In this review, we will be comparing Silver 500 7G and ESL 9, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Monitor Audio and MartinLogan. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G and MartinLogan ESL 9 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G and MartinLogan ESL 9 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 MartinLogan ESL 9 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Silver 500 7G is a 3-way design whereas the ESL 9 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.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
MartinLogan ESL 9 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
9.2 x 44-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-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 ESL 9 features a 9.2 x 44" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer .
Frequency Response
Silver 500 7G has a frequency range of 27-35k Hz whereas ESL 9 has a frequency range of 34-23k 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 ESL 9's min frequency of 34Hz.
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 ESL 9 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 ESL 9 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 ESL 9's is rated at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to MartinLogan ESL 9, 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 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Silver 500 7G has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS , 150 watts less than the ESL 9.
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 ESL 9 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
MartinLogan ESL 9's Binding post terminals allows 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 MartinLogan ESL 9'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 MartinLogan ESL 9 has external dimensions of 1520.0 x 266.0 x 647.0mm ( 59-13/16 x 10-7/16 x 25-7/16inch) .
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is 435mm shorter and 254mm less deeper than MartinLogan ESL 9 but it is also 57mm wider.
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 MartinLogan ESL 9 is approximately 1721.0cm2 / 266.8inch2. The Silver 500 7G requires 26% less surface area than the ESL 9 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 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs and the MartinLogan ESL 9 weighs 35.45kg / 78lbs. This makes the ESL 9 57% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Silver 500 7G and ESL 9'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 MartinLogan ESL 9?
Here are the items that come with the ESL 9:
Floorstanding hybrid electrostatic loudspeakerAC power adapter (w/ attached 10-feet DC cord)Grille4 Spike FeetUsers ManualProduct Registration Card
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 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
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1520mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1269cm2 (323x393mm)
vs
1721cm2 (266x647mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
7000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
MartinLogan Masterpiece Classic ESL 9 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
80-250 watts |
20-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90.5 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
27-35k Hz |
34-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM RST II |
high-excursion paper cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
9.2 x 44" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
curved electrostatic transducer |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
1520.0mm (59.8") |
| Width |
323.0mm (12.7") |
266.0mm (10.5") |
| Depth |
393.0mm (15.5") |
647.0mm (25.5") |
| Weight |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
35.45kg (78lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
Composite |
| Available Colors |
Oak |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years w/ Registration |