In this review, we will be comparing Silver 500 7G and Evoke 30, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Monitor Audio and Dynaudio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G and Dynaudio Evoke 30 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G | Dynaudio Evoke 30 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II | 1.1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 3" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II | 2 x 5.5" Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
|---|
| Frequency response | 27-35k Hz | 40-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90.5 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 80-250 watts | up to 200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.53kg / 49.6lbs | 15.50kg / 34.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 42-11/16" x 12-11/16" x 15-7/16"
1085.0 x 323.0 x 393.0mm | 36-1/4" x 10-1/2" x 13-1/2"
920.0 x 268.0 x 342.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G and Dynaudio Evoke 30 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 500 7G |
Dynaudio Evoke 30 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 500 7G is a 3-way design whereas the Evoke 30 is a 2-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 500 7GDynaudio Evoke 30
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 500 7G |
Dynaudio Evoke 30 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 5.5-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 Evoke 30 features a 1.1" Tweeter and 2 x 5.5" Magnesium Silicate Polymer Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1200Hz and 2300Hz.
Frequency Response
Silver 500 7G has a frequency range of 27-35k Hz whereas Evoke 30 has a frequency range of 40-23k 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 Evoke 30's min frequency of 40Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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 500 7G is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Evoke 30 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 Evoke 30 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 Evoke 30's is rated at 88 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to Dynaudio Evoke 30, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Silver 500 7G can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Evoke 30 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Silver 500 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 500 7G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Silver 500 7G features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Evoke 30 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Dynaudio Evoke 30's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Silver 500 7G and Evoke 30 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 500 7G's and Dynaudio Evoke 30'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 Dynaudio Evoke 30 has external dimensions of 920.0 x 268.0 x 342.0mm (36-1/2 x 10-5/8 x 13-1/2inch).
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 55mm wider, 165mm taller and 51mm deeper than Dynaudio Evoke 30.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G and Dynaudio Evoke 30 in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G and Dynaudio Evoke 30 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 Dynaudio Evoke 30 is approximately 916.6cm2 / 142.1inch2. The Silver 500 7G requires 38% more surface area than the Evoke 30 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 Dynaudio Evoke 30 weighs 15.50kg / 34.1lbs. This makes the Silver 500 7G 45% heavier than the Evoke 30.
Here is a comparison of how Silver 500 7G and Evoke 30'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 loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed on outrigger feet)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Bolts
- 4 Machine screws
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 2 Hex-keys
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of Dynaudio Evoke 30?
Here are the items that come with the Evoke 30:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Locking nuts
- 8 Washers
- 8 Screws
- Foam port plug
- Hex-key
- Tweeter protection cover (pre-installed)
- Instructions for Use
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Card
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 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 |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
3500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Height |
920mm
vs
1085mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
916cm2
vs
1269cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
Dynaudio Evoke 30 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Dynaudio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
80-250 watts |
up to 200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90.5 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
27-35k Hz |
40-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM RST II |
Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
1200Hz and 2300Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
920.0mm (36.2") |
| Width |
323.0mm (12.7") |
268.0mm (10.6") |
| Depth |
393.0mm (15.5") |
342.0mm (13.5") |
| Weight |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
15.50kg (34.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Oak |
Oak (blonde) |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G digs deeper - 27Hz against 40Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is more sensitive (91dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G takes more power (250W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Dynaudio Evoke 30 is easier to place; Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G: bi-amping. Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($3,200 vs $3,500 a pair). |
A Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G B Dynaudio Evoke 30
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?
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 40Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G the better fit for a very large room, and Dynaudio Evoke 30 for a mid-size 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.