In this review, we will be comparing Ultra Tower and Silver 300 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from SVS and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Ultra Tower and Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | SVS Ultra Tower | Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.0" Dome | 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 6.5" | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8.0" Polypropylene | 2 x 6" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-32k Hz | 31-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 87.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-300 watts | 80-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 34.27kg / 75.4lbs | 19.32kg / 42.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45-5/8" x 13-15/16" x 17-1/2"
1159.0 x 355.0 x 445.0mm | 40-3/4" x 10-7/8" x 15-1/4"
1036.0 x 277.0 x 388.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the SVS Ultra Tower and Monitor Audio Silver 300 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* |
SVS Ultra Tower |
Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
Both Ultra Tower and Silver 300 7G are 3-way speakers.
SVS Ultra TowerMonitor Audio Silver 300 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 |
SVS Ultra Tower |
Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.0-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
Ultra Tower features a 1.0" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8.0" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 160HZ and 2000Hz. On the other hand, the Silver 300 7G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 2 x 6" C-CAM RST II Woofer.
Frequency Response
Ultra Tower has a frequency range of 28-32k Hz whereas Silver 300 7G has a frequency range of 31-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Ultra Tower can go slightly deeper then the Silver 300 7G's min frequency of 31Hz.
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
Ultra Tower and Silver 300 7G have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Ultra Tower sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Silver 300 7G's is at 87.5 dB.
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.
Ultra Tower can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Silver 300 7G has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Ultra Tower.
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 300 7G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Ultra Tower and Silver 300 7G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
SVS Ultra Tower's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 SVS Ultra Tower's and Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G's external dimensions. SVS Ultra Tower has external dimensions of 1159.0 x 355.0 x 445.0mm (45-5/8 x 13-15/16 x 17-1/2inch) whereas Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G has external dimensions of 1036.0 x 277.0 x 388.0mm (40-3/4 x 10-7/8 x 15-1/4inch).
SVS Ultra Tower is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 78mm wider, 123mm taller and 57mm deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Ultra Tower and Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G in scale.
Comparison image of SVS Ultra Tower and Monitor Audio Silver 300 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 SVS Ultra Tower is approximately 1579.8cm2 / 244.9inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G is approximately 1074.8cm2 / 166.6inch2. The Ultra Tower requires 47% more surface area than the Silver 300 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 SVS Ultra Tower weighs 34.27kg / 75.4lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G weighs 19.32kg / 42.5lbs. This makes the Ultra Tower 77% heavier than the Silver 300 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Ultra Tower and Silver 300 7G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G
What's in the Box of SVS Ultra Tower?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Ultra Tower:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Cloth grille
- 2 Metal grilles
- Foam port plug
- 4 Elastomer isolation feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Nuts
- 4 Protective discs
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G?
Here are the items that come with the Silver 300 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
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8.0 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
31 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
32k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1036mm
vs
1159mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1074cm2
vs
1579cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
SVS Ultra Tower |
Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G |
| Brand |
SVS |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-300 watts |
80-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
87.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
28-32k Hz |
31-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8.0" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.0" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
160HZ and 2000Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1159.0mm (45.6") |
1036.0mm (40.8") |
| Width |
355.0mm (14") |
277.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
445.0mm (17.5") |
388.0mm (15.3") |
| Weight |
34.27kg (75.4lbs) |
19.32kg (42.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Oak veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White |
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 |
A generation apart: Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
A |
SVS Ultra Tower digs deeper - 28Hz against 31Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
A |
SVS Ultra Tower takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G is easier to place; SVS Ultra Tower is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
depends |
SVS Ultra Tower: bi-amping; Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G: bi-amping. Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
evenly matched |
Much the same money ($2,600 vs $2,600 a pair). |
A SVS Ultra Tower
B Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
SVS Ultra Tower has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate SVS Ultra Tower the better fit for a very large room, and Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G for a mid-size room. In a large or open-plan room, SVS Ultra Tower has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Monitor Audio Silver 300 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.