In this review, we will be comparing Aria CC 900 and Silver C250 7G, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Focal and Monitor Audio . Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Aria CC 900 and Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Focal Aria CC 900 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Focal Aria CC 900 and Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Aria CC 900 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.
| Driver |
Focal Aria CC 900 |
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Aria CC 900 features a 1" TNF aluminum/magnesium inverted dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" flax/fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz. 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
Aria CC 900 has a frequency range of 57-28k Hz whereas Silver C250 7G has a frequency range of 65-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 57Hz, the Aria CC 900 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Silver C250 7G's min frequency of 65Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Aria CC 900 and Silver C250 7G have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Aria CC 900 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Silver C250 7G's is at 88.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal Aria CC 900 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Aria CC 900 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
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Focal Aria CC 900's and Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G's external dimensions. Focal Aria CC 900 has external dimensions of 202.0 x 532.0 x 285.0mm ( 7-15/16 x 20-15/16 x 11-3/16inch) 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) .
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is 50mm narrower and 11mm less deeper than Focal Aria CC 900 but it is also 3mm 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 Focal Aria CC 900 is approximately 1516.2cm2 / 235.0inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is approximately 1320.7cm2 / 204.7inch2. The Aria CC 900 requires 15% 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 Focal Aria CC 900 weighs 10.45kg / 23lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G weighs 10.63kg / 23.4lbs. This makes the Silver C250 7G 2% heavier than the Aria CC 900.
Here is a comparison of how Aria CC 900 and Silver C250 7G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G
What's in the Box of Focal Aria CC 900?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Aria CC 900:
Center-channel loudspeaker Grille 4 Rubber feet User Manual
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G?
Here are the items that come with the Silver C250 7G:
Center-channel loudspeakersGrille2 Jumpers (pre-installed)4 Rubber feetHex-keyOwners ManualImportant Safety Instructions
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
57 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
202mm
vs
205mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1099USD
vs
1100USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1320cm2 (482x274mm)
vs
1516cm2 (532x285mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Focal Aria CC 900 |
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G |
| Brand |
Focal |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
40-200 watts |
80-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.3 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
57-28k Hz |
65-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
flax/fiberglass |
C-CAM with Rigid Surface Technology (RST) |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
gold dome C-CAM |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
N/A" |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
202.0mm (8") |
205.0mm (8.1") |
| Width |
532.0mm (20.9") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Depth |
285.0mm (11.2") |
274.0mm (10.8") |
| Weight |
10.45kg (23lbs) |
10.63kg (23.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |