In this review, we will be comparing L800 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 L800 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk L800 | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator | 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 5.25" | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 10" Polypropylene | 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-38k Hz | 27-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 90.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-300 watts | 80-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 68.50kg / 150.7lbs | 22.53kg / 49.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 48-5/8" x 18" x 17-7/16"
1236.0 x 458.0 x 443.0mm | 42-11/16" x 12-11/16" x 15-7/16"
1085.0 x 323.0 x 393.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk L800 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 L800 |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both L800 and Silver 500 7G are 3-way speakers.
Polk L800Monitor Audio Silver 500 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 |
Polk L800 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 10-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
L800 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 10" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 370Hz and 2800Hz. 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
L800 has a frequency range of 32-38k 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 L800's min frequency of 32Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
L800 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 L800 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. L800 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is rated at 90.5 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk L800, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
L800 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Silver 500 7G has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the L800.
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 500 7G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both L800 and Silver 500 7G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Polk L800's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
L800 has a down firing port whereas Silver 500 7G has a rear firing ports.
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 Polk L800's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. Polk L800 has external dimensions of 1236.0 x 458.0 x 443.0mm (48-5/8 x 18 x 17-7/16inch) 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 L800 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 135mm wider, 151mm taller and 50mm deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk L800 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G in scale.
Comparison image of Polk L800 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 L800 is approximately 2028.9cm2 / 314.5inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The L800 requires 60% 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 L800 weighs 68.50kg / 150.7lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the L800 204% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how L800 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 L800?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of L800:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Large Grilles
- 2 Small grilles
- Two 15-feet SDA interconnect cables
- 8 Rubber feet
- 8 Spike feet
- 2 Jumper-wires (pre-installed)
- 2 Cleaning cloths
- 2 Hex-keys
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G?
Here are the items that come with the Silver 500 7G:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed on outrigger feet)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Bolts
- 4 Machine screws
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 2 Hex-keys
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 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
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1236mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1269cm2
vs
2028cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
5998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Polk Audio Legend L800 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-300 watts |
80-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
32-38k Hz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
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 |
370Hz and 2800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
down |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1236.0mm (48.7") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
458.0mm (18") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
443.0mm (17.4") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
68.50kg (150.7lbs) |
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 |
These sit in different price classes - Polk L800 costs roughly 1.9x what Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G digs deeper - 27Hz against 32Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is more sensitive (91dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G 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 (300W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is easier to place; Polk L800 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Polk L800: bi-amping and Atmos drivers; Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G: bi-amping. Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is cheaper - $3,200 against $5,998, about 47% less; arguably a different class. |
A Polk L800 B Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G
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 500 7G is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Polk L800 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 32Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Polk L800 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is the easier speaker to get right.
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.