In this review, we will be comparing Silver 300 7G and S50, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Monitor Audio and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G and Polk S50 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II Tweeter
- 3" Midrange
- 2 x 6" C-CAM RST II Woofer
- 31-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 87.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:80-200watts
- Weight:19.32kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1036.0" x 10-7/8" x 15-1/4"( 1036.0 x 277.0 x 388.0mm )
Polk S50 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer
- 33-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-150watts
- Weight:14.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 951.0" x 10-5/16" x 11-1/16"( 951.0 x 262.0 x 281.0mm )
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G and Polk S50 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 300 7G |
Polk S50 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G and Polk S50 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 Silver 300 7G is a 3-way design whereas the S50 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.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G |
Polk S50 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Silver 300 7G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II Tweeter , a 3" Midrange and 2 x 6" C-CAM RST II Woofer . On the other hand, the S50 features a 1" Terylene Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Silver 300 7G has a frequency range of 31-35k Hz whereas S50 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 31Hz, the Silver 300 7G can go slightly deeper then the S50's min frequency of 33Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G
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
Silver 300 7G and S50 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Silver 300 7G sensitivity is rated at 87.5 dB and the S50's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk S50 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Silver 300 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. 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.
Silver 300 7G can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas S50 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Silver 300 7G.
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 Silver 300 7G and S50 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Polk S50's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Silver 300 7G has a rear firing port whereas S50 has a bottom firing ports. Polk S50's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G with its rear-firing port.
Polk S50 Port
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 Silver 300 7G's and Polk S50's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G has external dimensions of 1036.0 x 277.0 x 388.0mm ( 40-3/4 x 10-7/8 x 15-1/4inch) whereas Polk S50 has external dimensions of 951.0 x 262.0 x 281.0mm ( 37-7/16 x 10-5/16 x 11-1/16inch) .
Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 15mm wider, 85mm taller and 107mm deeper than Polk S50.
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 300 7G is approximately 1074.8cm2 / 166.6inch2 and base area of the Polk S50 is approximately 736.2cm2 / 114.1inch2. The Silver 300 7G requires 46% more surface area than the S50 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 300 7G weighs 19.32kg / 42.5lbs and the Polk S50 weighs 14.50kg / 31.9lbs. This makes the Silver 300 7G 33% heavier than the S50.
Here is a comparison of how Silver 300 7G and S50's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Silver 300 7G:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Outrigger feet4 Rubber feet (pre-installed on outrigger feet)4 Spikes4 Bolts4 Machine screws2 Foam port plugs2 Hex-keysOwners ManualImportant Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of Polk S50?
Here are the items that come with the S50:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille (attached)4 Feet (pre-installed)Owners ManualOnline Product Registration
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
31 Hz
vs
33 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
951mm
vs
1036mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
736cm2
vs
1074cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G |
Polk Audio Signature S50 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
80-200 watts |
20-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87.5 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
31-35k Hz |
33-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM RST II |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1036.0mm (40.8") |
951.0mm (37.4") |
| Width |
277.0mm (10.9") |
262.0mm (10.3") |
| Depth |
388.0mm (15.3") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Weight |
19.32kg (42.5lbs) |
14.50kg (31.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
Meddite MDF |
| Available Colors |
Oak |
Black |
| 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 |