MONITOR AUDIO SILVER 7G 5.0 Review: ‘For our next trick…’
- The Silver 500 floorstander has 8in C-CAM woofers and a 3in mid-range
POSITION: 500 7G are the top dogs in MA’s Silver Series; Gold and Platinum lines are ranged above
PEERS: B&W 700 Series; KEF R Series
2. The Silver 50 two-way speaker has a HiVe II port and dual binding posts on its rear
Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G Dolby Atmos Cinema 5.1.2 System Review
The Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G Dolby Atmos Cinema 5.1.2 System is marketed as the ultimate cinema setup. Let’s find out if it lives up to the hype.
Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G Dolby Atmos Cinema 5.1.2
Some of you might remember our review of the Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G floor-standing speakers from AUDIO TEST issue 01/2022. Back then, we tested the brand-new seventh-generation floorstanders with the Roksan Attessa Streaming Amplifier, presenting a modern Hi-Fi system. The result was an impressive 95% rating and an excellent score for the Monitor Audio speakers.
Now, we have the stylish and great-sounding mid-range floorstanders (note: the Monitor Audio Silver series sits above the Bronze and below the Gold series) back in our listening room, but this time we’ve expanded our test setup with six additional speakers from the Monitor Audio portfolio. Yes, we’re moving beyond the stereo perspective to focus on multi-channel audio.
The Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G Dolby Atmos Cinema 5.1.2 set includes two Silver 300 7G floor-standing speakers, two Silver FX 7G surround speakers, two Silver AMS 7G Atmos speakers, a Silver C250 7G center speaker, and a Silver W-12 6G subwoofer. A 7.1.2 version is also available, adding two more rear speakers, making a total of four Silver FX 7G speakers.
Silver FX 7G
You might wonder why the 7.1 set includes two additional rear speakers. Typically, a 5.1 setup uses two rear speakers, while a 7.1 setup adds side speakers as well. However, the Silver FX 7G speakers are designed as dipole or bipole speakers, meaning they have angled side panels with tweeters. The 25mm C-CAM Gold tweeter with Uniform Dispersion Waveguide II sits in these side panels.
A switch on the back allows you to choose the mode. In a 5.1 setup, you’d use the dipole mode, which operates the tweeters out of phase, creating a spacious and less locatable sound. This enhances the surround field, effectively replacing the rear speakers acoustically. In a 7.1 setup, the bipole mode synchronizes the tweeters, improving sound localization.
The technical specifications of the Silver FX 7G are impressive for effect speakers, with a frequency response of 81 Hz to 35 kHz and a maximum power handling of 85 watts (RMS). The 152mm C-CAM RST II mid-bass driver delivers detailed mids and bass, while the dual 25mm C-CAM Gold tweeters provide a wide, detailed soundstage.
Silver 300 7G
The Silver 300 7G floor-standing speakers are equally impressive in a stereo setup. They feature a 25mm C-CAM Gold tweeter with Uniform Dispersion Waveguide II, a 76mm C-CAM midrange driver with Rigid Surface Technology II (RST II), and two 152mm C-CAM RST II bass drivers. The rear-ported bass reflex design extends the frequency response to 31 Hz to 35 kHz, with a power handling of 200 watts (RMS) and an efficiency of 87.5 dB.
These speakers excel in delivering a precise, well-resolved sound with a stable phantom center and finely layered soundstage. The powerful, precise bass is enjoyable even without a subwoofer. The musicality and nuanced sound make them a great value at around 2,100 euros per pair.
Silver AMS 7G
The Silver AMS 7G Atmos speakers, designed to sit atop the Silver 300 7G, feature the same high-quality drivers: a C-CAM Gold tweeter with UD Waveguide and a C-CAM RST II mid-bass driver. Their frequency response is 76 Hz to 35 kHz, with a maximum power handling of 60 watts (RMS). They can also be used as bookshelf or wall-mounted speakers.
Silver C250 7G
The Silver C250 7G center speaker is a three-way design, providing a wider dispersion angle for better dialogue clarity across multiple seating positions. It features a C-CAM Gold tweeter with Uniform Dispersion Waveguide II, a 76mm C-CAM midrange driver with RST II, and dual 134mm C-CAM bass drivers with RST II. Its frequency response is 65 Hz to 35 kHz, with a power handling of 200 watts (RMS).
Silver W-12 6G
The Silver W-12 6G subwoofer is compact but powerful, delivering 500 watts of continuous power with a frequency response of 40 to 120 Hz, reaching down to 20 Hz in-room. It features an automatic room correction system using a supplied microphone, allowing it to adapt to the room’s acoustics for optimal performance.
In Use
We connected the Monitor Audio Silver 300 7G surround set to the new Marantz Cinema 50 AV receiver in our large home theater room. After calibrating with Audyssey, we started with the Ultra HD Blu-ray of “It,” enjoying the immersive Dolby Atmos sound during the rain scene. The sound of raindrops hitting different surfaces was vividly clear, creating an excellent Atmos experience.
Switching to the film “Ballon” by Bully Herbig, we were impressed by the subtle Dolby Atmos effects, like wind rustling leaves and the echo of speeches in a hall, which made us feel present in the scene. Dialogue clarity was superb, even with dialects.
For action, we tested “Justice League,” where the Silver W-12 6G subwoofer delivered powerful, precise explosions and sound effects. The Atmos effects in “In the Heart of the Sea” added a thrilling underwater experience.
Music playback was equally impressive, with the setup excelling in various sound modes for classical, jazz, and electronic music, showcasing the system’s versatility and musicality.
Verdict
SPECIFICATIONS
Silver 500 7G
DRIVERS: 2 x 8in C-CAM woofers; 1 x 3in C-CAM mid-range; 1 x 1in wave-guided C-CAM dome tweeter ENCLOSURE: Bass reflex, with dual rear HiVe II ports FREQUENCY RESPONSE (CLAIMED): 27Hz-35kHz SENSITIVITY (CLAIMED): 90.5dB POWER HANDLING (CLAIMED): 250W DIMENSIONS (INCL. FEET): 1,095(h) x 319(w) x 389(d)mm WEIGHT: 22.5kg
Silver 50 7G
DRIVERS: 1 x 5.25in C-CAM bass/mid; 1 x 1in wave-guided C-CAM dome tweeter ENCLOSURE: Rear-ported FREQUENCY RESPONSE (CLAIMED): 47Hz-35kHz SENSITIVITY (CLAIMED): 86dB POWER HANDLING (CLAIMED): 100W
DIMENSIONS: 282(w) x 165(h) x 272(d)mm WEIGHT: 5.6kg
Silver C250 7G
DRIVERS: 2 x 5.25in C-CAM woofers; 1 x 3in C-CAM mid-range; 1 x 1in wave-guided C-CAM dome tweeter ENCLOSURE: Sealed FREQUENCY RESPONSE (CLAIMED): 65Hz-35kHz SENSITIVITY (CLAIMED): 88.5dB POWER HANDLING (CLAIMED): 200W DIMENSIONS: 206(h) x 481(w) x 272(d)mm WEIGHT: 10.6kg
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