In this review, we will be comparing Model Seven and Silver 500 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KLH and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Model Seven and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KLH Model Seven | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|---|
| Brand | KLH
United States · founded 1957 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 13" Pulp-Paper | 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-20k Hz | 27-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 90.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-250 watts | 80-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 35.82kg / 78.8lbs | 22.53kg / 49.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41" x 18" x 12-1/4"
1042.0 x 458.0 x 312.0mm | 42-11/16" x 12-11/16" x 15-7/16"
1085.0 x 323.0 x 393.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Model Seven and Silver 500 7G are 3-way speakers.
KLH Model SevenMonitor 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 |
KLH Model Seven |
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
|
1 x 13-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Model Seven features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 1 x 13" Pulp-Paper 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
Model Seven has a frequency range of 38-20k 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 Model Seven's min frequency of 38Hz.
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
Model Seven 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 Model Seven can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Model Seven sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is rated 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 250 watts RMS, though Model Seven is rated 20-250 watts and Silver 500 7G 80-250 watts.
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. Model Seven 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 KLH Model Seven's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. KLH Model Seven has external dimensions of 1042.0 x 458.0 x 312.0mm (41inch x 18inch x 12-1/4inch) 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).
KLH Model Seven is 43mm shorter and 81mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G but it is also 135mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KLH Model Seven and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G in scale.
Comparison image of KLH Model Seven 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 KLH Model Seven is approximately 1429.0cm2 / 221.5inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The Model Seven requires 13% 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 KLH Model Seven weighs 35.82kg / 78.8lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the Model Seven 59% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Model Seven 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 KLH Model Seven?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Model Seven:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Riser bases
- 2 Grilles
- Owner's Manual
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
 Woofer Size |
13 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
1042mm
vs
1085mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Base Surface Area |
1269cm2
vs
1429cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
4998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KLH Model Seven |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
KLH |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-250 watts |
80-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
38-20k Hz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
13" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Pulp-Paper |
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
3" |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1042.0mm (41") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
458.0mm (18") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
312.0mm (12.3") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
35.82kg (78.8lbs) |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Mahogany |
Oak |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 Years |
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 38Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (250W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| 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 $4,998, about 36% less. |
A KLH Model Seven 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 KLH Model Seven 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 38Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.