Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G Bookshelf Speakers - Black Oak - Pair

Bi-Wire Terminals, on a Speaker This Small

The Silver 50 7G is a two-way standmount. A 5.25-inch C-CAM RST II mid-bass driver handles most of the work, a 25 mm C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter with UD Waveguide II takes the treble, and the crossover sits at 2.6 kHz.

Round the back are two sets of gold-plated terminals. Leave the links in and run one cable, or take them out to bi-wire or bi-amp. At this size that is unusual, and it lets the speaker grow with your system.

RST II, and the Dimpled Cone

Look closely at the bass driver and you will see a pattern of dimples pressed into it. That is Monitor Audio’s Rigid Surface Technology II, stiffening the cone so that it flexes less as it moves. Hi-Fi News simply called it a "dimpled dome".

The Numbers, and What They Ask of You

Monitor Audio quotes an in-room response of 47 Hz to 35 kHz at minus 6 dB. Sensitivity is 86 dB. Nominal impedance is 8 ohms, with a minimum of 3.9 ohms at 250 Hz.

The amplifier recommendation is 40 to 100 watts, and power handling is 100 watts RMS. Maximum output is quoted at 104 dB. The rear port is tuned to 58 Hz.

How Close to the Wall? Monitor Audio Is Specific

Most makers say "away from the wall" and leave you to guess. Monitor Audio’s manual gives a window instead: at least 6 inches of clearance behind the cabinet, and no more than 12. Then toe them in toward your seat.

Side walls want about 3 feet. That is a genuinely useful instruction rather than a vague one, because it tells you what the designer actually intended, instead of leaving you to shuffle furniture around and hope for the best.

The Foam Bungs Are a Third Option

A rear HiVe II port vents each cabinet, its edge rifled like a gun barrel to smooth the airflow. Foam bungs come in the box, and they partially block the port rather than sealing it, so you can take the edge off the bass without killing it.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Marc Craven reviewed the Silver 50 7G for Hi-Fi News on January 18, 2022, and the magazine gave it an Outstanding Product Award. His verdict: "A genuine bookshelf speaker with an install-me-anywhere attitude."

On the bass: "There’s a meaty bass presence to the sound, which brings a scale and sense of depth to your music that you might not think possible given the size of enclosure and driver."

He also called them "a perfect partner for a bijou amp and easy to drive, too", and found that "these cabinets prove pretty unfussy" about where you end up putting them.

Who Are These Bookshelf Speakers Best For?

• Your room is small, or your speakers must live near a wall — this is the model Monitor Audio tuned for 6 to 12 inches of rear clearance, which is a good deal less room than most standmounts want
• Your amplifier is modest — 40 to 100 watts is the window and Hi-Fi News called them easy to drive, so one of our integrated amplifiers need not be large to do the job properly
• You want bi-wire terminals at this size — two sets of gold-plated posts per cabinet is rare on a compact speaker, and it leaves the door open to bi-amping later
• You want a real-wood finish — the 7G Silver cabinets come in real veneers as well as painted finishes, so there is a version that suits a room with wood already in it
• You are buying into an outgoing generation — the Silver range has since moved to 8G, so this is the older model at clearance pricing, and stock is whatever we have left

How Do They Connect to Your System?

Each cabinet has two pairs of gold-plated terminals, joined by links. For an ordinary hookup, leave the links alone and connect one pair to your amplifier. Remove them to run separate cable to the treble and the bass.

Put them on stands or a solid shelf, 6 to 12 inches off the back wall, about 3 feet clear of the side walls, and angled in toward where you sit. Keep both cable runs the same length.

Pairs Well With

What finishes the setup. These are the categories most Silver 50 7G owners shop next.

• Speaker stands — Monitor Audio’s ST-2 is built for standmounts this size
• Integrated amplifiers — 40 to 100 watts is the window
• Speaker cables — two runs per side if you decide to bi-wire
• Subwoofers — for anything below the 47 Hz mark

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bi-wire them?

Yes. Each cabinet carries two sets of gold-plated terminals. Take out the links and run separate cable to each pair, or feed them from separate amplifier channels to bi-amp.

How far from the wall do they go?

Between 6 and 12 inches behind, per Monitor Audio’s manual, and roughly 3 feet from side walls. Toe them in. That window is narrower than most, which makes setup easier.

What are the foam bungs for?

They fit the rear port and partially block it, which trims the bass when a cabinet ends up tight to a wall. Because they restrict rather than seal, the change is gentler than a full plug.

How big and heavy are they?

Each cabinet is 11.1 inches tall, 6.5 wide and 10.4 deep including the grille and terminals, and weighs 12 pounds 6 ounces. They are sold as a pair.

Do they need a big amplifier?

They do not. Monitor Audio asks for 40 to 100 watts, and Hi-Fi News called them easy to drive, so spend on amplifier quality rather than raw watts.

What replaced this model?

The Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G. It moves to the RST III cone and reaches 35 kHz, and it is the current generation.

See It in Action

Our own look at the Silver 7G standmounts:

John Darko on why these suit small rooms and tight corners:

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