Monitor Audio Silver S1 Bookshelf Speakers: Serious Competition for the Paradigm Reference Studio/20s
Written: Aug 20 '04
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Pros: excellent imaging; smooth midrange and highs; outstanding inner detail; firm, authoritative and fairly deep bass
Cons: probably need a sub- for bottom octave (20hz to 40hz)--not really an issue
The Bottom Line: The Monitor Audio Silver S1s are excellent $600 bookshelf-style speakers.
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| Horswispr's Full Review: Monitor Audio Silver S1 Main / Stereo Speaker |
The Monitor Audio Silver S1 is a relatively small bookshelf-style speaker from Monitor Audio, a British manufacturer of high-end speakers. I think that their $300/pair Bronze B1 is one of the best small speakers in its price range
http://www.epinions.com/content_140567547524
and I think the same of the $600/pair Silver S1.
The Monitor Audio Silver S1 is only 11.8" tall x 6.9" wide and 9.45" deep, but it is solid. Each speaker weighs about 13 lbs. Like the slightly smaller Bronze B1, the Silver S1 is attractive in an understated way. The cabinets are finished in real wood veneer, available in three finishes: black oak, rosemah (whatever that is), and warm beech. Each speaker uses a 6" midrange/woofer and a small tweeter in a rear-ported enclosure.
Frequency response is rated as 45hz to 30khz +/-3db, which is really good for a small speaker. Sensitivity is rated at 88db, meaning you'll need a fairly powerful amplifier do drive these things to high volumes (the manufacturer recommends amplifiers rated at 30 to 150 watts per channel). Maximum sound pressure level is claimed at 108.5db, which is quite loud. Nominal impedance is 8 ohms.
I compared the Monitor Audio Silver S1s with the ($300/pair) Monitor Audio Bronze B1s, the ($300/pair) Klipsch RB 15s, the ($600/pair) floor-standing Monitor Audio Bronze B4s, and my memory of the ($600/pair) Paradigm Reference Studio/20s.
The sound of the Monitor Audio Silver S1s was really good. I consider these to be true audiophile speakers for those on a budget. The midrange was remarkably smooth and neutral, and the highs were also smooth and non-fatiguing. CD glare was not exaggerated through these speakers.
Inner detail was excellent. I could really hear into the music. It was in this area that I first noticed how much better the Silver S1s were than the less expensive Bronze B1s. I could hear subtle nuances within the music through the S1s that I couldn't through the B1s. The space around each instrument was also better portrayed.
Soundstaging was also excellent through the S1s. Instruments were presented behind the plane of the speakers, and individual instruments were well-separated. Each instrument sounded three-dimensional, as did the musical presentation as a whole.
Another area where the S1s were vastly superior to the B1s was bass response. The Monitor Audio Silver S1s did not sound like small "mini-monitors." The mid-bass had impact and subjective depth. I could feel bass guitar notes in my body. This was not the case with the Monitor Audio B1s or the little Klipsch RB 15s. Even the floor-standing Monitor Audio Bronze B4s could not match the Silver S1s for bass definition or weight. With the ($600/pair) floor-standing Monitor Audio Bronze B4s, the bass was thicker than with the Silver S1s, but it was not as tight or deep, in spite of the larger size of the B4s. Given their small size, I doubt the Silver S1s can produce much energy below 40hz, but their bass certainly sounds authoritative. If you listen to a lot of organ or synthesizer music, you might want to consider a sub-woofer, though I don't see it as a necessity with these speakers.
A direct comparison I did not get to make was between the Monitor Audio Silver S1s and the Paradigm Reference Studio/20s. A friend has the ($600/pair) Studio/20s, and my impression is that the two are comparable in overall quality. If memory serves, the Paradigm Reference Studio/20s are a little bit brighter and more detailed, while the Monitor Audio Silver S1s are a little bit smoother and more relaxed-sounding (my personal preference). Bass of the Silver S1s may be a bit more authoritative than that of the Paradigms. I suggest you listen to both if you're looking for speakers in this price range.
Here's a link to my review of the Paradigms:
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-60C4-1109DF6-3915129C-prod2
In conclusion, the Monitor Audio Silver S1s are excellent speakers. In fact, I think they're the best I've heard at this price point. At $600/pair, I consider these to be near that point on the diminishing returns curve where additional sums of money buy only very small improvements in sound. Put differently, they're pretty darned close to as good as it gets, and they don't cost that much.
Very highly recommended.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 600
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