In this review, we will be comparing L100 Classic MKII and Platinum 100 3G, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from JBL and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL L100 Classic MKII and Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
JBL L100 Classic MKII Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 12" Pulp Woofer
- 40-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:28.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 636.5" x 15.3" x 14.6"( 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm )
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 6" RDT III Woofer
- 28-60k Hz Frequency Response
- 85dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:up to 150watts
- Weight:15.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 398.0" x 8.8" x 12.8"( 398 x 225 x 325.6 mm )
What size room are the JBL L100 Classic MKII and Monitor Audio Platinum 100 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* |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the JBL L100 Classic MKII and Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that L100 Classic MKII is a 3-way design whereas the Platinum 100 3G is a 2-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 |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
L100 Classic MKII features a 1" Titanium Dome Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 3500Hz. On the other hand, the Platinum 100 3G features a 1" MPD III Tweeter and 1 x 6" RDT III Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2850 Hz.
Frequency Response
L100 Classic MKII has a frequency range of 40-40k Hz whereas Platinum 100 3G has a frequency range of 28-60k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Platinum 100 3G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the L100 Classic MKII's min frequency of 40Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
L100 Classic MKII and Platinum 100 3G have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. L100 Classic MKII sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Platinum 100 3G's is at 85dB. This 5 dB difference makes the JBL L100 Classic MKII a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Platinum 100 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 L100 Classic MKII and the L100 Classic MKII can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
L100 Classic MKII can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Platinum 100 3G has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the L100 Classic MKII.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both L100 Classic MKII and Platinum 100 3G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
JBL L100 Classic MKII's Five-way gold-plated binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
L100 Classic MKII has a front firing port whereas Platinum 100 3G has a rear firing ports. JBL L100 Classic MKII's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G with its rear-firing port.
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G Port
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare JBL L100 Classic MKII's and Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G's external dimensions. JBL L100 Classic MKII has external dimensions of 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm ( 25.0 x 15.3 x 14.6inch) whereas Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G has external dimensions of 398 x 225 x 325.6 mm ( 15.6 x 8.8 x 12.8-inch) .
JBL L100 Classic MKII is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 164.6mm wider, 238.5mm taller and 46.5mm deeper than Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL L100 Classic MKII and Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G in scale.
Comparison image of JBL L100 Classic MKII and Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G Size and External Dimensions
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 JBL L100 Classic MKII is approximately 1447.4cm2 / 224.3inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G is approximately 731.3cm2 / 113.4inch2. The L100 Classic MKII requires 98% more surface area than the Platinum 100 3G which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.