BUDGET BEAUTIES THAT PUNCH WELL ABOVE THEIR WEIGHT - MONITOR AUDIO BRONZE 100
/I had fleetingly mentioned the Monitor Audio Bronze 100 in a previous blog where they were being used to demonstrate other parts of a Hi-Fi system. Over the course of the past few lockdowns it has become very apparent that for their size and price, these little beasts are actually rather special and truly are a bargain!
The entry level Bronze range by Monitor Audio have always been admirable performers and fun to listen to, but these new 6th generation bookshelf/stand mount designs with their killer combination of bass weight, delectable highs and gorgeous new contemporary styling guarantees that they will win plenty of admirers.
The Design…
These budget beauties have a price tag of around £360, but don’t let that put you off, there is nothing budget about the solid build quality and the sound these speakers can produce. The star attraction here is the 200mm bass/mid driver. This is the same driver as used on the range topping Bronze 500 floorstander, and is a rare find in a speaker at this price in a market dominated by small drive units. Made from Monitor Audio’s bespoke C-CAM composite material it also features Damped Concentric Mode (DCM) technology, which is designed to reduce distortions and break up in the drive unit…. It looks rather sleek too! These chunky drive units are bolted in to the cabinet by a large rear mounted bolt designed to decouple the diver from the front baffle, this also has the added benefit of providing much greater cabinet rigidity too .
C-CAM is once again used for the Bronze 100’s ‘Gold Dome’ tweeter (same as the Silver range). The honeycomb patterned Uniform Dispersion Waveguide is there to improve off axis dispersion from the recessed tweeter. This also improves the time alignment between the bass and the treble. Monitor Audio also supply a rounded cloth covered grille, should you not like the look of the uncovered drive units.
A nice chunky set of gold plated binding posts allow for bi wiring and will also take 4mm banana plugs.
A flared and patterned rear mounted bass port reduces spurious chuffing noises that a port can sometimes produce. There is a foam bung provided to block up the port should the bass ever prove to be too overpowering. This may be beneficial if the speakers are to be sited on cabinets or in the corner of a room. It goes without saying that for optimum performance the ideal mounting for them is on top of a decent pair of loudspeaker stands.
The proof is in the listening…
Sound wise there is so much that these Monitor Audios do that will amaze you for the money. I decided to put them through their paces with the track Deep Elem Blues by The Grateful Dead from the mainly acoustic live album Reckoning. The Bronze 100’s produced a big open and expansive out of the box stereo image that really does belie their price. The treble sounds detailed and open, making vocals and harmonies sound entirely natural. The real surprise here though is that bass! Fast and deep yet still tight and totally controlled. The live acoustic comes flowing out of the speakers and drags you into the performance. The dual acoustic guitars of Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir perfectly framed within the soundstage.
Next on the playlist was something a bit different. Synthesiser poppy weirdness from the Yello album Toy. The track Cold Flame featuring the vocal talents of Malia chugs along rather well with Malia doing her best Grace Jones! Synth bleeps ooze effortlessly from the speakers, all underpinned by a rock solid bass groove sent from outer space. Here all the instruments and vocals are just hanging free in the air as if the loudspeaker cabinets are totally invisible.
Finish options for these speakers are more varied than usual with Black, White, Walnut and a new ultra trendy Urban Grey to choose from. There is also a two tone approach to the styling to, with the front panel coming in either satin dark grey (for the Black and Walnut) or satin light grey (for White and Urban Grey). The gold coloured tweeters visible behind the UD Waveguide also add a level of visual charm that is rare at any price!
The Bronze 100s are easy to drive and do not seem to favour any particular genre of music over any other. At this price (did I mention that they sit around a mere £360 a pair) they are something of a bargain. A great all rounder with sonic charm and modern styling…a killer combination.
Demonstrations can be arranged in store and are thoroughly recommended.
Andy, Jon and Farid in the Cheltenham Store.
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