In this review, we will be comparing Klipschorn 80th and Silver 500 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Klipsch and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|---|
| Brand | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | Compression Horn | 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 15" Paper | 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 34-20k Hz | 27-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 103 dB | 90.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 100-400 watts | 80-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 65.70kg / 144.5lbs | 22.53kg / 49.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 51-15/16" x 31-1/2" x 24"
1320.0 x 800.0 x 610.0mm | 42-11/16" x 12-11/16" x 15-7/16"
1085.0 x 323.0 x 393.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary 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* |
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Klipschorn 80th is a 2-way design whereas the Silver 500 7G is a 3-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.
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th AnniversaryMonitor 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 |
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 15-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Klipschorn 80th features a " K-692 with K-5-K aluminium horn Compression Horn Tweeter and 1 x 15" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz. 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
Klipschorn 80th has a frequency range of 34-20k 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 Klipschorn 80th'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
Klipschorn 80th and Silver 500 7G have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Klipschorn 80th sensitivity is rated at 103 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is at 90.5 dB. This 12 dB difference makes the Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary 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.
Klipschorn 80th can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Silver 500 7G has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Klipschorn 80th.
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.
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Klipschorn 80th and Silver 500 7G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Klipschorn 80th has a front firing port whereas Silver 500 7G has a rear firing ports. Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary'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 Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary has external dimensions of 1320.0 x 800.0 x 610.0mm (51-15/16 x 31-1/2 x 24inch) 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).
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 477mm wider, 235mm taller and 217mm 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.
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary needs about 284% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary is 217mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary is 235mm 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 Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary is approximately 4880.0cm2 / 756.4inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The Klipschorn 80th requires 284% 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 Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary weighs 65.70kg / 144.5lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the Klipschorn 80th 192% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Klipschorn 80th and Silver 500 7G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary
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 |
400 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
103 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1320mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1269cm2
vs
4880cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
20000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
100-400 watts |
80-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
103 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
34-20k Hz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Compression Horn |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
350Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1320.0mm (52") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
800.0mm (31.5") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
610.0mm (24") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
65.70kg (144.5lbs) |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Horn Loaded |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
19 mm MDF with real wood veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Tigerwood |
Oak |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary costs roughly 6.3x 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 | A | Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary is more sensitive (103dB vs 91dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary takes more power (400W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is easier to place; Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary: bi-amping; Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G: bi-amping. Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is cheaper - $3,200 against $20,000, about 84% less; arguably a different class. |
A Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary 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?
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 6.3x the price. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary appeals to you. 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 Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary 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.