In this review, we will be comparing Reva 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 Reva 2 and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Reva 2 | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Woven Glass Fiber | 5.5" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-20k Hz | 55-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-80 watts | 20-70 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.82kg / 17.2lbs | 3.50kg / 7.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-1/16" x 7-7/8" x 12-13/16"
358.0 x 201.0 x 326.0mm | 10.2" x 6.4" x 8.0"
260.0 x 165.0 x 205.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Reva 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 Reva 2 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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 Reva 2 and Bronze 1 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale Reva 2Monitor 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 |
Wharfedale Reva 2 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
Reva 2 features a 1" woven textile Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Woven Glass Fiber 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
Reva 2 has a frequency range of 48-20k Hz whereas Bronze 1 has a frequency range of 55-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the Reva 2 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
Reva 2 and Bronze 1 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Reva 2 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Bronze 1's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Reva 2, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Reva 2 can handle a max power of 80 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 1 has a max power handling value of 70 watts RMS, 10 watts less than the Reva 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
Reva 2 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Bronze 1 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Reva 2's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Monitor Audio Bronze 1's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Reva 2 has a bottom firing port whereas Bronze 1 has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale Reva 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 Reva 2's and Monitor Audio Bronze 1's external dimensions. Wharfedale Reva 2 has external dimensions of 358.0 x 201.0 x 326.0mm (14-1/16 x 7-7/8 x 12-13/16inch) 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 Reva 2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 36mm wider, 98mm taller and 121mm deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 1.
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 Reva 2 is approximately 655.3cm2 / 101.6inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is approximately 338.3cm2 / 52.4inch2. The Reva 2 requires 94% 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 Reva 2 weighs 7.82kg / 17.2lbs and the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 weighs 3.50kg / 7.7lbs. This makes the Reva 2 123% heavier than the Bronze 1.
Here is a comparison of how Reva 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 Reva 2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Reva 2:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper bars (pre-installed)
- Pair of white gloves
- User-feets 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 |
80 watts
vs
70 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
48 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
5.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
260mm
vs
358mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
338cm2
vs
655cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Reva 2 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-80 watts |
20-70 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
48-20k Hz |
55-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Glass Fiber |
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
358.0mm (14.1") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Width |
201.0mm (7.9") |
165.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
326.0mm (12.8") |
205.0mm (8.1") |
| Weight |
7.82kg (17.2lbs) |
3.50kg (7.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Wood composite laminate |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black |
Walnut, White, Rosemah, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24" |
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 Reva 2 costs roughly 3.3x 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 | Wharfedale Reva 2 digs deeper - 48Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (80W vs 70W). |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is easier to place; Wharfedale Reva 2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale Reva 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 $999, about 70% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale Reva 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?
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. Match it to your room: we rate Monitor Audio Bronze 1 the better fit for near-field listening; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.