In this review, we will be comparing Q Concerto Meta and Silver 100 7G, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from KEF and Monitor Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q Concerto Meta and Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
KEF Q Concerto Meta Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 12th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 0.75" Hard dome Tweeter
- 4" Midrange
- 6.5" Aluminum Woofer
- 48-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:Up to 180watts
- Weight:9.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 415.0" x 8.3" x 12.4"( 415 x 210 x 315 mm )
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 8" C-CAM RST II Woofer
- 35-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 87.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:40-120watts
- Weight:9.43kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 377.0" x 9-1/8" x 13-1/16"( 377.0 x 232.0 x 332.0mm )
What size room are the KEF Q Concerto Meta and Monitor Audio Silver 100 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* |
KEF Q Concerto Meta |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the KEF Q Concerto Meta and Monitor Audio Silver 100 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 Q Concerto Meta is a 3-way design whereas the Silver 100 7G is a 2-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 |
KEF Q Concerto Meta |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.75-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
Q Concerto Meta features a 0.75" vented aluminum dome with MAT absorber Hard dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 430 Hz, 2.9 kHz. On the other hand, the Silver 100 7G features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" C-CAM RST II Woofer .
Frequency Response
Q Concerto Meta has a frequency range of 48-20k Hz whereas Silver 100 7G has a frequency range of 35-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Silver 100 7G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q Concerto Meta's min frequency of 48Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 100 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
Q Concerto Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Silver 100 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 Q Concerto Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Q Concerto Meta sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the Silver 100 7G's is rated at 87.5 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q Concerto Meta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Q Concerto Meta can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Silver 100 7G has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 60 watts less than the Q Concerto Meta.
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
Silver 100 7G features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Q Concerto Meta has a Binding Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 KEF Q Concerto Meta's and Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G's external dimensions. KEF Q Concerto Meta has external dimensions of 415 x 210 x 315 mm ( 16.3 x 8.3 x 12.4 in.) whereas Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G has external dimensions of 377.0 x 232.0 x 332.0mm ( 14-13/16 x 9-1/8 x 13-1/16inch) .
KEF Q Concerto Meta is 22mm narrower and 17mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G but it is also 38mm 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 KEF Q Concerto Meta is approximately 661.5cm2 / 102.5inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is approximately 770.2cm2 / 119.4inch2. The Q Concerto Meta requires 14% less surface area than the Silver 100 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 KEF Q Concerto Meta weighs 9.50kg / 20.9lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G weighs 9.43kg / 20.7lbs. This makes the Q Concerto Meta 1% heavier than the Silver 100 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Q Concerto Meta and Silver 100 7G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G
What's in the Box of KEF Q Concerto Meta?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Q Concerto Meta:
Q3 Concerto Meta (pair) Magnetic grilles (pair) Rubber feet Port bungs User manual and warranty information
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G?
Here are the items that come with the Silver 100 7G:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 Grilles4 Jumpers (pre-installed)8 Rubber feet2 Foam port plugsHex-keyOwners ManualImportant Safety Instructions