In this review, we will be comparing 3050c and Bronze 500, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Q Acoustics and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Q Acoustics 3050c and Monitor Audio Bronze 500 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Q Acoustics 3050c | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
|---|
| Brand | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.9" decoupled | 1" gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.5" Coated paper | 2 x 8" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-30k Hz | 32-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 60-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 17.91kg / 39.4lbs | 18.05kg / 39.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40.2" x 12.4" x 12.4"
1020 x 315 x 316 mm | 38-7/16" x 11-9/16" x 14-3/8"
977.0 x 294.0 x 366.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Q Acoustics 3050c and Monitor Audio Bronze 500 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 3050c |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
| 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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both 3050c and Bronze 500 are 2-way speakers.
Q Acoustics 3050cMonitor Audio Bronze 500
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 3050c |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.9-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
3050c features a 0.9" decoupled Tweeter and 2 x 5.5" Coated paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400 Hz. On the other hand, the Bronze 500 features a 1" gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 8" C-CAM Woofer.
Frequency Response
3050c has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz whereas Bronze 500 has a frequency range of 32-30k 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 3050c's min frequency of 42Hz.
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
3050c is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Bronze 500 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 90 dBdB.
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 3050c has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 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. 3050c 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 Q Acoustics 3050c's and Monitor Audio Bronze 500's external dimensions. Q Acoustics 3050c has external dimensions of 1020 x 315 x 316 mm (40.2 x 12.4 x 12.4 in) whereas 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).
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is 21mm narrower and 43mm shorter than Q Acoustics 3050c but it is also 50mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Q Acoustics 3050c and Monitor Audio Bronze 500 in scale.
Comparison image of Q Acoustics 3050c and Monitor Audio Bronze 500 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 Q Acoustics 3050c is approximately 995.4cm2 / 154.3inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is approximately 1076.0cm2 / 166.8inch2. The 3050c requires 7% less surface area than the Bronze 500 which gives it a small advantage 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 3050c weighs 17.91kg / 39.4lbs and the Monitor Audio Bronze 500 weighs 18.05kg / 39.7lbs. This makes the Bronze 500 1% heavier than the 3050c.
Here is a comparison of how 3050c and Bronze 500'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 Q Acoustics 3050c?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 3050c:
- 1x 3050c loudspeaker
- 1x Owners manual
- 2x Foam bung
- 4x Spike feet
- 4x Spike cover
- 4x M5 screw
- 2x Rear stabiliser
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Bronze 500?
Here are the items that come with the 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
 Base Surface Area |
995cm2
vs
1076cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1496USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
42 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
1020mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Q Acoustics 3050c |
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 |
| Brand |
Q Acoustics |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
60-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
42-30k Hz |
32-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Coated paper |
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.9" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
decoupled |
gold dome C-CAM with uniform dispersion (UD) waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2400 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
977.0mm (38.5") |
| Width |
315.0mm (12.4") |
294.0mm (11.6") |
| Depth |
316.0mm (12.4") |
366.0mm (14.4") |
| Weight |
17.91kg (39.4lbs) |
18.05kg (39.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black, White, Oak |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
4 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
4 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Q Acoustics 3050c is the newer design, against a 2020 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 digs deeper - 32Hz against 42Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 500 takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 500: bi-amping and Atmos drivers. Monitor Audio Bronze 500 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Q Acoustics 3050c is cheaper - $1,199 against $1,496, about 20% less. |
A Q Acoustics 3050c B Monitor Audio Bronze 500
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?
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 leads across most of the measured areas for a fairly modest premium, which makes it the easier pick if the budget stretches. Q Acoustics 3050c is the one to take if it does not. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 42Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Q Acoustics 3050c much easier to justify.
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.