Complementing the flagship tweeter, the Platinum 3G series features an updated top-tier midrange and woofer with Rigid Diaphragm Technology III. This innovative design incorporates three major advancements over past Monitor Audio designs:
- A new rear layer to the driver featuring 2 uniform layers of carbon fiber to reduce cone breakup
- The cone edge has been optimized to extend the passband of the drivers
- The new drivers also incorporate an optimized rubber surround to reduce cone breakup
All of these improvements give the drivers more usable bandwidth, allowing improvements to be made in the crossover and overall speaker frequency response. The Platinum 3G floor-standing models also have new outrigger feet that have been engineered to form a solid platform and make the plinth more aesthetically pleasing.
Platinum 3G Speaker Performance
Our critical listening sessions took place in our Audio Advice test lab and at Axpona 2023. To assess the capabilities of the Platinum 100 3G speakers, we began with the album, "What Matters Most" by Ben Folds.
This album served as an excellent test for evaluating instrument separation, soundstage, and imaging abilities. The Platinum 100 3G speakers exhibited impressive imaging capabilities, with performers precisely positioned on the stage. While the soundstage was not the widest we have encountered, the speakers delivered a balanced frequency response, tonal accuracy, and exceptional detail without any signs of fatigue or brightness.
Moving on to the Platinum 200 3G tower speakers, we observed an improvement in bass depth while maintaining the same commendable midrange and treble response.
Next, we turned to Wayne Shorter's timeless jazz album, "Speak No Evil," to test the speaker's merit on acoustic instruments and horns. The Platinum 100 and 200 3G speakers showcased a smooth frequency response, accurately reproducing the intricate details of the music with no real peaks or issues. Treble was presented in a smooth yet detailed fashion and allowed us to hear all the detail in Elvin Jones’s cymbal work.
While the tweeter was very detailed, the driver integration between the tweeter and midrange was very good and did not call attention to itself like many designs with ribbon or AMT tweeters do. Horns were presented with good tone and balance. Double bass had body and tone and allowed us to hear every plucked string with detail.
Our only overall criticism was the speakers always seemed like they were holding back from being their best. We kept reaching for the volume to try to mitigate this issue, only to be let down by the results. Thinking they needed more power to “wake” up, we tried them with some very powerful Monoblock amplifiers. While they handled the added power well, they just did not give us the live and emotional connection we were looking for.
Overall Recommendation
The new Platinum 3G speakers from Monitor Audio are an achievement in engineering and aesthetic design. These speakers are built for easy integration into any home. The build quality is first-rate and Monitor Audio spares no expense in using today’s technology to its advantage. Monitor Audio also included the Platinum C250 3G center channel model in the lineup to enable speaker matching for home theater use.
We enjoyed our time spent with the Monitor Audio Platinum 3G speakers, as they presented very good technical performance and compatibility with different amplifier types. Please contact our knowledgeable staff here at Audio Advice for any questions to see which Platinum 3G model will fit into your system.