In this review, we will be comparing Passif 50 and Silver 100 7G, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from PSB and Monitor Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PSB Passif 50 and Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
PSB Passif 50 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" cast aluminum basket, paper cone Woofer
- 50-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:30-200 Wattswatts
- Weight:13.70kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 660.0" x 11" x 10"( 660 × 280 × 254mm )
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 8" C-CAM RST II Woofer
- 35-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 87.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:40-120watts
- Weight:9.43kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 377.0" x 9-1/8" x 13-1/16"( 377.0 x 232.0 x 332.0mm )
What size room are the PSB Passif 50 and Monitor Audio Silver 100 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* |
PSB Passif 50 |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the PSB Passif 50 and Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Passif 50 and Silver 100 7G are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
PSB Passif 50 |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
Passif 50 features a 1" titanium dome with ferrofluid and neodymium magnet Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" cast aluminum basket, paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1800Hz. On the other hand, the Silver 100 7G features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" C-CAM RST II Woofer .
Frequency Response
Passif 50 has a frequency range of 50-20k Hz whereas Silver 100 7G has a frequency range of 35-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Silver 100 7G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Passif 50's min frequency of 50Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 100 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
Passif 50 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Silver 100 7G which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Passif 50 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Silver 100 7G's is rated at 87.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the PSB Passif 50 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Passif 50 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Silver 100 7G has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the Passif 50.
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
Both Passif 50 and Silver 100 7G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
PSB Passif 50's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or 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 PSB Passif 50's and Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G's external dimensions. PSB Passif 50 has external dimensions of 660 × 280 × 254mm ( 26 x 11 x 10-inch) whereas Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G has external dimensions of 377.0 x 232.0 x 332.0mm ( 14-13/16 x 9-1/8 x 13-1/16inch) .
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is 48mm narrower and 283mm shorter than PSB Passif 50 but it is also 78mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of PSB Passif 50 and Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G in scale.
Comparison image of PSB Passif 50 and Monitor Audio Silver 100 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 PSB Passif 50 is approximately 712.0cm2 / 110.4inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is approximately 770.2cm2 / 119.4inch2. The Passif 50 requires 8% less surface area than the Silver 100 7G 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 PSB Passif 50 weighs 13.70kg / 30.1lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G weighs 9.43kg / 20.7lbs. This makes the Passif 50 45% heavier than the Silver 100 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Passif 50 and Silver 100 7G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G?
Here are the items that come with the Silver 100 7G:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 Grilles4 Jumpers (pre-installed)8 Rubber feet2 Foam port plugsHex-keyOwners ManualImportant Safety Instructions