Short answer: the KEF LS50 Meta for better sound quality, the Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G for the lower price. The KEF LS50 Meta ranks #4 of 63 bookshelf speakers at $1599. The Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G ranks #12 at $799, $800 cheaper.
What the KEF LS50 Meta gets right: Uni-Q concentric driver mounts a 1” vented aluminum dome tweeter at the center of a 5.25” aluminum cone woofer, rated 79Hz-20kHz+. Set against that: F3 of 67Hz and F10 of 42Hz mean it doesn’t get much below 50Hz in-room; a subwoofer is recommended for real bass.
The case for the Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G: The 7th generation C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter with UD Waveguide II and RST II mid bass driver produce a listening window smoothness score of 0.50 at an accessible price, earning a Hi-Fi News Outstanding Product Award. Watch for: The on axis response trends noticeably upward toward the treble (measured slope +0.50 per octave, the steepest of any speaker in this batch), which can read as bright on already bright recordings.
Buy the KEF LS50 Meta if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| KEF LS50 Meta | Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,599.00 | $799 |
| Ranked | #4 of 63 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #12 of 63 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 50.7Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 87.9Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 11.9"H x 7.9"W x 11"D (302 x 200 x 280.5 mm) | 11.1"H x 6.5"W x 10.7"D (282 x 165 x 272 mm) (11.125 x 6.5 x 10.375 in) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal, 3.9 ohms minimum |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; 85dB manufacturer specified) | 86dB @ 2.83V/1m |
| Drivers | 130 mm (5.25 in.) aluminium cone woofer, 25 mm (1 in.) vented aluminium dome with Metamaterial Absorption tweeter | 1" C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter, 5.25" C-CAM RST II mid bass driver |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs / 7.8 kg each | 12.3 lbs / 5.6 kg (12 lbs 6 oz) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | - |
| Enclosure | - | ported |
| Max SPL | - | 104dB |
| Crossover Points | - | 2.6kHz |
| Port Tuning | - | 58Hz |
| Power Output (Watts) | - | 100W RMS handling, 40-100W recommended amplifier power |
| Warranty | - | Lifetime, parts and labor |
| Country | - | China |
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- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs Wharfedale Super Denton
- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs Q Acoustics 5020
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs Ascend Sierra 1 v2
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Philharmonic Ceramic Mini
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Revel M105
The Two Speakers In Full
KEF LS50 Meta: $1,599.00 Amazon Crutchfield
Pros: Uni-Q concentric driver mounts a 1” vented aluminum dome tweeter at the center of a 5.25” aluminum cone woofer, rated 79Hz-20kHz+. Speaker-to-speaker matching measured tight at roughly 0.5dB deviation between the pair tested, versus 2-3dB seen on some other speakers - likely why imaging stayed so precise. Imaging stays tight and focused even toed out, unlike most coincident designs where toe-out typically diffuses the image, giving more of an oval-shaped soundstage than a hard rectangular boundary. Horizontal and vertical directivity both hold to about ±50° at the -6dB point, so tonality stays consistent across roughly a 100° listening cone. The extended bass shelf is deliberately tuned for near-wall/boundary placement rather than the usual “pull it 3 feet into the room” advice, playing lower without excess boominess when placed close to a wall. At $1,000 (a frequent sale price versus $1,600 list), called a no-brainer for a compact stand-mount speaker. Independent ASR Klippel measurements corroborate this: very good directivity with the on- and off-axis curves tracking closely, and a predicted in-room response the reviewer called “very close to ideal.”
Cons: F3 of 67Hz and F10 of 42Hz mean it doesn’t get much below 50Hz in-room; a subwoofer is recommended for real bass. A 2-3dB scoop around 2-4kHz shows up in both the listening window and sound power measurements, matching a subjectively noticed lack of attack and vocal clarity that the reviewer wanted to correct with about 2dB of EQ. An on-axis diffraction dip around 8kHz smooths out with about 15° of toe-out (typical for concentric designs, but still present at 0°). Distortion is elevated at low frequencies since the single 5.25” cone shares surface area with the tweeter housing, reducing effective radiating area; multitone distortion crosses the 3% threshold at 96dB/1m, making roughly 88dB or below the safer output ceiling. Moderate sensitivity (~83dB average) needed 2-3dB more amplifier gain than typical in testing. Adding a subwoofer at an 80Hz crossover only helps lower-midrange distortion, not the elevated distortion in the 1-2kHz and above-5kHz regions. ASR’s own Klippel testing found the same pattern in starker terms: THD is very good at 86dB SPL/1m but climbs past 100% in the bass at 96dB SPL/1m, confirming this is not a near-field speaker for high-output bass-heavy material. Cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) also shows a couple of resonances lingering in the 1-2kHz region.
Full KEF LS50 Meta review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 11.9"H x 7.9"W x 11"D (302 x 200 x 280.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 130 mm (5.25 in.) aluminium cone woofer, 25 mm (1 in.) vented aluminium dome with Metamaterial Absorption tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner; 85dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs / 7.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Unveiling the KEF LS50 Meta: The Truth Behind the Hype
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website KEF LS50 Meta
- Audio Science Review KEF LS50 Meta
- GR-Research: KEF LS50 Meta! Worthy of HYPE?
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Top Picks of 2023: Must-Haves Under $3000
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Reddit Search for KEF LS50 Meta Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Ascend Sierra 1 v2
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Ascend Acoustics Luna V2 Mini-Monitor Ribbon
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Philharmonic Ceramic Mini
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Arendal 1961 Monitor
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Audiofirst Fidelia
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Moondrop M4P MTM
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Revel M105
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- See all 23 comparisons
Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G: $799 Crutchfield
Pros: The 7th generation C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter with UD Waveguide II and RST II mid bass driver produce a listening window smoothness score of 0.50 at an accessible price, earning a Hi-Fi News Outstanding Product Award. A HiVe II reflex port system is tuned to 58Hz for real bass weight from a compact 5.25 inch two way.
Cons: The on axis response trends noticeably upward toward the treble (measured slope +0.50 per octave, the steepest of any speaker in this batch), which can read as bright on already bright recordings. The sound power directivity index also has the widest standard deviation in this batch, 3.95, meaning off axis energy tracks the on axis response less consistently than the rest of this group. Bass extension is limited to a measured 87.9Hz at -3dB, so a subwoofer is recommended for full range use, and minimum impedance dips to 3.9 ohms at 250Hz.
Full Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50.7Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 87.9Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Country | China |
| Crossover Points | 2.6kHz |
| Dimensions | 11.1"H x 6.5"W x 10.7"D (282 x 165 x 272 mm) (11.125 x 6.5 x 10.375 in) |
| Drivers | 1" C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter, 5.25" C-CAM RST II mid bass driver |
| Enclosure | ported |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, 3.9 ohms minimum |
| Max SPL | 104dB |
| Port Tuning | 58Hz |
| Power Output (Watts) | 100W RMS handling, 40-100W recommended amplifier power |
| Sensitivity | 86dB @ 2.83V/1m |
| Warranty | Lifetime, parts and labor |
| Weight | 12.3 lbs / 5.6 kg (12 lbs 6 oz) each |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Revel M105
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Elac Carina BS243.4
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Wharfedale Super Denton
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs KEF Q150
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Wharfedale Diamond 220
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Polk Audio XT15