In this review, we will be comparing SCM40 and Silver 500 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from ATC and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ATC SCM40 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ATC SCM40 | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.98" | 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
|---|
| Midrange | 2.95" | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.46" | 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-22k Hz | 27-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 90.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 75 to 300 Watts watts | 80-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 31.00kg / 68.2lbs | 22.53kg / 49.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38.58" x 14.57" x 12.01"
980.0 x 370.0 x 305.0mm | 42-11/16" x 12-11/16" x 15-7/16"
1085.0 x 323.0 x 393.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the ATC SCM40 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G 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* |
ATC SCM40 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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.
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Drivers
Both SCM40 and Silver 500 7G are 3-way speakers.
ATC SCM40Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
ATC SCM40 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.98-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2.95-inch |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.46-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
SCM40 features a 0.98" Tweeter, a 2.95" Midrange and 1 x 6.46" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz & 3.5kHz. On the other hand, the Silver 500 7G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II Woofer.
Frequency Response
SCM40 has a frequency range of 48-22k Hz whereas Silver 500 7G has a frequency range of 27-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the Silver 500 7G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SCM40's min frequency of 48Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
SCM40 and Silver 500 7G have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. SCM40 sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is at 90.5 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to ATC SCM40, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
Silver 500 7G can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas SCM40 has a max power handling value of watts RMS, 250 watts less than the Silver 500 7G.
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.
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Silver 500 7G features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SCM40 has a Binding Posts/4mm Plugs, tri-wire which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 ATC SCM40's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. ATC SCM40 has external dimensions of 980.0 x 370.0 x 305.0mm (38.58 x 14.57 x 12.01inch) whereas Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G has external dimensions of 1085.0 x 323.0 x 393.0mm (42-11/16 x 12-11/16 x 15-7/16inch).
ATC SCM40 is 105mm shorter and 88mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G but it is also 47mm wider.
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 ATC SCM40 is approximately 1128.5cm2 / 174.9inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The SCM40 requires 11% less surface area than the Silver 500 7G which gives it a small advantage 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 ATC SCM40 weighs 31.00kg / 68.2lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the SCM40 38% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how SCM40 and Silver 500 7G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G?
Here are the items that come with the Silver 500 7G:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed on outrigger feet)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Bolts
- 4 Machine screws
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 2 Hex-keys
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
 Height |
980mm
vs
1085mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1128cm2
vs
1269cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.46 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
7999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
ATC SCM40 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
ATC |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
75 to 300 Watts watts |
80-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
48-22k Hz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.46" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.98" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
2.95" |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
380Hz & 3.5kHz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
980.0mm (38.6") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
370.0mm (14.6") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
305.0mm (12") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
31.00kg (68.2lbs) |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Sealed |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Oak |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - ATC SCM40 costs roughly 2.5x what Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G 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 |
B |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G digs deeper - 27Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is more sensitive (91dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet |
depends |
Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability |
B |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G: bi-amping. |
| Price |
B |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is cheaper - $3,200 against $7,999, about 60% less; arguably a different class. |
A ATC SCM40
B Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take ATC SCM40 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate ATC SCM40 the better fit for a small room and a mid-size room, and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G for a large room and a very large room.
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.