Floor Loudspeaker Reviews

Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G loudspeaker Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Description: Three-way, reflex-loaded, floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive units: two 8" (203mm) RDT III woofers, 4" (102mm) RDT III midrange unit, MPD III tweeter. Port tuning frequency: 32Hz. Crossover frequencies: 650Hz, 3kHz. Frequency response: 25Hz–60kHz, –6dB (free-field); 17Hz–60kHz, –6dB (in-room). Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Minimum impedance: 4.0 ohms at 3.75kHz. Sensitivity: 88dB/2.83V/m (freefield). Recommended power: 200–800W, music program. Maximum continuous power handling: 400W, pink noise with 6dB crest factor. Supplied accessories: screw-in cone feet, foam port plugs, 6mm hex key for adjusting feet, Torx tool for adjusting drive units, cleaning cloth.
Dimensions: 44.5" (1130mm) H × 16.9" (429mm) W × 20.6" (523mm) D with trims, terminals & outrigger feet. Weight: 118lb (53.6kg) each.
Finish: Piano Black, Piano Ebony, and Pure Satin White, embellished with etched inlays.
Serial numbers of units reviewed: 100136 (both). "Designed in Britain. Made in China."
Price: $17,900/pair. Approximate number of US dealers: 95. Warranty: 5 years.
Manufacturer: Monitor Audio, 24 Brook Rd., Rayleigh, Essex SS6 7XJ, England, UK. Web: monitoraudio.com. US distributor: Kevro International, 902 McKay Rd., Suite 4, Pickering, ON L1W 3X8, Canada. Web: kevro.com.

COMPANY INFO
Monitor Audio
24 Brook Rd., Rayleigh
Essex SS6 7XJ, England, UK
monitoraudio.com
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
Auditor's picture
Submitted by Auditor on October 19, 2023 - 9:10am

They haven't manufactured anything in Britain in a long time.

MhtLion's picture
Submitted by MhtLion on October 19, 2023 - 10:56am

Monitor Audio Linkedin page lists out that it has 76 employees including 62 employees in United Kingdom. I would guess it does not have a manufacturing facility in U.K., but outsource the manufacturing. But, personally it looks like a British company to me since 80% of employees are in U.K.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/monitor-audio-ltd/people/

On other hand, KEF Linkedin page has 303 employees world wide including 40 in United Kingdom. Again, I would assume there is no manufacturing facility in U.K. And, I wouldn't personally call it a British company although who cares about my personal opinion.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/kef/people/

But, who knows. These companies might use different matrix. Monitor Audio may have a parent company with a totally different legal name, and I would not know it by doing a quick search. The editors in Stereophile must have better insight, but I doubt anyone will ever mention it. Anyway, in the modern days, there are Asian companies under Western company brands/shells. Not saying it's wrong. Just an observation.

Auditor's picture
Submitted by Auditor on October 19, 2023 - 11:16am

KEF is a different case. They were bought by a Hong Kong company in the 90's. A lot of their speakers are now made in China. But their top-tier products are still made in England.

MhtLion's picture
Submitted by MhtLion on October 19, 2023 - 11:34am

With 40 employees in U.K., I would personally doubt they do any meaningful manufacturing in U.K.

Bowers & Wilkins has 365 employees world wide including 185 in United Kingdom. Undoubtedly, I will call it a British company. And, I'm very surprised that KEF is as big as B&W in terms of the employee counts.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bowerswilkins/people/

Auditor's picture
Submitted by Auditor on October 19, 2023 - 11:43am

KEF's Muon, Blade and Reference loudspeakers are all made in Maidstone, England. That's a fact.

As these are their more expensive models, they certainly sell much less than their R Series, Q Series and LS50 speakers. Apparently a few dozen workers is enough in Maidstone.

MhtLion's picture
Submitted by MhtLion on October 19, 2023 - 11:50am

Good to know that KEF produces those three in England. But, with a total of 40 employees in U.K. (see the breakout below) I would guess that explains why there is a huge price gap between these and others.

11 Engineering
8 Marketing
8 Operations
6 Business Development
5 Information Technology
5 Sales
3 Arts and Design
2 Human Resources
2 Program and Project Management
2 Research
2 Consulting
1 Military and Protective Services
1 Customer Success and Support

Auditor's picture
Submitted by Auditor on October 19, 2023 - 11:52am

Let me just clarify what bothers me about "British manufacturer".

To me, Monitor Audio is British company or brand.

The average person who hears or reads "British manufacturer" will think the company manufactures its wares in Britain. Hence, calling Monitor Audio a British manufacturer is misleading.

Harbeth, Spendor or ATC are examples of British manufacturers. They are based in Britain and that's where they design and build their products.

MhtLion's picture
Submitted by MhtLion on October 19, 2023 - 12:11pm

Agreed. I would think MA is British company. A British manufacturer? For the same reasons you have, I would think it's misleading. But, I think MA is at least more British than KEF.

Another trend. Many high-end brands have a number of products which were conceptualized, designed, manufactured, and tested by the vendors. They use something like "leasing manufacturing capacity" which means you are leasing your vendor's staffs and facilities, so they can legally say the products are produced by themselves. I think it's misleading, but I suppose it's legal. And, people who know about it never talk about it.

MatthewT's picture
Submitted by MatthewT on October 19, 2023 - 12:49pm

And the the UK makes lots of things.

Auditor's picture
Submitted by Auditor on October 19, 2023 - 12:55pm

I had a brain cramp there. Thanks for pointing that out! I went back and corrected my post.

DougM's picture
Submitted by DougM on October 23, 2023 - 4:31pm

Most British and American speakers are now made in China. Only B&W's 800 series are made in the UK, and the rest are MIC. The Klipsch Heritage speakers are made in Hope, AK, and the rest are made in China. Tannoy's legacy large expensive concentric driver models are made in Scotland, and the remainder are made in China. Polks are all MIC, as are the majority of JBL's (if not all), all Wharfedales, etc.

Ortofan's picture
Submitted by Ortofan on October 23, 2023 - 8:11pm

... Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire - which is located in England, not China.

https://www.wharfedale.co.uk/dovedale/

Electrophone's picture
Submitted by Electrophone on October 26, 2023 - 10:42pm

„In 2020, the IAG Group’s internal investment continues with the reintroduction of manufacturing at the IAG UK site.
A wave of premium, made in the UK products will be unveiled from 2021, embracing the nostalgia and legacy of the IAG Group brands.“

whyareyoubothered's picture
Submitted by whyareyoubothered on November 1, 2023 - 2:44am

What is this affinity of audiophiles to know the specifics of where and what type of people made their equipment? Why does that matter if the end product is of superb quality?

Kennygwood's picture
Submitted by Kennygwood on February 21, 2024 - 4:55pm

I'm interested that there are no comments about the Hf response, the peak or dropout, whichever way you want to look at it. After Monitor audio makes a big selling point of their move to an in house designed and perfected mpd the response appears worse than the ribbon tweeter in the first PL designs and their gold mk4 loudspeakers. Am I missing something here?

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