In this review, we will be comparing Nostala LB12 and Silver 500 8G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Emotiva and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Nostala LB12 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Nostala LB12 | Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1" gold dome C-CAM |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 12" Paper | 2 x 8" C-CAM RST III |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-32k Hz | 28-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 100-350 watts | 60-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 32.20kg / 70.8lbs | 24.30kg / 53.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 30" x 15-1/2" x 14-1/2"
762.0 x 394.0 x 368.0mm | 44-1/8" x 13-3/8" x 17"
1120.0 x 340.0 x 432.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Emotiva Nostala LB12 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G 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* |
Emotiva Nostala LB12 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G |
| 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 Nostala LB12 and Silver 500 8G are 3-way speakers.
Emotiva Nostala LB12Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Emotiva Nostala LB12 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Nostala LB12 features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 200Hz and 2000Hz. On the other hand, the Silver 500 8G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 2 x 8" C-CAM RST III Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 640Hz and 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
Nostala LB12 has a frequency range of 40-32k Hz whereas Silver 500 8G has a frequency range of 28-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Silver 500 8G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Nostala LB12's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
Nostala LB12 and Silver 500 8G have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Nostala LB12 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Silver 500 8G's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Emotiva Nostala LB12 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G, 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.
Nostala LB12 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas Silver 500 8G has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Nostala LB12.
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 8G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Nostala LB12 and Silver 500 8G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Nostala LB12 and Silver 500 8G 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 Emotiva Nostala LB12's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G's external dimensions. Emotiva Nostala LB12 has external dimensions of 762.0 x 394.0 x 368.0mm (30 x 15-1/2 x 14-1/2inch) whereas Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G has external dimensions of 1120.0 x 340.0 x 432.0mm (44-1/8 x 13-3/8 x 17inch).
Emotiva Nostala LB12 is 358mm shorter and 64mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G but it is also 54mm wider.
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.
Near-identical footprints. Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G is 64mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G is 358mm 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 Emotiva Nostala LB12 is approximately 1449.9cm2 / 224.7inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G is approximately 1468.8cm2 / 227.7inch2. The Nostala LB12 requires 1% less surface area than the Silver 500 8G 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 Emotiva Nostala LB12 weighs 32.20kg / 70.8lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G weighs 24.30kg / 53.5lbs. This makes the Nostala LB12 33% heavier than the Silver 500 8G.
Here is a comparison of how Nostala LB12 and Silver 500 8G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
762mm
vs
1120mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1449cm2
vs
1468cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3299USD
vs
4000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
32k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Emotiva Nostala LB12 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G |
| Brand |
Emotiva |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
100-350 watts |
60-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-32k Hz |
28-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
C-CAM RST III |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
gold dome C-CAM |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
200Hz and 2000Hz |
640Hz and 2800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
762.0mm (30") |
1120.0mm (44.1") |
| Width |
394.0mm (15.5") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Depth |
368.0mm (14.5") |
432.0mm (17") |
| Weight |
32.20kg (70.8lbs) |
24.30kg (53.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/High gloss, veneer or satin paint |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
High Gloss Black, European Walnut, Satin White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
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 8G digs deeper - 28Hz against 40Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Emotiva Nostala LB12 takes more power (350W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Emotiva Nostala LB12 is easier to place; Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Emotiva Nostala LB12: bi-amping; Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G: bi-amping. Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Emotiva Nostala LB12 is cheaper - $3,299 against $4,000, about 18% less. |
A Emotiva Nostala LB12 B Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G
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 40Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Emotiva Nostala LB12 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Emotiva Nostala LB12 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.