Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G and Matrix Audio System
Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G floorstanders take their power here from a complete Matrix Audio chain, the MA-1 stereo power amplifier fed by the MP-1 Class A preamplifier. Digital sources are the NT-1 network transport and the ND-1 DAC, with the NA-1 headphone amplifier on the same rack. Around this main system the room spread smaller setups built on Hegel, Mark Levinson, Arcam, B.E.C. Akustik and Kanto equipment.
The system at a glance
Six components make up the main chain, five of them Matrix Audio electronics, all fed from streaming. Verified prices are GBP 11,500 per pair for the speakers at launch, USD 6,999 for the MP-1 and USD 2,999 for the ND-1. Beside it stood a Mark Levinson No. 5105 MC turntable with Hegel H200, H150 and H400 integrateds, the Matrix MS-1c network player, an Arcam A5+ with the CD5, B.E.C. Akustik IC-120 columns over the Flatboy Slim, and a Kanto OBI3 G2 turntable with YU4 G2 active monitors.
Why these components work together
The Platinum 300 3G is a 4 ohm three-way that never dips below 4.0 ohm, rated at 88 dB with 200 to 800 W of amplification recommended. The MA-1 answers with 250 W into 8 ohm and 450 W into 4 ohm per channel in Class AB, from ten output transistors per channel and 1250 VA of transformers, enough for the twin 8-inch woofers. Its gain switches between +24 and +30 dB to suit the fully balanced, capacitor-free MP-1. The NT-1 carries no converter and sends PCM up to 768 kHz to the ND-1 over an I2S-LVDS link, where two AK4499EX chips convert. The NA-1 adds 18 W balanced into 33 ohm for headphones. In the vinyl corner the No. 5105 MC comes with a factory-fitted Ortofon moving coil, yet the H150 and H200 phono inputs are MM only and the H400, a 250 W dual mono design, has none, so an outboard MC stage is required. The IC-120 is a 4 ohm aluminium column only 23 mm deep that rolls off at 120 Hz, and the passive Flatboy Slim covers 45 to 200 Hz beneath it. The A5+ gives 75 W into 4 ohm, while the OBI3 G2 has a switchable phono stage and the YU4 G2 brings 110 W RMS.
How it sounds
With 450 W into 4 ohm behind the woofers, orchestral and electronic bass lines hold their weight at higher levels instead of softening as the load drops. A dedicated midrange working between 650 Hz and 3 kHz keeps voices apart from woofer motion, and the balanced path from DAC to power amplifier leaves a quiet background at low volume.
Considering a similar setup
Plan amplification first, since this speaker wants 200 W or more into 4 ohm. A second MA-1 lets both run bridged, giving each speaker 900 W. On a smaller budget the MS-1c, with its own DAC and digital volume, can replace the NT-1 and ND-1 pair and feed the MA-1 directly.
17 components
- Floorstanding loudspeakers
Platinum 300 3G
The Platinum 300 3G combines an MPD III converter, a 4-inch RDP III midrange speaker, and two 8-inch RDT III woofers to achieve exceptional scale and depth.
- Power amplifiers stereo
MA-1
by Matrix Audio
The output stages of the Matrix Audio MA-1 power amplifier are made on discrete elements and operate in class A/B. To reduce the output impedance, ten high-power ONSEMI transistors operate in parallel in each channel to create a push-pull amplification circuit operating in a state of high bias current.
- Preamplifiers
MP-1
by Matrix Audio
The MP-1 is equipped with three pairs of RCA and three pairs of XLR inputs with the ability to independently adjust the level for each of them. This allows you to maintain the amplitude of all input signals at the same level, preventing volume fluctuations when switching from one source to another.
- DACs
ND-1
by Matrix Audio
Thanks to its dual-DAC architecture, the ND-1 combines state-of-the-art circuitry with precise professional tuning. It demonstrates a clear, transparent and expressive sound. The device reveals the details and emotional nuances of music, offering discerning audiophiles an immersive sound experience.
- Streamers
NT-1
by Matrix Audio
A distinctive feature of the senior model Matrix Audio NT-1 is the presence of a network optical SFP port. Such a fiber-optic network connection provides additional quality, since the audio device can be completely electrically isolated from the rest of the computer network. Matrix Audio NT-1 is also equipped with a connector for connecting an external 10 MHz clock generator.
- Headphones amplifiers
NA-1
by Matrix Audio
The NA-1 confidently works with headphones in a wide range of impedance and sensitivity. It is able to function as a preamp when used with active acoustics, easily adapting to various listening scenarios.
- Turntables
№ 5105
The body of the model is made of 1-inch-thick aluminum with black anodizing, and there is a tinted glass display on the front panel. The classic hourglass-shaped Mark Levinson pen plays the role of a clamp here, and a custom-made tonearm with an aluminum base and carbon tube is made in the same style.
- Integrated amplifiers
H200
by Hegel
The H200 combines an amplifier, a digital-to-analog converter, a streamer, a phono corrector for MM pickups, and a headphone amplifier. The model supports USB connection, optical and coaxial inputs, Ethernet, as well as streaming via Spotify Connect Lossless, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, AirPlay, Google Cast, Roon Ready and UPnP.
- Integrated amplifiers
H150
by Hegel
The Hegel H150 has an output power of 2 x 75 watts per channel. But let's not forget that this is Hegel. The proprietary SoundEngine technology of the second generation provides a damping factor of more than 2,000!
- Integrated amplifiers
H400
by Hegel
The Hegel H400 Streamliner integrated Amplifier is a classic Class A/B amplifier that, according to the manufacturer, delivers an impressive 250 watts per channel for speakers with a nominal resistance of 8 ohms. At the same time, the amplifier calmly tolerates a drop in load impedance to 2 ohms.
- Streamers
MS-1c
by Matrix Audio
Matrix Audio MS-1c is a network audio player that combines high sound quality, flexible connectivity and support for modern streaming technologies. The device is designed to play audio content from local sources, streaming services, and network storage.
- Integrated amplifiers
A5+
by Arcam
Arcam A15+ is an integrated Class AB amplifier with a power of 2×75 watts (8 ohms), Bluetooth aptX Adaptive, MM phono corrector, digital—to-analog inputs and clear detailed sound.
- CD / SACD players and transports
CD5
by Arcam
Arcam CD5 is a CD player that allows you to play high—resolution music content from CDs and USB media in FLAC and WAV encoding.
- Bookshelf Speakers
YU4 G2
by Kanto Audio
Response Content The Kanto Audio YU4 G2 is a second—generation active shelf speaker system that combines compactness with high power and extensive connectivity options.
- Floorstanding loudspeakers
IC120
B.E.C. Akustik IC-120 is an ultra-thin architectural speaker system in the Line-Array format. It is designed for integration into interiors, home theaters and commercial spaces, combining compact design with high speech intelligibility and sound quality.
- Subwoofers
FlatBoySlim
The B.E.C. Akustik Flatboy Slim is an ultra-thin passive subwoofer designed for compact spaces where not only powerful but also unobtrusive bass is important. Its main feature is the thickness of only 58 mm, which allows you to embed the device under furniture, behind TV panels or mounted in walls.