In this review, we will be comparing SS-CS8 and Radius 200, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Sony and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sony SS-CS8 and Monitor Audio Radius 200 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sony SS-CS8 | Monitor Audio Radius 200 |
|---|
| Brand | Sony
Japan · founded 1946 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" gold dome C-CAM |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 4" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) | 2 x 4" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-25k Hz | 60-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 145 watts | 40-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.00kg / 11lbs | 3.59kg / 7.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 5.75" x 16.93" x 8.66"
146.0 x 430.0 x 220.0mm | 4-15/16" x 13" x 6-3/8"
126.0 x 331.0 x 162.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Sony SS-CS8 and Monitor Audio Radius 200 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* |
Sony SS-CS8 |
Monitor Audio Radius 200 |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both SS-CS8 and Radius 200 are 2-way speakers.
Sony SS-CS8Monitor Audio Radius 200
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Sony SS-CS8 |
Monitor Audio Radius 200 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 4-inch
|
2 x 4-inch
|
SS-CS8 features a 1" polyester fiber Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 4" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) Woofer. On the other hand, the Radius 200 features a 1" gold dome C-CAM Tweeter and 2 x 4" C-CAM Woofer.
Frequency Response
SS-CS8 has a frequency range of 55-25k Hz whereas Radius 200 has a frequency range of 60-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the SS-CS8 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Radius 200's min frequency of 60Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
SS-CS8 and Radius 200 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 86 dB.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
Radius 200 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas SS-CS8 has a max power handling value of 145 watts RMS, 5 watts less than the Radius 200.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
SS-CS8 features 5-Way post type posts and Radius 200 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Sony SS-CS8's Post terminals
Monitor Audio Radius 200's 5-Way post terminals
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 Sony SS-CS8's and Monitor Audio Radius 200's external dimensions. Sony SS-CS8 has external dimensions of 146.0 x 430.0 x 220.0mm (5.75 x 16.93 x 8.66inch) whereas Monitor Audio Radius 200 has external dimensions of 126.0 x 331.0 x 162.0mm (4-15/16 x 13 x 6-3/8inch).
Sony SS-CS8 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 99mm wider, 20mm taller and 58mm deeper than Monitor Audio Radius 200.
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 Sony SS-CS8 is approximately 946.0cm2 / 146.6inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Radius 200 is approximately 536.2cm2 / 83.1inch2. The SS-CS8 requires 76% more surface area than the Radius 200 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 Sony SS-CS8 weighs 5.00kg / 11lbs and the Monitor Audio Radius 200 weighs 3.59kg / 7.9lbs. This makes the SS-CS8 39% heavier than the Radius 200.
Here is a comparison of how SS-CS8 and Radius 200's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Radius 200?
Here are the items that come with the Radius 200:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille (installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- Grille removal tool
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
 Low Frequency Response |
55 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
169USD
vs
475USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
145 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
126mm
vs
146mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
536cm2
vs
946cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Sony SS-CS8 |
Monitor Audio Radius 200 |
| Brand |
Sony |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Center Channel |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 145 watts |
40-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-25k Hz |
60-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
4" |
4" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) |
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
gold dome C-CAM |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
146.0mm (5.7") |
126.0mm (5") |
| Width |
430.0mm (16.9") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Depth |
220.0mm (8.7") |
162.0mm (6.4") |
| Weight |
5.00kg (11lbs) |
3.59kg (7.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black |
White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Monitor Audio Radius 200 costs roughly 2.8x what Sony SS-CS8 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 | A | Sony SS-CS8 digs deeper - 55Hz against 60Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (145W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Radius 200 is easier to place; Sony SS-CS8 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | Sony SS-CS8 is cheaper - $169 against $475, about 64% less; arguably a different class. |
A Sony SS-CS8 B Monitor Audio Radius 200
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?
Sony SS-CS8 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 60Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Sony SS-CS8 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Monitor Audio Radius 200 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.