In this review, we will be comparing Silver 500 8G and Silver 500 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Monitor Audio
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" gold dome C-CAM Tweeter
- 3" Midrange
- 2 x 8" C-CAM RST III Woofer
- 28-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:60-250watts
- Weight:24.30kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 44-1/8" x 13-3/8" x 17" ( 1120.0 x 340.0 x 432.0mm )
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II Tweeter
- 3" Midrange
- 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II Woofer
- 3" Midrange
- 27-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 90.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:80-250watts
- Weight:22.53kg
- 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 )
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G and Monitor Audio Silver 500 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 500 8G |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Silver 500 8G and Silver 500 7G are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Silver 500 8G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM Tweeter , a 3" Midrange and 2 x 8" C-CAM RST III Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 640Hz and 2800Hz. On the other hand, the 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 .
Frequency Response
Silver 500 8G has a frequency range of 28-35k Hz whereas Silver 500 7G has a frequency range of 27-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the Silver 500 7G can go slightly deeper then the Silver 500 8G'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 8G
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 8G and Silver 500 7G have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Silver 500 8G sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is at 90.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G, 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.
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
Silver 500 7G features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Silver 500 8G has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Silver 500 8G and Silver 500 7G 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
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 8G's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G has external dimensions of 1120.0 x 340.0 x 432.0mm ( 44-1/8 x 13-3/8 x 17inch) whereas 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) .
Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 17mm wider, 35mm taller and 39mm deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G.
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 8G is approximately 1468.8cm2 / 227.7inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The Silver 500 8G requires 16% more surface area than the Silver 500 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 500 8G weighs 24.30kg / 53.5lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the Silver 500 8G 8% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Silver 500 8G and Silver 500 7G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G?
Here are the items that come with the 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
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1120mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1269cm2
vs
1468cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
4000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
60-250 watts |
80-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
28-35k Hz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| 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 |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
640Hz and 2800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1120.0mm (44.1") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
340.0mm (13.4") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
432.0mm (17") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
24.30kg (53.5lbs) |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
| 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 |
Oak |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |