Monitor Audio Bronze 2 Bookshelf speakers
The Bronze series was first released by Monitor Audio in 1998 and, as the press acknowledged over time, set the standard for low-cost loudspeakers for music lovers. The models of the fifth generation, which have recently appeared on the market, are distinguished not only by an updated design, but also by real design improvements.
When creating a new "bronze" line, the task was to reduce distortion, equalize and expand the frequency response, and also increase the impedance while maintaining sensitivity. The latter measure allows under otherwise equal conditions improving the damping in the low-frequency area and, as a result, to get a clearer and faster bass. Let us show how we managed to release all this in practice through the example of Bronze 2 shelf monitors.
A completely different profile of LF drivers immediately strikes the eye. A 6.5-inch C CAM diffuser in the form of a concave hemisphere has an increased stiffness with the same mass and a more even frequency response at the edges of the band. In addition, it is monolithic, i.e. makes one whole with the voice coil frame, which guarantees a quick response to the incoming pulse. To reduce heat distortion, the new molded basket provides effective cooling of the coil.
Another feature is the absence of screws, with which drivers are usually screwed to the front panel. In Bronze 2 Bolt Through is used - a steel rod, one end of which is screwed into a magnet, and the other is tightened with a nut on the outside of the case. The driver is placed through the gasket and has no hard contact with the front panel, so the vibrations are transmitted to it in a weakened form. In addition, this tie gives the structure additional rigidity. And say yes that without fasteners loudspeakers look much more elegant.
Please, also pay attention to the port of bass-reflex. This is a proprietary HiVe design with longitudinal grooves that reduce the turbulence of the air flow. Due to the faster movement of air in comparison with a simple bass-reflex, a more accurate and structured bass is obtained. The port in Bronze 2 is placed forward, which gives some freedom during installation.
The C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter, specially created for the bronze of fifth generation, has a similar monolithic design. Inch dome is fixed by means of highly elastic fabric suspension, the voice coil moves in the field of a powerful neodymium magnet. For heat removal, the mobile system is placed in a massive enclosed body made of aluminum alloy.
The bands are divided at a frequency of 3100 Hz by filters, which use polypropylene capacitors. There are four input terminals, so if you wish, you can arrange a multi-wire connection to the amplifier. The bodies made of 18 mm MDF boards are reinforced with spacers, and outside they are covered with high-quality vinyl film. Grills are mounted on magnets. Externally the designers tried to make Bronze not too different from the more expensive models of the Silver series.
At the listening the distance between the monitors was about four meters, and at the same time there were no voids or gaps in the sound stage. For speakers with 6.5-inch drivers panorama is impressive. In addition to a wide polar pattern, you feel the ability to work at large levels without noticeable coloring and loss of legibility. I put on "Ozzmosis" - everything is fine, there is a drive, and a dense sound, and a pulsating bass, and transparent plates. The most important thing is that there is no tightness that is typical for small loudspeakers, the sound is quite casual, with even some enthusiasm.
A more difficult task: audiophile recording of a symphony orchestra. Panorama and the scale are good, although the overall dynamics is slightly smoothed. The harmonic resolution is surprisingly high for monitors of this cost, only a slight taint of synthetics and only on the most powerful crescendos is visible. Monitor Audio Bronze 2 is not trying to make the sound either brighter or calmer, in this regard, they are extremely honest. Any distortion is not noticeable, but there is a clear volume threshold, which should not be exceeded in order to avoid coloring in the upper middle. For a room with an area of 20-25 meters, the sound pressure will be more than enough, whatever music you listen to.
The scene is built with an explicit approach to the depth, and complete freedom is given to virtual objects: in some tracks they are gathered in the center, in others - tied to monitors with a slight filling of the rest of the space.
And the most interesting thing is that in the sound of Bronze 2, the proprietary features of Monitor Audio are guessed, which can be found in all series, up to Gold.
