In this review, we will be comparing AURA 3 and Silver 500 7G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and Monitor Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale AURA 3 and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Wharfedale AURA 3 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 Wharfedale AURA 3 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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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both AURA 3 and Silver 500 7G are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Wharfedale AURA 3 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0625 x 3.5-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
AURA 3 features a 1.0625 x 3.5" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 2 x 5" Glass Fiber Matrix Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 460Hz, 3.3kHz. 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
AURA 3 has a frequency range of 39-22k 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 significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the AURA 3's min frequency of 39Hz.
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
AURA 3 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Silver 500 7G which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. AURA 3 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Silver 500 7G's is rated at 90.5 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale AURA 3, 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.
AURA 3 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas AURA 3 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the Silver 500 7G.
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 AURA 3 and Silver 500 7G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale AURA 3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
AURA 3 has a bottom firing port whereas Silver 500 7G has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale AURA 3's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G with its rear-firing port.
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 Wharfedale AURA 3's and Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's external dimensions. Wharfedale AURA 3 has external dimensions of 1036.0 x 340.0 x 351.0mm ( 40-3/4inch x 13-3/8inch x 13-13/16inch ) 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) .
Wharfedale AURA 3 is 49mm shorter and 42mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G but it is also 17mm wider.
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 Wharfedale AURA 3 is approximately 1193.4cm2 / 185.0inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G is approximately 1269.4cm2 / 196.8inch2. The AURA 3 requires 6% less surface area than the Silver 500 7G which gives it a small advantage 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 Wharfedale AURA 3 weighs 23.05kg / 50.7lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G weighs 22.53kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the AURA 3 2% heavier than the Silver 500 7G.
Here is a comparison of how AURA 3 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 Wharfedale AURA 3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of AURA 3:
2 Floorstanding loudspeakers2 Grilles4 Terminal-jumpers8 Spike feet8 Collars 8 Knobs8 Protective discsPair of white glovesUser 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
 Height |
1036mm
vs
1085mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1193cm2 (340x351mm)
vs
1269cm2 (323x393mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
39 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
3200USD
vs
3999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale AURA 3 |
Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 150 watts |
80-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.1 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
39-22k Hz |
27-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Glass Fiber Matrix |
C-CAM RST II |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.0625 x 3.5" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
gold dome C-CAM with Uniform Dispersion (UD) Waveguide II |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4" |
3" |
| Crossover Frequency |
460Hz, 3.3kHz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1036.0mm (40.8") |
1085.0mm (42.7") |
| Width |
340.0mm (13.4") |
323.0mm (12.7") |
| Depth |
351.0mm (13.8") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
23.05kg (50.7lbs) |
22.53kg (49.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Multi-layer wood |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Piano Black,Piano Walnut,White Gloss |
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 |