Monitor Audio Platinum PL500 II Piano Ebony Floorstanding Speakers (Pair)

There is no finer audio ambassador than the majestic PL500 II. You will discover the essence of Platinum II engineering: silken layers of the finest high frequency definition suspended on an explicit midrange, seamlessly underpinned by a deep, clean and responsive bass foundation. More than ever the sound has a physical authority, conveying the ‘live’ character of instruments, voices and atmospheres as if they had materialised three-dimensionally in the air around you. This is fidelity in the raw, magnificent in stature, seductive for its rhythmic subtlety and utterly captivating in the sheer magnitude of its dynamic impact. Monitor Audio's most sophisticated system of no fewer than four 8” RDT®II bass drivers, twin 4” RDT II midrange transducers and MPD tweeter will render the entire harmonic sweep of every work with pin sharp timing and accuracy. Your music and film will sound alive, immersive and uncompromised.

ARC

Monitor Audio's Anti-Resonance Tecnnoloy is present in a number of their speaker ranges. Refined for the Platinum II range the technology is essentially a high density polymer with added minerals which is cured by high temperateure to set it. Once set it is an extremely inert material, ideal for optimal dampening. As the material is highly resistant to vibration and extremely rigid it helps prevent the propagation of standing waves and model resonances.

MPD

The Micro Pleated Diaphragm tweeter may look like a ribbon tweeter from a distance, but the design produces a surface area around thirteen times that of a regular ribbon. Developed following many months of extensive reasearch and development Monitor Audio's exclusive design represents yet another unique feature of Platinum II and produces a delightfully natural sound and even extends up to an incredible 100kHz.

DFC

A new innovation on the Platinum II series is the Dynamic Coupling Filter. It serves a couple of purposes, firstly it acts as a flexible coupling between the voice coil and the driver and is calibrated specifically to the crossover frequency of the driver to dampen energy which could cause distortion. Further to that the perforations in the DFC alow air to pass though, releasing pressure for a more natural sound.

Finishes

The Platinum II range is available in three sumptuous deluxe finishes, real wood ebony or santos rosewood veneer and high gloss piano black lacquer. All models feature a front baffle which is hand-upholstered in the very best quality Inglestone leather for a truely luxury look and feel.

HiVe

One of Monitor Audio's patented features, the HiVe II port uses a design with ridges which enables air to pass through the port faster and with less turbulence than a standard bass port. This results in more responsive bass than a tradtional port design and superior transient response.

Grilles

The honeycombed RDT II drivers and MPD tweeter look so great it would be a shame to cover them up. But for those who need to the Platinum II are supplied with acoustically transparent individual grilles for each driver, so they sound just as great with grilles on or off.

RDT

Consistantly refined over the years, Monitor Audio's rigid diaphragm technology is on its second generation. It utilises a nomex core material sandwiched between ceramic coated aluminium and woven carbon fibre for superb strength and ridgidity which is also incredibly light. The honeycomb pattern serves to further stiffen the surface of the cone, minimising distortion. The new Platinum II cones are the lowest distortion drivers Monitor Audio has produced to date.

Feet

The floorstanding Platinum II speakers feet are supplied with spikes for carpeted floors, these can optionaly be removed and a rubber pad built into the foot serves as secure standing on wooden or hard floors without damaing them. A tool kit is supplied complete with adjustment tools and bubble level to enable correct levelling of the speaker.

Terminals

Completly custom terminals milled from solid copper and Rhodium plated for maximum conductivity. Of course the terminals accept standard 4mm banana plugs as well as spades or large gauge bare wire. A set of quality links are included for use if you are not bi-wiring.

TLE

Tapered Line Enclosure. The mid-range driver's in Platinum II loudspeakers feature a separate sealed enclosure which is tapered to prevent the formation of standing waves. This increases isolation from the cabinet and results in more accurate sound reproduction as a result.

Crossover

Platinum II use Monitor Audio's "Pureflow" silver-plated OFC cable inside to connect the crossover and drivers and the network itself uses the highest quality audiophile grade components which are hand picked for their fine tolerances for the very best sound.

4 x 8" RDT II long throw bass drivers

2 x 4" RDT II mid-range drivers

MPD (Micro Pleated Diaphragm) high frequency transducer designed specifically for Platinum II

4 x HiVe II ports

New patented 'DCF' (Dynamic Coupling Filter) mechanism for more natural sound

Bespoke speaker terminals and footings

Underhung, edge-wound voice coils: greater driver efficiency and lifelike dynamics, less distortion

Bolt through drivers: clearer sound and cleaner aesthetics

Anti-Resonance Composite (ARC) mid-range housings and baffle components: reduced cabinet vibration, purer sound quality

TLE (Tapered Line Enclosure) sealed internal enclosure for mid-range drivers: greater sound accuracy and reduced cabinet vibration

Hand-upholstered front baffle: the very highest quality Inglestone leather supplied by Andrew Muirhead

Individual driver grilles