Which Surround Speakers to go with Monitor Audio Silver 8's and Monitor Audio Silver C350.

[MikeFSS]

Hi, I'm having trouble deciding on side speakers for my 5.1 system. I have Monitor Audio Silver 8's for the front and a Monitor Audio Silver C350 for the centre, recently purchased. I currently have some Kef Eggs for the sides but want to upgrade. I'm going the Monitor Audio route and have been looking at second hand Gold GR10's, Silver 100's, Silver 50's and Apex 10's. Yup, I'm all over the place.
I have a Yamaha RX-A3060 driving it all.
I really want the best sound possible to listen to music without spending thousands. I even bought some of those SACD's which went out of fashion really quickly, like Betamax.
Any recommendations would be gratefully received. Thanks, Mike

 

[rccarguy2]

Ideally keep to same make and range as fronts but if they don't exist or you prefer design type of other brands, say for example you want BMR or electrostatic which monitor audio don't make, you can mix and match. Also cost may be a factor if matching mains are £1000 may not wish to spend that much. I'm using three different speaker brands the system.

You might want these

Silver FX

www.monitoraudio.com

Or maybe in wall?

 

[MikeFSS]

Ideally keep to same make and range as fronts but if they don't exist or you prefer design type of other brands, say for example you want BMR or electrostatic which monitor audio don't make, you can mix and match. Also cost may be a factor if matching mains are £1000 may not wish to spend that much. I'm using three different speaker brands the system.

You might want these

Silver FX

www.monitoraudio.com

Or maybe in wall?

Hi, thanks for the reply. I did look at the FX's but was put off by a guy from Richer Sounds as I mainly wanted a good sound for music and he said the Silver 100's would be a better way to go. My budget is around £400 max. The problem, of course, is that, that started at £250 and keeps going up. I'm just thinking, as it's only side surrounds, am I overdoing it with these speakers or should I be looking at the Apex A10's. Secondhand price seems to be around £300.

 

[rccarguy2]

Silver 100 are regular speakers. Which you may or may not want, depending on room layout, distance to speaker, whether it gets in the way, whether it's wall mountable/not sticking in the room, whether going 7.1 or Atmos, and personal preference despite Dolby recommdations.

There's regular speakers, bipole, dipole and tripole speaker designs.

If you're very close to surround speakers I would recommend more wider spread pattern but that's just my preference. You need to try a couple out. In wall could certainly be one option if those walls are walkways, a monopole on stand might not be practical.

I've used monopole, bipole and dipoles on surrounds.

 

[famasfilms]

Hi, I'm having trouble deciding on side speakers for my 5.1 system. I have Monitor Audio Silver 8's for the front and a Monitor Audio Silver C350 for the centre, recently purchased. I currently have some Kef Eggs for the sides but want to upgrade. I'm going the Monitor Audio route and have been looking at second hand Gold GR10's, Silver 100's, Silver 50's and Apex 10's. Yup, I'm all over the place.
I have a Yamaha RX-A3060 driving it all.
I really want the best sound possible to listen to music without spending thousands. I even bought some of those SACD's which went out of fashion really quickly, like Betamax.
Any recommendations would be gratefully received. Thanks, Mike

If your priority is music in stereo 2.0 / 2.1 and not upmixing or listening to music in 5.1 or higher, then don't worry so much about the side/surround speakers.

 

[Kapkirk]

Don't see why you wouldn't just plump for the FX's or Silver 50's to go with the rest of your Monitor Audio's if for just surround duties. Front L+R are the most critical for music.

 

[Jester1066]

Don't see why you wouldn't just plump for the FX's or Silver 50's to go with the rest of your Monitor Audio's if for just surround duties. Front L+R are the most critical for music.

100% Agree. I use Silver FX's as surrounds (my sofa's against the wall). Either them or the 50's will be fine. If limited on space the Apex A10's

The FX's are wall mount only. 50's are meant to be used with stands, but can be wall mounted using a clamp style bracket like this:

B-Tech BT77 (Black)

Shop for Btech BT77 Black Speaker Brackets with Richer Sounds for expert advice and lowest prices guaranteed

www.richersounds.com

The A10's come with a mini table top stand that can be adjusted to facilitate wall mounting. You can also buy purpose made Apex A10 stands, but they're very expensive:

Monitor Audio Apex Floorstands (Black)

Shop for Monitor Audio Apex Floorstands (Black) Speaker Stand Pair with Richer Sounds for expert advice and Lowest Prices Guaranteed

www.richersounds.com

Monitor Audio also do both the Radius 45, and Mass compact speakers, both of which can be wall or stand mounted. Using this mount:

Search results for: 'Masm'

Richer Sounds - The UK's Hi-Fi, Home Cinema and TV Specialists! Lowest prices guaranteed on TVs, Hi-Fi, headphones and more. Plus shop locations and installations.

www.richersounds.com

Again the respective stands for these are pricey imo. But that gives you plenty of options

Edit: if it were my money (and space wasn't a consideration). Assuming you didn't want the FX's - Very good speakers BTW - I'd go 50's on brackets or stands.

 

[Marshall Mike]

Another recommendation for the FX’s here, they are great speakers and the perfect match for the fronts.

The 50’s being from the same range will also be great. What you need to decide is if you want bipole (FX) or monopole (50’s) speakers.

The FX will create a bubble of sound, but can be harder to pinpoint exact locations of where a particular sound is in the room. Perfect for when the couch is on the back wall, as many of us have.

The 50’s will work with the other speakers to place a sound much more accurately in the room, but you might be more aware of the speakers location.

Dolby recommend monopole for Atmos. As you look to have a 5.1 setup and assuming you’re in a living room with space considerations, I think the FX would be the better match for you.

 

[MikeFSS]

Thank you so much for all the responses. My sofa is against the back wall and the room is 15 feet by 12 feet. The side speakers are approx 14 feet apart. After reading all the replies, I think I'm now down to the FX's and the Silver 50's. I'll have a read up about Dipole/Tripole speakers but I'm edging towards the FX's now.
Once again thank you for the replies. I now need to manoeuvre the wife round, which is going to be difficult as I've just got the Silver C350 for my birthday. She did get a dog recently so I have some room to move.

 

[DavidT]

The silver 50’s are rear ported and MA recommend 20 to 30cm gap to wall wall unless you bung the port.

 

[Marshall Mike]

Thank you so much for all the responses. My sofa is against the back wall and the room is 15 feet by 12 feet. The side speakers are approx 14 feet apart. After reading all the replies, I think I'm now down to the FX's and the Silver 50's. I'll have a read up about Dipole/Tripole speakers but I'm edging towards the FX's now.
Once again thank you for the replies. I now need to manoeuvre the wife round, which is going to be difficult as I've just got the Silver C350 for my birthday. She did get a dog recently so I have some room to move.

I think if you have the sofa on the rear wall I would definitely recommend the FX.

As you mentioned music listening in your original post, I take it you are talking about Atmos tracks via ATV4K or live concert blu-rays? Hans Zimmer live from Prague is my go to demo disc, well worth checking out. But I digress, I just want to make sure you aren’t up-mixing two channel stereo!

Anyway, here’s a pic of my Silver FX just above head height behind my sofa

 

[MikeFSS]

I think if you have the sofa on the rear wall I would definitely recommend the FX.

As you mentioned music listening in your original post, I take it you are talking about Atmos tracks via ATV4K or live concert blu-rays? Hans Zimmer live from Prague is my go to demo disc, well worth checking out. But I digress, I just want to make sure you aren’t up-mixing two channel stereo!

Anyway, here’s a pic of my Silver FX just above head height behind my sofa

View attachment 1648984

Very nice. That looks like the same position mine will be, when I eventually get them. When I listen to music it will be either a SACD, a BluRay 5.1 music cd or, as you say a BluRay concert. When you say upmixing stereo, are you taking about playing music through Spotify? I do, do that as well. I don't know anything about ATV4K, but I'm about to read up about it right now.

 

[Marshall Mike]

Very nice. That looks like the same position mine will be, when I eventually get them. When I listen to music it will be either a SACD, a BluRay 5.1 music cd or, as you say a BluRay concert. When you say upmixing stereo, are you taking about playing music through Spotify? I do, do that as well. I don't know anything about ATV4K, but I'm about to read up about it right now.

ATV4K is an abbreviation for Apple TV, a popular streaming box for anyone already in the Apple eco system.

So by up-mixing I mean taking traditional two channel stereo and allowing it to play on all channels. Now don't get me wrong, whatever way people like to listen to music is entirely up to them, but its not for me and I always advocate listening to two channel on the front L/R only (with or without the sub, whichever sounds best)

 

[rccarguy2]

ATV4K is an abbreviation for Apple TV, a popular streaming box for anyone already in the Apple eco system.

So by up-mixing I mean taking traditional two channel stereo and allowing it to play on all channels. Now don't get me wrong, whatever way people like to listen to music is entirely up to them, but its not for me and I always advocate listening to two channel on the front L/R only (with or without the sub, whichever sounds best)

Some DSP expansion for music can be very good logic 7 from proper lexicon processor can expand mono, stereo, and any type of pro logic, DTS,.Dolby digital (mono, stereo, 4.0, 4.1, 5.0, 5.1) upto 7.1.with stereo sides and rears . With music and movie modes and it does brilliant job of that. Better than DTS X and DSU. With adjustable center mix (movie mode allows slider of center to main ) plus things like surround roll off, front/rear soundstage, THX cinema re-eq etc

 

[Marshall Mike]

Some DSP expansion for music can be very good logic 7 from proper lexicon processor can expand mono, stereo, and any type of pro logic, DTS,.Dolby digital (mono, stereo, 4.0, 4.1, 5.0, 5.1) upto 7.1.with stereo sides and rears . With music and movie modes and it does brilliant job of that. Better than DTS X and DSU. With adjustable center mix (movie mode allows slider of center to main ) plus things like surround roll off, front/rear soundstage, THX cinema re-eq etc

As I said, each to their own. Personally I enjoy the DSU for 5.1 mixes to make use of my heights, but two channel stereo playback? No thank you.

 

[rccarguy2]

As I said, each to their own. Personally I enjoy the DSU for 5.1 mixes to make use of my heights, but two channel stereo playback? No thank you.

You haven't heard a good upmixer logic 7 is very good and you customise to surround roll off, level, and center to main, ie you can adjust it that you can barely tell center is active so it widens it and envelopes you

 

[Marshall Mike]

You haven't heard a good upmixer logic 7 is very good and you customise to surround roll off, level, and center to main, ie you can adjust it that you can barely tell center is active so it widens it and envelopes you

Or you can enjoy the stereo imaging as it was meant to be heard? As I said, I don't like to up mix 2 channel.

Think we are a little off topic too, I only wondered how the OP was enjoying his music.

 

[rccarguy2]

Or you can enjoy the stereo imaging as it was meant to be heard? As I said, I don't like to up mix 2 channel.

Think we are a little off topic too, I only wondered how the OP was enjoying his music.

That's because your upmixer isn't that great. I didn't use it all the time for cd's but it worked very well. I still miss not having logic 7 music/movie modes. You can literally turn all other channels with surround rolling off at 10khz if want to, and levels, with center doing a little speech,, with side left being delays and DSP of the front left etc so it's not a crappy all channel DSP.

Plus it worked for old movies, also stereo DD/DTS to 7.1 and almost as good as discrete mixes. And can apply thx re-eq, dialogue enhance if needed. Also for a few movies stereo soundtrack expanded to 7.1 was better than the included 5.1 mix (buggered up)

 

[Jester1066]

Think we are a little off topic too, I only wondered how the OP was enjoying his music

Totally agree with you.

 

[gibbsy]

Totally agree with you.

I agree straying a bit too far off topic.

 

[MikeFSS]

ATV4K is an abbreviation for Apple TV, a popular streaming box for anyone already in the Apple eco system.

So by up-mixing I mean taking traditional two channel stereo and allowing it to play on all channels. Now don't get me wrong, whatever way people like to listen to music is entirely up to them, but its not for me and I always advocate listening to two channel on the front L/R only (with or without the sub, whichever sounds best)

I would say, by the sound of it, I do up-mix when I listen either through Spotty or Sonos. I don't mind it tbh. I quite like the sound being all around. Hold on, have I just come up with Surround Sound
When I boot the wife and kids upstairs I do get out the SACD's and BluRays. Some are incredible but some mixes don't quite cut it but, as you say, each to their own.

 

[MikeFSS]

I really appreciate all the opinions, as, being a slightly lazy audiophile, I have so much to learn. There are some seriously knowledgeable people around. When can you all pop round?

 

[AndreNewman]

I have Silver 1 surrounds and surround back with Silver 8 and C350, pretty good match.

We do have a meter in front of the surrounds and ~30cm behind them, as you are up against the wall I wouldn't suggest anything ported although we plug the ports to help crossover.

Probably FX is the best bet in your situation.

 

[MikeFSS]

I have Silver 1 surrounds and surround back with Silver 8 and C350, pretty good match.

We do have a meter in front of the surrounds and ~30cm behind them, as you are up against the wall I wouldn't suggest anything ported although we plug the ports to help crossover.

Probably FX is the best bet in your situation.

Thanks very much for the reply. I'm starting to look a bit more at the FX's as a few people have suggested that.
Best regards, Mike

 

[Hoku]

Another recommendation for Silver FX’s.

For multichannel music, in many cases the rear channels in Blurays/ SACD’s, typically in music concerts, you’re better off with a more enveloping, diffuse soundfield, as it’s typically the crowd and the sense of scale and space of the venue that the rear speakers are achieving, while the music itself is primarily coming from the front array & sub.

So, for example, Hans Zimmer Live in Prague or Stevie Wonder Live at Last are excellent in 5.1 with rear FX’s.

Also in 5.1, with the FX’s, they’re mounted a little higher than directional speakers: approximately eye height while standing. This adds to the sense of scale and space and works really well for music.

When this would be less successful is if you wanted to go Atmos later, because the FX’s would be too close, and could compete with, rather than complement, any ceiling mounted Atmos speakers.

But for 5.1, they come highly recommended…