In this review, we will be comparing 3030i and Bronze 1, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Q Acoustics and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Q Acoustics 3030i and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Q Acoustics 3030i | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
|---|
| Brand | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" decoupled | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Coated paper | 5.5" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-30k Hz | 55-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-75 watts | 20-70 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.20kg / 13.6lbs | 3.50kg / 7.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.7" x 7.8" x 12.9"
325.0 x 200.0 x 329.0mm | 10.2" x 6.4" x 8.0"
260.0 x 165.0 x 205.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Q Acoustics 3030i 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* |
Q Acoustics 3030i |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both 3030i and Bronze 1 are 2-way speakers.
Q Acoustics 3030iMonitor Audio Bronze 1
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Q Acoustics 3030i |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
3030i features a 1" decoupled Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Coated paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400Hz. 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
3030i has a frequency range of 46-30k Hz whereas Bronze 1 has a frequency range of 55-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the 3030i can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Bronze 1's min frequency of 55Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
3030i is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Bronze 1 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 88 dBdB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
3030i can handle a max power of 75 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 1 has a max power handling value of 70 watts RMS, 5 watts less than the 3030i.
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
3030i features Post type posts and Bronze 1 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Monitor Audio Bronze 1's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 3030i and Bronze 1 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.
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 Port
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 Q Acoustics 3030i's and Monitor Audio Bronze 1's external dimensions. Q Acoustics 3030i has external dimensions of 325.0 x 200.0 x 329.0mm (12.7 x 7.8 x 12.9inch) 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).
Q Acoustics 3030i is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 35mm wider, 65mm taller and 124mm deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 1.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Q Acoustics 3030i needs about 95% more floor or shelf area. Q Acoustics 3030i is 124mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Q Acoustics 3030i is 65mm taller.
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 Q Acoustics 3030i is approximately 658.0cm2 / 102.0inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is approximately 338.3cm2 / 52.4inch2. The 3030i requires 95% more surface area than the Bronze 1 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 Q Acoustics 3030i weighs 6.20kg / 13.6lbs and the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 weighs 3.50kg / 7.7lbs. This makes the 3030i 77% heavier than the Bronze 1.
Here is a comparison of how 3030i and Bronze 1's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Q Acoustics 3030i?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 3030i:
- 2 x 3030i bookshelf speakers
- 2 x Speaker Grilles
- 2 x Foam Bungs
- 1 x User Manual
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
 Max Input Power |
75 watts
vs
70 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
46 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
260mm
vs
325mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
338cm2
vs
658cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Q Acoustics 3030i |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
| Brand |
Q Acoustics |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-75 watts |
20-70 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-30k Hz |
55-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Coated paper |
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
decoupled |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2400Hz |
2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
325.0mm (12.8") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
165.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
329.0mm (13") |
205.0mm (8.1") |
| Weight |
6.20kg (13.6lbs) |
3.50kg (7.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black, White |
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 |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
4 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
4 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Q Acoustics 3030i costs roughly 1.7x what Monitor Audio Bronze 1 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Q Acoustics 3030i digs deeper - 46Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (75W vs 70W). |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is easier to place; Q Acoustics 3030i is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Monitor Audio Bronze 1 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is cheaper - $299 against $499, about 40% less; arguably a different class. |
A Q Acoustics 3030i B Monitor Audio Bronze 1
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 55Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Monitor Audio Bronze 1 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Q Acoustics 3030i has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.