In this review, we will be comparing Silver C250 7G and HTM72 S2, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Monitor Audio and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G and BW HTM72 S2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G | BW HTM72 S2 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" gold dome C-CAM | 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 3" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" C-CAM with Rigid Surface Technology (RST) | 2 x 5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-35k Hz | 70-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88.5 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 80-200 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.63kg / 23.4lbs | 9.14kg / 20.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8-1/16" x 18-15/16" x 10-3/4"
205.0 x 482.0 x 274.0mm | 6-5/8" x 18-15/16" x 10-15/16"
169.0 x 482.0 x 278.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G and BW HTM72 S2 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 C250 7G |
BW HTM72 S2 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 C250 7G is a 3-way design whereas the HTM72 S2 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 C250 7GBW HTM72 S2
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 C250 7G |
BW HTM72 S2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5-inch
|
Silver C250 7G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" C-CAM with Rigid Surface Technology (RST) Woofer. On the other hand, the HTM72 S2 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Silver C250 7G has a frequency range of 65-35k Hz whereas HTM72 S2 has a frequency range of 70-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 65Hz, the Silver C250 7G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the HTM72 S2's min frequency of 70Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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 C250 7G and HTM72 S2 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Silver C250 7G sensitivity is rated at 88.5 dB and the HTM72 S2's is at 87 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to BW HTM72 S2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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 C250 7G can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas HTM72 S2 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the Silver C250 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 C250 7G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
HTM72 S2 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Silver C250 7G has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G's Binding post terminals
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 C250 7G's and BW HTM72 S2's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G has external dimensions of 205.0 x 482.0 x 274.0mm (8-1/16 x 18-15/16 x 10-3/4inch) whereas BW HTM72 S2 has external dimensions of 169.0 x 482.0 x 278.0mm (6-5/8 x 18-15/16 x 10-15/16inch).
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Near-identical footprints. Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is 36mm taller.
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 C250 7G is approximately 1320.7cm2 / 204.7inch2 and base area of the BW HTM72 S2 is approximately 1340.0cm2 / 207.7inch2. The Silver C250 7G requires 1% less surface area than the HTM72 S2 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 C250 7G weighs 10.63kg / 23.4lbs and the BW HTM72 S2 weighs 9.14kg / 20.1lbs. This makes the Silver C250 7G 16% heavier than the HTM72 S2.
Here is a comparison of how Silver C250 7G and HTM72 S2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Silver C250 7G:
- Center-channel loudspeakers
- Grille
- 2 Jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- Hex-key
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of BW HTM72 S2?
Here are the items that come with the HTM72 S2:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Two-piece foam port plug
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Manual
- Bowers Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
65 Hz
vs
70 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1320cm2
vs
1340cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1100USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Height |
169mm
vs
205mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S2 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
80-200 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88.5 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4.3 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
65-35k Hz |
70-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM with Rigid Surface Technology (RST) |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM |
Decoupled Carbon Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
205.0mm (8.1") |
169.0mm (6.7") |
| Width |
482.0mm (19") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Depth |
274.0mm (10.8") |
278.0mm (10.9") |
| Weight |
10.63kg (23.4lbs) |
9.14kg (20.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
White |
Gloss Black, Satin White, Rosenut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is the newer design, against a 2017 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G digs deeper - 65Hz against 70Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | B | BW HTM72 S2: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,100 vs $1,199 a pair). |
A Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G B BW HTM72 S2
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 C250 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 70Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.