In this review, we will be comparing AE500 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 AE500 and Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | AE500 | Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome with waveguide | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" carbon fibre cone | 8" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45Hz - 28kHz | 35-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 120 watts | 40-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.00kg / 17.6lbs | 9.43kg / 20.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.2" x 7.3" x 10.2"
310.0 x 185.0 x 260.0mm | 14-13/16" x 9-1/8" x 13-1/16"
377.0 x 232.0 x 332.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the AE500 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* |
AE500 |
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.)
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 AE500 and Silver 100 7G are 2-way speakers.
AE500Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
AE500 |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
AE500 features a 1" carbon fibre dome with waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 5" carbon fibre cone 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
AE500 has a frequency range of 45Hz - 28kHz 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 AE500's min frequency of 45Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
AE500 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. AE500 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Silver 100 7G's is rated at 87.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to AE500, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Silver 100 7G can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas AE500 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Silver 100 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 100 7G
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 AE500's and Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G's external dimensions. AE500 has external dimensions of 310.0 x 185.0 x 260.0mm (12.2 x 7.3 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 47mm wider, 67mm taller and 72mm deeper than AE500.
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 AE500 is approximately 481.0cm2 / 74.6inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is approximately 770.2cm2 / 119.4inch2. The AE500 requires 38% less surface area than the Silver 100 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 AE500 weighs 8.00kg / 17.6lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G weighs 9.43kg / 20.7lbs. This makes the Silver 100 7G 18% heavier than the AE500.
Here is a comparison of how AE500 and Silver 100 7G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G?
Here are the items that come with the Silver 100 7G:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumpers (pre-installed)
- 8 Rubber feet
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Hex-key
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
 Height |
310mm
vs
377mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
481cm2
vs
770cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
1400USD
vs
1499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE500 |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
up to 120 watts |
40-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
87.5 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45Hz - 28kHz |
35-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
carbon fibre cone |
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with waveguide |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
310.0mm (12.2") |
377.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
185.0mm (7.3") |
232.0mm (9.1") |
| Depth |
260.0mm (10.2") |
332.0mm (13.1") |
| Weight |
8.00kg (17.6lbs) |
9.43kg (20.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Resonance Suppression Composite (RSC) |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Piano Gloss Black, Piano Gloss White, American Walnut wood veneer |
Ash,High Gloss Black,Black Oak,Satin White |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
22-26" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
A generation apart: Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is the newer design, against a 2017 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G digs deeper - 35Hz against 45Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (100W vs 120W). |
| Size |
depends |
AE500 is easier to place; Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
B |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G: bi-amping. Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
evenly matched |
Much the same money ($1,499 vs $1,400 a pair). |
A AE500
B Monitor Audio Silver 100 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 100 7G has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 45Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate AE500 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G for a mid-size room and a 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.