In this review, we will be comparing Reference 2 2023 and Silver 500 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Canton and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Canton Reference 2 2023 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Canton Reference 2 2023 | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|---|
| Brand | Canton
Germany · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.85" | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8.62" Black ceramic tungsten | 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 19-40k Hz | 27-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 370-630 watts | 80-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 61.69kg / 135.7lbs | 22.53kg / 49.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45.6" x 13.7" x 20.9"
1158.2 x 348.0 x 530.9mm | 42-11/16" x 12-11/16" x 15-7/16"
1085.0 x 323.0 x 393.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Canton Reference 2 2023 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* |
Canton Reference 2 2023 |
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.
Drivers
Both Reference 2 2023 and Silver 500 7G are 3-way speakers.
Canton Reference 2 2023Monitor 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 |
Canton Reference 2 2023 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.85-inch |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.62-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Reference 2 2023 features a 1" Aluminum oxyd ceramic Tweeter, a 6.85" Midrange and 2 x 8.62" Black ceramic tungsten Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 160 / 3000 Hz. 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
Reference 2 2023 has a frequency range of 19-40k Hz whereas Silver 500 7G has a frequency range of 27-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 19Hz, the Reference 2 2023 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Silver 500 7G's min frequency of 27Hz.
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
Impedance and Sensitivity
Reference 2 2023 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Silver 500 7G which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Reference 2 2023 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Reference 2 2023 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is rated at 90.5 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to Canton Reference 2 2023, 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.
Reference 2 2023 can handle a max power of 630 watts RMS, whereas Silver 500 7G has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 380 watts less than the Reference 2 2023.
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. Reference 2 2023 has a Binding post 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 Canton Reference 2 2023's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. Canton Reference 2 2023 has external dimensions of 1158.2 x 348.0 x 530.9mm (45.6 x 13.7 x 20.9inch) 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).
Canton Reference 2 2023 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 25mm wider, 73.2mm taller and 137.9mm deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Canton Reference 2 2023 needs about 46% more floor or shelf area. Canton Reference 2 2023 is 138mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Canton Reference 2 2023 is 73mm 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 Canton Reference 2 2023 is approximately 1847.5cm2 / 286.4inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The Reference 2 2023 requires 46% more surface area than the Silver 500 7G which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Canton Reference 2 2023 weighs 61.69kg / 135.7lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the Reference 2 2023 174% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Reference 2 2023 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 |
630 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8.62 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
19 Hz
vs
27 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1158mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1269cm2
vs
1847cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
23000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Canton Reference 2 2023 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
Canton |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
370-630 watts |
80-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
19-40k Hz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8.62" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Black ceramic tungsten |
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.85" |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
160 / 3000 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1158.2mm (45.6") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
348.0mm (13.7") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
530.9mm (20.9") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
61.69kg (135.7lbs) |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
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 - Canton Reference 2 2023 costs roughly 7.2x 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 | A | Canton Reference 2 2023 digs deeper - 19Hz against 27Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is more sensitive (91dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Canton Reference 2 2023 takes more power (630W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is easier to place; Canton Reference 2 2023 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is cheaper - $3,200 against $23,000, about 86% less; arguably a different class. |
A Canton Reference 2 2023 B Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system 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 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 27Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Canton Reference 2 2023 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is the easier speaker to get right.
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.