In this review, we will be comparing Silver 50 7G and Bronze 50, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G and Monitor Audio Bronze 50 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G | Monitor Audio Bronze 50 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" C-CAM RST II | 5.25" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 47-35k Hz | 40-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-100 watts | 20-80 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.63kg / 12.4lbs | 5.00kg / 11lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11-1/8" x 6-9/16" x 10-3/4"
283.0 x 167.0 x 274.0mm | 11.0" x 6.5" x 10.4"
281.0 x 166.0 x 265.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G and Monitor Audio Bronze 50 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 50 7G |
Monitor Audio Bronze 50 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Bad |
(* 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
Both Silver 50 7G and Bronze 50 are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Silver 50 7GMonitor Audio Bronze 50
TweeterWoofer
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 50 7G |
Monitor Audio Bronze 50 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
Silver 50 7G features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" C-CAM RST II Woofer. On the other hand, the Bronze 50 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Silver 50 7G has a frequency range of 47-35k Hz whereas Bronze 50 has a frequency range of 40-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Bronze 50 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Silver 50 7G's min frequency of 47Hz.
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 50 7G and Bronze 50 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Silver 50 7G sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Bronze 50's is at 85 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Bronze 50, 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 50 7G can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 50 has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Silver 50 7G.
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 50 7G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Silver 50 7G and Bronze 50 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 50 7G's and Monitor Audio Bronze 50's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G has external dimensions of 283.0 x 167.0 x 274.0mm (11-1/8 x 6-9/16 x 10-3/4inch) whereas Monitor Audio Bronze 50 has external dimensions of 281.0 x 166.0 x 265.0mm (11.0 x 6.5 x 10.4inch).
Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 1mm wider, 2mm taller and 9mm deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 50.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G and Monitor Audio Bronze 50 in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G and Monitor Audio Bronze 50 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 Silver 50 7G is approximately 457.6cm2 / 70.9inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 50 is approximately 439.9cm2 / 68.2inch2. The Silver 50 7G requires 4% more surface area than the Bronze 50 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G and Monitor Audio Bronze 50 on a Media Console
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 50 7G weighs 5.63kg / 12.4lbs and the Monitor Audio Bronze 50 weighs 5.00kg / 11lbs. This makes the Silver 50 7G 13% heavier than the Bronze 50.
Here is a comparison of how Silver 50 7G and Bronze 50's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Silver 50 7G:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumpers (pre-installed)
- 8 Rubber feet
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Hex-key
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Bronze 50?
Here are the items that come with the Bronze 50:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Hex-key
- Quick Start Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
100 watts
vs
80 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
86 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
47 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
281mm
vs
283mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
439cm2
vs
457cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
550USD
vs
1100USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G |
Monitor Audio Bronze 50 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
40-100 watts |
20-80 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
85 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4.4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
47-35k Hz |
40-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM RST II |
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
283.0mm (11.1") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Width |
167.0mm (6.6") |
166.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
274.0mm (10.8") |
265.0mm (10.4") |
| Weight |
5.63kg (12.4lbs) |
5.00kg (11lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Ash,High Gloss Black,Black Oak,Satin White |
Walnut, Black, White, Urban Grey |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
28-32" |
| 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 50 7G costs roughly 2x what Monitor Audio Bronze 50 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 | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 50 digs deeper - 40Hz against 47Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 85dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G takes more power (100W vs 80W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G: bi-amping; Monitor Audio Bronze 50: bi-amping. Monitor Audio Bronze 50 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 50 is cheaper - $550 against $1,100, about 50% less; arguably a different class. |
A Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G B Monitor Audio Bronze 50
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 47Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $550 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.