In this review, we will be comparing Gold 100 6G and Evoke 30, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Monitor Audio and Dynaudio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G and Dynaudio Evoke 20 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G | Dynaudio Evoke 20 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1.1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 3" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" HDT C-CAM | 7" Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
|---|
| Frequency response | 49 Hz - 60 kHz | 40-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86.5 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 1250 watts | up to 180 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.05kg / 30.9lbs | 9.90kg / 21.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 17-5/8" x 9-1/16" x 14-1/16"
448.0 x 231.0 x 358.0mm | 15" x 8.5" x 12.5"
380.0 x 215.0 x 317.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G and Dynaudio Evoke 20 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* |
Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G |
Dynaudio Evoke 20 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.)
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 Gold 100 6G is a 3-way design whereas the Evoke 30 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.
Monitor Audio Gold 100 6GDynaudio Evoke 20
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G |
Dynaudio Evoke 20 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 7-inch
|
Gold 100 6G features a 1" MPD III Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 1 x 8" HDT C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 700 Hz - 2600 Hz. On the other hand, the Evoke 30 features a 1.1" Cerotar with Hexis Tweeter and 1 x 7" Magnesium Silicate Polymer Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3200Hz.
Frequency Response
Gold 100 6G has a frequency range of 49 Hz - 60 kHz whereas Evoke 30 has a frequency range of 40-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Evoke 30 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Gold 100 6G's min frequency of 49Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Gold 100 6G is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Evoke 30 which has a nominal impedance of 6 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 Gold 100 6G can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Gold 100 6G sensitivity is rated at 86.5 dB and the Evoke 30's is rated at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G a more sensitive speaker compared to Dynaudio Evoke 20, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Gold 100 6G can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Evoke 30 has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the Gold 100 6G.
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 Gold 100 6G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Gold 100 6G features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Evoke 30 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Dynaudio Evoke 20's Binding post terminals
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 Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G's and Dynaudio Evoke 20's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G has external dimensions of 448.0 x 231.0 x 358.0mm (9-1/16 x 17-5/8 x 14-1/16) whereas Dynaudio Evoke 20 has external dimensions of 380.0 x 215.0 x 317.0mm (15 x 8.5 x 12.1inch).
Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 16mm wider, 68mm taller and 41mm deeper than Dynaudio Evoke 20.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G and Dynaudio Evoke 20 in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G and Dynaudio Evoke 20 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 Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G is approximately 827.0cm2 / 128.2inch2 and base area of the Dynaudio Evoke 20 is approximately 681.6cm2 / 105.6inch2. The Gold 100 6G requires 21% more surface area than the Evoke 30 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 Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G weighs 14.05kg / 30.9lbs and the Dynaudio Evoke 20 weighs 9.90kg / 21.8lbs. This makes the Gold 100 6G 42% heavier than the Evoke 30.
Here is a comparison of how Gold 100 6G and Evoke 30's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Gold 100 6G:
- 2 Stand-mount loudspeakers
- 4 Grilles
- 8 Rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-plates (pre-installed)
- 2 Port plugs
- Quick Setup Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of Dynaudio Evoke 20?
Here are the items that come with the Evoke 30:
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
60k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
4199USD
vs
4798USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
49 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
380mm
vs
448mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
681cm2
vs
827cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G |
Dynaudio Evoke 20 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Dynaudio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 1250 watts |
up to 180 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86.5 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.9 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
49 Hz - 60 kHz |
40-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
HDT C-CAM |
Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
700 Hz - 2600 Hz |
3200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
8 Rubber feet |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
448.0mm (17.6") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Width |
231.0mm (9.1") |
215.0mm (8.5") |
| Depth |
358.0mm (14.1") |
317.0mm (12.5") |
| Weight |
14.05kg (30.9lbs) |
9.90kg (21.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Macassar Wood Veneer, High-Gloss Black, Satin White |
Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
A generation apart: Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G is the newer design, against a 2019 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Dynaudio Evoke 20 digs deeper - 40Hz against 49Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Dynaudio Evoke 20 is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G takes more power (250W vs 180W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Dynaudio Evoke 20 is easier to place; Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G is cheaper - $4,199 against $4,798, about 12% less. |
A Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G B Dynaudio Evoke 20
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 49Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Dynaudio Evoke 20 for a small room.
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.