In this review, we will be comparing Gold 100 6G and Platinum 100 3G, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G and Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G | Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 3" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" HDT C-CAM | 6" RDT III |
|---|
| Frequency response | 49 Hz - 60 kHz | 28-60k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86.5 dB | 85dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 1250 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.05kg / 30.9lbs | 15.20kg / 33.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 17-5/8" x 9-1/16" x 14-1/16"
448.0 x 231.0 x 358.0mm | 15.6" x 8.8" x 12.8"
398.0 x 225.0 x 325.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G 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* |
Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G |
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.)
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 Gold 100 6G 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.
Monitor Audio Gold 100 6GMonitor Audio Platinum 100 3G
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G |
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
Gold 100 6G features a 1" MPD III Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 1 x 8" HDT C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 700 Hz - 2600 Hz. 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
Gold 100 6G has a frequency range of 49 Hz - 60 kHz 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 Gold 100 6G's min frequency of 49Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Gold 100 6G and Platinum 100 3G have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Gold 100 6G sensitivity is rated at 86.5 dB and the Platinum 100 3G's is at 85dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G 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 Gold 100 6G and the Gold 100 6G 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Gold 100 6G can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Platinum 100 3G has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Gold 100 6G.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
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 Gold 100 6G
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Gold 100 6G and Platinum 100 3G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 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 Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G's and Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G has external dimensions of 448.0 x 231.0 x 358.0mm (9-1/16 x 17-5/8 x 14-1/16) whereas Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G has external dimensions of 398.0 x 225.0 x 325.0mm (15.6 x 8.8 x 12.8-inch).
Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 6mm wider, 50mm taller and 33mm deeper than Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G and Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G 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 Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G is approximately 827.0cm2 / 128.2inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G is approximately 731.3cm2 / 113.4inch2. The Gold 100 6G requires 13% more surface area than the Platinum 100 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 Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G weighs 14.05kg / 30.9lbs and the Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G weighs 15.20kg / 33.4lbs. This makes the Platinum 100 3G 8% heavier than the Gold 100 6G.
Here is a comparison of how Gold 100 6G and Platinum 100 3G's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Gold 100 6G:
- 2 Stand-mount loudspeakers
- 4 Grilles
- 8 Rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-plates (pre-installed)
- 2 Port plugs
- Quick Setup Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
4199USD
vs
6900USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Minimum Impedance |
4 ohms
vs
3.9 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
49 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
398mm
vs
448mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
731cm2
vs
827cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G |
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
up to 1250 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86.5 dB |
85dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.9 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
49 Hz - 60 kHz |
28-60k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
HDT C-CAM |
RDT III |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
700 Hz - 2600 Hz |
2850 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
8 Rubber feet |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
448.0mm (17.6") |
398.0mm (15.7") |
| Width |
231.0mm (9.1") |
225.0mm (8.9") |
| Depth |
358.0mm (14.1") |
325.0mm (12.8") |
| Weight |
14.05kg (30.9lbs) |
15.20kg (33.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Macassar Wood Veneer, High-Gloss Black, Satin White |
Piano Black, Piano Ebony, Satin White |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G costs roughly 1.6x what Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G 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 | B | Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G digs deeper - 28Hz against 49Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G is more sensitive (87dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G takes more power (250W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G is easier to place; Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G: bi-amping; Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G is cheaper - $4,199 against $6,900, about 39% less; arguably a different class. |
A Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G B Monitor Audio Platinum 100 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 Gold 100 6G has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 49Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G for a small room.
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.