Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
The rest of my setup is Bronze (read my bronze 2 review if you are interested), but MA don''t produce a bronze surround speaker. Wasn''t originally going to get these (a bit out of my price range) but the guy who I was trying to buy a cheaper set of surrounds was so incompetent I gave up and got these instead. That was one of the best moves I could have made because these are brilliant speakers. I only listen to 5 channel stereo, which sounds superb on my system, and these are a large reason why. I would recomend these to anyone who wants a bronze setup but can''t work out what surrounds to buy, they are worth it.

Strengths:
They are a good match for the bronze speakers - just slightly more musical with things like voices. Superb with music and movies.

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
My other choices were either: bronze 1''s - too directional, very ungainly if you try to stick them on a wall. Mission M7S - not bad for movies, a bit weak on for music.

Price Paid:  $600.00 from elegant audio.com

Summary:
Metal drivers matched exceptionally well w/ the Hales in front, since Hale is out of the biz, no matching rears...not that they could sound much better. I do love these speakers. Use them for both music ( DVD Audio and Multi channel CD and Home theatre. Other equiptment is
B&K AVR 202
Integra 9.1 DVD/DVD Audio/CD player
Hales Rev 3's
Sunfire True Sub
Purist Audio and XLO Cables/Interconnects

Strengths:
wonderful, full sound from a small speaker. Great dispersion, bi pole or di pole design.

Weaknesses:
None. (could be considered expensive)

Similar Products Used:
atlantic technology for rear channels - no comparison.

Price Paid:  $650.00 from The Sound Company

Summary:
I bought these speakers to replace my Cambridge Soundworks surround speakers. The difference is astonishing. The cambridge's were designed before full-range DD5.1 was created and thus lack any kind of low range or high range. The Monitor's completely opened up my rear surround field. I've left them in the default factory dipole setting and love the way they disappear into the back of the room. On 5 channel music sources they blend seamlessly with the front speakers. Movies high in surround content such as Saving Private Ryan or U-571 really exploit this speakers ability to pack a punch when explosions go off behind you or around you in the case of depth charges.

Some info about my system:

(2)NAD 925THX Amplifiers
all speakers bi-amp/bi-wired
Anthem AVM2 Preamp
B&W 604's (front)
B&W LCR6S2 (center)
Monitor Silver Fx (surrounds)
B&W ASW2000 (sub)

Strengths:
Match near perfect with my B&W 604 fronts

Weaknesses:
none

Similar Products Used:
none

Price Paid:  $325.00 from Gourley's Home Theater

Summary:
The price listed above is no misprint: I guess I inadvertantly took advantage to the new store manager. On his third day of work he misread the price, selling me the last pair in stock for $300 per pair instead of $300 each! He said he got "a talking to", and I felt a little bad, but I sure didn't return them! Sorry, but I think they'll get their money back off me over the years!

What can I say about these unbelievable speakers? They are simply amazing in every respect. I did a little research after buying them, testing the old bipole vs. dipole vs. direct radiating theories. My conclusion: dipoles truly are the best all around compromise. These speakers really and truly disappear acoustically in the dipole configuration. Sound envelopes the listener with very few audible clues as to the fact that emanate from boxes on the wall. These speakers are, for the lack of a better word, uncanny.

The detail, especially with multichannel music is, frankly, unreal. In the DTS version of the Eagles "Seven Bridges Road", (yeah, I know- you either love 'em or hate 'em) each member of the bands' vocal part is perfectly clear and distinct, yet flawlessly blended as a whole. I've never heard this level of musical or spatial detail in any other speaker, regardless of radiation pattern.

Even more astonishing, especially considering the size, is the staggering dynamics of the FXi. During the scene in "Air Force One" where the American fighter escort forms up to protect the president from a squadron of Migs, the roar is terrifying, and I'm used to using five high efficiency studio monitors (102 dB/W/m) running full-bore. My theory is that the "sharpness" and detail of the sound compensates for the fact that they can't possibly play as loud. Less volume, but more sound!

The ultimate concern, for anyone reading this review, is the issue of voice-matching. If you own Silver's in front, but wondered if the FXi can match the mains in quality, definition, and power, then worry no more, they are fantastic performers. But if you don't have Monitor Audio Silver's in front, then buy something else. Why? For 99 out of 100 readers of this post, your speakers are not as good as the Monitor Audio's. But what's important is the timbre-match: you're better off buying speakers voice identically to your mains & centers than going for something different, even if it's better. If you haven't heard a system made up of 5/7 perfectly matched speakers you won't know what you're missing. But once you have, you'll never accept anything less.

At any rate, I rate the Monitor Audio Silver FXi as the finest surround speaker I've ever heard and recommend them with the utmost confidence to any Silver owner.

Hope this helps, and enjoy the gear.

Strengths:
Astonishing detail. Uncanny realism. Versatile Bi-/Di-pole switchability.

Weaknesses:
I hesitate to call a speaker faultless... In dipole mode, the FXi's have basically no bass.

Summary:
I just love the whole Monitor Silver series and the sound that they produce is so real and enjoyable. Have them with the Silver 3s in front and the Silver Centre 10 and the ASW110 Sub. Well worth the very affordable price to anyone who wants a quality speaker. Only regret wish had spent the little extra for the Silver 5's.

Strengths:
Size and mountability directly behind or on sides.

Weaknesses:
Not matched with the colors of the other products etc. the Cherry and Mahogany.