In this review, we will be comparing Silver 300 8G and Concord, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Monitor Audio and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver 300 8G and KLH Concord first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Silver 300 8G | KLH Concord |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" gold dome C-CAM | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 3" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6" C-CAM RST III | 2 x 6.5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-35k Hz | 28-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-200 watts | up to 225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 19.30kg / 42.5lbs | 20.45kg / 45lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-3/16" x 11-5/8" x 16-1/8"
1020.0 x 295.0 x 410.0mm | 40-3/8" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
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 Silver 300 8G is a 3-way design whereas the Concord 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 300 8GKLH Concord
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 300 8G |
KLH Concord |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Silver 300 8G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 2 x 6" C-CAM RST III Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 610Hz and 3300Hz. On the other hand, the Concord features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Silver 300 8G has a frequency range of 30-35k Hz whereas Concord has a frequency range of 28-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Concord can go slightly deeper then the Silver 300 8G's min frequency of 30Hz.
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
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 300 8G and Concord have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Silver 300 8G sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Concord's is at 94 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the KLH Concord a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Silver 300 8G, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Concord can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS, whereas Silver 300 8G has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the Concord.
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 300 8G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Silver 300 8G features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Concord has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Concord's 5-Way 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 Silver 300 8G's and KLH Concord's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Silver 300 8G has external dimensions of 1020.0 x 295.0 x 410.0mm (40-3/16 x 11-5/8 x 16-1/8inch) whereas KLH Concord has external dimensions of 1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/8 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
KLH Concord is 83mm narrower and 30mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 300 8G but it is also 6mm taller.
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.
Monitor Audio Silver 300 8G needs about 50% more floor or shelf area. Monitor Audio Silver 300 8G is 30mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 8G is approximately 1209.5cm2 / 187.5inch2 and base area of the KLH Concord is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Silver 300 8G requires 50% more surface area than the Concord 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 8G weighs 19.30kg / 42.5lbs and the KLH Concord weighs 20.45kg / 45lbs. This makes the Concord 6% heavier than the Silver 300 8G.
Here is a comparison of how Silver 300 8G and Concord's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 300 8G
What's in the Box of KLH Concord?
Here are the items that come with the Concord:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet (w/ locking nut attached)
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Rubber feet
- Port plug
- Manual
- ATTENTION! note
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1020mm
vs
1026mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Max Input Power |
225 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
1209cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1000USD
vs
3000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver 300 8G |
KLH Concord |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-200 watts |
up to 225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.9 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
30-35k Hz |
28-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM RST III |
Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
610Hz and 3300Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
1026.0mm (40.4") |
| Width |
295.0mm (11.6") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
410.0mm (16.1") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
19.30kg (42.5lbs) |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/High gloss, veneer or satin paint |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
High Gloss Black, European Walnut, Satin White |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Monitor Audio Silver 300 8G costs roughly 3x what KLH Concord 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 (30Hz vs 28Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Concord is more sensitive (94dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 225W). |
| Size | depends | KLH Concord is easier to place; Monitor Audio Silver 300 8G is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Monitor Audio Silver 300 8G: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | KLH Concord is cheaper - $1,000 against $3,000, about 67% less; arguably a different class. |
A Monitor Audio Silver 300 8G B KLH Concord
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. In a large or open-plan room, Monitor Audio Silver 300 8G has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KLH Concord is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KLH Concord 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.