In this review, we will be comparing Silver 100 8G and Silver 100 7G, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G and Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G | Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" gold dome C-CAM | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 3" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" C-CAM RST III | 8" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 33-35k Hz | 35-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-200 watts | 40-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.10kg / 26.6lbs | 9.43kg / 20.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 17-5/16" x 9-1/16" x 13-15/16"
440.0 x 230.0 x 354.0mm | 14-13/16" x 9-1/8" x 13-1/16"
377.0 x 232.0 x 332.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G and Monitor Audio Silver 100 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* |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 Silver 100 8G is a 3-way design whereas the Silver 100 7G 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 Silver 100 8GMonitor Audio Silver 100 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 |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
Silver 100 8G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 1 x 8" C-CAM RST III Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 610Hz and 2900Hz. On the other hand, the Silver 100 7G features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" C-CAM RST II Woofer.
Frequency Response
Silver 100 8G has a frequency range of 33-35k Hz whereas Silver 100 7G has a frequency range of 35-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the Silver 100 8G can go slightly deeper then the Silver 100 7G's min frequency of 35Hz.
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
Silver 100 8G and Silver 100 7G have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Silver 100 8G sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Silver 100 7G's is at 87.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G, 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.
Silver 100 8G can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Silver 100 7G has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the Silver 100 8G.
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 100 8G
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Silver 100 8G and Silver 100 7G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or 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 Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G's and Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G has external dimensions of 440.0 x 230.0 x 354.0mm (17-5/16 x 9-1/16 x 13-15/16inch) whereas Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G has external dimensions of 377.0 x 232.0 x 332.0mm (14-13/16 x 9-1/8 x 13-1/16inch).
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is 63mm shorter and 22mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G but it is also 2mm 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.
Near-identical footprints. Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G is 22mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G is 63mm 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 Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G is approximately 814.2cm2 / 126.2inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is approximately 770.2cm2 / 119.4inch2. The Silver 100 8G requires 6% more surface area than the Silver 100 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 Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G weighs 12.10kg / 26.6lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G weighs 9.43kg / 20.7lbs. This makes the Silver 100 8G 28% heavier than the Silver 100 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Silver 100 8G and Silver 100 7G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G?
Here are the items that come with the Silver 100 7G:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumpers (pre-installed)
- 8 Rubber feet
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Hex-key
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
377mm
vs
440mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
770cm2
vs
814cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1400USD
vs
2300USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
50-200 watts |
40-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
87.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.7 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
33-35k Hz |
35-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM RST III |
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
610Hz and 2900Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
440.0mm (17.3") |
377.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
230.0mm (9.1") |
232.0mm (9.1") |
| Depth |
354.0mm (13.9") |
332.0mm (13.1") |
| Weight |
12.10kg (26.6lbs) |
9.43kg (20.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/High gloss, veneer or satin paint |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
High Gloss Black, European Walnut, Satin White |
Ash,High Gloss Black,Black Oak,Satin White |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
22-26" |
| 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 - Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G costs roughly 1.6x what Monitor Audio Silver 100 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 (33Hz vs 35Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G: bi-amping; Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is cheaper - $1,400 against $2,300, about 39% less; arguably a different class. |
A Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G B Monitor Audio Silver 100 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 100 8G is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 64% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G appeals to you. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $900 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.