In this review, we will be comparing Canterbury and Silver 500 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Tannoy and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Tannoy Canterbury and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Tannoy Canterbury | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|---|
| Brand | Tannoy
United Kingdom · founded 1926 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 2 x 8" C-CAM RST II |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-22k Hz | 27-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 96 dB | 90.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 80-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 63.05kg / 138.7lbs | 22.53kg / 49.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43.3" x 26.77" x 18.89"
1099.8 x 680.0 x 479.8mm | 42-11/16" x 12-11/16" x 15-7/16"
1085.0 x 323.0 x 393.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Tannoy Canterbury 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* |
Tannoy Canterbury |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Canterbury is a 2-way design whereas the Silver 500 7G is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
Tannoy Canterbury |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Canterbury features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1.1 kHz. 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
Canterbury has a frequency range of 28-22k 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 slightly deeper then the Canterbury's min frequency of 28Hz.
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
Canterbury and Silver 500 7G have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Canterbury sensitivity is rated at 96 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is at 90.5 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Tannoy Canterbury a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
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
Silver 500 7G features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Canterbury has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/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 Tannoy Canterbury's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. Tannoy Canterbury has external dimensions of 1099.8 x 680.0 x 479.8mm (43.3 x 26.77 x 18.89inch) 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).
Tannoy Canterbury is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 357mm wider, 14.8mm taller and 86.8mm deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Tannoy Canterbury needs about 157% more floor or shelf area. Tannoy Canterbury is 87mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Tannoy Canterbury is 15mm taller.
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 Tannoy Canterbury is approximately 3262.5cm2 / 505.7inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The Canterbury requires 157% 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 Tannoy Canterbury weighs 63.05kg / 138.7lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the Canterbury 180% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Canterbury 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 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
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1085mm
vs
1099mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1269cm2
vs
3262cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
40000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Tannoy Canterbury |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
Tannoy |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
96 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
5.5 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
28-22k Hz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1.1 kHz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1099.8mm (43.3") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
680.0mm (26.8") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
479.8mm (18.9") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
63.05kg (138.7lbs) |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Oak |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Tannoy Canterbury costs roughly 12.5x 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (28Hz vs 27Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | Tannoy Canterbury is more sensitive (96dB vs 91dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is easier to place; Tannoy Canterbury is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is cheaper - $3,200 against $40,000, about 92% less; arguably a different class. |
A Tannoy Canterbury 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. In a large or open-plan room, Tannoy Canterbury 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. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Tannoy Canterbury is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.