In this review, we will be comparing Gold 500 6G and Platinum 300 3G, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G and Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G | Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 3" | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" HDT C-CAM | 2 x 8" RDT III |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44 Hz – 60 kHz | 17-60k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88.5 dB | 88dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 300 watts | up to 400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.56kg / 58.4lbs | 53.60kg / 117.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45-1/2" x 15-1/16" x 18-11/16"
1156.0 x 383.0 x 475.0mm | 44.5" x 16.9" x 20.6"
1131.1 x 429.8 x 525 mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G 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* |
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G |
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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
Both Gold 500 6G and Platinum 300 3G are 3-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6GMonitor Audio Platinum 300 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 500 6G |
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Gold 500 6G features a 1" MPD III Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 2 x 8" HDT C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 700 Hz - 2600 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
Gold 500 6G has a frequency range of 44 Hz – 60 kHz whereas Platinum 300 3G has a frequency range of 17-60k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 17Hz, the Platinum 300 3G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Gold 500 6G's min frequency of 44Hz.
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
Gold 500 6G and Platinum 300 3G have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Gold 500 6G sensitivity is rated at 88.5 dB and the Platinum 300 3G's is at 88dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G 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 Gold 500 6G and the Gold 500 6G can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
Platinum 300 3G can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Gold 500 6G has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Platinum 300 3G.
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 500 6G
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Gold 500 6G and Platinum 300 3G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or 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 Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G's and Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G has external dimensions of 1156.0 x 383.0 x 475.0mm (15-1/16 x 45-1/2 x 18-11/16) 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).
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G is 47mm narrower and 50mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G but it is also 25mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G and Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G and Monitor Audio Platinum 300 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 500 6G is approximately 1819.3cm2 / 282.0inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G is approximately 2257.5cm2 / 349.9inch2. The Gold 500 6G requires 19% less surface area than the Platinum 300 3G which gives it a small advantage 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 500 6G weighs 26.56kg / 58.4lbs and the Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G weighs 53.60kg / 117.9lbs. This makes the Platinum 300 3G 102% heavier than the Gold 500 6G.
Here is a comparison of how Gold 500 6G 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 Gold 500 6G
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Gold 500 6G:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 6 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-plates (pre-installed)
- 4 Port plugs
- 2 Base plates
- 8 Outrigger feet
- 8 rubber feet (pre-installed in outrigger feet)
- 8 Spikes (pre-installed in outrigger fee)
- 8 Large machine screws
- 24 Small machine screws
- Hex-key
- Quick Setup Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Base Surface Area |
1819cm2
vs
2257cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
7499USD
vs
17900USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
17 Hz
vs
44 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1131mm
vs
1156mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G |
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 300 watts |
up to 400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88.5 dB |
88dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44 Hz – 60 kHz |
17-60k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
HDT C-CAM |
RDT III |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
700 Hz - 2600 Hz |
650 Hz - 3000 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
2 Base plates| 8 Outrigger feet| 8 rubber feet (pre-installed in outrigger feet)| 8 Spikes |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1156.0mm (45.5") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
383.0mm (15.1") |
430.0mm (16.9") |
| Depth |
475.0mm (18.7") |
525.0mm (20.7") |
| Weight |
26.56kg (58.4lbs) |
53.60kg (117.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Macassar Wood Veneer, High-Gloss Black, Satin White |
Piano Black, Piano Ebony, Satin White |
| 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 300 3G costs roughly 2.4x what Monitor Audio Gold 500 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 300 3G digs deeper - 17Hz against 44Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G takes more power (400W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G: bi-amping; Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G is cheaper - $7,499 against $17,900, about 58% less; arguably a different class. |
A Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G 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?
The usual trade-off: Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G measures better, Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G costs about about 139% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 44Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Monitor Audio Gold 500 6G the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.