In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Monitor Audio. Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Gold 500 6G is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G and Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 6" HDT C-CAM Woofer
- 55 Hz - 60 kHz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:up to 150watts
- Weight:8.52kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 321.0" x 7-5/16" x 11-15/16"( 186.0 x 321.0 x 304.0mm )
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 3" Midrange
- 2 x 8" HDT C-CAM Woofer
- 3" Midrange
- 44 Hz – 60 kHz Frequency Response
- 88.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:up to 300watts
- Weight:26.56kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1156.0" x 15-1/16" x 18-11/16"( 383.0 x 1156.0 x 475.0mm )
Gold 50 6G and Gold 500 6G are members of Monitor Audio's Gold 6G series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Monitor Audio Gold 6G Series History
What size room are the Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G and Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G 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 50 6G |
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G and Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Gold 50 6G is a 2-way design whereas the Gold 500 6G 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.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G |
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Gold 50 6G features a 1" MPD III Tweeter and 1 x 6" HDT C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2.5 kHz. On the other hand, the Gold 500 6G features a 1" MPD III Tweeter , a 3" Midrange and 2 x 8" HDT C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 700 Hz - 2600 Hz.
Frequency Response
Gold 50 6G has a frequency range of 55 Hz - 60 kHz whereas Gold 500 6G has a frequency range of 44 Hz – 60 kHz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the Gold 500 6G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Gold 50 6G's min frequency of 55Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G
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
Gold 50 6G and Gold 500 6G have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Gold 50 6G sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the Gold 500 6G's is at 88.5 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Gold 50 6G and the Gold 50 6G can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Gold 50 6G can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Gold 50 6G has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 150 watts less than the Gold 500 6G.
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 Gold 50 6G and Gold 500 6G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G's and Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G has external dimensions of 186.0 x 321.0 x 304.0mm ( 7-5/16 x 12-5/8 x 11-15/16) whereas Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G has external dimensions of 383.0 x 1156.0 x 475.0mm ( 15-1/16 x 45-1/2 x 18-11/16) .
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 197mm wider, 835mm taller and 171mm deeper than Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G and Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G and Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G 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 50 6G is approximately 975.8cm2 / 151.2inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G is approximately 5491.0cm2 / 851.1inch2. The Gold 50 6G requires 82% less surface area than the Gold 500 6G which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Gold 50 6G?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Gold 50 6G:
2 bookshelf loudspeakers 4 Grilles 8 Rubber feet 4 Jumper-plates (pre-installed) 2 Port plugs Hex-key Quick Setup Guide Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G?
Here are the items that come with the Gold 500 6G:
2 Floorstanding loudspeakers 6 Grilles 4 Jumper-plates (pre-installed) 4 Port plugs 2 Base plates 8 Outrigger feet 8 rubber feet (pre-installed in outrigger feet) 8 Spikes (pre-installed in outrigger fee) 8 Large machine screws 24 Small machine screws Hex-key Quick Setup Guide Important Safety Instructions
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair* 
Max Input Power 
Driver Setup 
Sensitivity 
Woofer Size