In this review, we will be comparing AE300 and Silver 100 7G, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Acoustic Energy and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE300 and Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
AE300 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.1" dome with waveguide Tweeter
- 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich Woofer
- 45Hz - 30kHz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:up to 100watts
- Weight:6.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 300.0" x 6.9" x 10.2"( 300.0 x 175.0 x 260.0mm )
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 8" C-CAM RST II Woofer
- 35-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 87.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:40-120watts
- Weight:9.43kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 377.0" x 9-1/8" x 13-1/16"( 377.0 x 232.0 x 332.0mm )
What size room are the AE300 and Monitor Audio Silver 100 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* |
AE300 |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Poor |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the AE300 and Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both AE300 and Silver 100 7G are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
AE300 |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.2-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
AE300 features a 1.1" aluminium dome with waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz. On the other hand, the Silver 100 7G features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" C-CAM RST II Woofer .
Frequency Response
AE300 has a frequency range of 45Hz - 30kHz whereas Silver 100 7G has a frequency range of 35-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Silver 100 7G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the AE300's min frequency of 45Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
AE300 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Silver 100 7G which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. AE300 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Silver 100 7G's is rated at 87.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to AE300, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
AE300 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS from the amp the whereas AE300 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS , 20 watts less than the Silver 100 7G.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare AE300's and Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G's external dimensions. AE300 has external dimensions of 300.0 x 175.0 x 260.0mm ( 11.4 x 6.9 x 10.2inch) whereas Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G has external dimensions of 377.0 x 232.0 x 332.0mm ( 14-13/16 x 9-1/8 x 13-1/16inch) .
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 57mm wider, 77mm taller and 72mm deeper than AE300.
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 AE300 is approximately 455.0cm2 / 70.5inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is approximately 770.2cm2 / 119.4inch2. The AE300 requires 41% less surface area than the Silver 100 7G which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.