In this review, we will be comparing L600 and Silver 500 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Polk Audio and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk L600 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Polk L600 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 2 x 7" Polypropylene Woofer
- 34-38k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:30-300watts
- Weight:35.30kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1182.0" x 13" x 16-3/4"( 1182.0 x 331.0 x 426.0mm )
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II Tweeter
- 3" Midrange
- 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II Woofer
- 3" Midrange
- 27-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 90.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:80-250watts
- Weight:22.53kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1085.0" x 12-11/16" x 15-7/16"( 1085.0 x 323.0 x 393.0mm )
What size room are the Polk L600 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 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* |
Polk L600 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 Polk L600 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G 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 L600 and Silver 500 7G are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk L600 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
L600 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 7" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 410Hz and 2900Hz. On the other hand, the Silver 500 7G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II Tweeter , a 3" Midrange and 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II Woofer .
Frequency Response
L600 has a frequency range of 34-38k Hz whereas Silver 500 7G has a frequency range of 27-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the Silver 500 7G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the L600's min frequency of 34Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 500 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
L600 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Silver 500 7G which has a nominal impedance of 8 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 L600 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. L600 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is rated at 90.5 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk L600, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
L600 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Silver 500 7G has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the L600.
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 L600 and Silver 500 7G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Polk L600's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
L600 has a down firing port whereas Silver 500 7G has a rear firing ports.
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 Polk L600's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. Polk L600 has external dimensions of 1182.0 x 331.0 x 426.0mm ( 46-1/2 x 13 x 16-3/4inch) whereas Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G has external dimensions of 1085.0 x 323.0 x 393.0mm ( 42-11/16 x 12-11/16 x 15-7/16inch) .
Polk L600 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 8mm wider, 97mm taller and 33mm deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk L600 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G in scale.
Comparison image of Polk L600 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 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 Polk L600 is approximately 1410.1cm2 / 218.6inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The L600 requires 11% more surface area than the Silver 500 7G which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Polk L600 weighs 35.30kg / 77.7lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the L600 57% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how L600 and Silver 500 7G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G
What's in the Box of Polk L600?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of L600:
Floorstanding loudspeakerLarge grilleSmall grille4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)4 Spike feet (pre-installed)2 Jumper-wires (pre-installed)Cleaning clothOwners ManualOnline Registration
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G?
Here are the items that come with the Silver 500 7G:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Outrigger feet4 Rubber feet (pre-installed on outrigger feet)4 Spikes4 Bolts4 Machine screws2 Foam port plugs2 Hex-keysOwners ManualImportant Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional L900 Height Module Speaker
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1182mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1269cm2
vs
1410cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
3498USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Polk Audio Legend L600 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-300 watts |
80-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.3 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
34-38k Hz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
410Hz and 2900Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
down |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1182.0mm (46.5") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
331.0mm (13") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
426.0mm (16.8") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
35.30kg (77.7lbs) |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Brown Walnut, Black Ash |
Oak |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |