In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Monitor Audio. Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Silver 50 7G is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G and Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G | Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" gold dome C-CAM | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 3" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" C-CAM with Rigid Surface Technology (RST) | 5.25" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-35k Hz | 47-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88.5 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 80-200 watts | 40-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.63kg / 23.4lbs | 5.63kg / 12.4lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 11-1/8" x 6-9/16" x 10-3/4"
283.0 x 167.0 x 274.0mm |
|---|
Silver C250 7G and Silver 50 7G are members of Monitor Audio's Silver series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Monitor Audio Silver Series
History
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G and Monitor Audio Silver 50 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 C250 7G |
Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Silver C250 7G is a 3-way design whereas the Silver 50 7G 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 7GMonitor Audio Silver 50 7G
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 |
Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-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 Silver 50 7G features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" C-CAM RST II Woofer.
Frequency Response
Silver C250 7G has a frequency range of 65-35k Hz whereas Silver 50 7G has a frequency range of 47-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 47Hz, the Silver 50 7G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Silver C250 7G's min frequency of 65Hz.
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 Silver 50 7G 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 Silver 50 7G's is at 86 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G, 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 Silver 50 7G has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 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
Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Silver 50 7G 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 Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G'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 Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G has external dimensions of 283.0 x 167.0 x 274.0mm (11-1/8 x 6-9/16 x 10-3/4inch).
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G and Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Silver C250 7G and Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G 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 C250 7G is approximately 1320.7cm2 / 204.7inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G is approximately 457.6cm2 / 70.9inch2. The Silver C250 7G requires 189% more surface area than the Silver 50 7G which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G?
Here are the items that come with the Silver 50 7G:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumpers (pre-installed)
- 8 Rubber feet
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Hex-key
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions