In this review, we will be comparing Platinum 300 3G and 702 S3, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Monitor Audio and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G and B&W 702 S3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G | B&W 702 S3 |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 4" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" RDT III | 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil |
|---|
| Frequency response | 17-60k Hz | 46-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 400 watts | 30-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 53.60kg / 117.9lbs | 33.46kg / 73.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44.5" x 16.9" x 20.6"
1131.1 x 429.8 x 525 mm | 44.8" x 7.6" x 15.4"
1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G and B&W 702 S3 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 300 3G |
B&W 702 S3 |
| 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
Both Platinum 300 3G and 702 S3 are 3-way speakers.
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3GB&W 702 S3
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 300 3G |
B&W 702 S3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the 702 S3 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer.
Frequency Response
Platinum 300 3G has a frequency range of 17-60k Hz whereas 702 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k 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 702 S3's min frequency of 46Hz.
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
Platinum 300 3G is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the 702 S3 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Platinum 300 3G can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Platinum 300 3G sensitivity is rated at 88dB and the 702 S3's is rated at 90 dB.
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 702 S3 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 Platinum 300 3G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Platinum 300 3G and 702 S3 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
B&W 702 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Platinum 300 3G and 702 S3 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 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 300 3G's and B&W 702 S3's external dimensions. 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) whereas B&W 702 S3 has external dimensions of 1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm (44.8-inch x 7.6-inch x 15.4-inch).
B&W 702 S3 is 238mm narrower and 134mm less deeper than Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G but it is also 7mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G and B&W 702 S3 in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G and B&W 702 S3 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 300 3G is approximately 2257.5cm2 / 349.9inch2 and base area of the B&W 702 S3 is approximately 750.7cm2 / 116.4inch2. The Platinum 300 3G requires 201% more surface area than the 702 S3 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 Platinum 300 3G weighs 53.60kg / 117.9lbs and the B&W 702 S3 weighs 33.46kg / 73.6lbs. This makes the Platinum 300 3G 60% heavier than the 702 S3.
Here is a comparison of how Platinum 300 3G and 702 S3'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
What's in the Box of B&W 702 S3?
Here are the items that come with the 702 S3:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Plinth (base)
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Two-piece foam port plug
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- 4 Lock washers
- Hex-key
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Minimum Impedance |
4 ohms
vs
3.1 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
17 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
60k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1131mm
vs
1138mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Base Surface Area |
750cm2
vs
2257cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
6998USD
vs
17900USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G |
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 400 watts |
30-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
3.1 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
17-60k Hz |
46-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
RDT III |
Aerofoil |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
650 Hz - 3000 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
1138.0mm (44.8") |
| Width |
430.0mm (16.9") |
192.0mm (7.6") |
| Depth |
525.0mm (20.7") |
391.0mm (15.4") |
| Weight |
53.60kg (117.9lbs) |
33.46kg (73.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Piano Black, Piano Ebony, Satin White |
Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| 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 2.6x what B&W 702 S3 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 | A | Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G digs deeper - 17Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | B&W 702 S3 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G takes more power (400W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | B&W 702 S3 is easier to place; Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G: bi-amping; B&W 702 S3: bi-amping. B&W 702 S3 sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | B&W 702 S3 is cheaper - $6,998 against $17,900, about 61% less; arguably a different class. |
A Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G B B&W 702 S3
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 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 2.6x the price. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - B&W 702 S3 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 46Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper B&W 702 S3 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, B&W 702 S3 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.