In this review, we will be comparing EVO4.2 and Bronze 1, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale EVO4.2 and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale EVO4.2 | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.18x2.36" AMT (Ribbon) | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 2" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Kevlar | 5.5" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 54-22k Hz | 55-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 20-70 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 13.40kg / 29.5lbs | 3.50kg / 7.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 17.9" x 9.8" x 13.7"
455.0 x 250.0 x 350.0mm | 10.2" x 6.4" x 8.0"
260.0 x 165.0 x 205.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale EVO4.2 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* |
Wharfedale EVO4.2 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that EVO4.2 is a 3-way design whereas the Bronze 1 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Wharfedale EVO4.2Monitor Audio Bronze 1
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale EVO4.2 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.18x2.36-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
EVO4.2 features a 1.18x2.36" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter, a 2" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Kevlar 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
EVO4.2 has a frequency range of 54-22k Hz whereas Bronze 1 has a frequency range of 55-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 54Hz, the EVO4.2 can go slightly deeper then 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
EVO4.2 and Bronze 1 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 88 dB.
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.
EVO4.2 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 1 has a max power handling value of 70 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the EVO4.2.
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
EVO4.2 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 1's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
EVO4.2 has a bottom firing port whereas Bronze 1 has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale EVO4.2's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Monitor Audio Bronze 1 with its rear-firing port.
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 Wharfedale EVO4.2's and Monitor Audio Bronze 1's external dimensions. Wharfedale EVO4.2 has external dimensions of 455.0 x 250.0 x 350.0mm (17.9 x 9.8 x 13.7inch) 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).
Wharfedale EVO4.2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 85mm wider, 195mm taller and 145mm 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.
Wharfedale EVO4.2 needs about 159% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale EVO4.2 is 145mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale EVO4.2 is 195mm 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 Wharfedale EVO4.2 is approximately 875.0cm2 / 135.6inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is approximately 338.3cm2 / 52.4inch2. The EVO4.2 requires 159% 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 Wharfedale EVO4.2 weighs 13.40kg / 29.5lbs and the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 weighs 3.50kg / 7.7lbs. This makes the EVO4.2 283% heavier than the Bronze 1.
Here is a comparison of how EVO4.2 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 Wharfedale EVO4.2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of EVO4.2:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Pair of white cloth gloves
- 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 |
120 watts
vs
70 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
54 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
260mm
vs
455mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
338cm2
vs
875cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale EVO4.2 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
20-70 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
54-22k Hz |
55-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Kevlar |
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.18x2.36" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
2" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
455.0mm (17.9") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Width |
250.0mm (9.8") |
165.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
350.0mm (13.8") |
205.0mm (8.1") |
| Weight |
13.40kg (29.5lbs) |
3.50kg (7.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut,Black,White |
Walnut, White, Rosemah, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
18-22" |
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 |
These sit in different price classes - Wharfedale EVO4.2 costs roughly 4x 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (54Hz vs 55Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Wharfedale EVO4.2 takes more power (120W vs 70W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is easier to place; Wharfedale EVO4.2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale EVO4.2: bi-amping. 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 $1,199, about 75% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale EVO4.2 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?
Wharfedale EVO4.2 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 4x the price. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Monitor Audio Bronze 1 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Wharfedale EVO4.2 appeals to you. Match it to your room: we rate Wharfedale EVO4.2 the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 for near-field listening and a small room. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale EVO4.2 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.