In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Monitor Audio. Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Platinum 300 3G is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G and Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G | Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" RDT III | 2 x 8" RDT III |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-60k Hz | 17-60k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85dB | 88dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 150 watts | up to 400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.20kg / 33.4lbs | 53.60kg / 117.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15.6" x 8.8" x 12.8"
398.0 x 225.0 x 325.0mm | 44.5" x 16.9" x 20.6"
1131.1 x 429.8 x 525 mm |
|---|
Platinum 100 3G and Platinum 300 3G are members of Monitor Audio's Platinum 3G series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Monitor Audio Platinum 3G Series
History
What size room are the Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G 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 Platinum 100 3G |
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 Platinum 100 3G 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.
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3GMonitor 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 Platinum 100 3G |
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Platinum 100 3G features a 1" MPD III Tweeter and 1 x 6" RDT III Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2850 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
Platinum 100 3G has a frequency range of 28-60k 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 significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Platinum 100 3G's min frequency of 28Hz.
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
Impedance and Sensitivity
Platinum 100 3G and Platinum 300 3G have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Platinum 100 3G sensitivity is rated at 85dB and the Platinum 300 3G's is at 88dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G 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 Platinum 100 3G and the Platinum 100 3G 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.
Platinum 300 3G can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Platinum 100 3G has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 250 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 Platinum 100 3G
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Platinum 100 3G and Platinum 300 3G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G'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
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Platinum 100 3G and Platinum 300 3G have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G Port
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 Platinum 100 3G's and Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G's external dimensions. 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) 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 Platinum 300 3G is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 205mm wider, 733mm taller and 200mm deeper than Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G and Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G 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 Platinum 100 3G is approximately 731.3cm2 / 113.4inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G is approximately 2257.5cm2 / 349.9inch2. The Platinum 100 3G requires 68% less surface area than the Platinum 300 3G which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.