Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G Bookshelf Speakers

The Monitor Audio Silver 50 8G is the compact two way of the range, using a 6 inch C-CAM RST III mid-bass driver and the 25mm C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter in a 335mm tall cabinet. Sold as a pair, it runs to 43Hz in room, which is a lot of bass for a speaker this size. It is also the model the Silver AMS 8G is designed to sit on top of, so it doubles as the front of a compact Atmos system.

Why You'll Love It

• A 6 inch driver in a small box. Most bookshelf speakers this size use a 5 inch cone. The larger driver and 52Hz port tuning are why the in room response gets down to 43Hz.
• Crossover kept out of the way. A single crossover point at 2.6kHz means one driver covers everything below it, so voices stay coherent without a handover in the middle of the vocal range.
• The starting point for a bigger system. The Silver AMS 8G height module is designed to sit directly on these, and the Silver Centre 8G matches the drivers, so the range grows with you.

Under the Hood

• Two way layout with 1 x 6 inch C-CAM RST III mid-bass driver and a 25mm C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter with UD Waveguide II, crossing over at 2.6kHz.
• Silent Flow Port Technology tuned to 52Hz, with a wider port and the new flare geometry that guides airflow smoothly and cuts chuffing.
• Through-Bolt Driver Technology tightening the drive units to the rear of the cabinet at a set torque, with rigid internal bracing and damping to reduce panel vibration.

CHT Insider Verdict

This is the model that makes the range accessible, and it is a lot of speaker for a compact cabinet. Be realistic about sensitivity though, because 86.5dB is the lowest in the range and these will sound flat on an underpowered amplifier. In a small to medium room with a decent integrated they are excellent, and they scale into a full Atmos system later without being replaced.

Pro Tip: These are called bookshelf speakers but they are not designed to live inside a bookshelf. A ported cabinet against a rear wall or boxed in by shelving will boom, so use stands and leave a hand's width behind them if you can.