In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Monitor Audio. Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Silver 500 8G is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G and Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" gold dome C-CAM Tweeter
- 3" Midrange
- 2 x 6" C-CAM RST III Woofer
- 66-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-200watts
- Weight:11.70kg
- 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 )
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
- 3" Midrange
- 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 )
Silver Centre 8G and Silver 500 8G are members of Monitor Audio's Silver 8G series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Monitor Audio Silver 8G Series
History
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G and Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G 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 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G and Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G 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 Centre 8G and Silver 500 8G are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
2 x 8-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 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.
Frequency Response
Silver Centre 8G has a frequency range of 66-35k Hz whereas Silver 500 8G has a frequency range of 28-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Silver 500 8G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Silver Centre 8G's min frequency of 66Hz.
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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G
Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G
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 Centre 8G and Silver 500 8G have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Silver Centre 8G sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Silver 500 8G's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G, 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. 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 Centre 8G can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Silver Centre 8G has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the Silver 500 8G.
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 Centre 8G features Binding post type posts and Silver 500 8G has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/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 Centre 8G's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G'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 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) .
Monitor Audio Silver Centre 8G is 915mm shorter and 160mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G but it is also 171mm 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 Centre 8G is approximately 1389.9cm2 / 215.4inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 8G is approximately 1468.8cm2 / 227.7inch2. The Silver Centre 8G requires 5% less surface area than the Silver 500 8G which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.