The Monitor Audio Silver 8 is an exceptional all-rounder that will perform well either in a stereo or home theater setup. In order to release their full potential, you will need powerful and high-quality amplifiers that are also compatible with these floor-standing speakers. Are you currently looking for such an amplifier? If you say yes then look no further.
We will be sharing with you, not just the best matching amps that you can go for but also the sonic characteristics of the Monitor Audio Silver 8 speakers. Learning more about their strengths and weaknesses will help with the search for the right amplifiers to drive them. You may also want certain amps to complement the Silver 8 loudspeakers so that they will deliver the music the way you want it or more.
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Sonic Characteristics and Limitations of Monitor Audio Silver 8
The Monitor Audio Silver 8 has that slim and elegant build, which also looks sleek depending on what type of cabinet finishes you will be going for. The choice of six finishes helps the loudspeakers to fit in nicely into most home interiors. The Silver 8 looks very modern as well, so it may not fit well with retro/vintage-looking amps. The driver designs are also very iconic, for instance, the 1″ (25 mm) C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter, the 4″ (100mm) RST Midrange driver, and two 6″ (150mm) RSTÂ Bass drivers, one look at all of them, you will know it is a monitor audio speaker. Then there are the twin HiVe II ports located at the back, which immediately informs us the Silver 8 requires a distance away from the rear wall (between 20-45 cm).
There’s a strong indication that the Monitor Audio Silver 8 floor-standing speakers are not easy to drive. Firstly, the nominal impedance is 4 Ohms and the recommended amplifier power starts from 80 Watts onwards, all the way to 200 Watts. You will need very high-powered amplifiers to make them sing. It is fortunate that the speaker sensitivity is at 90dB. The frequency response is above average, which is at 32Hz-35kHz, a pretty wide range for a speaker at this price point. We are not sure if the Monitor Audio Silver 8 is capable of producing such deep bass extension though.
More Details at Amazon – Monitor Audio – Silver Series 8 – Each
It is a musical-sounding floor-standing speaker, with natural and very detailed midrange sound reproduction which is also warm and sweet. The rich details of midrange frequency merge seamlessly with the spacious highs produced by the tweeter, providing accurate and well-defined music presentation. Which also helps to project a focused soundstage that is lush and filled with details. The stereo imaging is fantastic as well, instruments and musicians are precisely positioned. Even at high volumes, the soundstage doesn’t muddle or collapse, showing us the Monitor Audio Silver 8 is more than capable of handling complex music passages.
The clarity of the overall sound reproduction helps, as the details are clear and delivered out smoothly. The bass reproduction is taut, agile, and rich with details. The lows blended in nicely, providing a well-balanced music presentation. If we were to nitpick, will be that the Monitor Audio Silver 8 very deep bass production, is somewhat lacking presence. Still, for most music genres, the Silver 8 speakers are self-sufficient without the need for a subwoofer. The bass response is controlled and the trebles are composed without sounding overly bright, allowing for enjoyable music listening for hours on end.
The sonic prowess of the magnificent Monitor Audio Silver 8 speaker is one of the finest in their price range. It may not be as lively as some other Silver series speakers but the musicality is one of the better ones. For a stereo setup, the speaker themselves will be good enough and for a home theater setup, you will need an active subwoofer. The presence provided by Silver 8 when it fills the room with music is very satisfying as well. Now we have all the necessary details about these wonderful floorstanders, it is time to start sharing with you the best matching amps you can go.
Monitor Audio Silver 8 Specifications
- Speaker Type: 3-way bass-reflex (two rear-firing bass ports)
- Drive Units: 1″ (25 mm) C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter, the 4″ (100mm) RST Midrange driver, and two 6″ (150mm) RST Bass drivers
- Frequency Response: 32Hz-35kHz
- Amplifier Requirements: 80-200 Watts
- Nominal Impedance: 4 Ohms
- Sensitivity (2.83V/1m): 90dB
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1000mm x 185mm x 335mm | 39.4″ x 7.3″ x 13.2″ (Including Grille and Terminals)
- Weight: 23.3kg (51lbs)
Best Amps to match with Monitor Audio Silver 8
The Parasound Halo series HINT 6, is a high-performance integrated amplifier that has plenty of power at its disposal, able to drive Monitor Audio Silver 8 with ease. These are high-quality power that uses high bias class A/AB operation which helps to produce smooth and natural sound reproduction. Giving it a pristine and clean musical quality, not to mention, it can deliver powerful and engaging music presentations when required too. There are plenty of useful features such as HT Bypass, built-in DAC, dedicated subwoofer output with crossover settings, and more. The Parasound HINT 6 has power, sonic prowess, and features, a worthy amp to match with your Monitor Audio Silver 8 speakers.
More Information at Amazon – Parasound HINT 6 Halo Integrated Amplifier
The Hegel H190 is another amazing musical amp that you can be assured of its sound quality. It has the muscle to move the Monitor Audio Silver 8 speaker drivers and make them sing, producing beautiful music with crystal clear quality. The refined music delivery of the Hegel H190 amp complements the Monitor Audio Silver 8 really well, as the H190 has great control and is always composed. The Hegel H190 can be revealing as well and the Silver 8 speakers tonal balance is capable of helping the integrated amplifier to produce the subtle details out in spades. It is worth the time and effort to have an audition with them.
When it comes to music, Yamaha integrated amplifiers are some of the very best on the market, and the A-S2200 is definitely one of them. The Yamaha A-S2200 has the power to really push your Monitor Audio Silver 8 speakers and both have well-balanced sound reproduction. The clarity of this combination is well matched too, and the A-S2200 bass authority complements the Silver 8 speakers. Delivering a powerful music presentation yet as faithful to what the artists have intended. It is a must-hear especially for listeners who use turntables as one of their analog music sources. Is a pity the Yamaha A-S2200 doesn’t have a built-in DAC.
Naim Supernait 3 is some of the finest integrated amplifiers ever made and certainly a match for your Monitor Audio Silver 8 speakers. The Class A headphone amplification of Supernait 3 will be great for users who have headphones. The class-leading music organization capability and control of the delivery complement the Monitor Audio Silver 8 outgoing enthusiastic nature. Not to mention, the powerful low-end frequency of the Naim Supernait 3 adds more weight to the overall sound reproduction. It is a very dynamic integrated amplifier with top-notch precision and has the drive to push the Silver 8 speakers. The only qualm will be their price point.
For a home theater setup, the Marantz SR8015 will be one of the best AV receivers that you can partner with. The SR8015 has the power to drive your Monitor Audio Silver 8 floor-standing speakers. Integrate 1 or 2 active subwoofers, set up the rest of the speakers, and calibrate them using Audyssey MultEQ XT32. And enjoy the immersive surround sound image that envelopes all around you. Furthermore, the musicality of the Marantz SR8015 AVR is one of the very finest, all thanks to rigorous tuning of the Marantz sound masters and the live performance playbacks are incredible sounding as well.
More Details at Amazon – Marantz SR8015 11.2 Channel AV Receiver
If you are going for the preamp and power amp combination route, then the preamplifier section should be from Musical Fidelity as they are usually a suitable match with Monitor Audio speakers. You might want to check out M6s PRE which is an exceptional musical-sounding preamp. For the power amplifier section, you can either go with Musical Fidelity or other brands such as Cambridge Audio, Emotiva, Parasound, etc. For Class D amplification, we will suggest checking out Wyred 4 Sound. Their power amps use the latest generation of ICEpower technology and are amazing for music listens with the efficiency of a digital amplifier. For the subwoofer, we will suggest going for SVS SB-2000 Pro, it is high performance sealed subwoofer with 1,500 Watts (Peak Power). It is an active subwoofer that is great for movies and even better for music.
More Information at Amazon – SVS SB-2000 Pro 12″ Sealed Subwoofer
To Sum It Up
The Monitor Audio Silver 8 are top-quality speakers at their price range, and the listed amplifiers are some of the best matching amps to partner with them. Take some time off and arrange an audition, hear them out using your favorite music/movies. See which amplifiers you like and shortlist them, then go for a side-by-side comparison with other shortlisted amps or do a 2nd round of audition. If you getting a particular subwoofer, you should include them during your amplifier audition.
