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk R100 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 50 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
R100 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz. On the other hand, the Bronze 50 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
R100 has a frequency range of 58-39k Hz whereas Bronze 50 has a frequency range of 40-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Bronze 50 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R100's min frequency of 58Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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
R100 and Bronze 50 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R100 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Bronze 50's is at 85 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk R100 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Bronze 50, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
R100 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Bronze 50 has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the R100.
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 50 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. R100 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R100's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R100 and Bronze 50 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Polk R100 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 Polk R100's and Monitor Audio Bronze 50's external dimensions. Polk R100 has external dimensions of 326.0 x 167.0 x 259.0mm ( 12-13/16 x 6-9/16 x 10-3/16inch) whereas Monitor Audio Bronze 50 has external dimensions of 281.0 x 166.0 x 265.0mm ( 11.0 x 6.5 x 10.4inch) .
Monitor Audio Bronze 50 is 1mm narrower and 45mm shorter than Polk R100 but it is also 6mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R100 and Monitor Audio Bronze 50 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R100 and Monitor Audio Bronze 50 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 Polk R100 is approximately 432.5cm2 / 67.0inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 50 is approximately 439.9cm2 / 68.2inch2. The R100 requires 2% less surface area than the Bronze 50 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Polk R100 and Monitor Audio Bronze 50 on a Media Console