In this review, we will be comparing Silver 500 7G and VELA FS 409, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Monitor Audio and ELAC. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G and ELAC VELA FS 409 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G and ELAC VELA FS 409 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 ELAC VELA FS 409 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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Drivers
Both Silver 500 7G and VELA FS 409 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
----inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 7-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 VELA FS 409 features a ---" handmade JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" Aluminum/Paper Woofer .
Frequency Response
Silver 500 7G has a frequency range of 27-35k Hz whereas VELA FS 409 has a frequency range of 28-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the Silver 500 7G can go slightly deeper then the VELA FS 409's min frequency of 28Hz.
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 VELA FS 409 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 VELA FS 409 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 VELA FS 409's is rated at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC VELA FS 409, 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 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas VELA FS 409 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Silver 500 7G.
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 VELA FS 409 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
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 ELAC VELA FS 409'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 ELAC VELA FS 409 has external dimensions of 1331.0 x 278.0 x 345.0mm ( 52-3/8 x 10-15/16 x 13-9/16inch) .
ELAC VELA FS 409 is 45mm narrower and 48mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G but it is also 246mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G and ELAC VELA FS 409 in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G and ELAC VELA FS 409 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 ELAC VELA FS 409 is approximately 959.1cm2 / 148.7inch2. The Silver 500 7G requires 32% more surface area than the VELA FS 409 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 ELAC VELA FS 409 weighs 32.18kg / 70.8lbs. This makes the VELA FS 409 43% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Silver 500 7G and VELA FS 409'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 ELAC VELA FS 409?
Here are the items that come with the VELA FS 409:
Floorstanding loudspeakerBase plate2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)4 Spikes4 Pucks4 Rubber pads4 Machine screws4 WashersHex-keyOperating And Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
89 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
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1331mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
7400USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
959cm2 (278x345mm)
vs
1269cm2 (323x393mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
80-250 watts |
40-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90.5 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
27-35k Hz |
28-50k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM RST II |
Aluminum/Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
---" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
6" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
1331.0mm (52.4") |
| Width |
323.0mm (12.7") |
278.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
393.0mm (15.5") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Weight |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
32.18kg (70.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Aluminum |
| Available Colors |
Oak |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |