In this review, we will be comparing Silver 500 7G and Opticon 8 MK2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Monitor Audio and DALI. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G and DALI Opticon 8 II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G and DALI Opticon 8 II 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G and DALI Opticon 8 II compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Silver 500 7G and Opticon 8 MK2 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
DALI Opticon 8 II |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Silver 500 7G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II Tweeter , a 3" Midrange and 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II Woofer . On the other hand, the Opticon 8 MK2 features a 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz, 2200Hz and 14,000Hz.
Frequency Response
Silver 500 7G has a frequency range of 27-35k Hz whereas Opticon 8 MK2 has a frequency range of 38-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the Silver 500 7G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Opticon 8 MK2's min frequency of 38Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Silver 500 7G is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Opticon 8 MK2 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Opticon 8 MK2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Silver 500 7G sensitivity is rated at 90.5 dB and the Opticon 8 MK2's is rated at 88 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Opticon 8 II, 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. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Silver 500 7G can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Silver 500 7G has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the Opticon 8 MK2.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Silver 500 7G and Opticon 8 MK2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
DALI Opticon 8 II's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Silver 500 7G and Opticon 8 MK2 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.
DALI Opticon 8 II Port
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 500 7G's and DALI Opticon 8 II's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G has external dimensions of 1085.0 x 323.0 x 393.0mm ( 42-11/16 x 12-11/16 x 15-7/16inch) whereas DALI Opticon 8 II has external dimensions of 1150.0 x 245.0 x 459.0mm ( 45-1/4 x 9-1/2 x 18-1/16inch) .
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is 65mm shorter and 66mm less deeper than DALI Opticon 8 II but it is also 78mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G and DALI Opticon 8 II in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G and DALI Opticon 8 II 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 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2 and base area of the DALI Opticon 8 II is approximately 1124.6cm2 / 174.3inch2. The Silver 500 7G requires 13% more surface area than the Opticon 8 MK2 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 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs and the DALI Opticon 8 II weighs 37.10kg / 81.6lbs. This makes the Opticon 8 MK2 65% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Silver 500 7G and Opticon 8 MK2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Silver 500 7G:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Outrigger feet4 Rubber feet (pre-installed on outrigger feet)4 Spikes4 Bolts4 Machine screws2 Foam port plugs2 Hex-keysOwners ManualImportant Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of DALI Opticon 8 II?
Here are the items that come with the Opticon 8 MK2:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille2 Binding post jumpers (pre-installed)4 Outrigger feet4 Spikes (with lock nuts)4 Rubber pads4 ScrewsHex-keyWrenchQuick Start GuideCongratulations Card
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1150mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
4200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Base Surface Area |
1124cm2 (245x459mm)
vs
1269cm2 (323x393mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
DALI Opticon 8 MK2 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
80-250 watts |
40-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90.5 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
27-35k Hz |
38-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM RST II |
Wood Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
380Hz, 2200Hz and 14,000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
| Width |
323.0mm (12.7") |
245.0mm (9.6") |
| Depth |
393.0mm (15.5") |
459.0mm (18.1") |
| Weight |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
37.10kg (81.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Oak |
Satin Black, Tobacco Oak, Satin White |
| 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 |