In this review, we will be comparing Silver 50 8G and Silver 50 7G, 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 50 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G | Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" gold dome C-CAM | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" C-CAM RST III | 5.25" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 43-35k Hz | 47-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86.5 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-100 watts | 40-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.20kg / 18lbs | 5.63kg / 12.4lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 11-1/8" x 6-9/16" x 10-3/4"
283.0 x 167.0 x 274.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G and Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G 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 50 7G |
| 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 Silver 50 7G are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Silver 50 8GMonitor Audio Silver 50 7G
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 |
Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 5.25-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 50 7G features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" C-CAM RST II Woofer.
Frequency Response
Silver 50 8G has a frequency range of 43-35k Hz whereas Silver 50 7G has a frequency range of 47-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 43Hz, the Silver 50 8G can go slightly deeper then 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 8G and Silver 50 7G 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 50 7G's is at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G, 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 Silver 50 7G 40-100 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
Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Silver 50 8G and Silver 50 7G 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 8G's and Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G'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 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).
Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 18mm wider, 52mm taller and 58mm deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G.
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 34% more floor or shelf area. Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G is 58mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G is 52mm 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 50 7G is approximately 457.6cm2 / 70.9inch2. The Silver 50 8G requires 34% more surface area than the Silver 50 7G 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 Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G weighs 5.63kg / 12.4lbs. This makes the Silver 50 8G 46% heavier than the Silver 50 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Silver 50 8G and Silver 50 7G'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 50 7G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G?
Here are the items that come with the 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
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
43 Hz
vs
47 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
283mm
vs
335mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
457cm2
vs
614cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1100USD
vs
1250USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G |
Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-100 watts |
40-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86.5 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
43-35k Hz |
47-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM RST III |
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2600Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
335.0mm (13.2") |
283.0mm (11.1") |
| Width |
185.0mm (7.3") |
167.0mm (6.6") |
| Depth |
332.0mm (13.1") |
274.0mm (10.8") |
| Weight |
8.20kg (18lbs) |
5.63kg (12.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/High gloss, veneer or satin paint |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
High Gloss Black, European Walnut, Satin White |
Ash,High Gloss Black,Black Oak,Satin White |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
24-28" |
| 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 |
A generation apart: Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G is the newer design, against a 2021 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G digs deeper - 43Hz against 47Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G is easier to place; Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G: bi-amping; Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G is cheaper - $1,100 against $1,250, about 12% less. |
A Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G B Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G
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, Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G 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, Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G 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.