In this review, we will be comparing Silver 50 8G and Silver 100 8G, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G and Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G | Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" gold dome C-CAM | 1" gold dome C-CAM |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" C-CAM RST III | 8" C-CAM RST III |
|---|
| Frequency response | 43-35k Hz | 33-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86.5 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-100 watts | 50-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.20kg / 18lbs | 12.10kg / 26.6lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 17-5/16" x 9-1/16" x 13-15/16"
440.0 x 230.0 x 354.0mm |
|---|
Silver 50 8G and Silver 100 8G are members of Monitor Audio's Silver 8G series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Monitor Audio Silver 8G Series
History
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G and Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G 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 |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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 50 8G is a 2-way design whereas the Silver 100 8G is a 3-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 50 8GMonitor Audio Silver 100 8G
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 50 8G |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 8-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 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.
Frequency Response
Silver 50 8G has a frequency range of 43-35k Hz whereas Silver 100 8G has a frequency range of 33-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the Silver 100 8G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Silver 50 8G's min frequency of 43Hz.
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 and Silver 100 8G have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Silver 50 8G sensitivity is rated at 86.5 dB and the Silver 100 8G's is at 87 dB.
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 50 8G has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 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 50 8G
Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Silver 50 8G and Silver 100 8G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Silver 50 8G and Silver 100 8G 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 Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G'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 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).
Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 45mm wider, 105mm taller and 22mm deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G.
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 100 8G needs about 33% more floor or shelf area. Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G is 22mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G is 105mm 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 Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G is approximately 814.2cm2 / 126.2inch2. The Silver 50 8G requires 25% less surface area than the Silver 100 8G which gives it a small advantage 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 Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G weighs 12.10kg / 26.6lbs. This makes the Silver 100 8G 48% heavier than the Silver 50 8G.
Here is a comparison of how Silver 50 8G and Silver 100 8G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G
Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G
 Minimum Impedance |
3.8 ohms
vs
3.7 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Height |
335mm
vs
440mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
614cm2
vs
814cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1250USD
vs
2300USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
43 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-100 watts |
50-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86.5 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
43-35k Hz |
33-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM RST III |
C-CAM RST III |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM |
gold dome C-CAM |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2600Hz |
610Hz and 2900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
335.0mm (13.2") |
440.0mm (17.3") |
| Width |
185.0mm (7.3") |
230.0mm (9.1") |
| Depth |
332.0mm (13.1") |
354.0mm (13.9") |
| Weight |
8.20kg (18lbs) |
12.10kg (26.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/High gloss, veneer or satin paint |
MDF/High gloss, veneer or satin paint |
| Available Colors |
High Gloss Black, European Walnut, Satin White |
High Gloss Black, European Walnut, Satin White |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
|
| 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 |
Siblings in Monitor Audio's Silver 8G series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G digs deeper - 33Hz against 43Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G takes more power (200W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G is easier to place; Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G: bi-amping; Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G is cheaper - $1,250 against $2,300, about 46% less; arguably a different class. |
A Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G B Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G
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 100 8G measures better, Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G costs about about 84% 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. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 43Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G for a mid-size room and a large room.
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.