Roland K C Tan

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.00 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $300.00 from Alpha Audio Singapor

Summary:
I've had the year 2000 Monitor Audio Bronze 2 for 7 years now and I'm still pretty happy with the sound quality. Used to hook these up bi-wired on sand-filled solid stands to a Marantz PM-57 amplifier & Marantz CD4000 CD player. Used to think that these speakers could not produce any bass at all untill I upgraded my amplifier to a LFD MI100 (SE) with a used Meridian Audio 206B CD player and now the bass is there, albeit, not deep bass but should not expect much from a "bookshelf" type speakers. Imaging, details, vocal and soundstage are all very credible for the price.

Strengths:
Clear & transparent sound quality without hurting one's pocket. Very good value for money.

Weaknesses:
Lack deep bass but one should not expect too much from a "bookshelf" type speakers.

sony_es

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.43 of 5, 7.00 votes

Price Paid:  $340.00 from Monitor Audio dealer

Summary:
I'm reviewing the latest version: Bronze R(eference) BR2. Price 340 euro a pair.

A few months ago i bought a new Sony stereo "ES series", then after that i was looking for a pair of matching speakers. I've listened to B&W's, Kef's, Missions and these BR2's. The BR2's reduces the lively analytical sound of my Sony amp a bit because of their smooth and warm heights.
The BR2's are not that fussy about room positioning, only reminder is: put them not to close in a corner. Isn't that possible: a pair of sponge bungs are included to reduce dominating bass.
I have biwired them, placed a pair of good stands under their but, and "toe" them in a bit. Right out the box the sound is a bit thin in the heights and higher mids, but after minimal 50 hours you'll be rewarded. If you want to hear anything what's on the recording, you'll have to buy these! Detail and overall balance is suburb and never heared before at this price tag. Soundstage is big and spacial for this little format speaker. Bass is punchy and speedy: these BR2's never looses rhythm.
The build quality is more than great at this price. Yes they are vinyl wrapped, but with very attractive looking vinyl! Big goldplated biwire speakerterminals with possibility to use banana plugs.
Only minor is: the black grille looks a bit cheap, so take it off, it's looking much better without them.

Strengths:
-Suburb balanced and musical. Stereo imaging is just great.
-Very detailed but smooth polished hights.
-Clear midrange you only find at speakers that's cost you 2 a' 3 times more.
-Punchy and fast bass.
-Easy with placement.
-Total build quality.
-And understandably: THE PRICE!!

Weaknesses:
-Cheap looking grille.
-You must biwire them and use decent stands for giving the best results.
-Only in 3 colors: light cherry, walnut and black oak.

Similar Products Used:
Mordaunt Short 902, Magnat Vector 55, Mission M32i, Kef Q1, Wharfedale 9.1

victrola927

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
2.00 of 5, 8.00 votes

Price Paid:  $300.00 from internet

Summary:
From all of the reviews here you would think these speakers are giant killers. They are not. They are very good sounding monitor speakers, but not more. I have the newer versions with only one port which look spectacular, but blow me away with port wind. I can sit over 12 feet away and still get port wind in my face. It is very distracting to me when I am trying to critically listen to these speakers, and I have now sold them. Not just because of the port, but because they don't make me want to listen to them. They are very good for a $300 pair of speakers, but I am just not happy with them and they have been replaced.

Strengths:
Good vocals
Bi-wireing capabilities
Good Looks
Good for $300 speakers

Weaknesses:
Tweeter is tizzy on the top end
Woofer is good, but not great - they certainly do not make me think they are floor standers.
Port wind blows me away

Similar Products Used:
many, many, many

Price Paid:  $180.00 from Harrow Audio

Summary:
After reading numerous reviews, i decided to treat myself to a pair of Monitor Audio's Bronze BR2's, an evolution of the multi-award winning B2.
I knew these speakers were a serious piece of kit, from the moment i opened the box. The wood effect vinyl is quite attractive, compared to others i have seen and the overall fit and finish of these speakers is exceptional for the price.
They say that all speakers sound awful straight out of the box, and although the Br2's didn't sound fantastic at first, what was immediately noticeable was the level of detail from the tweeter which far superceded that of the Mordaunt Short Avant 902i speakers they replaced.
After the recommended running in period of 50 hours, i must say that i was amazed, what i heard was very much beyond my expectations. I was treated to a rich, room filling sound which simply emerses you. The bass is both incredibly powerful for cabinets of this size, as well as very taut and disciplined and as i have already mentioned the level of detail at high end frequencies is phenomenal.
Another thing that greatly impressed me was the level of intergration between the bass/mid driver and tweeter. The highs and lows sound like they are coming from a single source, rather than two and the soundstage is very convincing.
All in all the Monitor Audio Bronze BR2's will leave you with an experience which is rich and warm, but incredibly detailed, they make for a fully involving listen.
As What Hi-Fi said when these speakers won their grouptest, you would probably have to spend twice as much on a pair of speakers to hear a fair improvement over these beauties.

Strengths:
Detail
Clarity
Bass extension
Fit and Finish
Front Ported, so not fussy about placement.

Weaknesses:
For a mere £180?.. absolutely none!

Similar Products Used:
MS Avant 902i

Jh132

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
4.80 of 5, 5.00 votes

Price Paid:  $112.00 from Hughesdirect

Summary:
After spending months researching and demoing bookshelf speakers at around the£150 - £200 mark, i started to lose faith that i could get anything near the sound i wanted for the money. I listened to the Mordaunt Short 902i, Wharefedale Diamonds and various TDL's. Then after reading reviews on this site I thought i would take the plunge with the Monitor Audio bronze B2's. i found them for a ridiculously low price of £112 on Hughesdirect.co.uk. Straight out of the box they sound detailed and crisp. I have had them biwired from set-up so cant comment on the difference this makes. All I do know is that they sound incredible. They have been burned in for about 70hrs now with calssical, rock, dance, electronic music and the improvements has mainly come in the smoothness of bass. These things go really low for Bookshelf speakers. On some tracks you can actually FEEL bass. Something i wasn't expecting from a bookshelf speaker. This has given me the bass bug and am currently looking at subs to compliment these gems. The only negative would be imaging can sometimes bea little muddled. But I think that might be due to the speakers revealing poor ly recorded and mastered discs. Monitor Audio have just released an update of these speakers which What HiFi have called the best budget speakers around. Believe the Hype. Buy a pair today.

Strengths:
Crisp, detailed but not bright treble.
Incredible bass extension for a bookshelf.
They look far more expensive than they are.
Brilliant for electronic music.
Build quality is superb for the price.

Weaknesses:
um....
Sometimes they reveal poorly recorded dics.
They are not wood?...

Similar Products Used:
Used with Rotel RA-01 Amp, DenonDCD-685 CD player, Apple Powerbook.

Compared with: Mordaunt Short 902i, Wharefdale diamond 9 series, TDL Nucleus.