In this review, we will be comparing Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A and Silver 500 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from MartinLogan and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 11 x 44" E-ST | 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" | 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 29-23k Hz | 27-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 90.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 80-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 40.82kg / 89.8lbs | 22.53kg / 49.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 60-3/4" x 11-15/16" x 27-7/16"
1543.1 x 303.2 x 696.9mm | 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A 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.
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11AMonitor 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 |
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
11 x 44-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A features a 11 x 44" E-ST Tweeter and 2 x 8" 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
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A has a frequency range of 29-23k 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 slightly deeper then the Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A's min frequency of 29Hz.
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
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
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
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A 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 Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is rated at 90.5 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
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.
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
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. Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A 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 MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A has external dimensions of 1543.1 x 303.2 x 696.9mm () 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 458.1mm shorter and 303.9mm less deeper than MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A but it is also 19.8mm wider.
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.
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A needs about 66% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A is 304mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A is 458mm 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 MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A is approximately 2113.0cm2 / 327.5inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A requires 66% 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 MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A weighs 40.82kg / 89.8lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A 81% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A and Silver 500 7G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
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
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
29 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1543mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1269cm2
vs
2113cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
12000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
29-23k Hz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
11 x 44" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
E-ST |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
3" |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1543.1mm (60.8") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
303.2mm (11.9") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
696.9mm (27.4") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
40.82kg (89.8lbs) |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Composite |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Oak |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A costs roughly 3.8x 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (29Hz vs 27Hz). |
| 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. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is easier to place; MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| 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. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is cheaper - $3,200 against $12,000, about 73% less; arguably a different class. |
A MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A 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 MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. In a large or open-plan room, MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is the easier speaker to get right. 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.