In this review, we will be comparing SONIK 9 and Silver 500 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from DALI and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI SONIK 9 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI SONIK 9 | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.6875 x 1.75" Planar | 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
|---|
| Midrange | 1.125" | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 7.0" Wood fiber | 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 34-30k Hz | 27-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | 80-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 24.65kg / 54.2lbs | 22.53kg / 49.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44-5/16" x 12-9/16" x 14-13/16"
1126.0 x 320.0 x 377.0mm | 42-11/16" x 12-11/16" x 15-7/16"
1085.0 x 323.0 x 393.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both SONIK 9 and Silver 500 7G are 3-way speakers.
DALI SONIK 9Monitor 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 |
DALI SONIK 9 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.6875 x 1.75-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 1.125-inch |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 7.0-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
SONIK 9 features a 0.6875 x 1.75" Planar Tweeter, a 1.125" Midrange and 3 x 7.0" Wood fiber Woofer. 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
SONIK 9 has a frequency range of 34-30k Hz whereas Silver 500 7G has a frequency range of 27-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the Silver 500 7G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SONIK 9's min frequency of 34Hz.
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
SONIK 9 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. SONIK 9 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 DALI SONIK 9, 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.
SONIK 9 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 SONIK 9.
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. SONIK 9 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both SONIK 9 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 DALI SONIK 9's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. DALI SONIK 9 has external dimensions of 1126.0 x 320.0 x 377.0mm (44-5/16inch x 12-9/16inch x 14-13/16inch) 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).
DALI SONIK 9 is 3mm narrower and 16mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G but it is also 41mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of DALI SONIK 9 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G in scale.
Comparison image of DALI SONIK 9 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G Size and External Dimensions
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 DALI SONIK 9 is approximately 1206.4cm2 / 187.0inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The SONIK 9 requires 5% 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 DALI SONIK 9 weighs 24.65kg / 54.2lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the SONIK 9 9% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how SONIK 9 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 DALI SONIK 9?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SONIK 9:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 8 Rubber feet (M8 threads)
- 8 Spike-feet (M8 threads)
- Eight M8 hex-nuts
- Eight M8x15mm counter-sunk hex-screws
- Hex-key
- Hex-wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Online Registration Card
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 |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Base Surface Area |
1206cm2
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
7.0 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1126mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
4500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
DALI SONIK 9 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
DALI |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
80-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
34-30k Hz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7.0" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Wood fiber |
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.6875 x 1.75" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Planar |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
1.125" |
3" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1126.0mm (44.3") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
320.0mm (12.6") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
377.0mm (14.8") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
24.65kg (54.2lbs) |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain laminate |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash, Natural Oak,White,Walnut |
Oak |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: DALI SONIK 9 is the newer design, against a 2021 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 500 7G digs deeper - 27Hz against 34Hz. 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 | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is cheaper - $3,200 against $4,500, about 29% less. |
A DALI SONIK 9 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 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take DALI SONIK 9 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 34Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $1,300 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.