In this review, we will be comparing Performa3 F208 and Silver 500 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Revel and Monitor Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel Performa3 F208 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Revel Performa3 F208 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Revel Performa3 F208 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.
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Drivers
Both Performa3 F208 and Silver 500 7G are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Revel Performa3 F208 |
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 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Performa3 F208 features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 8" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270Hz and 2200Hz. 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
Performa3 F208 has a frequency range of 31Hz- 20kHz whereas Silver 500 7G has a frequency range of 27-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the Silver 500 7G can go slightly deeper then the Performa3 F208's min frequency of 31Hz.
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
Performa3 F208 and Silver 500 7G have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Performa3 F208 sensitivity is rated at 88.5 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is at 90.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel Performa3 F208, 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.
Performa3 F208 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Silver 500 7G has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Performa3 F208.
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 Performa3 F208 and Silver 500 7G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Revel Performa3 F208's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Performa3 F208 and Silver 500 7G have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Revel Performa3 F208's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. Revel Performa3 F208 has external dimensions of 1188.0 x 347.0 x 381.0mm ( 46-3/4 x 13-5/8 x 15inch) 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) .
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is 24mm narrower and 103mm shorter than Revel Performa3 F208 but it is also 12mm deeper.
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 Revel Performa3 F208 is approximately 1322.1cm2 / 204.9inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The Performa3 F208 requires 4% 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 Revel Performa3 F208 weighs 36.27kg / 79.8lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the Performa3 F208 61% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Performa3 F208 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 Revel Performa3 F208?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Performa3 F208:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Spike feet4 Locking rings4 Washers2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)Foam port plugOwners Manual
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 |
350 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
31 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1188mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1269cm2 (323x393mm)
vs
1322cm2 (347x381mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
5500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Revel Performa3 F208 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
Revel |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-350 watts |
80-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88.5 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
31Hz- 20kHz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
270Hz and 2200Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1188.0mm (46.8") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
347.0mm (13.7") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
381.0mm (15") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
36.27kg (79.8lbs) |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Wood/Lacquer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
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 |