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Monitor Audio Silver 50 7g Bookshelf Speaker Review by Erin

Beave

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Thanks for sharing the link, and thanks to Erin for the review.

Looks pretty good in the midrange (say, 100Hz to 2kHz), but the tweeter level appears to be 1-2dB too high.

In the past I've owned several pairs of Monitor Audio Silver speakers. They all had things I liked about them but things that bugged me. The newest versions seem to be the best ones yet.

Interesting to compare these against the Polk R100 he reviewed previously https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/polk_r100/
Lots of similarities in performance.
 

VintageFlanker

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Great to see @hardisj back publishing! Hope you're doing well, dude. :)

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Now, about the MA Silver 50. I never liked this one in previous gens (Silver 50 AKA Silver 1 AKA RX-1), but it seems that they succeed to make a cohesive speaker. I mean, the treble is high, but at least the overall FR is smooth with almost no resonance or dips. Directivity is acceptably done, too, while I would have expected something wider. At the end of the day, it should sound good when listened off-axis (with no toe-in), what I always did with MA Silver series.
 

DSJR

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Great to see Erin back :)

Older models in this line used to have a kind of 'ccccchhhhhh' (as in Scottish 'loch') colouration I couldn't deal with at all but maybe over the years they've tamed it. Setting the tweeter 3 - 5dB up on the bass can hide a multitude of sins lower down however, as one's attention is drawn away from any issues lower down.

These aren't quite cheap enough to be sat on top of a tall bookcase as many boxes like this are (and hang the dispersion in all directions) but not sure many dedicated 'audio enthusiasts' buy this range in the UK (they do after reading the UK What HiFi, but seem to move on and up soon after I believe), at least long term.
 

restorer-john

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I've always also had a soft spot for Monitor Audio. These speakers certainly look the goods and the tested results would suggest a listen wouldn't be a bad thing. Efficiency and bass extension notwithstanding, they could be a contender in my book.
 

Mtbf

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I like Monitor Audio's build quality. The drivers are fixed into to the enclosure from the rear, by means of a long bolt.
 

Staffan

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I like Monitor Audio's build quality. The drivers are fixed into to the enclosure from the rear, by means of a long bolt.
Yes, this would be good if it had a metal case, the wood casing lives so the bolt always loosens.
 

Hiten

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Thanks for sharing the link and thanks Erin for the review. Looks like sealed measurements are new addition which would be helpful to integrate subwoofer. Compression test are also good to compare with other speakers. ASR and EAC Most comprehensive measurements probably anywhere on the web. Also appreciate separate drivers test on ASR. Excellent efforts for the hobby by both.
regards.
 

thewas

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Not too shabby measurements, the directivity drop between 3-5 kHz can be an issue making it sound a bit too hot like Erin wrote in his review, on the other side it has a directivity rise at the presence region below which can make it more bearable.
 

beaRA

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Interesting to compare these against the Polk R100 he reviewed previously https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/polk_r100/
Lots of similarities in performance.
Came here to say this. Extremely similar spins between these two. The R100 has a bit more bass and the midrange is a closer match to the tweeter level. Distortion and compression are a bit better on the Silver 50 7g. Obviously, the value calculation goes in favor of Polk at just $650/pair.
 

moonlight rainbow dream

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So what do you all think of speakers designed to be positioned with no or little toe-in with rising treble on-axis? Seems to be very common with hifi products.
 

ryanosaur

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So what do you all think of speakers designed to be positioned with no or little toe-in with rising treble on-axis? Seems to be very common with hifi products.
In some regards, it shouldn't matter.
For those of us more inclined to understand the performance characteristics, we get how to work with such designs. We are also more likely to have a better understanding of our own room's acoustic behavior.
Without that knowledge, perhaps it matters more, as someone shopping by brand reputation and aesthetics alone, or getting to hear them in a more ideal environment possibly characteristic of a quality audio shop... the less educated person may not get how to set them up to greatest effect.
...especially if the company pulls a Klipsch and gives one set of instructions in their user manual that are contraindicated by the designs, such as James Larson found in the RP8000F-ii review.
I'm a proponent for consumer education and think more companies should do what reviewers such as JL, Erin and Amir do and include this information with their product specs and sales copy. Imagine a world where Spins and distortion measurements were de rigueur! :D

Regardless, I also think that for folk that might use those as Surrounds or Rears it won't matter so much and may actually sound pretty good. Personally, I wouldn't buy those over the larger 100 unless I simply didn't have room for them. At least in the previous generation, the 100 was the better Speaker of the two. I would be disappointed to see that they borked that rather than get them both right!
 

beaRA

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So what do you all think of speakers designed to be positioned with no or little toe-in with rising treble on-axis? Seems to be very common with hifi products.
Depends on application. Lots of people covet wide dispersion speakers for their increased sidewall interaction and thus increased sense of envelopment. If a speaker is designed for minimal toe-in, you can get that increased sidewall interaction without such wide dispersion.
 

YSC

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Looks good in the mids, not quite enough bass extension(?) and treble a bit too hot, a bit of eq might fix the highs but one final complain: what the.. is the waveguide design going… I have goosebumps at that look..
 

warpdrive

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I like speakers that have a protective grill over the tweeter. I have kids passing through and they generally like to touch everything. I like the aesthetic....I want good sound and something that doesn't look like a generic $100 speaker.

Aiming the speaker straight into the room is generally the way I like to place them, because I like everything at perfect 90 degree angles :) So this speaker seems like it was made for people like me.


Good to see Erin back!
 

cavedriver

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Demo'd the Silver 100 7g's earlier this year, no major flaws. Rejected them mainly due to the price. $1270 on Amazon but only 800 Pounds in the UK, so about $950. I can almost get a ticket to London for that and bring them home myself.
 

HooStat

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I have the 500 7g floor standers plus the center channel and I really love them. I point them straight ahead and have the grill covers on, so it is a perfect balance for me. I was thinking of replacing my office speakers and these might be perfect.
 

mglobe

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Pretty big change on-axis above 3k between grill on and grill off. No judgement intended by that observation but curious to hear what others think.
 
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