A terrible trend (especially if you have small kids) I wish would disappear forever. Grill should always be a choice. I think I'll tell the manufacturer that.
Jay you're the best, I really like your channel and watch all the time. I am saving my money to buy a new pair of Troubadour's. Ever since you and Steve reviewed them I have just been fixed on a new pair. They were taken off the Tekton sight but they are still available. I have talked to Eric several times and have found out just a little bit more about the uniqueness and why they were made to begin with. I still want them for all the right reasons and I never listened to all those haters. Thank you for such a wonderful channel.
Gotta love a good amt tweeter. They do great work in my Adam audio monitor speakers. For my main system I will never ever have anything else than electrostats. Fell in love at age 20, bought my first pair and the accompanying gear that same year 1988. Most of the gear is still in my system, though the speakers (acoustat x) were lost due to freak weather. But after a stint with a pair of Quad ESL 57, I am back to acoustat X 😁 still have the Quad set, in fact I now have 3 sets of ESL 57. Hence I am building a HT setup with them 😎
All the best speakers use AMT / Ribbons in the tweeters and sometimes mids too. They can just achieve a speed and separation that horns and domes AMD cones just can’t match. I’m talking the best speakers, not the most expensive.
@@Jayiyagi yep. I’m aware platimons with subs would be the better scenario but just from a total cost comparison the super mom minis plus sub would be much less expensive. I wondered which scenario you thought would have the greater overall sound (assuming the cost was the same). I don’t know if this changes your answer but I would be listening in the near field by either scenario.
I'm a fan of always tweaking speakers, there is no such thing as a completed speaker. The fact that nearly every company brings out new improved versions, is evidence of that. 😅
Problem is they want $11,000 for the VC-2 units. That's 11K for a couple of basically subwoofers in a box that fits these on top. Isn't that a bit outrageous...
It’s definitely a lot of money and in my opinion, a “hard sell” but the market will decide that. However keep in mind that the point of the VC2 is not just a bass module with a single woofer. The woofer was designed by MonAcoustic (their first driver made in house) for the VC2 and It also has a super tweeter they call “the harmonic tweeter” This also offers various tunings and orientations in 2.5, 3 way and 4 way. From my understanding, the cost to manufacture and ship to North America also is very expensive, which adds to the costs of the VC2
When I was at THE SHOW, they said PlatiMon’s competitor models are Focal Sopra No2 and floorstander. I own VC1 and I think of it this way that it’s a floorstander but I am buying the top units first.😂 Yes, they are not cheap at all but you should try them they sound amazing. I am saving up for them.
It's definitely a speaker that I would buy. I would also add that, just as you did yourself, some warmth and body has to be added as it's natural sound it's extremely clean and transparent. That is to say the right kind of amp, dac and a sub is needed to deliver a fantastic soundstage, great imaging yet with full body and dynamics. Thanks Jay.
That's what they said about aluminum alloy bicycle frames four decades ago. The key word here is "alloy " . It turns out that aluminum alloy is a very versatile material and with time it can be tuned to each specific application . The R@D can be significant, but those costs are absorbed over time. The material scales up as production production increases too. So it could very well be a better material for the general public and market soon enough. Those little Realistic speakers sound pretty good and could easily updated to higher standard.
Thanks for your commitment to audio. I really like and learn from your channel. May I ask what is the type of wood that you said was the best wood for speaker Thank you.
Hi Jay. Similar question to the one about the Arendal 1723 Monitor S. I have Thomas's Galion A20 (with these in front of it: Denafrips Pontus II 12th-1 DAC & Burson Soloist 3GT as preamp) and I listen nearfield, mid-80s db max. Will the Galion work well with these speakers: Drive them ok and not he too detailed? (Thomas told me “I would not pair it with hyper detailed Focal, B&W speakers.”) Thanks. Great channel.
Hi Jay, thanks for bringing all the interesting brands to us! As for the VC2, it will be out of my range but their Super MiniMon arouse my interest, howgood, or less good are they when comnparing to the VC2, are they easy to drive as they are in Isobaric from and I'm using a sub from Audio Physics, will that compliment each other well? Have been using a pair of nice Dynaudio Crafft with 1st gen Esotar for more than 25 years and am itchy to find alternative which can better them ! Cheers Eric
Gonna let you in on a secret. You can use a Home Theater set with 5.1 or 7.1 and a nice DTS-MA or Atmos Music BluRay and you are for sure in the middle of the stage with instruments located in 5 or 7 different places around you. You don't have to imagine "Soundstage" the media has it recorded that way.
I do play surround channel music in my home theatre room. It is fantastic but of course a different experience from 2 channel and also not every music is recorded for surround sound.
@@Jayiyagi Building out my system to a HT system. But I doubt I will play much music through it 😂 so the HT part will be optional. While the side speakers can be used by themselves as well
I have a decent Atmos setup using an Anthem AVM 70 w Krell and ATI amps. Every now and then I will play some multichannel music but I always end up going back to 2ch. Not bc one is better than the other, it’s just my preference. Both setups share the same main speakers
treading into the battlefield of the audio class war brave man lol. most people who like to consider themselves an "audiophile" seem to prefer music that mostly works best in 2 ch. most wouldn't be caught dead listening to nine inch nails , Lincoln park, metal, rap or any music that actually sounds better in surround...some pink flood being the outlier. this also seeps down into peoples tastes in audio equipment . people who favor a H/T setup (like myself) definitely go multi ch when the music favore it but i definitely notice that some music requires a normal soundstage with precise imaging to best experience it. in a nutshell some are a bit too snobby to explore music that is well suited for the multi ch medium. so more for us i guess
Please excuse the slightly off-top question: What front speakers ( ~ $6K pair) and center speaker ($?K) for DVD and BD movie sound? Ideally, 89db into 8 ohms. Listening distance 10 ft. Room size ~ 2760 cu ft room, emptying into ~ 9ft x 11 kitchen. Triangular ceiling over everything; peaks at 11ft. Have four Rythmik F12 sealed subs.
Mounting the speakers on bearings? How does this help, does the speaker not move backwards with every loud bass note colouring the sound? Such movement of the sound source is probably imperceptible even to the trained ear. Does it sound better psychologically? I use PreSonus Eris XT8 in my home studio. I doubt I could tell the difference between the PreSonus and the MonAcoustic reviewed here. I don't have a perfect listening environment, soft furnishings, carpets and mats on a wood floor, room has alcoves. Different frequencies are attenuated or reflected differently all adding colour to the sound. They are near field speakers so with my head between them, the acoustics of the room do not impinge much on the overall sound.
Let me explain a bit. Ball bearings help the built up resonance inside the cabinet to exit. So they act as converting kinetic energy to prevent or to minimize the coloration of cabinet material. Think of it as a mechanism to tune the sound. This kinetic energy is not forceful enough to move the speakers physically. If you try, you will blow up the driver before you see it happening 😅 So I don’t recommend you doing that. They will not wobble until you touch them. Yes, you should wobble them as they feel soothing, not kidding. So ball bearing is a mechanism we included. But you always have freedom to take them out and put a dampening pads if you have a hard surface like marble, or even some hardwood with spikes. You don’t want the built up resonance shoot down and shoot up straight back which can amplify coloration. So you can decide whether to change the aftermarket isolation feet or take those balls off between the stands. We simply want to give as many options as possible to our customers.
How does it compare to the fr5 from ps audio you mentioned being amazed by in a previous vid which is bout half the money? Any chancec of reviewing that one?
The ball bearing does not simply rotate and move around even at cranking volumes, ball bearings have been used in audio for isolation purposes on various devices including speakers, Iso-acoustics' (a well known isolation device company) patented design also allows this "motion" which again does not alter sound through motion. Think of the ball bearing as an alternative to a spike. Sure, yes if someone physically push the speaker while you are listening and its wobbling around, then there would be an audible anomaly
Let me explain a bit. Ball bearings help the built up resonance inside the cabinet to exit. So they act as converting kinetic energy to prevent or to minimize the coloration of cabinet material. Think of it as a mechanism to tune the sound. This kinetic energy is not forceful enough to move the speakers physically. If you try, you will blow up the driver before you see it happening 😅 So I don’t recommend you doing that. They will not wobble until you touch them. Yes, you should wobble them as they feel soothing, not kidding. So ball bearing is a mechanism we included. But you always have freedom to take them out and put a dampening pads if you have a hard surface like marble, or even some hardwood with spikes. You don’t want the built up resonance shoot down and shoot up straight back which can amplify coloration. So you can decide whether to change the aftermarket isolation feet or take those balls off between the stands. We simply want to give as many options as possible to our customers.
They have been finalized from last year’s launch! We had some different schools of thoughts getting various feedbacks when Jay visited us in Korea. This was before the launch I believe.
How About the PSAudio FR5 I believe it is. How bout a test and comparison with them. I heard they are quite Good. Also the new Epos Es14 I think the model.very Talented Designer in Fink Team.
To me, the big mistake with most tweeters, is that they comprise of an enclosed airspace, making them tend to sound a bit "sippy". Internal resonance causes it. And they insist on two drivers apart from each other! This is bad for phasing, expecially vertical off axis response. Also only point source sound (combined with dipole sound) will truley make sounds come from "nowhere" (between 200hz and 20 khz). A hard act to follow...no it isn't! 😅 Buy a 5" FR driver and get rid of the whizzer cone (if it has one) cos they are out of phase, doubling up the sound source into 2 sound sources, and more weight! And get rid of the center dome (if it's not a fixed stationary phase plung, driver). Preferably get the (fixed) phase plug type FR driver. With the paper or plastic dome in the center, drivers you havei an enclosed cavity, trapping the air inside and full of resonance. With a really sharp (and stiff) blade, cut the center dome off, about 1/8" in from the base of the dome. This leaves a tiny "whizzer" that is basically in phase cos it's so small, and it's open air! Good luck with that one! Now, make blade slits (right through the cone) 3/8" long and 3/8" out from the center edge of the cone. And 1/4" gaps between the slits that are not cut! And make sure you widen the gap in the slits (to 1/2 mm) wide (the width of this print). This stops vibrations if the slits are still touching (very important if you don't want...z). 😅 The slitting extends the treble like crazy! And it sweetens it too. And running the FR driver open also extends the treble! To tweeter level, and sounds better than most tweeters (being dipole and no air trapped inside any enclosed avities). You can try it with old speakers with disconnected tweeter or use hifi 2 ways with bi-wiring binding posts. Use heaps of Blue Tack or plasticine to temporarily mont the open FR driver on top, and piggy-back the wires to the bass bindng posts. That is to hear how it sounds. Sounds like open aluminium panel speakers (about 3" wide and 9"tall) and a woofer. 😅 Mount the open driver on top of a speaker box (sloped back at like 40°) with a woofer in the box! 10" woofer in a box sounds amazing with the open driver on top! The best speaker you heard, well at least the most fun to listen to. If there is any REVERB in a recording, you are going to hear it! Some sounds really DO come from "nowhere"! The driver is all paper cone but sounds like aluminium (but like the best headphones in the world, type sound). 😅 They are so good that I often mistake a voice in the speakers, for a real voice in the room! And I get startled, still knowings it's in the speakers! It's primeval, I suppose. That has never happened to me with "normal" speakers. Don't believe me? Try it! 😮
You can see MTM designs like the Arendal 1723 THX S monitor I reviewed recently where vertical off axis response is excellently maintained but you are correct that listening height becomes important in an MTM design. Will post off axis responses of the platimons later. cheers
Thank you for sharing another bit of the journey, Jay. A few questions, if I may. 1. This is a fine impression of the combination of your tastes, room, this speaker, and associated equipment as well as a host of other variables. Agreed? 2. Uncritical appreciation of passion is deceptive. (Eg extreme politicians are often passionate but also dangerous. For example, the National Socialists in Germany during the 1930s and early 40s.) Although, passion can be a superb virtue. Yes? 3. If a certain physical material has a "sound" then it must always have that sound unless something else is done. Thanks for suggesting this when you discussed the laminated (constrained later damped?) cabinets. Do you agree? 4. The ball bearing interface between the stands and speakers must allow the speakers to move in reaction to the bass drivers moving back and forth. Bless Sir Isaac.... (There's more detail here, but that's for another time.) How would this not alter the signal in a number of ways? 5. I believe these speakers are marketed as a "virtual coaxial." Is it not true that this description only applies in the vertical aspect? Are they not, in effect, a resurrection of Joseph D'Appolito's / MTM design? 6. Does not the importance of equipment matching suggest that we may have too quickly abandoned our equalizers in the 1980s? 7. I appreciate your conclusion paying tribute to the importance of subjectivity in our dear hobby. Thanks again!
1. yes agreed 2. sure but in this context, as I have observed, I saw it as a positive thing. I saw no reason to be critical of his incredible dedication and hours spent on his projects. Maybe I am missing something, what is the downside of a speaker designer working hard to perfect/improve his craft? 3. yes 4. the ball bearing does not simply rotate and move around even at cranking volumes, ball bearings have been used in audio for isolation purposes on various devices including speakers, Iso-acoustics' (a well known isolation device company) patented design also allows this "motion" which again does not alter sound through motion. Think of the ball bearing as an alternative to a spike. Sure, yes if someone physically push the speaker while you are listening and its wobbling around, then there would be an audible anomaly 5. yes correct, it is not a true coax design. Virtual coax refers to the mtm design but also the distinctive left and right channel through inner ports and outer port tunings and thus the term itself was coined by MonAcoustic and is in no way reference to say that this is a coax design, hence why they put "virtual" in the front I suppose. I don't think anyone would be fooled into thinking this is a coax driver design... 6. very very good question. I love eq, that's why I mentioned in the video that I use the eversolo dmp a8 to eq for loudness contour at night. However, eq also has its limitation objectively and subjectively. Also with great power comes great responsibility and the risk to damaging your gear in case of using a full band eq wrong can be detrimental yet super plausible. Perhaps another topic for a different video 7. thank you
Let me explain a bit. Ball bearings help the built up resonance inside the cabinet to exit. So they act as converting kinetic energy to prevent or to minimize the coloration of cabinet material. Think of it as a mechanism to tune the sound. This kinetic energy is not forceful enough to move the speakers physically. If you try, you will blow up the driver before you see it happening 😅 So I don’t recommend you doing that. They will not wobble until you touch them. Yes, you should wobble them as they feel soothing, not kidding. So ball bearing is a mechanism we included. But you always have freedom to take them out and put a dampening pads if you have a hard surface like marble, or even some hardwood with spikes. You don’t want the built up resonance shoot down and shoot up straight back which can amplify coloration. So you can decide whether to change the aftermarket isolation feet or take those balls off between the stands. We simply want to give as many options as possible to our customers.
Personally for me it's ugly but not saying it doesn't sound good. For me though looks matter as much as sound because no matter how good a speaker sounds , I still have to look at.
Yes the one I have is the Audio Note DAC 5 Special and it's about $30k USD. I should mention that this unit is not mine, I have no paid for it, it was graciously lent to me by the distributor in Canada as I really wanted to try it
Hi, you use an Audio Note dac 5 not the ANK kit level 5, different ball game?! What is its solution for Qobuz 192 kHz? USB 24/96??? I have had an Audio Note dac 1 that kept dying on me, now I use the Ayre QB-9 Twenty solid state. Thanks, Yoram
I have not tried the totl ANK dac so cannot speak for it. I use tidal and do not care about playback resolution. The way it was recorded is far more important
I don't get it. How this could be your reference speaker. I looked up the frequency response of the speaker and the specs say 48Hz tot 28.000Hz. The low E note on a bassguitar is 41Hz.
@@Jayiyagi I agree, there is a use for every kind, the shoebox is perfect to keeps its content packed and bundled up, once in the open, and the box disposed, you can walk and enjoy the shoes, ironically, sounds too prefer to live and sing in the open, the very opposite than being boxed and stored up.
I have Focal Aria 926k2 and Jbl Studio 530s. I am lookibg for a new reference bookshelf speaker. I am torn between these Mon Acoustics or ATC SCM 20P. Can anyone help me?
Some like a darker sound, less transparency, more bass, mid bass, compared to speakers that show as much as possible of the source/processed recording. Maybe less emphasis on upper mids too.
yes that area is tilted up on many speakers. That region isn't associated with "brightness" but "air" to be clear though, the degree of airiness varies and that region being tilted up does not always give same results
yea I think the stand height is fine for my personal listening height but I do wish they offered different heights for the speaker stands... one can always get a different stand but it won't be "matching" stands
I guess the days of testing anything reasonably priced are over. It would be nice to hear some reviews of gear like Pathos, Unison Research, Fritz Carbon or Zu speakers but you dont seem interested in anything that is not expensive. I find myself losing interest in watching reviews of things I cant afford. It's a waste of time for me.
Hey, have you ever thought of doing a review of the Totem Acoustics’ Tribe V on-wall speaker? They make stands for them if you’re not wanting to install them on your actual wall.
@@Jayiyagi, thank you so much! I just started and, then, remembered that I had watched it, back when you first published it….but I am gonna watch it, again. :) Thank you, again, for the link and for the videos you put out. They are, always, very informative.
70Hz to 20,000 Hz +/- 10dB.... or even worse 20Hz to 20,000Hz +/- 25 dB. I am sure GR Research might be able to maybe, and I mean maybe... to get those things fixed, but IDK with 2 types of drivers and such a tiny box.
You are reading the graph wrong… while not a flat speaker, it certainly isn’t +-25db nor +-10db… and they sound fantastic. I urge you to take a listen if you get the chance before drawing such conclusions
@@Jayiyagi I was just going off the graph you showed at the opening of your video which is +/- 25db for the full frequency range. If that is for some other speaker, sorry for the confusion.
Yes, wish we have a way to make them cheaper. But they are at great values even at $6000 dollars a pair. Demo them and see if the price is still too much 😘
I actually listened to most of the models in Korea as well as the various shows I visited. I was supposed to get them as soon as I was back from Korea last year but decided to call if off as I found that it wasn't particularly my type of sound
@@Jayiyagi I'm shocked. I owned Arendal 1723 beforehand and the perlisten's utterly destroys the Arendals in every single metric. The arendals sounded very cheap in comparison.
@@Jayiyagi They move around and kill the rise time of your dynamics. the speaker has to push against the air and it will move slightly. So you can use spikes on your stands and speakers which should help.
@@Jayiyagi Yes, while the speaker cabinet can move in the air it will affect the all the speakers, this is why the best speakers have very heavy cabinets. Even bass and mid speakers firing will cause resonances in the cabinet. The new Elac speaker they mention a bit about and the mid and tweeter are mounted to a metal plate and even that is damped probably.
so your claiming that a ball bearing that's used for resonance control in not just this speaker but many tweaks is actually what causes unwanted resonances and that these companies are clueless. Well my claim is simply that I measured these speakers with their stands and found no deviation of its FR nor in the waterfall graph nor the impedance graph because they don't move like you suggested. They work like spikes, they don't simply move around from the force of the bass even at cranking volumes. (you can find the data in my original review) But please do let me know if you find measurable data suggesting that the ball bearings detracts from the performance
A bit too much business bias. Not a review I can trust. Just a bit too obvious in the fact that there’s an interest to making out to be better than they are in my opinion
Man that w fr is way far from a good reference speaker😆 de mid range has a weirdo sound, that will sound weird no matter what, the 15khz si something that can be enjoy… but the mids.. oh god thats mid tier.
@@Jayiyagi people hear different things, different ears, Jay: you cant impose your hearing ideas on others, did you ever scientifically test your hearing and are aware of your specific foot print and limitations?
When have I imposed my hearing onto others? I am merely recommending that the individual tries to hear the speakers before drawing conclusions based on observed data
@@Jayiyagi I can't listen but i don't see any reason for listen them anyway to be honest, the Brand doesn't have any competent White paper and the speaker lack serious measurements reviews... I always feel like youtubers has a new best speaker or favorite speaker per new video they made
I own a pair of PlatiMon VC One after watching your video, Jay. Love them. ❤ I wish they make grills for these though.
Thank you for being a great customer of our products!! ❤
A terrible trend (especially if you have small kids) I wish would disappear forever. Grill should always be a choice. I think I'll tell the manufacturer that.
This is nice that you have a favorite 🎉👍
My favorite after 34 years is still the first Wilson Audio Watt Puppy with Siltec cables .
Why not make speaker of the ear instead of the year.....
You’re fired 😂
Ha.
Or, a kick-ass product could be speaker of the rear.
Cool idea, or Speaker of the yEAR 😂
DUDE !! ..... 100K is SOOO close!!!
Also ... Nice shirt. =)
I love the Platimon enough that I bought the review sample and sold my Kanta No1, it really is a great reference speaker!!
Yay, Nemo!! 🎉❤
How would you compare the Platimon to the recent Arendal 1528 that you tested? 😊
Jay you're the best, I really like your channel and watch all the time. I am saving my money to buy a new pair of Troubadour's. Ever since you and Steve reviewed them I have just been fixed on a new pair. They were taken off the Tekton sight but they are still available. I have talked to Eric several times and have found out just a little bit more about the uniqueness and why they were made to begin with. I still want them for all the right reasons and I never listened to all those haters. Thank you for such a wonderful channel.
Picked up a couple pairs of Focal Grande Utopia EM EVO Loudspeaker's, they rock.
Ya right…..ya right……ya right!!
yikes.. they had better rock cos they cost more than my house
What electronics are you using with those beasts??
Gotta love a good amt tweeter. They do great work in my Adam audio monitor speakers. For my main system I will never ever have anything else than electrostats. Fell in love at age 20, bought my first pair and the accompanying gear that same year 1988. Most of the gear is still in my system, though the speakers (acoustat x) were lost due to freak weather. But after a stint with a pair of Quad ESL 57, I am back to acoustat X 😁 still have the Quad set, in fact I now have 3 sets of ESL 57. Hence I am building a HT setup with them 😎
All the best speakers use AMT / Ribbons in the tweeters and sometimes mids too. They can just achieve a speed and separation that horns and domes AMD cones just can’t match. I’m talking the best speakers, not the most expensive.
I use Adam Audio S3V for home listening. If I ever had to "upgrade", I'd consider D&D 8C, but then I'd be going away from a ribbon tweeter!
Hi Jay,
Can you please share your thoughts about VC1 vs TAD micro.
You commented that you love both of them.
Maybe even do a full comparison 🙏
Great Job Jay!!!🎉🎉
We have these in for review now and I can concur with Jay 100%.
Cheers. 🍻
Thanks Jay for all your info on the Mon Acoustic brand. Would you advise the use of super mon minis with addition of sub or Platimons without sub?
Why not platimons with subs ;)
@@Jayiyagi yep. I’m aware platimons with subs would be the better scenario but just from a total cost comparison the super mom minis plus sub would be much less expensive. I wondered which scenario you thought would have the greater overall sound (assuming the cost was the same). I don’t know if this changes your answer but I would be listening in the near field by either scenario.
I'm a fan of always tweaking speakers, there is no such thing as a completed speaker. The fact that nearly every company brings out new improved versions, is evidence of that. 😅
Love AMT tweeters, nice review, I will look out for a pair of these...
Hi jay Hope you will take a look at the ps audio aspen fr5s. Really curious about those ✌🏼
I had to sell everything I owned to buy these speakers but I couldn't afford the $2,000 stands so I'm using two stacks of empty pizza boxes.
underrated comment 😂
😂😂😂
The Apple infection has contaminated all industries
Problem is they want $11,000 for the VC-2 units. That's 11K for a couple of basically subwoofers in a box that fits these on top. Isn't that a bit outrageous...
It’s definitely a lot of money and in my opinion, a “hard sell” but the market will decide that.
However keep in mind that the point of the VC2 is not just a bass module with a single woofer. The woofer was designed by MonAcoustic (their first driver made in house) for the VC2 and It also has a super tweeter they call “the harmonic tweeter”
This also offers various tunings and orientations in 2.5, 3 way and 4 way.
From my understanding, the cost to manufacture and ship to North America also is very expensive, which adds to the costs of the VC2
When I was at THE SHOW, they said PlatiMon’s competitor models are Focal Sopra No2 and floorstander. I own VC1 and I think of it this way that it’s a floorstander but I am buying the top units first.😂 Yes, they are not cheap at all but you should try them they sound amazing. I am saving up for them.
There is always a dumbass that will buy into this nonsense
It's definitely a speaker that I would buy. I would also add that, just as you did yourself, some warmth and body has to be added as it's natural sound it's extremely clean and transparent. That is to say the right kind of amp, dac and a sub is needed to deliver a fantastic soundstage, great imaging yet with full body and dynamics. Thanks Jay.
funny, for me it's exactly the speaker i would NEVER buy... ;) I hate alu-boxes and all the jazz filling to compensate for the misbehavior.
That's what they said about aluminum alloy bicycle frames four decades ago. The key word here is "alloy " . It turns out that aluminum alloy is a very versatile material and with time it can be tuned to each specific application . The R@D can be significant, but those costs are absorbed over time. The material scales up as production production increases too. So it could very well be a better material for the general public and market soon enough. Those little Realistic speakers sound pretty good and could easily updated to higher standard.
Thanks for your commitment to audio. I really like and learn from your channel. May I ask what is the type of wood that you said was the best wood for speaker Thank you.
mpingo wood
@@Jayiyagi Thank you.
Great video, Jay! Very interesting! All the best, Rob in Switzerland
Where can one listen to these in the Toronto area?
How would these speakers compare to lets say a Wilson Alexia V ?
Hi Jay. Similar question to the one about the Arendal 1723 Monitor S. I have Thomas's Galion A20 (with these in front of it: Denafrips Pontus II 12th-1 DAC & Burson Soloist 3GT as preamp) and I listen nearfield, mid-80s db max. Will the Galion work well with these speakers: Drive them ok and not he too detailed? (Thomas told me “I would not pair it with hyper detailed Focal, B&W speakers.”) Thanks. Great channel.
Did you try pairing the Platimon with the Brunoco 6L6 amp? I was surprised you did not mention whether that was a good combo or not.
Let the speaker speak and lend me your ears 🍻✨
Hi Jay. Thanks for the review. Would you consider reviewing any of the flagship Tektons? Also the Townshend Alegri Reference pre amp? Thanks again
I doubt he will do any tekton reviews anymore. Too many headaches with owner.
WOW you give the same review about every speaker you test, they are all your end game speakers, I guess being an audio reviewer pays good.
Hi. I do not and if you look at the reference list, you can see I picked the ones I felt stood out in each price carefully. Cheers
Only a Suggestion but some good well known Companies
What happened with Sonus Faber Electa Amator III?
Will you do your thoughts on Available Electrostatic Headphones?
Hi Jay, thanks for bringing all the interesting brands to us! As for the VC2, it will be out of my range but their Super MiniMon arouse my interest, howgood, or less good are they when comnparing to the VC2, are they easy to drive as they are in Isobaric from and I'm using a sub from Audio Physics, will that compliment each other well? Have been using a pair of nice Dynaudio Crafft with 1st gen Esotar for more than 25 years and am itchy to find alternative which can better them ! Cheers Eric
Review for the 2nd gen coming soon. Let me just say its really good and even better than the first gen I reviewed long ago
@@Jayiyagi will wait for your review~ Do you know if I can audition them In HK?
you'd have to contact them to find out. I am sure you can since they are closer to HK than NA
@@Jayiyagi yeah, thanks mate
Be sure and share your setup and the room dimensions during sampling in the description.
Gonna let you in on a secret. You can use a Home Theater set with 5.1 or 7.1 and a nice DTS-MA or Atmos Music BluRay and you are for sure in the middle of the stage with instruments located in 5 or 7 different places around you. You don't have to imagine "Soundstage" the media has it recorded that way.
I do play surround channel music in my home theatre room. It is fantastic but of course a different experience from 2 channel and also not every music is recorded for surround sound.
@@Jayiyagi Building out my system to a HT system. But I doubt I will play much music through it 😂 so the HT part will be optional. While the side speakers can be used by themselves as well
I have a decent Atmos setup using an Anthem AVM 70 w Krell and ATI amps. Every now and then I will play some multichannel music but I always end up going back to 2ch. Not bc one is better than the other, it’s just my preference. Both setups share the same main speakers
treading into the battlefield of the audio class war brave man lol. most people who like to consider themselves an "audiophile" seem to prefer music that mostly works best in 2 ch. most wouldn't be caught dead listening to nine inch nails , Lincoln park, metal, rap or any music that actually sounds better in surround...some pink flood being the outlier. this also seeps down into peoples tastes in audio equipment . people who favor a H/T setup (like myself) definitely go multi ch when the music favore it but i definitely notice that some music requires a normal soundstage with precise imaging to best experience it. in a nutshell some are a bit too snobby to explore music that is well suited for the multi ch medium. so more for us i guess
They don’t seem to be easily available in Europe. Do you know if they have some plans ?
I believe they are getting dealers in Europe. Email them and I am sure they can assist in giving you a demo
Please excuse the slightly off-top question: What front speakers ( ~ $6K pair) and center speaker
($?K) for DVD and BD movie sound? Ideally, 89db into 8 ohms. Listening distance 10 ft. Room size
~ 2760 cu ft room, emptying into ~ 9ft x 11 kitchen. Triangular ceiling over everything; peaks at 11ft.
Have four Rythmik F12 sealed subs.
Brother J try to get some PSB T800 since you're in Canada. Thanks again brother and keep on rocking it!
Mounting the speakers on bearings? How does this help, does the speaker not move backwards with every loud bass note colouring the sound? Such movement of the sound source is probably imperceptible even to the trained ear. Does it sound better psychologically? I use PreSonus Eris XT8 in my home studio. I doubt I could tell the difference between the PreSonus and the MonAcoustic reviewed here. I don't have a perfect listening environment, soft furnishings, carpets and mats on a wood floor, room has alcoves. Different frequencies are attenuated or reflected differently all adding colour to the sound. They are near field speakers so with my head between them, the acoustics of the room do not impinge much on the overall sound.
Let me explain a bit. Ball bearings help the built up resonance inside the cabinet to exit. So they act as converting kinetic energy to prevent or to minimize the coloration of cabinet material. Think of it as a mechanism to tune the sound. This kinetic energy is not forceful enough to move the speakers physically. If you try, you will blow up the driver before you see it happening 😅 So I don’t recommend you doing that. They will not wobble until you touch them. Yes, you should wobble them as they feel soothing, not kidding.
So ball bearing is a mechanism we included. But you always have freedom to take them out and put a dampening pads if you have a hard surface like marble, or even some hardwood with spikes. You don’t want the built up resonance shoot down and shoot up straight back which can amplify coloration. So you can decide whether to change the aftermarket isolation feet or take those balls off between the stands. We simply want to give as many options as possible to our customers.
How does it compare to the fr5 from ps audio you mentioned being amazed by in a previous vid which is bout half the money? Any chancec of reviewing that one?
I just got it in today!
@@Jayiyagi hell yeah my Canadian brother can't wait.
What’s “elastic sound”. Would another description mean more 3 dimensional images?
I am intrigued by the use of ball bearings!! Wouldn’t this cause the speaker to rock back-and-forth,destabilizing!
The ball bearing does not simply rotate and move around even at cranking volumes, ball bearings have been used in audio for isolation purposes on various devices including speakers, Iso-acoustics' (a well known isolation device company) patented design also allows this "motion" which again does not alter sound through motion. Think of the ball bearing as an alternative to a spike. Sure, yes if someone physically push the speaker while you are listening and its wobbling around, then there would be an audible anomaly
@@Jayiyagi thank you for your response Jay. I do have the ISO Oreas under my Focal Solo 6 (s). They are amazing.
Let me explain a bit. Ball bearings help the built up resonance inside the cabinet to exit. So they act as converting kinetic energy to prevent or to minimize the coloration of cabinet material. Think of it as a mechanism to tune the sound. This kinetic energy is not forceful enough to move the speakers physically. If you try, you will blow up the driver before you see it happening 😅 So I don’t recommend you doing that. They will not wobble until you touch them. Yes, you should wobble them as they feel soothing, not kidding.
So ball bearing is a mechanism we included. But you always have freedom to take them out and put a dampening pads if you have a hard surface like marble, or even some hardwood with spikes. You don’t want the built up resonance shoot down and shoot up straight back which can amplify coloration. So you can decide whether to change the aftermarket isolation feet or take those balls off between the stands. We simply want to give as many options as possible to our customers.
Good for you J.. Enjoy
🤔Do u have any Taiwan NeoTech Cable Demo video Have!! Video have?
It’s not a question of passion. Are the crossovers finalised, or not ?
Of course it is now that the product is finalized. I was referring to when I was there during the r&d process.
They have been finalized from last year’s launch! We had some different schools of thoughts getting various feedbacks when Jay visited us in Korea. This was before the launch I believe.
How About the PSAudio FR5 I believe it is. How bout a test and comparison with them. I heard they are quite Good. Also the new Epos Es14 I think the model.very Talented Designer in Fink Team.
I just got the PS Audio FR5s in today! Excited to compare them to the platimons
To me, the big mistake with most tweeters, is that they comprise of an enclosed airspace, making them tend to sound a bit "sippy". Internal resonance causes it. And they insist on two drivers apart from each other! This is bad for phasing, expecially vertical off axis response. Also only point source sound (combined with dipole sound) will truley make sounds come from "nowhere" (between 200hz and 20 khz). A hard act to follow...no it isn't! 😅
Buy a 5" FR driver and get rid of the whizzer cone (if it has one) cos they are out of phase, doubling up the sound source into 2 sound sources, and more weight! And get rid of the center dome (if it's not a fixed stationary phase plung, driver). Preferably get the (fixed) phase plug type FR driver. With the paper or plastic dome in the center, drivers you havei an enclosed cavity, trapping the air inside and full of resonance. With a really sharp (and stiff) blade, cut the center dome off, about 1/8" in from the base of the dome. This leaves a tiny "whizzer" that is basically in phase cos it's so small, and it's open air! Good luck with that one! Now, make blade slits (right through the cone) 3/8" long and 3/8" out from the center edge of the cone. And 1/4" gaps between the slits that are not cut! And make sure you widen the gap in the slits (to 1/2 mm) wide (the width of this print). This stops vibrations if the slits are still touching (very important if you don't want...z). 😅 The slitting extends the treble like crazy! And it sweetens it too. And running the FR driver open also extends the treble! To tweeter level, and sounds better than most tweeters (being dipole and no air trapped inside any enclosed avities). You can try it with old speakers with disconnected tweeter or use hifi 2 ways with bi-wiring binding posts. Use heaps of Blue Tack or plasticine to temporarily mont the open FR driver on top, and piggy-back the wires to the bass bindng posts. That is to hear how it sounds. Sounds like open aluminium panel speakers (about 3" wide and 9"tall) and a woofer. 😅
Mount the open driver on top of a speaker box (sloped back at like 40°) with a woofer in the box! 10" woofer in a box sounds amazing with the open driver on top! The best speaker you heard, well at least the most fun to listen to. If there is any REVERB in a recording, you are going to hear it! Some sounds really DO come from "nowhere"! The driver is all paper cone but sounds like aluminium (but like the best headphones in the world, type sound). 😅 They are so good that I often mistake a voice in the speakers, for a real voice in the room! And I get startled, still knowings it's in the speakers! It's primeval, I suppose. That has never happened to me with "normal" speakers. Don't believe me? Try it! 😮
You can see MTM designs like the Arendal 1723 THX S monitor I reviewed recently where vertical off axis response is excellently maintained but you are correct that listening height becomes important in an MTM design. Will post off axis responses of the platimons later. cheers
Thank you for sharing another bit of the journey, Jay. A few questions, if I may.
1. This is a fine impression of the combination of your tastes, room, this speaker, and associated equipment as well as a host of other variables. Agreed?
2. Uncritical appreciation of passion is deceptive. (Eg extreme politicians are often passionate but also dangerous. For example, the National Socialists in Germany during the 1930s and early 40s.) Although, passion can be a superb virtue. Yes?
3. If a certain physical material has a "sound" then it must always have that sound unless something else is done. Thanks for suggesting this when you discussed the laminated (constrained later damped?) cabinets. Do you agree?
4. The ball bearing interface between the stands and speakers must allow the speakers to move in reaction to the bass drivers moving back and forth. Bless Sir Isaac.... (There's more detail here, but that's for another time.) How would this not alter the signal in a number of ways?
5. I believe these speakers are marketed as a "virtual coaxial." Is it not true that this description only applies in the vertical aspect? Are they not, in effect, a resurrection of Joseph D'Appolito's / MTM design?
6. Does not the importance of equipment matching suggest that we may have too quickly abandoned our equalizers in the 1980s?
7. I appreciate your conclusion paying tribute to the importance of subjectivity in our dear hobby.
Thanks again!
1. yes agreed
2. sure but in this context, as I have observed, I saw it as a positive thing. I saw no reason to be critical of his incredible dedication and hours spent on his projects. Maybe I am missing something, what is the downside of a speaker designer working hard to perfect/improve his craft?
3. yes
4. the ball bearing does not simply rotate and move around even at cranking volumes, ball bearings have been used in audio for isolation purposes on various devices including speakers, Iso-acoustics' (a well known isolation device company) patented design also allows this "motion" which again does not alter sound through motion. Think of the ball bearing as an alternative to a spike. Sure, yes if someone physically push the speaker while you are listening and its wobbling around, then there would be an audible anomaly
5. yes correct, it is not a true coax design. Virtual coax refers to the mtm design but also the distinctive left and right channel through inner ports and outer port tunings and thus the term itself was coined by MonAcoustic and is in no way reference to say that this is a coax design, hence why they put "virtual" in the front I suppose. I don't think anyone would be fooled into thinking this is a coax driver design...
6. very very good question. I love eq, that's why I mentioned in the video that I use the eversolo dmp a8 to eq for loudness contour at night. However, eq also has its limitation objectively and subjectively. Also with great power comes great responsibility and the risk to damaging your gear in case of using a full band eq wrong can be detrimental yet super plausible. Perhaps another topic for a different video
7. thank you
What’s that grey ball you put on the speaker stand?
Let me explain a bit. Ball bearings help the built up resonance inside the cabinet to exit. So they act as converting kinetic energy to prevent or to minimize the coloration of cabinet material. Think of it as a mechanism to tune the sound. This kinetic energy is not forceful enough to move the speakers physically. If you try, you will blow up the driver before you see it happening 😅 So I don’t recommend you doing that. They will not wobble until you touch them. Yes, you should wobble them as they feel soothing, not kidding.
So ball bearing is a mechanism we included. But you always have freedom to take them out and put a dampening pads if you have a hard surface like marble, or even some hardwood with spikes. You don’t want the built up resonance shoot down and shoot up straight back which can amplify coloration. So you can decide whether to change the aftermarket isolation feet or take those balls off between the stands. We simply want to give as many options as possible to our customers.
I live in Denmark, where can I buy it?
Email monacoustic and they may be able to help you demo
Personally for me it's ugly but not saying it doesn't sound good. For me though looks matter as much as sound because no matter how good a speaker sounds , I still have to look at.
Absolutely. I am ok with the looks but each to their own
I wish they make round grills for these.
@@newdevilman1167maybe we will. We’ll take a note of that.
Jay, Audio Note UK DAC 5?! Isn't that a $30-$40-$50K USD DAC?
Yes the one I have is the Audio Note DAC 5 Special and it's about $30k USD. I should mention that this unit is not mine, I have no paid for it, it was graciously lent to me by the distributor in Canada as I really wanted to try it
Got it! Audio Excellence, I guess … Sounds like the DAC 5 does that same Tonmeister huge soundstage trick?
How are they compared to totem metal ii ?
Hi, you use an Audio Note dac 5 not the ANK kit level 5, different ball game?! What is its solution for Qobuz 192 kHz? USB 24/96??? I have had an Audio Note dac 1 that kept dying on me, now I use the Ayre QB-9 Twenty solid state. Thanks, Yoram
I have not tried the totl ANK dac so cannot speak for it. I use tidal and do not care about playback resolution. The way it was recorded is far more important
I don't get it. How this could be your reference speaker. I looked up the frequency response of the speaker and the specs say 48Hz tot 28.000Hz. The low E note on a bassguitar is 41Hz.
Actually its f3 is around 30hz
Is the speaker $6500 or $8000? When I link to the page it doesn't fully respond but when I go to the page directly it says $8000.
Yeah, not sure why they show the price including stands first then you have to subtract. 😅
Thanks!
Thank you!
Audition this platimon vs the Epos es14n you'll change your mind
Great sharing. Wish the speaker can look better.
I kinda like the look but what would you suggest for a better look? Curious
"it's own cabinetry sound" well Jay, try open baffle and you're done with boxes once forever.
I heard a few great open baffle designs and love them but boxed designs also have their own benefits as well. More on that in a later video
@@Jayiyagi I agree, there is a use for every kind, the shoebox is perfect to keeps its content packed and bundled up, once in the open, and the box disposed, you can walk and enjoy the shoes, ironically, sounds too prefer to live and sing in the open, the very opposite than being boxed and stored up.
I have Focal Aria 926k2 and Jbl Studio 530s. I am lookibg for a new reference bookshelf speaker. I am torn between these Mon Acoustics or ATC SCM 20P. Can anyone help me?
Mon Acoustic!! Go for it! Haha. They are quite the different animals to compare.
I like to listen to it one day perhaps.
I highly encourage it!
From your description it sounds like Hegel would pair well with the Platimon. Also maybe mcintosh
Yes they do pair well with both brands.
Keep chasing the rainbow 🌈 bro. You’ll never find the end.
Where did you stop?
You said that the Børresen x2 was the best... 😅
Yes and two are quite different. I have a top tier list video coming up where I will explain my “bests” in each price category and how they compare.
What does 'warmer sound' mean?
When you put on a robe during a nice fall morning.
The room becomes slightly warmer after 1 hour when measured from a distance of 1 meter from the speaker.
Some like a darker sound, less transparency, more bass, mid bass, compared to speakers that show as much as possible of the source/processed recording. Maybe less emphasis on upper mids too.
Warmer usually means lacking in Treble or punch at the low end. Like listening to a midrange speaker only.
Makes you feel like your mommy is hugging you on a cold day.
Aha! Tilted top end to make it more airy!
yes that area is tilted up on many speakers. That region isn't associated with "brightness" but "air"
to be clear though, the degree of airiness varies and that region being tilted up does not always give same results
@@Jayiyagi Indeed, it's too high to have an effect on the instruments themselves. 'Bright' is much lower down the spectrum.
I haven't listened to them, but I understand the stands are about 4 inches too low.
yea I think the stand height is fine for my personal listening height but I do wish they offered different heights for the speaker stands... one can always get a different stand but it won't be "matching" stands
We do offer custom heights. The standard heights are set for reclining position. We should do better market this.
What are those dark towers in the back??
revival atlante 4
do some Odyssey gear
Having access to videos like this is why it's good to have rich kids in the world.
I guess the days of testing anything reasonably priced are over. It would be nice to hear some reviews of gear like Pathos, Unison Research, Fritz Carbon or Zu speakers but you dont seem interested in anything that is not expensive. I find myself losing interest in watching reviews of things I cant afford. It's a waste of time for me.
I reviewed an Arendal speaker that is reasonably priced recently…
Jon Anderson.- True
Just dropped Aug 23
You must give this new release a spin - you'll thank me later
Wish I could join you for the experience
Hey, have you ever thought of doing a review of the Totem Acoustics’ Tribe V on-wall speaker?
They make stands for them if you’re not wanting to install them on your actual wall.
yes! Actually I saw and did a coverage at the Montreal show. I was very impressed and look forward to trying it out in the future
@@Jayiyagi , cool
Thank you. Maybe I missed that video. I will need to try to search it out.
@@brandonwelch578 here you go. Cheers :)
th-cam.com/video/TeZ0ofNyDRI/w-d-xo.html
@@Jayiyagi, thank you so much! I just started and, then, remembered that I had watched it, back when you first published it….but I am gonna watch it, again. :)
Thank you, again, for the link and for the videos you put out. They are, always, very informative.
70Hz to 20,000 Hz +/- 10dB.... or even worse 20Hz to 20,000Hz +/- 25 dB. I am sure GR Research might be able to maybe, and I mean maybe... to get those things fixed, but IDK with 2 types of drivers and such a tiny box.
You are reading the graph wrong… while not a flat speaker, it certainly isn’t +-25db nor +-10db… and they sound fantastic. I urge you to take a listen if you get the chance before drawing such conclusions
@@Jayiyagi I was just going off the graph you showed at the opening of your video which is +/- 25db for the full frequency range. If that is for some other speaker, sorry for the confusion.
@@Jayiyagicome on, you know jumping to conclusions is much easier 😂
You want GR Research to ruin the sound? When will these green eared audiofools figure out frequency response is not the end all to good sound?
@@AudioGuyBrian when Danny at GR Research shows a frequency response on his channel he exludes the bass region ie 200Hz and below.
$6500 is a expensive darling.
Yes, wish we have a way to make them cheaper. But they are at great values even at $6000 dollars a pair. Demo them and see if the price is still too much 😘
It is a shame you can't buy it in Europe
I believe they are getting dealers in Europe. Email them and I am sure they can assist in giving you a demo
Europe tends to import quality products only.
@@mediascapes2011bs,China sells lots there
Al you min yum.
If you “gave it out”, (the speaker of the year) why do you still have it🤔
Huh? I think you misunderstood, I gave the award to the speakers.
listen to perlisten bro
I actually listened to most of the models in Korea as well as the various shows I visited. I was supposed to get them as soon as I was back from Korea last year but decided to call if off as I found that it wasn't particularly my type of sound
@@Jayiyagi I'm shocked. I owned Arendal 1723 beforehand and the perlisten's utterly destroys the Arendals in every single metric.
The arendals sounded very cheap in comparison.
Ascendo
not ball bearings mate.
?
@@Jayiyagi They move around and kill the rise time of your dynamics. the speaker has to push against the air and it will move slightly. So you can use spikes on your stands and speakers which should help.
do you have evidence to support your claim?
@@Jayiyagi Yes, while the speaker cabinet can move in the air it will affect the all the speakers, this is why the best speakers have very heavy cabinets. Even bass and mid speakers firing will cause resonances in the cabinet. The new Elac speaker they mention a bit about and the mid and tweeter are mounted to a metal plate and even that is damped probably.
so your claiming that a ball bearing that's used for resonance control in not just this speaker but many tweaks is actually what causes unwanted resonances and that these companies are clueless. Well my claim is simply that I measured these speakers with their stands and found no deviation of its FR nor in the waterfall graph nor the impedance graph because they don't move like you suggested. They work like spikes, they don't simply move around from the force of the bass even at cranking volumes. (you can find the data in my original review)
But please do let me know if you find measurable data suggesting that the ball bearings detracts from the performance
A bit too much business bias. Not a review I can trust. Just a bit too obvious in the fact that there’s an interest to making out to be better than they are in my opinion
I do not have any vested interest in the company as implied. I genuinely love these speakers and am sharing my honest opinion of them.
Man that w fr is way far from a good reference speaker😆 de mid range has a weirdo sound, that will sound weird no matter what, the 15khz si something that can be enjoy… but the mids.. oh god thats mid tier.
idk how you came to that conclusion but the speaker sound fantastic. I urge you to take a listen before drawing such conclusions
There are many ways to have a perceived balanced tuning (don’t have to be flat). Iem and the multiple variations of tuning clearly showed this.
@@Jayiyagi people hear different things, different ears, Jay: you cant impose your hearing ideas on others, did you ever scientifically test your hearing and are aware of your specific foot print and limitations?
When have I imposed my hearing onto others? I am merely recommending that the individual tries to hear the speakers before drawing conclusions based on observed data
@@Jayiyagi I can't listen but i don't see any reason for listen them anyway to be honest, the Brand doesn't have any competent White paper and the speaker lack serious measurements reviews...
I always feel like youtubers has a new best speaker or favorite speaker per new video they made
Mon acoustics 👎👎👎
1st
iron your tshirt bro
Haha, he needs a wife?? 😂
LOL
6500 😅😅😅😅😅