Monitor Audio 100 Bronze (6G) or Monitor Audio 100 Silver (7G) or Monitor Audio 100 Silver (6G)

scottie uk

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He, I'm a British ex patriot living in the mountains of North Carolina. I have been looking in to speakers for a couple of days now and I really do like, tight slammy bass and good bass extension which I know is always a big ask from bookshelf speakers and even lower cost towers. I also like high resolution mids and lows and like to be able to discern the wave forms in the electronic music and neo progressive rock music I prefer. I get this on my basement office desk as I use a pair of Polk RT35s as near field monitors to listen to vinyl (Audio Lab 8000a, Technics SL1200 mk5, and Denon DL110 MC Cart). Previously I had an old pair of JBL HSL810s, besides having large 8" woofers I found them unexiting and blew one up demoing a synthesizer's bottom end (Brrraaawwwaawwaawaawaaa crack eh oh).

I am wanting another pair for the media room/space, to connect to a hifi for Vinyl playing but also to do double duty on a 7.1 surround sound system. It its music performace I'm concerned with, with movies as long as I can hear most frequencies I'm not bothered.

I have seen that the 2020 Monitor Audio Bronze 100 (6th generation) have sub 40hz specs, as do the new 2021 Monitor Audio 100 Silvers (7th generation). The problem is that the new MA 7G Silvers are over ~$13000, where as the Bronze can be had for ~ $500.

I decided on these because I have a hatred of dedicated sub woofers. In my experience, they are always out of time and boomy sounding, having little resolution, with the only benefit being dropping low. As I live in the mountains my nearest large city of about 65 miles away and I do not even know is any stockists tha carry Monitor Audio in the mountains of North Carolina. I live in the woods and have no neighbours near by to annoy.

My first question is, are the new Silvers $800 dollars better than the Bronze?

Secondly, the prior Silver 6th generation MA 100's can be had for around $600-700 but the specs on the low frequencies are around 40-42hz.
 
I have a pair of Silver 100's 6g in a simple 2-channel bedroom setup. They provide all the bass I've ever needed.
 
Would the 6g silver 100s be better than the 6g 100 bronzes given the bronzes are a 2020 model and the prior silvers a 2017 model.
 
Would the 6g silver 100s be better than the 6g 100 bronzes given the bronzes are a 2020 model and the prior silvers a 2017 model.
Yep imo they would...

I had some MA Bronze 5 5g floorstanders and upgraded to the 6g silvers. Although the 6g Bronzes are an upgrade to the 5g's I had. But The 6g silvers are higher than the latest Bronzes in terms of spec and finish. The silvers have real wood vaneer finish vs the vinyl on the bronzes. The driver technology is better too.

For their discounted price the 6g Silver 100's are hard to beat imo. About a year ago these very speakers were £650... You can now get them for circa £350 and they're worth every penny!

Edit: Is there any way you can demo the 6g silver 100's against the Bronze 100's? This is really the only way, you can then let your ears decide 🙂
 
He, I'm a British ex patriot living in the mountains of North Carolina. I have been looking in to speakers for a couple of days now and I really do like, tight slammy bass and good bass extension which I know is always a big ask from bookshelf speakers and even lower cost towers. I also like high resolution mids and lows and like to be able to discern the wave forms in the electronic music and neo progressive rock music I prefer. I get this on my basement office desk as I use a pair of Polk RT35s as near field monitors to listen to vinyl (Audio Lab 8000a, Technics SL1200 mk5, and Denon DL110 MC Cart). Previously I had an old pair of JBL HSL810s, besides having large 8" woofers I found them unexiting and blew one up demoing a synthesizer's bottom end (Brrraaawwwaawwaawaawaaa crack eh oh).

I am wanting another pair for the media room/space, to connect to a hifi for Vinyl playing but also to do double duty on a 7.1 surround sound system. It its music performace I'm concerned with, with movies as long as I can hear most frequencies I'm not bothered.

I have seen that the 2020 Monitor Audio Bronze 100 (6th generation) have sub 40hz specs, as do the new 2021 Monitor Audio 100 Silvers (7th generation). The problem is that the new MA 7G Silvers are over ~$13000, where as the Bronze can be had for ~ $500.

I decided on these because I have a hatred of dedicated sub woofers. In my experience, they are always out of time and boomy sounding, having little resolution, with the only benefit being dropping low. As I live in the mountains my nearest large city of about 65 miles away and I do not even know is any stockists tha carry Monitor Audio in the mountains of North Carolina. I live in the woods and have no neighbours near by to annoy.

My first question is, are the new Silvers $800 dollars better than the Bronze?

Secondly, the prior Silver 6th generation MA 100's can be had for around $600-700 but the specs on the low frequencies are around 40-42hz.
Hi,

I haven't heard the Silver 100s, so I cannot comment on that, but I have heard the Bronze 100 and Bronze 500, and personally, I would give them a miss. Specs are all good and well, but listening is another thing. I have heard mixed reports about the bass extension of the Bronze 100s. One reviewer said it went down to 28Hz in his room. I was so dumbstruck by this that I bought a pair of Bronze 100s myself, only to be sorely disappointed. In my room, with a 78watt amp, they went down to around 35Hz, and that was just about audible. Another reviewer said these things "really slammed", but again, I was disappointed, as they seemed to aim more for extension than slam (my floor-standers hit harder in the bass, to be honest, and are only rated to 40Hz). For a "bookshelf" speaker, even 35Hz is pretty impressive...but this is not a "bookshelf" speaker. These thing are HUGE! It is a stand-mounted speaker, and you will definitely need some big stands for these. You could get them to go lower, even to 28Hz, but I imagine you will need to stick them in a corner or against the back wall to do so, compromising other aspects of the sound.

The bass is only one component of the sound though. I found the midrange especially disappointing. Voices sounded sort of unnatural, clear, but not quite right. Imaging was good, but only good. Soundstage was wide. The treble, like many MA speakers, was a bit bright, but not overly so. The larger Bronze 500 was exactly the same, except with more bass extension and more weight behind the bass. Both had cabinets that seemed thin, and wrapping your knuckles on them sounded like hitting an cheap MDF box...sort of exactly what it is. These speaker cabinets had lots of little resonances (this was shown on independent testing).

After hearing the Silver 200s, I will never look back at the Bronze range. These cabinets are solid, well braced. The bass was not as deep, but was tight and well controlled. The treble was a little bright, as usual, but much smoother and less prone to harshness. The imaging and the detail were superb. If you can afford the Silver 100s, and are keen on Monitor Audio, I'd give them a try.
 
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Apparently the new 7 G speakers have better tweeters. So the sweet spot is better.

It spreads the high frequency better.

Plus apparently the new speakers from Monitor Audio have more clearer sound at higher volumes. It is more pleasant sound.

If they are worth the current asking price only you can tell.
 
I can't say anything about these particular models but have had quite a bit of experience with MA speakers over the years. If in your shoes choosing between the three I would choose the Silver 6g for certain. I'm absolutely confident the Silver 6g would noticeably outperform Bronze 7g and equally confident any improvement in sound between Silver 6th and 7th gen wouldn't match the difference in price.
 
If you want voices to sound very clear and lifelike, I’d advise a pair of Rega RX-1. But the bass will be seriously compromised. If small towers are acceptable, then I’d go for the RX-3.
 
I’ve got the Silver 300s (6G) and they are fantastic in my view. The 200s are also excellent but with the C350 centre I was after the three way spec of the 300s and they’re superb. For music I imagine you’d be very happy indeed with the Silver 100s, I briefly had some Silver 2 (5G) and they were fantastic.
 
I’ve got the Silver 300s (6G) and they are fantastic in my view. The 200s are also excellent but with the C350 centre I was after the three way spec of the 300s and they’re superb. For music I imagine you’d be very happy indeed with the Silver 100s, I briefly had some Silver 2 (5G) and they were fantastic.
The Silver 300 G are the best speakers I’ve ever owned. And that I don’t say mildly.

They are so dynamic, smooth at the same time. Wait after 40 hours of mark, you won’t believe how much better the bass gets.

Edit, it appears you owned the 300 for some time.
 
I feel the top end is smoother on the Silver 300 then Silver 200.

My theory is dedicated midrange driver, better crossover settings. So the drivers don’t need to produce both bass and midrange at the same time.
 
Mission zx2 should be considered. They are large standmounts with twin woofers.
 
I ended up purchasing the Monitor Audio Bronze 100. As people have said that trebble is harsh at loud volumes. The bass extension is definitely there, the bass is even and not boomy at any frequency. However, for 8" woofers in a larger than average ported cabinet, the bass just too light to be enjoyable and I have my Audiolab 8000a's tone controls on max.

The mid frequency was lacking in detail, but as I play them more and more this seems to be opening up and I am really beginning to hear details I've not been able discern before.

However, my old Polk RT35s they were intended to replace walk all over them on every measure other than bass extension and maybe how they have just began to reveal more detail in the music at some but not all frequencies after being played for about 12 hours.

I guess I would call the Monitor Audio 100 bronze, polite and pretty more than fun. I like speakers that slam tightly so I may instead seek out some used Polk RT55 or Polk LSi9 instead as its clear I like the Polk sound.
 
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You have to remember with all newer (metal coned) Monitor Audio speakers they do need a few hundred hours on them to be at their best, I would agree with most of the other comments the silver 100 6g would have been much better, after a few months use they really sing and are pretty well balanced across the frequency range and are definitely smoother at the top than the Bronze, some people (including myself) however are very sensitive to Monitor Audio's Metal dome tweeter sounding a little harsh when pushed hard.
 
I ended up purchasing the Monitor Audio Bronze 100. As people have said that trebble is harsh at loud volumes. The bass extension is definitely there, the bass is even and not boomy at any frequency. However, for 8" woofers in a larger than average ported cabinet, the bass just too light to be enjoyable and I have my Audiolab 8000a's tone controls on max.

The mid frequency was lacking in detail, but as I play them more and more this seems to be opening up and I am really beginning to hear details I've not been able discern before.

However, my old Polk RT35s they were designed to replace walk all over them on every measure other than bass extension and maybe how they have just began to reveal more detail in the music after being played for about 12 hours.

I guess I would call the Monitor Audio 100 bronze, polite and pretty more than fun. I like speakers that slam tightly so I may instead seek out some used Polk RT55 or Polk LSi9 instead as its clear I like the Polk sound.
Yeah, sorry. As mentioned previously, I really wasn't impressed with the new Bronze range, having been a happy owner of the previous range.

If you like Polk, then I agree, you should upgrade to a better Polk speaker. Good luck :)
 
Some people (including myself) however are very sensitive to Monitor Audio's Metal dome tweeter sounding a little harsh when pushed hard.
Yes, I am also in that group. I tempered my Bronze 1s, 2s and 5s with warm amps, but after switching to Q Acoustics, I am afraid I will never go back to MA, unless their products take on a smoother sound (at least at budget ranges).
 
The solution may be a pair of Mission ZX2 (twin smaller woofers) if in budget or Dali Oberon 3 (7 inch woofer) or Opticon 2 mk2 (with the ribbon tweeter) or the Wharfedale Diamond evo 4.2 or the new Mission QX2 mark 2.
 
Yes, I am also in that group. I tempered my Bronze 1s, 2s and 5s with warm amps, but after switching to Q Acoustics, I am afraid I will never go back to MA, unless their products take on a smoother sound (at least at budget ranges).
You won't get a MA because you got their most budget line and bad speakers and expected them to be as the silvers and golds? 😂
 
Strange, I find the Silver 300 smooth as butter. Some speakers emphasize the upper midrange to much.

So trumpets sound tiring. Jazz recordings are famous for their sound quality.

After break in, voices sound more natural. At first folk singers (Neil Young) sound thin.

Plus, MA can kick ass on rock recordings. The speakers put you in the front row then.

Neutral sound in other words.
 
You won't get a MA because you got their most budget line and bad speakers and expected them to be as the silvers and golds? 😂
Please read the part of my comment you quoted that says "at least at budget ranges". I have owned MA silver speakers and they are brilliant. I hardly consider the Silver range, or Gold as budget. I was saying, if you actually took the time to bear in mind the context of the discussion, that I will not go back to MA speakers in the budget range, e.g. Bronze and Monitor, unless they change.
 
You won't get a MA because you got their most budget line and bad speakers and expected them to be as the silvers and golds? 😂
To be honest I though you were not joking? So I answered what the Silver sounds like. Now I see you know nothing.

Obviously sound is subjective. The budget range might sound fabulous to many.

Of course the more expensive ones are better. Less boxy sound, more air.

Which speakers do you own? B&W 801D.
 
I just purchased a set of Silver 100 6g's - They are slightly too tall for my bookshelf. I can change my bookshelf to accomodate but was wondering if the can be placed on their side? If yes will it affect Listening performance? Thanks
 
I just purchased a set of Silver 100 6g's - They are slightly too tall for my bookshelf. I can change my bookshelf to accomodate but was wondering if the can be placed on their side? If yes will it affect Listening performance? Thanks
Whilst technically they could be placed on their side, as an owner of these fine speakers I'd say not to. It'll most definitely degrade the sound quality. It's also a shame to compromise the sound quality of such fantastic speakers. I'd definitely favour changing the bookshelf, so they can be orientated correctly. Are stands not an option?
 
I agree. Getting the right stands can be challenging, and expensive. However I would use the stands @Jester1066 has.

They need to be more less be in ear height too. 5 mm below the ears or over is not terrible important, but if you place them on side I imagine the sound waves well not be timed correctly?
 

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