In this review, we will be comparing Contour 30i and Silver 500 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Dynaudio and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Dynaudio Contour 30i and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Dynaudio Contour 30i | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|---|
| Brand | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" MSP | 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-23k Hz | 27-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 90.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 80-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 31.40kg / 69.1lbs | 22.53kg / 49.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44-7/8" x 8-7/16" x 14-3/16"
1140.0 x 215.0 x 360.0mm | 42-11/16" x 12-11/16" x 15-7/16"
1085.0 x 323.0 x 393.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Dynaudio Contour 30i 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* |
Dynaudio Contour 30i |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 Contour 30i and Silver 500 7G are 3-way speakers.
Dynaudio Contour 30iMonitor 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 |
Dynaudio Contour 30i |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Contour 30i features a 1.1" Esotar 2i Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 7" MSP Woofer with a Crossover frequency at (300)/2200 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
Contour 30i has a frequency range of 32-23k 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 Contour 30i's min frequency of 32Hz.
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
Contour 30i 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 Contour 30i can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Contour 30i sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is rated at 90.5 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to Dynaudio Contour 30i, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
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. Contour 30i has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Contour 30i 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 Dynaudio Contour 30i's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. Dynaudio Contour 30i has external dimensions of 1140.0 x 215.0 x 360.0mm (44-7/8 x 8-7/16 x 14-3/16inch) 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).
Dynaudio Contour 30i is 108mm narrower and 33mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G but it is also 55mm taller.
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.
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G needs about 64% more floor or shelf area. Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is 33mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Dynaudio Contour 30i is 55mm 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 Dynaudio Contour 30i is approximately 774.0cm2 / 120.0inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The Contour 30i requires 39% 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 Dynaudio Contour 30i weighs 31.40kg / 69.1lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the Contour 30i 39% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Contour 30i 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 |
 Base Surface Area |
774cm2
vs
1269cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1140mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
9500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Dynaudio Contour 30i |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
Dynaudio |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-23k Hz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
MSP |
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
(300)/2200 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1140.0mm (44.9") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
215.0mm (8.5") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
360.0mm (14.2") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
31.40kg (69.1lbs) |
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 |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Dynaudio Contour 30i costs roughly 3x 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 | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G digs deeper - 27Hz against 32Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is more sensitive (91dB vs 87dB), 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 | evenly matched | Similar power handling (300W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | Dynaudio Contour 30i 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 $9,500, about 66% less; arguably a different class. |
A Dynaudio Contour 30i 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 Dynaudio Contour 30i 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 32Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Dynaudio Contour 30i the better fit for a small room and a mid-size room, and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G for a large room and a very 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.