In this review, we will be comparing Sopra No.2 and Silver 500 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Sopra No.2 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Sopra No.2 | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Inverted Dome | 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" W sandwich | 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 34-40k Hz | 27-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 90.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-300 watts | 80-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 55.00kg / 121lbs | 22.53kg / 49.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 46-7/8" x 14-1/8" x 21-1/4"
1190.0 x 358.0 x 540.0mm | 42-11/16" x 12-11/16" x 15-7/16"
1085.0 x 323.0 x 393.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Sopra No.2 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* |
Focal Sopra No.2 |
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 Sopra No.2 and Silver 500 7G are 3-way speakers.
Focal Sopra No.2Monitor 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 |
Focal Sopra No.2 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Sopra No.2 features a 1.1" Beryllium Inverted Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 7" W sandwich 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
Sopra No.2 has a frequency range of 34-40k 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 Sopra No.2'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
Sopra No.2 and Silver 500 7G have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Sopra No.2 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is at 90.5 dB.
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.
Sopra No.2 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 Sopra No.2.
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. Sopra No.2 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 Focal Sopra No.2's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. Focal Sopra No.2 has external dimensions of 1190.0 x 358.0 x 540.0mm (46-7/8 x 14-1/8 x 21-1/4inch) 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).
Focal Sopra No.2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 35mm wider, 105mm taller and 147mm deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 500 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.
Focal Sopra No.2 needs about 52% more floor or shelf area. Focal Sopra No.2 is 147mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Focal Sopra No.2 is 105mm 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 Sopra No.2 is approximately 1933.2cm2 / 299.6inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The Sopra No.2 requires 52% more surface area than the Silver 500 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 Sopra No.2 weighs 55.00kg / 121lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the Sopra No.2 144% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Sopra No.2 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 |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1190mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1269cm2
vs
1933cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
22998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Sopra No.2 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
Focal |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-300 watts |
80-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
34-40k Hz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
W sandwich |
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Inverted Dome |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
3" |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1190.0mm (46.9") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
358.0mm (14.1") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
540.0mm (21.3") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
55.00kg (121lbs) |
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 - Focal Sopra No.2 costs roughly 7.2x 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 34Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (300W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is easier to place; Focal Sopra No.2 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 $22,998, about 86% less; arguably a different class. |
A Focal Sopra No.2 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 Focal Sopra No.2 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. Match it to your room: we rate Focal Sopra No.2 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.