In this review, we will be comparing Reference 3 Meta and Silver 500 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and Monitor Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Reference 3 Meta and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the KEF Reference 3 Meta 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the KEF Reference 3 Meta and Monitor Audio Silver 500 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
Both Reference 3 Meta and Silver 500 7G are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
KEF Reference 3 Meta |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Reference 3 Meta features a 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 2100Hz. 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
Reference 3 Meta has a frequency range of 43-35k 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 Reference 3 Meta's min frequency of 43Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 500 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
Reference 3 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Silver 500 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 Reference 3 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Reference 3 Meta sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is rated at 90.5 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Reference 3 Meta, 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. 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.
Reference 3 Meta can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Silver 500 7G has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Reference 3 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
Both Reference 3 Meta and Silver 500 7G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF Reference 3 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Reference 3 Meta and Silver 500 7G 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.
KEF Reference 3 Meta Port
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 Reference 3 Meta's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. KEF Reference 3 Meta has external dimensions of 1207 x 323 x 467 mm ( 47.5 x 12.7 x 18.4 in.) 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) .
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF Reference 3 Meta and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G in scale.
Comparison image of KEF Reference 3 Meta and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G Size and External Dimensions
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 Reference 3 Meta is approximately 1508.4cm2 / 233.8inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The Reference 3 Meta requires 19% 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 KEF Reference 3 Meta weighs 51.30kg / 112.9lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the Reference 3 Meta 128% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Reference 3 Meta 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 loudspeakerGrille4 Outrigger feet4 Rubber feet (pre-installed on outrigger feet)4 Spikes4 Bolts4 Machine screws2 Foam port plugs2 Hex-keysOwners ManualImportant Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
43 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1207mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1269cm2 (323x393mm)
vs
1508cm2 (323x467mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
15000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Reference 3 Meta |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
KEF |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
80-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
43-35k Hz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminium cone |
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
aluminium dome with MAT |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 2100Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1207.0mm (47.5") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
323.0mm (12.7") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
467.0mm (18.4") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
51.30kg (112.9lbs) |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper, Satin Walnut/Silver |
Oak |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |