Monitor Audio has just announced their all-new Platinum II Loudspeaker range of products. The Platinum II range is the most musical, accurate and beautiful loudspeaker line that Monitor Audio has ever created. The new range reflects new technological breakthroughs and materials to lift performance to a level that Monitor Audio has never before achieved.
Monitor Audio’s engineers have optimized the operation of electrical, mechanical, magnetic and acoustic systems, introducing new technologies where necessary to meet ambitious performance goals. The new loudspeakers incorporate a new MPD (Micro Pleated Diaphragm) high frequency transducer, which is similar in approach to the AMT/Heil tweeter designs. In addition, the Platinum II uses next-generation RDT II bass and mid drivers, improved crossover design and bespoke speaker terminal designs.
Offering extraordinary audio transparency and flawless design quality, the new seven-model line-up premiers the luxury flagship PL 500 II tower (seen below):
As well as two other floor standing models, the PL 300 II and PL 200 II; the PL 100 II stand mount monitor; matching centre-channel speakers in two sizes: the PLC 350 II and PLC 150 II, and a 1400W, twin 15″ subwoofer: the PLW 215 II.
Platinum II Loudspeaker Innovations:
MPD (MICRO PLEATED DIAPHRAGM) HIGH FREQUENCY TRANSDUCER
The MPD High Frequency Transducer uses an extremely thin, low-mass pleated diaphragm with a surface area eight times larger than that of a traditional dome tweeter, offering greater accuracy and efficiency. The design represents a wholesale reworking of an establish technology, introducing a greater number of diaphragm pleats while reducing plea height to eliminate the typical dip in response around 40kHz. Consequently Monitor Audio’s MPD tweeter, developed through intensive testing and listening over many months, operates with uniform output to over 100kHz and therefore qualifies as an entirely new and proprietary drive unit application.
RDT II BASS AND MIDRANGE DRIVERS
RDT II is a composite ‘sandwich’ structure made from ultra-thin low mass skins, bonded to a honeycomb Nomex core material. Unlike the original RDT construction for Platinum I, which used two C-CAM skins, RDT II employs C-CAM for the front skin, while the rear skin is made from a woven carbon fibre material. Monitor Audio’s engineers discovered that the new structure reduces distortion by over 8dB above 300Hz, which makes RDT II the lowest distortion cone technology in Monitor Audio’s history. The new RDT II diaphragms have a shallower ‘dished’ profile formed without a centre hole to create a radiating surface of greater strength and structural integrity. The voice coil and motor sit behind the cone, producing more efficient excursions, lower distortion and a wider response.
NEW PATENTED ‘DCF’ MECHANISM
Monitor Audio’s engineers have reduced distortion at the upper end of each driver’s range by coupling the voice coil with the cone using a nylon ring in place of rigid aluminum. This ‘Dynamic Coupling Filter’ acts as a ‘solid’ part up to the crossover frequency, faithfully transmitting the motion of the voice coil directly to the cone. Above the crossover frequency it acts like a damping spring, reducing the transmission of energy between the voice coil and cone. The DCF mechanism effectively adds an additional mechanical filter to help the crossover, reducing output above the crossover frequency by 18dB per octave.
UNDERHUNG, EDGE-WOUND VOICE COILS
All Platinum II drivers have been designed using ‘underhung’ voice coils, which ensure that even at extreme excursions , the coil remains within the gap, converting all the electrical energy into movement and resulting in greater efficiency and driver linearity. The new edge-wound coil design packs more copper into the shortest space to maximize driver excursion, which has increased by up to 15% over a standard round wire design.
IMPROVED CROSSOVER DESIGN
Crossovers have been completely re-developed using air core inductors in midrange / tweeter sections and laminated steel cores for bass sections. Custom made audiophile grade metallised polypropylene capacitors are selected to operate within a 1% tolerance for the best possible sound quality. Platinum II speakers are internally wired using Monitor Audio’s ‘Pureflow’ silver-plated OFC copper cable, selected for its audio purity and high conductivity.
BESPOKE TERMINALS
Platinum II’s bespoke speaker terminal design is precision milled from solid copper with Rhodium plated conductor parts. Rhodium is favored for its excellent electrical conductivity and resistance to oxidization. Terminals are designed to accept a spade, 4mm banana plug or bare wire, up to a diameter of 4mm.
OPTIMIZED MECHANICAL DESIGN
Platinum II shares many of the innovations introduced by Platinum I to reduce cabinet coloration. These include bolt-through drivers, ARC (Anti-Resonance Composite) for midrange (Tapered Line Enclosure) housings and baffle components, super-fast HiVe®II reflex ports, and a multi-layer cabinet construction, curved internally and externally.
AESTHETIC DESIGN
For the finish, natural wood veneers in Santos Rosewood or Natural Ebony are pair-matched, applied and hand-coated with eleven layers of clear gloss piano lacquer, polished to reveal the glowing lustre in the grain. Platinum II models are also available in a penetrating piano black gloss lacquer, which will offer a luxurious contract with room décor. The front baffles are hand-upholstered with the very highest quality Inglestone leather supplied by Andrew Muirhead. Such is the level of care lavished on the Platinum II enclosures that each requires as many as 144 hours to complete.
The Platinum II Models and Canadian Prices:
PL 100 II
MSRP: $6,995 /pair
Compact 2-way monitor design using a single 6.5″ RDT II bass-mid driver, and an MPD high frequency transducer. Bespoke floor stand available separately.
PL 200 II
MSRP: $13,995 /pair
Compact 3-way / 4 driver floorstanding system using dual 6.5″ RDT II long-throw bass drivers, a 4″ RDT II midrange driver in a sealed TLE enclosure and an MPD high frequency transducer.
PL 300 II
MSRP: $16,995 /pair
3-way / 4 driver tower system using dual 8″ RDT II long-throw bass drivers, a 4″ RDT II midrange driver in a sealed TLE enclosure and an MPD high frequency transducer.
PL 500 II
MSRP: $34,995 /pair
Flagship 3-way / 4 driver tower system using four 8″ RDT II long-throw bass drivers and dual 4″ RDT II TLE-loaded midrange drivers in an M-T-M configuration with the MPD high frequency transducer.
PLC 150 II
MSRP: $4,795 each
A 2.5-way / 3 driver centre-channel system matching the PL100 II and PL200 II models, using a single 6.5″ RDT II bass driver, a single 6.5″ RDT II bass-mid driver and an MPD high frequency transducer. Bespoke floor stand available separately.
PLC 350 II
MSRP: $6,995 each
A 3-way / 4 driver centre-channel system matching the PL300 II and PL500 II models, using dual 8″ RDT II bass drivers, a single 4″ RDT II midrange driver and an MPD high frequency transducer, Bespoke floor stand available separately.
PLW 215 II
MSRP: $8,495 each
A sealed dual 15″ active subwoofer system featuring opposing individually powered C-CAM drivers. Features 1400W continuous power and 2000W peak power, 19Hz in-room, a 172 MHz DSP Core, 4 fully configurable user presets, auto room EQ per preset from panel or via PC/tablet through proprietary SubConnect App, LED display and night mode.
The new Monitor Audio Platinum II Range of loudspeakers will soon be available. Look for more details at: http://www.monitoraudio.ca
About the Author: George de Sa
