In this review, we will be comparing Vestia No4 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 Vestia No4 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Vestia No4 | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Slatefiber | 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-30k Hz | 27-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 90.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-350 watts | 80-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 31.50kg / 69.3lbs | 22.53kg / 49.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44-3/8" x 12" x 16-7/8"
1128.0 x 305.0 x 429.0mm | 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 Vestia No4 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 Vestia No4 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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 Vestia No4 and Silver 500 7G are 3-way speakers.
Focal Vestia No4Monitor 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 Vestia No4 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Vestia No4 features a 1" Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 280Hz and 2800Hz. 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
Vestia No4 has a frequency range of 40-30k 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 Vestia No4'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
Vestia No4 and Silver 500 7G have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Vestia No4 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is at 90.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Vestia No4 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G, 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.
Vestia No4 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas Silver 500 7G has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Vestia No4.
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
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Vestia No4 has a front firing port whereas Silver 500 7G has a rear firing ports. Focal Vestia No4's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G with its rear-firing port.
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 Vestia No4's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. Focal Vestia No4 has external dimensions of 1128.0 x 305.0 x 429.0mm (44-3/8-inch x 12-inch x 16-7/8-inch) 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).
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is 43mm shorter and 36mm less deeper than Focal Vestia No4 but it is also 18mm wider.
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 Vestia No4 is approximately 1308.5cm2 / 202.8inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The Vestia No4 requires 3% 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 Vestia No4 weighs 31.50kg / 69.3lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the Vestia No4 40% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Vestia No4 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 |
350 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
40 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
1128mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1269cm2
vs
1308cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
4398USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Vestia No4 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
Focal |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-350 watts |
80-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.6 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
40-30k Hz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Slatefiber |
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
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" |
| Crossover Frequency |
280Hz and 2800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1128.0mm (44.4") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
305.0mm (12") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
429.0mm (16.9") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
31.50kg (69.3lbs) |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss, Dark Wood, Light Wood |
Oak |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
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 7G digs deeper - 27Hz against 40Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (92dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Focal Vestia No4 takes more power (350W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| 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 $4,398, about 27% less. |
A Focal Vestia No4 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 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 40Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Focal Vestia No4 the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.