I just received a pair of the Silver 100 7Gs in Piano Black last week, and I absolutely love them. Fantastic clarity and tonality, and love the detail retrieval. The bass sounds so nice and crisp compared to the muddy bass of my old B&W 606 S2s. I completely agree with you John, that these sound great at lower volumes. I have the 100 7Gs connected to a Cambridge Audio CXA81 & a Bluesound Node, and I can see myself keeping this setup for a very long time. I cannot recommend these enough!
Got a Silver 100 7 G , to be delivered next week. To be paired with CXA81 as well. I hope I love it as much as you do. Got it against b&w 606 s3. Update: I'm loving it too.
Having this cxa from Cambridge...but went for the bronze 500. Think that this silver 100 was the one i should gone for. Why ni the Cambridge cxn ? And the node in stead
I always appreciate a good aesthetic on a loudspeaker. It occupies such a huge part of your desk/room/shelf that it should not be ignored, especially for the prices that some of these speakers command.
Well, thank you for another enjoyable episode. I've been pleasantly surprised by a Monitor Audio speaker in my home in the past, good to see them going strong despite flying somewhat lower, if not completely under the radar, in comparison to other brands. ps... Congratulations on not dying for half a century.
The thing that draws me to your channel is not only the insight of the equipment covered ,but just as much your expanding of my music library . Invaluable. As soon as a piece is recommended it goes straight on my Deezer listening list for later. The same with Sreve Guttenberg, I have been enthralled by your recommendations . Thanks so much.
Monitor Audio is a tremendous value, I discovered them about 15 years ago and have the silver series 6 and 10’s. You can get more expensive speakers but you run into a diminishing return for your buck (sounding good enough without going esoteric high end). An 8” 2 way is rare these days, and it’s good to see they are still making them that sound this good.
The review makes sense to me. I enjoy a set of older Monitor Audio Silver RX1 (6 inch sub driver) on a daily basis. Although I appreciated a subwoofer before I don’t really need it to have enjoyable listening sessions. As a source a Bluesound node 2i is used as preamp and connected to the XTZ EDGE A2-300 power-amp. Lately I introduced the Schitt Modi DAC in between the pre-amp and power-amp. I can really appreciate the slight but clearly noticeable improvement it makes to my system. Through the years I was able to maximise my speakers performance thanks to the valuable insights from the John Darko’s reviews. Thanks John!
As ever, a considered, informed, and informative video. You present your videos in a way that your audience (of which I'm a regular) will find so relatable. Thank you! 😁😁😁
John Darko is arguably the most pleasant man on TH-cam to listen to. A truly passionate fan of music / audio in any form. I enjoy every video, even if i can't afford 99% of the gear. Videography is on another level too.
Fell in love immediately with the Monitor Audio Silver 100's after seeing this Video and when i finally got my Money together, the special edition ones were sold out everywhere. Bought the white ones and even if you said, that you always have to listen for yourself, i bought them because of your review and the looks and i'm not dissapointed at all. Got me the Audiolab 7000A wich you indeed never featured, but i really wanted an amp with a vu- meter wich doesnt cost 2000€ and above. It's digital, but i love looking at it. And since i saw the 7000a in the background of one of your Videos, i thought "if John likes it, i'm gonna love it" And because of your Silver 100 Review i too got the solid steel stands you featured and what can i say? They just look Beautiful! Had to choose between them and the Buchard ones with the oak legs, but i prefer these. Thank you so much for your content and bringing this Audiophile world to common listeners, who want to step up their Equipment and without people like you, would get lost in this Jungle of gear.
These 50th anniversary edition are still available here in Spain and not only that, they’re reduced from €1300 to €999 (the standard versions are €1150). Clearly not a popular colour here. I’m tempted for my living room, if they will play nicely fairly close to the back wall on top of a sideboard rather than stands. Have you heard them that way?
Hi Sir. As much as I love the way you present your content, today I saw that special thing……Excitement in your voice. Very very happy. Love from Scotland 🏴
One of the best audio review channels on utube. You have turned me on to many products some of which I’ve purchased as well as many albums which I now listen to. Thank you.
Happy 50th John! Although more of a headphone-in-my-appartment guy I keep watching your vids for the song suggestions. They never disappoint! Keep up the good work and thx!
I like how 100s looks. Between those and Buchardt S400 MKII what would you choose? Which one is easier to drive. I already have blusound POWERNODE. Is it able to drive them?
Really enjoyable video and some great speakers. I particularly enjoyed the explanation regarding the manufacturers rating of the speaker at 35Hz and how this translates into what we should be able to hear, thank you.
Monitor Audio such an under rated brand. I had the bronze BR2 stand mounts, one of their least expensive but the build quality was terrific! and I liked the sound. I once took them over to one of Sydney's largest HiFi stores and had a great afternoon of side by side comparisons. To my delight I must of compared 5 or 6 other stand mounts, all more expensive and only one brand impressed me more but not by much. That brand was Triangle, unfortunately I don't recall the model but they were a lot dearer than my MA's. The dealer didn't stock Monitor Audio but I feel even he agreed with my assessment as we were doing the listening. I kept the MA's a while longer !!
I do like that matte sheen of British Racing Green! Have loved that color hue since the 1960's/70's due to the love of MG's & Triumphs of the day. I think those Monitors would scream "audiophile furniture" on nicely crafted cherry or mahogany stands. Thanks John for taking them around the test track for us!
Nice. I've been attracted to MA speakers for years and years and have yet to pull the trigger on a pair for whatever reason. This new generation of silvers may change that. I think the style of MA stuff is stunning.
Hi John, great review. But I would say that, I love the Monitor Audio sound. Some observations: Firstly, completely agree on the use of amps with more grunt. It’s a family trait and as I upped the amps(!) the bass clarity improved significantly. Secondly, I also agree with you on their use in small rooms. I tried a pair of 5th gen Silvers in my study and, whilst they were good, the bass was overpowering. Just for fun, I hooked them up in my lounge system and they sounded great. Thirdly, I replaced the crossover components in both my pairs of MA speakers, 1 stand mount pair and 1 floorstander. I did it because I really like all the things you do, tonal balance, excitement etc, I just wanted to see what would happen. Well what happened was more detail, more openness but most of all, a much more focused image. For what I spent, there’s no way it would be economical for these upgrades to be done in the factory. Finally, if you don’t believe in bi-wiring, I recommend you take the nasty plates from the binding posts and replace them with some high quality copper wire. In their Gold and Platinum ranges, that’s exactly what MA does.
I heard the regular Silver 100's paired with their sister companies Roksan Attessa streaming amp (uses BluOS) a couple of weeks ago. That combination was seriously impressive for the price. Those limited edition versions look gorgeous.
Great review as always. I for one am a massive Monitor Audio fan and have my Wannsee home equipped with three pairs throughout the house plus my home cinema with MA top to bottom.
love Jazz Devil!!!! Thanx for recommending!!! ...and the green! from your descripion of thir sound, Monitors for sure!!! old school Susan in Va (once ived in Nurnberg)
I purchased a pair of Monitor Audio Silver100's (butternut finish) three years ago while auditioning them against Focal Aria 906's that were over twice the price. I also compared them to Klipsch, KEF, Genelec 8010s, and a few others. No comparison! Better value and sound across the board. However, I do have them playing with a Carver True Subwoofer to fill in the 10-35 hz dip which is more tactile preference than auditory. They're hooked up to Pioneer 70's vintage equipment that is visually stunning as well. Good 👍 review!!!
20 years ago when I went speaker shopping I fell in love with the little 10 1/2 inch tall Monitor Audio MA 301s but they were out of the price range. Flash forward 20 years and I am trying to upgrade my desktop system for my work-at-home office, I spotted a deal on eBay for 80% off MSRP on a pair of the MA301s, and have been loving them ever since. I also have a small Monitor Audio center channel speaker in my living room home theater system and it has got excellent clarity and surprisingly sufficient volume for a large room with cathedral ceilings.
Not sure about the green colour though… re low level listening, it’s a good point to bring up, would you say that the smaller speakers in the comparison,supported by a sub, would work equally well to the Monitor Audio?
Fun to see a standmount with a 8" driver again.. not many of them around anymore.. I still remeber the Klipsch RB81's thar where a monster of a standmount.. :) I do allso enjoy that Monitor Audio plays with colour and goes away from the typical black/white/wood box :)
Great review John, thank you. I'm glad you liked them paired with the Audiolab as I bought a pair 10 days ago (in the Ash finish) to match up with my 6000a/CDT combo. From the dirty blues of Tom Waits 'Gin Soaked Boy' to Peter Bucks shimmering guitar on Talk About The Passion ', I'm hearing my whole cd collection with ew ears, I'm utterly delighted with them. Thanks again.
THANK YOU for explaining in very simple language what -6 dB down means. A remarkably difficult definition to ascertain. Maybe I was just looking up the wrong terms but this has been a itch that I have not been able to scratch. Much obliged.
Great review again. Never heard Monitor Audio speakers but these are looking great (except those grilles 😏). Glad you’re talking about room size and matching speakers. Next thing I would like to see in your reviews is about speaker placement (fit near wall or not, need xx cm space etc. ). I often see a demo with speakers far away from walls but they’re not many people who can achieve this at a home. P.s.: perhaps you could start a ranking list of loudspeakers (like German Audio-magazines do …😉). Greetings from The Netherlands.
I knew there was a reason you popped into my world a couple years ago. Eitzel!!! Even my music friends seem ignorant of him and American Music Club. He's tough to see live--every show is a trainwreck--but so worth it for that voice. He is my #1 musical obsession. So happy to see an audio gent listening to him. Enjoy your vids!!
Great review. Really like the look of these speakers, sans grills for certain. Big fan of Barry Adamson. Not to mention, anything that Global Communication touches. Love the Mark Eitzel live album too.
Finally we got some colors!! Before Buchardt P300 and now this. Love it. I know some smaller local brand that does all RAL palette colors , but they products are relatively expensive for me.
I have the green KEF LSX downstairs (LS50 Meta in my listening room / office). My wife likes (accepts) the LSX's partly because of the aesthetics. But these have a similar color scheme and would fit beautifully 😀 Thanks for the excellent review as always.
Doing this on a budget, I've got my 2nd hand silver 100 6G's also hooked up to a nearly new 6000A. Great for listening at low volumes for less than £800! Treated myself to an upgrade stylus with the money saved
I was looking at getting these but as MA were asking a premium price for these over the conventional Silver 100s, my dealer got me a great deal on the Gold 100s instead and boy are they just amazing speakers!! Definitely no subwoofer required and their tonality with their proprietary ribbon tweeter...they will be the last pair of speakers I will ever buy!!
my room is 4.8 x 3.6 m and looking to add an AVR home theatre. I was looking at the silver 50 g7 for front wide and use them in stereo for music and add the C250 g7 for centre later. Do you think the silver 50 is big enough for that size room. Love your reviews... stephen
I heard these at AXPONA and they're very good. They sound full, clear, and balanced. It's an 8" woofer. I believe Monitor Audio manufactures the drivers which leads me to think it's a less compromised design than those that use off the shelf drivers. These give a big bang for the buck in the US and are an even better deal in the UK
Hi John. Love your channel. The dimpling plays an important function. Just like a plastic when corrugated, will strengthen the plastic, so too with the mid base driver. If it is a stronger metal, it can be made lighter which is a good feature for drivers.
Hi John. Really love the way you bring in music in your videos. Lots of good tips like Destroyer with Kaput. Fantastic album and it makes me think of Prefab Sprout, one off my favourite’s all time. Got my self a pair of Sonys Faber Minima Amator with a small REL 5i and they sound fantastic. Regard’s Douglas
John...John...John...I absolutely agree with their Beauty...love the fit and finish the Gold against the green 🍏 is a true Birt thing, but regardless. They give me a Sculptural Vib. And though not having heard them from my past I grasp the Audio Quality they effusively display as you have, for me described it well. Or should I say, effortlessly.
I've got the 300s of these in walnut, everytime I use them I am blown away by the sound. The quality of the walnut veneer is exceptional. I use mine with the newer powernode 2i
These Monitor audio look stunning. One of the best looking speakers out there Johnny, I hope they sound as good as they look. They tone with your walls too mate
From my experience Monitor Audio were always on the brighter side, but with the right amplification they could really shine. My experience is that they didn't have the widest soundstage, but did have pretty good imaging. Also loved the tonality of instruments on them. Love your reviews. Even though I have no interest in bookshelf speakers anymore, I still enjoying watching your shows 😄
Good video John. In the future, I would be very interested in watching a video about the Monitor Audio Platinum PL100 II. I still remember watching your review of the KEF Reference One, and the various videos about the Kii Three. Take Care.
I would be very interested in watching a video of Carol Vorderman and Scarlett Johansson in a paddling pool full of baby oil wrestling over which of them gets to spend the night with me first but that aint gonna happen either 🤣
Whilst I get the point about probably using these speakers in larger rooms, they do come with bungs to put in the woofer ports. That will trim the bass for use in smaller rooms or when used closer to a wall
I turned 50 this year along with yourself John. All hail the 50 club! And yes love this format. Comparisons give you context and that goes along way to understanding the suitability of audio gear. You're on a roll here John.
@Darko Audio I love the channel, and would like to quadruple-down on the Buchardt S400II comparison question. I am currently running Linton 85th anniv. w Rega Elex-R.
Great review John, I quite enjoy these retro looking loudspeakers with modern technology inside. Which is one more reason i am surprised that you haven't reviewed Wharfedale Linton 85 anniversary. It is totally in your favorite price ballpark of 1000-1500 euros, it is standmount and unlike other speakers in this price range - Lintons are three way 8"/5"/1". It is loaded with new technologies like sandwich wall cabinets and copper rings in loudspeakers motors. They are furniture grade loudspeakers that are made to be listened with grills on - which i know you like. Designed by Peter Comeau (the designer of Wharfedale 11 series and new Mission 770 loudspeakers). I've compareed them side by side with Kef LS50 meta and i liked it better, regardless of Meta's better detail retrieval. Lintons didn't lack details in music but they weren't as revealing as Meta. Where they exceled is coherency and body of the sound. I'm quite interested in what would be your take on it.
yup, this is one I would also put on your radar for future review, John! Heard it at Rocky Mountain Audio Show a few years ago, talked a friend into buying a pair, really knocked me out for US$1500/pr (inc. stands).
John, highly entertaining as always! I’m very interested in these. You’re videos are top notch. I’m currently driving a pair of Elac Unifi 2.0 UB52 with vintage McIntosh. I don’t quite get enough body from them and the old Macs with autoformers present a thicker sound.
Hi John, love your work & the "new" direction that you take where you include some viewer comments. I would like to know how you do your side-by-side comparisons? Is your listening position equidistant from each speaker simultaneously? If yes, how does placing speakers side-by-side affect the sound? Is it as comparable to increasing/decreasing the bass by placing a speaker closer/further to the wall?
'Side by side' should not be read as literally as you have done 😆 It does not refer to placing one speaker beside another but rather emphasizes that my comparisons are done between two pieces of gear, BOTH of which I have in my possession at the time of doing the review. Crucially, it emphasizes that I'm NOT doing "comparisons" where one product is long gone and 'audio memory' is used to fill in the blanks.
I think those speakers look gorgeous without a grill-I am likely getting the Lumina ii speakers in January and unfortunately because of pets I’m absolutely going to have the grill on those similarly pretty speakers (for different reasons, v different aesthetics). As usual, lovely video and thanks for giving me something to watch and learn about this Monday in Texas
Thank you for reviewing the speakers in terms of room dimensions… it’s a category that I think sometimes gets missed. I have a largish room and I want that all encompassing sound, but the local audio shop only has tiny demo rooms and I feel like a lot of reviewers, that I like to watch, have smaller spaces, so I’ve been on the fence as to which direction I should take regarding the choice of my next speaker, however I feel you’ve cleared it up for me. Im going to look more at the Silver 100’s and other similar sized speakers. Cheers
Another bloody brillant review! Can't get enough of these side by side comparisons. Thank you for your hard work! P.S.: move over ice cream, here comes the pistachio gelato.
Thank you very much for your funtastic video, and happy 50th anniversary to you too 🎂🎂🎂 Also, the Green on the Silver 100s do look excellent and perfectly matched to your Roon décor 😍😍😍. Why not consider them as a milestone momento for yourself? Thanks again for all your wonderful videos and sharing your musical experiences with us👏👏👏
Geez I want to thank you for explaining the 6bd down at 35 kilohertz I could never figure out what they were talking about , and those speakers look good in green !
Thanks for explaining that db spec! Was gonna ask for a separate explanation video. Maybe there's still room to do a show dedicated to understanding db?
Happy 50th B-Day to you John! Wishing you very many happy returns around the sun. Love the review as always. I think those speakers are absolutely drop dead gorgeous (except for the grill of course. Not sure what they were thinking on that). The BRG finish matched with the gold drivers are just spectacular! I would love to have these in my computer room. Just brilliant!
Another nice video, not sure about the color though. The side by side comparison I like but it’s so difficult if you have never listened to any of the speakers in the review, I had the meta’s which made me trade up. I got hooked on audio because of you, Steve and Hans and to some extent GoldenSound. Started off with an Atom and LS50’s (original) and went crazy in from there 😮 always the danger once you really get started. Now I’m on the market for some smaller speakers and wish I would have kept the Meta’s, well, we live and learn right. Keep it up, always a good watch.
I found a brand new set of these exact LE almost two months here in Japan for a great price. The last thing I needed was another set of speakers. I too have the Kef LS50 Meta, Wharfedale EVO 4.2 and an older set of Usher Audio V602. These MA’s are really fantastic and they only get better after several hours. Also, changing out those jumpers on the back made a welcomed difference. Anyhow, thanks for the great review and channel. Cheers
Hi. How would the Powernode drive Monitor Audio 100G?, not the Powernode Edge. The Powernode does it sound warmer than Powernode Edge? I consider to buy Monitor Audio Silver 100G or Monitor Audio Bronze 100, is the Silver one worth what it cost more then Bronze one?
Love the colour. Although I’m not in the market for new speakers these would suit my decor perfectly and I’m tempted! My first really good pair of speakers were Monitor Audio silvers, RS6, I have happy memories of those. Great review
Your review video was really great and explained the Silver 100 in the best possible way. Fortunately, I had the chance to hear the sound of this speaker with Cambride Audio EVO 150. I really lost my mind. With wonderful harmony and a dreamy voice. I am thinking of buying Silver 500. Thank you for your review
Imagine if Monitor Audio had worked with other companies to create a colour-matched amplifier, cables etc. At any rate, would be great to see it become a permanent colour in the range.
I actually paused listening to your review to go back to listen to R.E.M.'s I Remember California. That album, but specifically that song (and the untitled hidden track) have such intense memories associated with them. Thanks for the reminder!
Another excellent review John. I still own a pair of MA series 1 Platinum 200s and have not heard anything that better them for a similar price. A change that made a tangible improvement to my PL200s was replacing the horrible jumper plate between the binding posts with some good cable type jumpers, I use some from Nordost. Paying CND. $700 for 4 short pieces of wire seems somewhat ridiculous, but as I said, the considerable sonic improvement was worth it.
Thinking of buying these speakers and the Yamaha A-S801integrated amplifier for my office space. Considering the A-S801 mainly because of its loudness function to allow me to enjoy music at a low level.
These sound very good at low listening levels. Have had mine for 1 year now. Low listening levels is a high priority for me and these does not disappoint. Great dynamics.
Hi John. Thank you for the bloody brilliant videos. I was wondering whether you could a hear a difference in sound when plugging the speakers cables in the bottom port of the binding posts? I had a set of B&W 606’s and tried it, could definitely hear a difference in the higher frequencies when plugged in the top port and vice versa. Cheers
Hallo John. Sie machen tolle und fachmännisch kompetente Videos. Ich mage Ihre Art sehr, leider ist mein Englisch nicht mehr das Beste! 🙏 Liebe Grüße aus dem Ruhrgebiet…
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I just received a pair of the Silver 100 7Gs in Piano Black last week, and I absolutely love them. Fantastic clarity and tonality, and love the detail retrieval. The bass sounds so nice and crisp compared to the muddy bass of my old B&W 606 S2s. I completely agree with you John, that these sound great at lower volumes. I have the 100 7Gs connected to a Cambridge Audio CXA81 & a Bluesound Node, and I can see myself keeping this setup for a very long time. I cannot recommend these enough!
Hi , interesting comment as am thinking b&w 606s2 , yiy recommend it’s better than the606. Love to hear your reply . Regards mark
Got a Silver 100 7 G , to be delivered next week. To be paired with CXA81 as well. I hope I love it as much as you do. Got it against b&w 606 s3.
Update: I'm loving it too.
Having this cxa from Cambridge...but went for the bronze 500. Think that this silver 100 was the one i should gone for. Why ni the Cambridge cxn ? And the node in stead
I always appreciate a good aesthetic on a loudspeaker. It occupies such a huge part of your desk/room/shelf that it should not be ignored, especially for the prices that some of these speakers command.
These racing green speakers look great.
Well, thank you for another enjoyable episode. I've been pleasantly surprised by a Monitor Audio speaker in my home in the past, good to see them going strong despite flying somewhat lower, if not completely under the radar, in comparison to other brands.
ps... Congratulations on not dying for half a century.
The thing that draws me to your channel is not only the insight of the equipment covered ,but just as much your expanding of my music library . Invaluable. As soon as a piece is recommended it goes straight on my Deezer listening list for later. The same with Sreve Guttenberg, I have been enthralled by your recommendations . Thanks so much.
Monitor Audio is a tremendous value, I discovered them about 15 years ago and have the silver series 6 and 10’s. You can get more expensive speakers but you run into a diminishing return for your buck (sounding good enough without going esoteric high end). An 8” 2 way is rare these days, and it’s good to see they are still making them that sound this good.
Great balance of detail and synopsis, John. Great format.
I have them and I absolutely LOVE THEM!
Me too! I got the green ones and don't see the need to upgrade again. When paired with a good amp it is hard to find any type of flaw.
The color is beautiful
The review makes sense to me. I enjoy a set of older Monitor Audio Silver RX1 (6 inch sub driver) on a daily basis. Although I appreciated a subwoofer before I don’t really need it to have enjoyable listening sessions. As a source a Bluesound node 2i is used as preamp and connected to the XTZ EDGE A2-300 power-amp. Lately I introduced the Schitt Modi DAC in between the pre-amp and power-amp. I can really appreciate the slight but clearly noticeable improvement it makes to my system. Through the years I was able to maximise my speakers performance thanks to the valuable insights from the John Darko’s reviews. Thanks John!
As ever, a considered, informed, and informative video. You present your videos in a way that your audience (of which I'm a regular) will find so relatable. Thank you! 😁😁😁
John, the Monitors look AMAZING in your room.
John Darko is arguably the most pleasant man on TH-cam to listen to. A truly passionate fan of music / audio in any form. I enjoy every video, even if i can't afford 99% of the gear. Videography is on another level too.
Fell in love immediately with the
Monitor Audio Silver 100's after seeing this Video and when i finally got my Money together, the special edition ones were sold out everywhere.
Bought the white ones and even if you said, that you always have to listen for yourself, i bought them because of your review and the looks and i'm not dissapointed at all.
Got me the Audiolab 7000A wich you indeed never featured, but i really wanted an amp with a vu- meter wich doesnt cost 2000€ and above. It's digital, but i love looking at it.
And since i saw the 7000a in the background of one of your Videos, i thought "if John likes it, i'm gonna love it"
And because of your Silver 100 Review i too got the solid steel stands you featured and what can i say? They just look Beautiful!
Had to choose between them and the Buchard ones with the oak legs, but i prefer these.
Thank you so much for your content and bringing this Audiophile world to common listeners, who want to step up their Equipment and without people like you, would get lost in this Jungle of gear.
Congrats on the purchase! How do the Silver 100s fit on the Solidsteel SS-6 ?
These 50th anniversary edition are still available here in Spain and not only that, they’re reduced from €1300 to €999 (the standard versions are €1150). Clearly not a popular colour here. I’m tempted for my living room, if they will play nicely fairly close to the back wall on top of a sideboard rather than stands. Have you heard them that way?
Hola @@gustoaudio8711 , where in Spain are they available? Can you share the retailer?
These look absolutely superb!! For what is essentially a wood box painted green - wow. Yet I show my other half and nothing... I get NOTHING!
Loving the vibe and look of these Monitor Audio’s. I can’t wait to hear them.
Hi Sir.
As much as I love the way you present your content, today I saw that special thing……Excitement in your voice.
Very very happy.
Love from Scotland 🏴
Large stand mounts are the business. You get the oompf of floorstanders and the imaging of small speakers. Win win.
Love the finish. Project has a green monitor also.
I agree with you on the monitor audio grills. Everything else about them is impeccable.
One of the best audio review channels on utube. You have turned me on to many products some of which I’ve purchased as well as many albums which I now listen to. Thank you.
Happy 50th John! Although more of a headphone-in-my-appartment guy I keep watching your vids for the song suggestions. They never disappoint! Keep up the good work and thx!
That has always been why I stick with John Darko. Come for the HiFi, stay for the music.
It's Monitor Audio's 50th not his!!!
The aesthetics are immaculate
I like how 100s looks. Between those and Buchardt S400 MKII what would you choose? Which one is easier to drive. I already have blusound POWERNODE. Is it able to drive them?
Really enjoyable video and some great speakers. I particularly enjoyed the explanation regarding the manufacturers rating of the speaker at 35Hz and how this translates into what we should be able to hear, thank you.
Monitor Audio such an under rated brand. I had the bronze BR2 stand mounts, one of their least expensive but the build quality was terrific! and I liked the sound. I once took them over to one of Sydney's largest HiFi stores and had a great afternoon of side by side comparisons. To my delight I must of compared 5 or 6 other stand mounts, all more expensive and only one brand impressed me more but not by much. That brand was Triangle, unfortunately I don't recall the model but they were a lot dearer than my MA's. The dealer didn't stock Monitor Audio but I feel even he agreed with my assessment as we were doing the listening. I kept the MA's a while longer !!
I do like that matte sheen of British Racing Green! Have loved that color hue since the 1960's/70's due to the love of MG's & Triumphs of the day. I think those Monitors would scream "audiophile furniture" on nicely crafted cherry or mahogany stands. Thanks John for taking them around the test track for us!
Nice. I've been attracted to MA speakers for years and years and have yet to pull the trigger on a pair for whatever reason. This new generation of silvers may change that. I think the style of MA stuff is stunning.
Hi John, great review. But I would say that, I love the Monitor Audio sound.
Some observations: Firstly, completely agree on the use of amps with more grunt. It’s a family trait and as I upped the amps(!) the bass clarity improved significantly.
Secondly, I also agree with you on their use in small rooms. I tried a pair of 5th gen Silvers in my study and, whilst they were good, the bass was overpowering. Just for fun, I hooked them up in my lounge system and they sounded great.
Thirdly, I replaced the crossover components in both my pairs of MA speakers, 1 stand mount pair and 1 floorstander. I did it because I really like all the things you do, tonal balance, excitement etc, I just wanted to see what would happen. Well what happened was more detail, more openness but most of all, a much more focused image. For what I spent, there’s no way it would be economical for these upgrades to be done in the factory.
Finally, if you don’t believe in bi-wiring, I recommend you take the nasty plates from the binding posts and replace them with some high quality copper wire. In their Gold and Platinum ranges, that’s exactly what MA does.
I heard the regular Silver 100's paired with their sister companies Roksan Attessa streaming amp (uses BluOS) a couple of weeks ago. That combination was seriously impressive for the price. Those limited edition versions look gorgeous.
I absolutely loved the weaving of the comparisons throughout compared to a quick summation at the end.
Great review as always. I for one am a massive Monitor Audio fan and have my Wannsee home equipped with three pairs throughout the house plus my home cinema with MA top to bottom.
love Jazz Devil!!!! Thanx for recommending!!! ...and the green! from your descripion of thir sound, Monitors for sure!!! old school Susan in Va (once ived in Nurnberg)
I purchased a pair of Monitor Audio Silver100's (butternut finish) three years ago while auditioning them against Focal Aria 906's that were over twice the price. I also compared them to Klipsch, KEF, Genelec 8010s, and a few others. No comparison! Better value and sound across the board. However, I do have them playing with a Carver True Subwoofer to fill in the 10-35 hz dip which is more tactile preference than auditory. They're hooked up to Pioneer 70's vintage equipment that is visually stunning as well. Good 👍 review!!!
20 years ago when I went speaker shopping I fell in love with the little 10 1/2 inch tall Monitor Audio MA 301s but they were out of the price range. Flash forward 20 years and I am trying to upgrade my desktop system for my work-at-home office, I spotted a deal on eBay for 80% off MSRP on a pair of the MA301s, and have been loving them ever since.
I also have a small Monitor Audio center channel speaker in my living room home theater system and it has got excellent clarity and surprisingly sufficient volume for a large room with cathedral ceilings.
Not sure about the green colour though… re low level listening, it’s a good point to bring up, would you say that the smaller speakers in the comparison,supported by a sub, would work equally well to the Monitor Audio?
Fun to see a standmount with a 8" driver again.. not many of them around anymore.. I still remeber the Klipsch RB81's thar where a monster of a standmount.. :)
I do allso enjoy that Monitor Audio plays with colour and goes away from the typical black/white/wood box :)
Great review John, thank you.
I'm glad you liked them paired with the Audiolab as I bought a pair 10 days ago (in the Ash finish) to match up with my 6000a/CDT combo.
From the dirty blues of Tom Waits 'Gin Soaked Boy' to Peter Bucks shimmering guitar on Talk About The Passion ', I'm hearing my whole cd collection with ew ears, I'm utterly delighted with them. Thanks again.
THANK YOU for explaining in very simple language what -6 dB down means. A remarkably difficult definition to ascertain. Maybe I was just looking up the wrong terms but this has been a itch that I have not been able to scratch. Much obliged.
Great review again. Never heard Monitor Audio speakers but these are looking great (except those grilles 😏). Glad you’re talking about room size and matching speakers. Next thing I would like to see in your reviews is about speaker placement (fit near wall or not, need xx cm space etc. ). I often see a demo with speakers far away from walls but they’re not many people who can achieve this at a home. P.s.: perhaps you could start a ranking list of loudspeakers (like German Audio-magazines do …😉). Greetings from The Netherlands.
Gonna have to check these out. One of the most positive reviews yet 😁
I knew there was a reason you popped into my world a couple years ago. Eitzel!!! Even my music friends seem ignorant of him and American Music Club. He's tough to see live--every show is a trainwreck--but so worth it for that voice. He is my #1 musical obsession. So happy to see an audio gent listening to him. Enjoy your vids!!
Just picked these up for less than $600 @ BlackFriday, sounded like a steal! Can't wait to get them & try them out. 😍
wow nice find
Wow
Which stores
Great review. Really like the look of these speakers, sans grills for certain. Big fan of Barry Adamson. Not to mention, anything that Global Communication touches. Love the Mark Eitzel live album too.
Finally we got some colors!! Before Buchardt P300 and now this. Love it. I know some smaller local brand that does all RAL palette colors , but they products are relatively expensive for me.
I have the green KEF LSX downstairs (LS50 Meta in my listening room / office). My wife likes (accepts) the LSX's partly because of the aesthetics. But these have a similar color scheme and would fit beautifully 😀
Thanks for the excellent review as always.
That gold driver is superb.
Doing this on a budget, I've got my 2nd hand silver 100 6G's also hooked up to a nearly new 6000A. Great for listening at low volumes for less than £800! Treated myself to an upgrade stylus with the money saved
Gorgeous speakers. Hard to stop looking at them
I have been looking at these as an option for one of my rooms, I think you just convinced me. I'm off to have a listen at a local store today.
Excellent way of reviewing speakers ! Should be the new standard for sure :)
I was looking at getting these but as MA were asking a premium price for these over the conventional Silver 100s, my dealer got me a great deal on the Gold 100s instead and boy are they just amazing speakers!! Definitely no subwoofer required and their tonality with their proprietary ribbon tweeter...they will be the last pair of speakers I will ever buy!!
Really cool, how would you guys compare this to the Kef Meta R3 or the Buchardt S400 Mk2?
my room is 4.8 x 3.6 m and looking to add an AVR home theatre. I was looking at the silver 50 g7 for front wide and use them in stereo for music and add the C250 g7 for centre later. Do you think the silver 50 is big enough for that size room. Love your reviews... stephen
I heard these at AXPONA and they're very good. They sound full, clear, and balanced. It's an 8" woofer. I believe Monitor Audio manufactures the drivers which leads me to think it's a less compromised design than those that use off the shelf drivers. These give a big bang for the buck in the US and are an even better deal in the UK
How they compare with buchardt s400?
Great review very instructive and eschewing the technobabble other reviews give us. Great job man. Peace and love from Glasgow 🏴
I've never heard Monitor Audio speakers - but now I want to!
This comparison proves that tiny speakers don’t quite get it done. It’s great that someone is bringing back the larger bookshelf speakers.
Hi John. Love your channel.
The dimpling plays an important function. Just like a plastic when corrugated, will strengthen the plastic, so too with the mid base driver. If it is a stronger metal, it can be made lighter which is a good feature for drivers.
Hi John. Really love the way you bring in music in your videos. Lots of good tips like Destroyer with Kaput. Fantastic album and it makes me think of Prefab Sprout, one off my favourite’s all time.
Got my self a pair of Sonys Faber Minima Amator with a small REL 5i and they sound fantastic.
Regard’s Douglas
At the end of the day, it should always be about the music.
John...John...John...I absolutely agree with their Beauty...love the fit and finish the Gold against the green 🍏 is a true Birt thing, but regardless. They give me a Sculptural Vib. And though not having heard them from my past I grasp the Audio Quality they effusively display as you have, for me described it well. Or should I say, effortlessly.
I've got the 300s of these in walnut, everytime I use them I am blown away by the sound. The quality of the walnut veneer is exceptional. I use mine with the newer powernode 2i
These Monitor audio look stunning. One of the best looking speakers out there Johnny, I hope they sound as good as they look. They tone with your walls too mate
From my experience Monitor Audio were always on the brighter side, but with the right amplification they could really shine. My experience is that they didn't have the widest soundstage, but did have pretty good imaging. Also loved the tonality of instruments on them. Love your reviews. Even though I have no interest in bookshelf speakers anymore, I still enjoying watching your shows 😄
And please keep the podcasts going. They are super informative.
Good video John. In the future, I would be very interested in watching a video about the Monitor Audio Platinum PL100 II. I still remember watching your review of the KEF Reference One, and the various videos about the Kii Three. Take Care.
I would be very interested in watching a video of Carol Vorderman and Scarlett Johansson in a paddling pool full of baby oil wrestling over which of them gets to spend the night with me first but that aint gonna happen either 🤣
Whilst I get the point about probably using these speakers in larger rooms, they do come with bungs to put in the woofer ports. That will trim the bass for use in smaller rooms or when used closer to a wall
I turned 50 this year along with yourself John. All hail the 50 club! And yes love this format. Comparisons give you context and that goes along way to understanding the suitability of audio gear. You're on a roll here John.
I think you may have sent the Buchardt S400s back, but I do wonder how these might compare. Both well-reviewed standmounts with big bass.
Particularly for larger room sizes…
These and the Buchardts are on my list, would love to know John thinks and which he would rather have.
@Darko Audio I love the channel, and would like to quadruple-down on the Buchardt S400II comparison question. I am currently running Linton 85th anniv. w Rega Elex-R.
Another great review John. I do like monitor speakers. Definitely one to look at. Cheers
Great review John, I quite enjoy these retro looking loudspeakers with modern technology inside.
Which is one more reason i am surprised that you haven't reviewed Wharfedale Linton 85 anniversary. It is totally in your favorite price ballpark of 1000-1500 euros, it is standmount and unlike other speakers in this price range - Lintons are three way 8"/5"/1". It is loaded with new technologies like sandwich wall cabinets and copper rings in loudspeakers motors. They are furniture grade loudspeakers that are made to be listened with grills on - which i know you like. Designed by Peter Comeau (the designer of Wharfedale 11 series and new Mission 770 loudspeakers).
I've compareed them side by side with Kef LS50 meta and i liked it better, regardless of Meta's better detail retrieval. Lintons didn't lack details in music but they weren't as revealing as Meta. Where they exceled is coherency and body of the sound. I'm quite interested in what would be your take on it.
yup, this is one I would also put on your radar for future review, John! Heard it at Rocky Mountain Audio Show a few years ago, talked a friend into buying a pair, really knocked me out for US$1500/pr (inc. stands).
John, highly entertaining as always! I’m very interested in these. You’re videos are top notch. I’m currently driving a pair of Elac Unifi 2.0 UB52 with vintage McIntosh. I don’t quite get enough body from them and the old Macs with autoformers present a thicker sound.
Hi John, love your work & the "new" direction that you take where you include some viewer comments. I would like to know how you do your side-by-side comparisons? Is your listening position equidistant from each speaker simultaneously? If yes, how does placing speakers side-by-side affect the sound? Is it as comparable to increasing/decreasing the bass by placing a speaker closer/further to the wall?
'Side by side' should not be read as literally as you have done 😆 It does not refer to placing one speaker beside another but rather emphasizes that my comparisons are done between two pieces of gear, BOTH of which I have in my possession at the time of doing the review.
Crucially, it emphasizes that I'm NOT doing "comparisons" where one product is long gone and 'audio memory' is used to fill in the blanks.
@@DarkoAudio thanks🤣👍🏼
I think those speakers look gorgeous without a grill-I am likely getting the Lumina ii speakers in January and unfortunately because of pets I’m absolutely going to have the grill on those similarly pretty speakers (for different reasons, v different aesthetics). As usual, lovely video and thanks for giving me something to watch and learn about this Monday in Texas
Thank you for reviewing the speakers in terms of room dimensions… it’s a category that I think sometimes gets missed. I have a largish room and I want that all encompassing sound, but the local audio shop only has tiny demo rooms and I feel like a lot of reviewers, that I like to watch, have smaller spaces, so I’ve been on the fence as to which direction I should take regarding the choice of my next speaker, however I feel you’ve cleared it up for me. Im going to look more at the Silver 100’s and other similar sized speakers. Cheers
Another bloody brillant review! Can't get enough of these side by side comparisons. Thank you for your hard work! P.S.: move over ice cream, here comes the pistachio gelato.
Thank you very much for your funtastic video, and happy 50th anniversary to you too 🎂🎂🎂 Also, the Green on the Silver 100s do look excellent and perfectly matched to your Roon décor 😍😍😍. Why not consider them as a milestone momento for yourself? Thanks again for all your wonderful videos and sharing your musical experiences with us👏👏👏
Darko should i buy them as my desktop speakers ? :) I got big desk. Im nearly pressing the buy button :)
Geez I want to thank you for explaining the 6bd down at 35 kilohertz I could never figure out what they were talking about , and those speakers look good in green !
Me too Ron, we are never too old to learn something new! 😊
Thanks for explaining that db spec! Was gonna ask for a separate explanation video. Maybe there's still room to do a show dedicated to understanding db?
Happy 50th B-Day to you John! Wishing you very many happy returns around the sun. Love the review as always. I think those speakers are absolutely drop dead gorgeous (except for the grill of course. Not sure what they were thinking on that). The BRG finish matched with the gold drivers are just spectacular! I would love to have these in my computer room. Just brilliant!
Another nice video, not sure about the color though. The side by side comparison I like but it’s so difficult if you have never listened to any of the speakers in the review, I had the meta’s which made me trade up. I got hooked on audio because of you, Steve and Hans and to some extent GoldenSound. Started off with an Atom and LS50’s (original) and went crazy in from there 😮 always the danger once you really get started. Now I’m on the market for some smaller speakers and wish I would have kept the Meta’s, well, we live and learn right. Keep it up, always a good watch.
I found a brand new set of these exact LE almost two months here in Japan for a great price. The last thing I needed was another set of speakers. I too have the Kef LS50 Meta, Wharfedale EVO 4.2 and an older set of Usher Audio V602. These MA’s are really fantastic and they only get better after several hours. Also, changing out those jumpers on the back made a welcomed difference. Anyhow, thanks for the great review and channel. Cheers
Hi. How would the Powernode drive Monitor Audio 100G?, not the Powernode Edge. The Powernode does it sound warmer than Powernode Edge? I consider to buy Monitor Audio Silver 100G or Monitor Audio Bronze 100, is the Silver one worth what it cost more then Bronze one?
Love the colour. Although I’m not in the market for new speakers these would suit my decor perfectly and I’m tempted! My first really good pair of speakers were Monitor Audio silvers, RS6, I have happy memories of those. Great review
Oh, John. “Small people” are not necessarily children. I’m so glad you clarified.
I've got the bronze 100s +audiolab 8300 + arylic s50 pro. I guess I'm kinda close to your setup😁
The look is great, Nice color
I really love that ''depreciation green'' color.
🤗👍 THANKS JOHN, I AM PAUSING TO LISTEN 🎧 TO EACH ONE 👏👏👏💚💚💚
It’s taking ALOT LONGER 😁
Your review video was really great and explained the Silver 100 in the best possible way.
Fortunately, I had the chance to hear the sound of this speaker with Cambride Audio EVO 150.
I really lost my mind.
With wonderful harmony and a dreamy voice.
I am thinking of buying Silver 500.
Thank you for your review
I use a 6000A with these too! Excellent combo!
Sonu’s faber lumina ll vs monitor audio
Silver 100 7G
Which of these is the best for music?
Imagine if Monitor Audio had worked with other companies to create a colour-matched amplifier, cables etc. At any rate, would be great to see it become a permanent colour in the range.
They own Roksan who make Amplifiers. I own a Roksan k3 integrated and these silver 100 . Sonically matched .
I actually paused listening to your review to go back to listen to R.E.M.'s I Remember California. That album, but specifically that song (and the untitled hidden track) have such intense memories associated with them. Thanks for the reminder!
Same. It was one of the few albums from my early teenage years that actually sounded good on pre-recorded cassette.
Another excellent review John. I still own a pair of MA series 1 Platinum 200s and have not heard anything that better them for a similar price. A change that made a tangible improvement to my PL200s was replacing the horrible jumper plate between the binding posts with some good cable type jumpers, I use some from Nordost. Paying CND. $700 for 4 short pieces of wire seems somewhat ridiculous, but as I said, the considerable sonic improvement was worth it.
Thinking of buying these speakers and the Yamaha A-S801integrated amplifier for my office space. Considering the A-S801 mainly because of its loudness function to allow me to enjoy music at a low level.
much better amp for MA Silver 100 7g is Cambridge Audio cxa81
These sound very good at low listening levels. Have had mine for 1 year now. Low listening levels is a high priority for me and these does not disappoint. Great dynamics.
Hi John. Thank you for the bloody brilliant videos. I was wondering whether you could a hear a difference in sound when plugging the speakers cables in the bottom port of the binding posts? I had a set of B&W 606’s and tried it, could definitely hear a difference in the higher frequencies when plugged in the top port and vice versa. Cheers
I love my Monitor Audio silver series 2's. I'm running them off a NuPrime IDA-16. For a bedroom they definitely get the job done.
Hallo John. Sie machen tolle und fachmännisch kompetente Videos. Ich mage Ihre Art sehr, leider ist mein Englisch nicht mehr das Beste! 🙏 Liebe Grüße aus dem Ruhrgebiet…