In this review, we will be comparing Silver Centre 8G and R2 Meta, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Monitor Audio and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G and KEF R2 Meta first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G | KEF R2 Meta |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" gold dome C-CAM | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 3" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6" C-CAM RST III | 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 66-35k Hz | 67-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-200 watts | 15-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 11.70kg / 25.7lbs | 15.45kg / 34lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8-1/16" x 20-1/8" x 10-11/16"
205.0 x 511.0 x 272.0mm | 6-15/16" x 21-3/4" x 12-1/4"
177.0 x 553.0 x 312.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G and KEF R2 Meta 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 Centre 8G |
KEF R2 Meta |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Silver Centre 8G and R2 Meta are 3-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8GKEF R2 Meta
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 Centre 8G |
KEF R2 Meta |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Silver Centre 8G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 2 x 6" C-CAM RST III Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 620Hz and 3000Hz. On the other hand, the R2 Meta features a 1" Aluminum with MAT absorber Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 560Hz and 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Silver Centre 8G has a frequency range of 66-35k Hz whereas R2 Meta has a frequency range of 67-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 66Hz, the Silver Centre 8G can go slightly deeper then the R2 Meta's min frequency of 67Hz.
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 Centre 8G is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the R2 Meta 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 R2 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Silver Centre 8G sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the R2 Meta's is rated at 87 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R2 Meta, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 200 watts RMS, though Silver Centre 8G is rated 50-200 watts and R2 Meta 15-200 watts.
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 Centre 8G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Silver Centre 8G and R2 Meta features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF R2 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 Centre 8G's and KEF R2 Meta's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G has external dimensions of 205.0 x 511.0 x 272.0mm (8-1/16 x 20-1/8 x 10-11/16inch) whereas KEF R2 Meta has external dimensions of 177.0 x 553.0 x 312.0mm (6-15/16-inch x 21-3/4-inch x 12-1/4-inch).
Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G is 42mm narrower and 40mm less deeper than KEF R2 Meta but it is also 28mm taller.
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.
KEF R2 Meta needs about 24% more floor or shelf area. KEF R2 Meta is 40mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G is 28mm 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 Centre 8G is approximately 1389.9cm2 / 215.4inch2 and base area of the KEF R2 Meta is approximately 1725.4cm2 / 267.4inch2. The Silver Centre 8G requires 19% less surface area than the R2 Meta 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 Centre 8G weighs 11.70kg / 25.7lbs and the KEF R2 Meta weighs 15.45kg / 34lbs. This makes the R2 Meta 32% heavier than the Silver Centre 8G.
Here is a comparison of how Silver Centre 8G and R2 Meta's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G
What's in the Box of KEF R2 Meta?
Here are the items that come with the R2 Meta:
- 1 R2 Meta
- 1 microfiber grille
- Rubber feet
- User manual and warranty information
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.0 ohms
vs
3.2 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
66 Hz
vs
67 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1389cm2
vs
1725cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1200USD
vs
1399USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Height |
177mm
vs
205mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G |
KEF R2 Meta |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
50-200 watts |
15-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.0 ohms |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
66-35k Hz |
67-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM RST III |
Hybrid Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
gold dome C-CAM |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
620Hz and 3000Hz |
560Hz and 2500Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
205.0mm (8.1") |
177.0mm (7") |
| Width |
511.0mm (20.1") |
553.0mm (21.8") |
| Depth |
272.0mm (10.7") |
312.0mm (12.3") |
| Weight |
11.70kg (25.7lbs) |
15.45kg (34lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Sealed |
Sealed |
| Finish |
MDF/High gloss, veneer or satin paint |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
High Gloss Black, European Walnut, Satin White |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (66Hz vs 67Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G: bi-amping; KEF R2 Meta: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G is cheaper - $1,200 against $1,399, about 14% less. |
A Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G B KEF R2 Meta
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 Centre 8G is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take KEF R2 Meta if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. Match it to your room: we rate Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G the better fit for a small room, and KEF R2 Meta for a large room and a very large room. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G 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.