Monitor Audio 50 Bookshelf Speakers - Black - Pair

A Cube With the Tweeter in the Corner

The Monitor 50 is the smallest speaker Monitor Audio makes. It is a two-way standmount with a 5½-inch MMP II bass-mid driver and a 1-inch black C-CAM dome tweeter. The cone is bright orange. The baffle is gray. It looks like nothing else on a shelf.

The tweeter sits in the top corner rather than above the woofer, and the two speakers mirror each other. That layout let Monitor Audio shrink the box. The result is close to a cube: 8⅛ inches square at the front, 9⅜ deep, and 7 pounds 14 ounces each.

Made for the Amplifier You Already Own

Monitor Audio asks for 15 to 70 watts, into a nominal 8-ohm load. That covers most integrated amplifiers, receivers and compact streaming amps. One pair of gold-plated binding posts handles the connection. Black, white and walnut finishes are available, all with the contrasting grey front.

Small Cabinet, Deliberate Choices

MMP II stands for Metal Matrix Polymer. Monitor Audio adds metal particles to a polypropylene base, which stiffens the cone and lets it stay thin. The tweeter uses the same C-CAM principle as the Silver and Gold ranges, in a black anodized finish here. Crossover sits at 2.8 kHz.

Where the Port Does Its Work

A HiVe II port on the back extends the low end from a box this size. Monitor Audio quotes 55 Hz to 30 kHz, 87 dB sensitivity and a maximum of 109 dBA. Foam bungs are supplied, so you can plug the port when the speakers sit close to a wall.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Ed Selley reviewed the Monitor 50 for AVForums on July 24, 2018, scoring it 9 out of 10 and naming it Highly Recommended. He wrote that "when it comes to listening pleasure the Monitor 50 is something of a star."

Who Are These Bookshelf Speakers Best For?

• Your shelf is genuinely shallow — most standmounts are tall boxes that overhang a bookcase. An 8-inch cube sits where those will not, so you get real speakers in a spot that had ruled them out.
• You are driving them with something modest — 15 watts is enough. A compact streaming amp or an older receiver will take these to sensible levels without running out of headroom.
• You are tired of black boxes — orange cones against a grey baffle, in your choice of three cabinet finishes. Fit the grilles and the orange disappears, so the look is yours either way.
• They need to live near a wall — the port fires backward and the bungs are in the box. There is also a threaded fitting on the rear for a wall bracket.
• You know where a small cabinet stops — the quoted low end is 55 Hz, and no eight-inch box reaches the bottom octave. Add one of our subwoofers and the Monitor 50s handle everything above it.

How Do They Connect to Your System?

Speaker cable runs from your amplifier to the single pair of binding posts on each cabinet. Spades and bananas both fit. Set the speakers roughly ear height, then angle them toward your listening seat. These are directional, and they reward being aimed properly.

Pairs Well With

What finishes the setup:

• Speaker stands — get them off the furniture and up to ear height.
• Speaker cables — terminated or bare, in the length your room needs.
• Integrated amplifiers — anything in the 15 to 70 watt window is a match.
• Wall-mount brackets — for the rear threaded fitting, when floor space is the problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the Monitor 50s sold as a pair?

Yes. They ship as a matched left and right pair, with the tweeters mirrored. Grilles are included, along with the foam port bungs.

Can the Monitor 50 be wall-mounted?

There is a threaded fitting on the back panel for a wall bracket. The bracket itself is a separate purchase. Plug the port with the supplied bung when a speaker ends up tight against the wall.

Do I need speaker stands?

A shelf works, which is the point of the shape. Stands still help, mostly by putting the tweeters at ear height and getting the cabinets away from a resonant surface.

What does MMP II mean?

Metal Matrix Polymer. It is polypropylene with metal particles mixed in during manufacture. The added stiffness lets Monitor Audio keep the cone thin and light while holding its shape.

How far from the wall should they sit?

Give the port room to breathe. A few inches of clearance is usually enough, and moving them closer will add bass weight if the room is thin at the bottom.

See It in Action

Michael Yates reviews the Monitor 50 in both a hi-fi and an AV system:

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