In this review, we will be comparing Silver 50 8G and AE300, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Monitor Audio and Acoustic Energy.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G and AE300 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G | AE300 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Acoustic Energy
United Kingdom · founded 1987 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" gold dome C-CAM | 1.1" dome with waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" C-CAM RST III | 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich |
|---|
| Frequency response | 43-35k Hz | 45Hz - 30kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86.5 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-100 watts | up to 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.20kg / 18lbs | 6.50kg / 14.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13-3/16" x 7-5/16" x 13-1/16"
335.0 x 185.0 x 332.0mm | 11.8" x 6.9" x 10.2"
300.0 x 175.0 x 260.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G and AE300 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 8G |
AE300 |
| 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 8G and AE300 are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Silver 50 8GAE300
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 8G |
AE300 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 5.2-inch
|
Silver 50 8G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM Tweeter and 1 x 6" C-CAM RST III Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600Hz. On the other hand, the AE300 features a 1.1" aluminium dome with waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
Silver 50 8G has a frequency range of 43-35k Hz whereas AE300 has a frequency range of 45Hz - 30kHz. With a minimum frequency of 43Hz, the Silver 50 8G can go slightly deeper then the AE300's min frequency of 45Hz.
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 8G is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the AE300 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Silver 50 8G sensitivity is rated at 86.5 dB and the AE300's is rated at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G a more sensitive speaker compared to AE300, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 100 watts RMS, though Silver 50 8G is rated 25-100 watts and AE300 up to 100 watts.
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 8G
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Silver 50 8G and AE300 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 8G's and AE300's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G has external dimensions of 335.0 x 185.0 x 332.0mm (13-3/16 x 7-5/16 x 13-1/16inch) whereas AE300 has external dimensions of 300.0 x 175.0 x 260.0mm (11.4 x 6.9 x 10.2inch).
Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 10mm wider, 35mm taller and 72mm deeper than AE300.
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 50 8G needs about 35% more floor or shelf area. Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G is 72mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G is 35mm 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 50 8G is approximately 614.2cm2 / 95.2inch2 and base area of the AE300 is approximately 455.0cm2 / 70.5inch2. The Silver 50 8G requires 35% more surface area than the AE300 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 50 8G weighs 8.20kg / 18lbs and the AE300 weighs 6.50kg / 14.3lbs. This makes the Silver 50 8G 26% heavier than the AE300.
Here is a comparison of how Silver 50 8G and AE300's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5.2 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
43 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
300mm
vs
335mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
455cm2
vs
614cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1099USD
vs
1250USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G |
Acoustic Energy AE300 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Acoustic Energy |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-100 watts |
up to 100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86.5 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
43-35k Hz |
45Hz - 30kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
5.2" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM RST III |
ceramic aluminium sandwich |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM |
dome with waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2600Hz |
2800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
335.0mm (13.2") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Width |
185.0mm (7.3") |
175.0mm (6.9") |
| Depth |
332.0mm (13.1") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Weight |
8.20kg (18lbs) |
6.50kg (14.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/High gloss, veneer or satin paint |
high density MDF |
| Available Colors |
High Gloss Black, European Walnut, Satin White |
Piano Gloss White, Piano Gloss Black, Real Walnut wood veneer |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
|
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
|
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
|
A generation apart: Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G is the newer design, against a 2017 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (43Hz vs 45Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | AE300 is easier to place; Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G: bi-amping. Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | AE300 is cheaper - $1,099 against $1,250, about 12% less. |
A Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G B AE300
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?
The usual trade-off: Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G measures better, AE300 costs about about 14% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. In a large or open-plan room, Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, AE300 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.