In this review, we will be comparing Reference Alpha 1 and Platinum 300 3G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Canton and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Canton Reference Alpha 1 and Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Canton Reference Alpha 1 | Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G |
|---|
| Brand | Canton
Germany · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 2 x 8" RDT III |
|---|
| Frequency response | 18-40k Hz | 17-60k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 88dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | up to 400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 145.00kg / 319lbs | 53.60kg / 117.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 64.57" x 18.11" x 28.35"
1640.1 x 460.0 x 720.1mm | 44.5" x 16.9" x 20.6"
1131.1 x 429.8 x 525 mm |
|---|
What size room are the Canton Reference Alpha 1 and Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Canton Reference Alpha 1 |
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Reference Alpha 1 is a 2-way design whereas the Platinum 300 3G is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
Canton Reference Alpha 1 |
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Reference Alpha 1 features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 170/3100 Hz. On the other hand, the Platinum 300 3G features a 1" MPD III Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 8" RDT III Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 650 Hz - 3000 Hz.
Frequency Response
Reference Alpha 1 has a frequency range of 18-40k Hz whereas Platinum 300 3G has a frequency range of 17-60k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 17Hz, the Platinum 300 3G can go slightly deeper then the Reference Alpha 1's min frequency of 18Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Impedance and Sensitivity
Reference Alpha 1 and Platinum 300 3G have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Reference Alpha 1 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Platinum 300 3G's is at 88dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Canton Reference Alpha 1 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Reference Alpha 1 and the Reference Alpha 1 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Platinum 300 3G features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Reference Alpha 1 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G Port
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Canton Reference Alpha 1's and Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G's external dimensions. Canton Reference Alpha 1 has external dimensions of 1640.1 x 460.0 x 720.1mm (64.57 x 18.11 x 28.35inch) whereas Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G has external dimensions of 1131.1 x 429.8 x 525 mm (44.5 x 16.9 x 20.6-inch).
Canton Reference Alpha 1 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 30mm wider, 509.1mm taller and 195.1mm deeper than Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Canton Reference Alpha 1 needs about 47% more floor or shelf area. Canton Reference Alpha 1 is 195mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Canton Reference Alpha 1 is 509mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Canton Reference Alpha 1 is approximately 3312.5cm2 / 513.4inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G is approximately 2257.5cm2 / 349.9inch2. The Reference Alpha 1 requires 47% more surface area than the Platinum 300 3G which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Canton Reference Alpha 1 weighs 145.00kg / 319lbs and the Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G weighs 53.60kg / 117.9lbs. This makes the Reference Alpha 1 171% heavier than the Platinum 300 3G.
Here is a comparison of how Reference Alpha 1 and Platinum 300 3G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
17 Hz
vs
18 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
60k Hz
vs
40k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1131mm
vs
1640mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2257cm2
vs
3312cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
19999USD
vs
77000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Canton Reference Alpha 1 |
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G |
| Brand |
Canton |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
88dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
18-40k Hz |
17-60k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
RDT III |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
170/3100 Hz |
650 Hz - 3000 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1640.1mm (64.6") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
460.0mm (18.1") |
430.0mm (16.9") |
| Depth |
720.1mm (28.4") |
525.0mm (20.7") |
| Weight |
145.00kg (319lbs) |
53.60kg (117.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Piano Black, Piano Ebony, Satin White |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Canton Reference Alpha 1 costs roughly 3.9x what Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (18Hz vs 17Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G is easier to place; Canton Reference Alpha 1 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G is cheaper - $19,999 against $77,000, about 74% less; arguably a different class. |
A Canton Reference Alpha 1 B Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. In a large or open-plan room, Canton Reference Alpha 1 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G is the easier speaker to get right. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $57,001 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.