Monitor Audio has introduced a new, completely revised version of its Silver Series speaker lineup. The line includes nine models: three towers, two bookshelf speakers, two center channels, a dipole/bipole surround speaker, and a subwoofer. The press release below details all the upgrades. The speakers are available in a variety of real-world veneers, a new satin white finish, and (for an upcharge) gloss black. Prices are as follows:

Silver 50 Bookshelf, $875/pr ($975/pr for gloss black)
Silver 100 Bookshelf, $1,050/pr ($1,150/pr for gloss black)
Silver 200 Tower, $1,500/pr ($1,650/pr for gloss black)
Silver 300 Tower, $2,000/pr ($2,200/pr for gloss black)
Silver 500 Tower, $2,500/pr ($2,800/pr for gloss black)
Silver C150 Center, $725 ea ($800 ea for gloss black)
Silver C350 Center, $875 ea ($975 ea for gloss black)
Silver FX Surround, $875/pr ($975/pr for gloss black)
Silver W-12 Subwoofer, $1,650 ea ($1,850 ea for gloss black)

From Monitor Audio
Ground-breaking design changes and extensive engineering research has led to a completely revised Silver Series of loudspeakers from Monitor Audio, which now caters for all two-channel hi-fi and surround applications.

Launched on May 18, 2017, at the Munich High End event, the nine-model range has been created with contemporary living in mind. Two compact stand-mount options and a choice of three slimline floorstanders take up the minimum of space yet produce a big sound, while the Silver FX wall-mount and two center-channel speakers are perfect for discreet AV installations. Completing the Silver Series is a powered subwoofer, featuring onboard DSP for resounding bass down to a staggering 22 Hz. Magnetic grille fixings on all models ensure an elegant baffle aided by rear mounting of the proprietary HiVe II ports.

"We've created a new visual character in the Silver Series," explains Monitor Audio's Technical Director, Dean Hartley, who is rightly proud of his team's latest models. "Adopting a 'less is more' approach, we have evaluated every component and redesigned from the ground up." Part of the work involved the use of precision laser scanning equipment (accurate to thousandths of a millimetre) at the world-renowned National Physical Laboratory to ensure optimum cabinet bracing in the quest for the most natural sound.

Acknowledged master of metal cone speaker technology, Monitor Audio has used its four-decade expertise in the field to create new versions of its highly regarded C-CAM dished cone specifically for this Silver Series. Made from a single piece of the unique ceramic coated aluminum/magnesium alloy, formed into a continuous dish profile, its rigidity brings enormous sonic benefits over conventional softer cone materials that flex, producing audible distortion. Without the need for a center hole, commonly used to house a protruding voice coil, the company's exclusive C-CAM drive units are able to deliver pure, undistorted sound across the music range. "The result," adds Dean, "is significantly reduced distortion and a cleaner, more faithful reproduction of the music, whatever your choice of listening."

Technical enhancements to the speaker's 'engine' also include beefed-up driver magnets and improved voice coils, resulting in a cleaner sound even when listening at high levels. Monitor Audio now claims the purest midrange quality in its class, along with precise and consistent imaging, both on- and off-axis, thanks to a newly created teardrop shaped midrange/tweeter module on the Silver 300 and Silver 500 floorstanders. High-quality components in the all-critical crossover networks help to deliver the perfect sound, so premium-grade polypropylene film capacitors, air core and laminated steel core inductors have been deployed.

THE MODELS
The two Silver Series stand mounts are small speakers that produce a big sound, with impressive scale and dynamics thanks to powerful drive unit magnets and large, 1.25-inch (32mm) voice coils which generate a tight, punchy bass. The ultra compact Silver 50 is a two-way bass-reflex featuring a new 5.25-inch bass/midrange unit and new 1-inch C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter to become the most diminutive bookshelf model ever in the long-running Silver Series.

Its larger sibling, the Silver 100, combines the same tweeter with a massively powerful 8-inch C-CAM mid/bass driver, shoehorned into the compact two-way ported design. Large drive units can move air, so the Silver 100 is capable of incredible dynamic headroom and bass extension usually reserved for floorstanders. "This is a serious audiophile speaker," says Dean, "capable of producing remarkable resolution from the most intricate musical scores to the loudest rock concert--all with superlative ease."

Three floorstanders are offered in the new Silver lineup: the Silver 200, Silver 300 and Silver 500. The hybrid Silver 200 is acoustically and electrically a two-and-a-half-way dual chamber reflex design. It boasts twin high-efficiency HiVe II ports, as well as two 5.25-inch C-CAM drive units (handling bass and bass/mid frequencies) alongside the new 1-inch C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter. Visually sleek and slender, the Silver 200 is a truly compact floorstander with lifestyle proportions. Differential tuning ensures that only the midrange crosses over with the tweeter for precise and consistent imaging both on- and off-axis. The advantages of this configuration include performance approaching that of a more complex three-way yet ensuring higher efficiency and extended bass notes from the space-saving enclosure.

"The Silver 200 has been carefully created to produce incredible musicality, even when sited in close proximity to a wall, offering the perfect blend of lifestyle living and audio performance," explains Dean Hartley. "Monitor Audio is delighted to have created here a smaller box with a bigger sound, ideal for the modern home."

The first of two fully fledged three-ways in the lineup, the Silver 300 has built on the award-winning credentials of its predecessor but with crucial drive unit improvements for an enhanced sound quality. Listeners can be assured of class-leading midrange delivered by a dedicated 4-inch driver featuring Monitor Audio's ingenious 'under hung' voice coil and motor system for incredibly low distortion because the coil is always in the magnetic gap. A pair of long-throw bass drivers work in tandem to generate a seismic low-frequency extension. The slimline cabinet can be placed just a foot from the wall yet yield an extremely satisfying sound. Given its high sensitivity, the Silver 300 can be coupled with even modest amplifiers to reveal room-filling dynamics of music or film soundtracks even in larger settings.

At the top of the Silver range is the Silver 500 with a pair of powerful, long-throw 8-inch C-CAM bass drivers for a punchy, full-scale bottom end down to an earth-shattering 30 Hz, negating the need for a separate subwoofer. Undistorted midrange is projected by a dedicated 4-inch RST driver created especially for the task. Monitor Audio says that a modestly priced, high-quality amplifier is all that's needed, thanks to a friendly load on the partnering electronics.

SURROUND SOUND
Home theater installations are catered for in the Silver range with a choice of two new center channels, a compact, wall-mountable two-way ideal for rear channels, and a high-spec subwoofer with a top-mounted control panel for access to features including preset EQ settings for Music, Movie and Impact.

The Silver FX is a discreet profile, angled baffle speaker intended to be flush mounted on side or rear walls where it blends unobtrusively with any interior. Its dispersion characteristics can easily be changed via a switch, offering dipole or bipole directivity in multichannel systems. Dual 1-inch C-CAM Gold Dome tweeters, featuring vented Neo magnet systems for minimum distortion and crystal clear highs, are combined with a Monitor Audio 6-inch C-CAM mid/bass driver. Far from being considered an 'ancillary' speaker, the development teams have created a high spec model with the latest technology for ultimate enjoyment.

A choice of two center-channel speakers is offered in this new lineup: the Silver C150 and the larger Silver C350, to deliver articulate dialogue and crisp dynamics to movies. The first is a compact design with twin 5.25-inch C-CAM bass drivers in a familiar three-driver configuration alongside the 1-inch C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter in a two-and-a-half-way sealed system. Its skillful interpretation works well close to walls and in confined spaces, while promising elimination of the central 'dead spot' issue found with typical mid-tweeter arrangements. It is ideally partnered with the Silver 50 and Silver 200 models for excellent and consistent results.

The larger Silver C350 builds on the engineering prowess of its smaller sibling and will find favor where sonic performance is the most critical factor in a home theater. This three-way, four-driver configuration is the ideal partner for the high performing Silver 100, Silver 300 and Silver 500 models, where its vertical orientation of the mid and tweeter axis ensures the same directivity across the entire installation. Since up to sixty percent of the total sound in an AV system can be delivered through the center channel, Monitor Audio has deliberately created top specification products with high efficiency and minimized distortion to achieve the most accurate performance possible.

Thunderous bass is assured from the Silver W-12 powered subwoofer, thanks to its long-throw 12-inch drive unit and over-specified driver assembly, which has a hugely powerful magnet system and massive voice coil to deliver immense power from a compact, sealed cabinet. An inbuilt 500W Class-D amplifier provides incredible headroom, while powerful onboard DSP is employed to deliver filtering alongside the Monitor Audio APC (Automatic Position Correction) system that routinely detects and eliminates detrimental room acoustics. To prevent distortion and the possibility of the unit being over-driven, a sophisticated 32-bit micro-controller at the heart of the subwoofer takes measurements thousands of times per second, so you can sit back and enjoy deeply powerful, clean bass even from the most explosive sounds.

Whatever your choice from the sonically superlative Silver Series, you can be sure that you are investing in the very best technology that 21st-century engineering can offer. If you love fabulous design and demand the highest sound quality, Monitor Audio's latest range has been created to meet your needs so that accurate audio and design perfection come together in your home.

Additional Resources
• Visit the Monitor Audio website for more product information.
• Monitor Audio Debuts SB-4 Passive L/C/R Soundbar at HomeTheaterReview.com.