In this review, we will be comparing AE520 and Silver 500 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Acoustic Energy and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE520 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | AE520 | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome with waveguide | 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.2" | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 5" carbon fibre cone | 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30Hz - 28kHz | 27-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 300 watts | 80-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 30.00kg / 66lbs | 22.53kg / 49.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44.5" x 7.3" x 12.6"
1130.0 x 185.0 x 320.0mm | 42-11/16" x 12-11/16" x 15-7/16"
1085.0 x 323.0 x 393.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the AE520 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* |
AE520 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both AE520 and Silver 500 7G are 3-way speakers.
AE520Monitor 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 |
AE520 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.2-inch |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
AE520 features a 1" carbon fibre dome with waveguide Tweeter, a 5.2" Midrange and 4 x 5" carbon fibre cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 373Hz and 2.8kHz. 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
AE520 has a frequency range of 30Hz - 28kHz whereas Silver 500 7G has a frequency range of 27-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the Silver 500 7G can go slightly deeper then the AE520's min frequency of 30Hz.
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
AE520 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Silver 500 7G which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. AE520 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is rated at 90.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to AE520, 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.
AE520 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Silver 500 7G has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the AE520.
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
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both AE520 and Silver 500 7G have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 AE520's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. AE520 has external dimensions of 1130.0 x 185.0 x 320.0mm (44.5 x 7.3 x 12.6inch) 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).
AE520 is 138mm narrower and 73mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G but it is also 45mm taller.
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 AE520 is approximately 592.0cm2 / 91.8inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The AE520 requires 53% 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 AE520 weighs 30.00kg / 66lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the AE520 33% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how AE520 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
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Base Surface Area |
592cm2
vs
1269cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 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 |
27 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1130mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
4999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE520 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 300 watts |
80-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30Hz - 28kHz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
2 |
| 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 |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.2" |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
373Hz and 2.8kHz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1130.0mm (44.5") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
185.0mm (7.3") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
320.0mm (12.6") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
30.00kg (66lbs) |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
| 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 |
Oak |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G digs deeper - 27Hz against 30Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (300W vs 250W). |
| Size |
depends |
AE520 is easier to place; Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
B |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G: bi-amping. Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
B |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is cheaper - $3,200 against $4,999, about 36% less. |
A AE520
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 AE520 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. In a large or open-plan room, Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, AE520 is the easier speaker to get right. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $1,799 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.