In this review, we will be comparing Reference Center 2023 and Silver C250 7G, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Canton and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Canton Reference Center 2023 and Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Canton Reference Center 2023 | Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G |
|---|
| Brand | Canton
Germany · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" gold dome C-CAM |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.85" | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 2 x 5.25" C-CAM with Rigid Surface Technology (RST) |
|---|
| Frequency response | 25-40k Hz | 65-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | — | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 130-230 watts | 80-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 25.95kg / 57.1lbs | 10.63kg / 23.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.6" x 27.5" x 15.3"
269.2 x 698.5 x 388.6mm | 8-1/16" x 18-15/16" x 10-3/4"
205.0 x 482.0 x 274.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Canton Reference Center 2023 and Monitor Audio Silver C250 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 Center 2023 |
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Reference Center 2023 is a 2-way design whereas the Silver C250 7G is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Canton Reference Center 2023Monitor Audio Silver C250 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 Center 2023 |
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.85-inch |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Reference Center 2023 features a 1" Aluminum ceramic oxyd Tweeter, a 6.85" Midrange and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the Silver C250 7G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" C-CAM with Rigid Surface Technology (RST) Woofer.
Frequency Response
Reference Center 2023 has a frequency range of 25-40k Hz whereas Silver C250 7G has a frequency range of 65-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Reference Center 2023 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Silver C250 7G's min frequency of 65Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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.
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 Center 2023 can handle a max power of 230 watts RMS, whereas Silver C250 7G has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the Reference Center 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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Reference Center 2023 features Binding post type posts and Silver C250 7G has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G's Binding post terminals
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 Center 2023's and Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G's external dimensions. Canton Reference Center 2023 has external dimensions of 269.2 x 698.5 x 388.6mm (10.6 x 27.5 x 15.3inch) whereas Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G has external dimensions of 205.0 x 482.0 x 274.0mm (8-1/16 x 18-15/16 x 10-3/4inch).
Canton Reference Center 2023 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 216.5mm wider, 64.2mm taller and 114.6mm deeper than Monitor Audio Silver C250 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 Center 2023 needs about 106% more floor or shelf area. Canton Reference Center 2023 is 115mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Canton Reference Center 2023 is 64mm 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 Center 2023 is approximately 2714.4cm2 / 420.7inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is approximately 1320.7cm2 / 204.7inch2. The Reference Center 2023 requires 106% more surface area than the Silver C250 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 Center 2023 weighs 25.95kg / 57.1lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G weighs 10.63kg / 23.4lbs. This makes the Reference Center 2023 144% heavier than the Silver C250 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Reference Center 2023 and Silver C250 7G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
Canton Reference Center 2023
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G?
Here are the items that come with the Silver C250 7G:
- Center-channel loudspeakers
- Grille
- 2 Jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- Hex-key
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
230 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
205mm
vs
269mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1320cm2
vs
2714cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1100USD
vs
5000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Canton Reference Center 2023 |
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G |
| Brand |
Canton |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
130-230 watts |
80-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
n/a |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
25-40k Hz |
65-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
C-CAM with Rigid Surface Technology (RST) |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
gold dome C-CAM |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.85" |
3" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
269.2mm (10.6") |
205.0mm (8.1") |
| Width |
698.5mm (27.5") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Depth |
388.6mm (15.3") |
274.0mm (10.8") |
| Weight |
25.95kg (57.1lbs) |
10.63kg (23.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Canton Reference Center 2023 costs roughly 4.5x what Monitor Audio Silver C250 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 Center 2023 digs deeper - 25Hz against 65Hz. |
| Amplifier match | B | Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (230W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is easier to place; Canton Reference Center 2023 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Sealed. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is cheaper - $1,100 against $5,000, about 78% less; arguably a different class. |
A Canton Reference Center 2023 B Monitor Audio Silver C250 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 65Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Canton Reference Center 2023 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Monitor Audio Silver C250 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.