It's easy to see every minute, see mountains and rivers: The Audition of Mingzhan Audio Monitor Audio PL500 II
Author: Dai Tiankai
Summary: Is there such a coincidence? I just finished listening to Monitor Audio's hot new Studio speakers, and the editorial department arranged for me to try Monitor Audio's flagship Platinum PL500 II. What's so coincidental about this? It's not just listening to the same brand of speakers.
Is there such a coincidence? I just finished listening to Monitor Audio's hot new Studio speakers, and the editorial department arranged for me to try Monitor Audio's flagship Platinum PL500 II. What's so coincidental about this? It's not just listening to the same brand of speakers. No, because Studio's pair of small speakers is a great gift from the original factory to consumers, how is it a great gift? According to the original manufacturer, Studio has generally inherited the genes of the PL500 II speaker, which can be said to decentralize the flagship technology, but the price is less than 10%. What is this gift? I just finished listening to the "Concentrated Essence Edition" of Studio, and now I want to listen to the "Native Full Edition" Platinum PL500 II, isn't it wonderful?
is the famous exhibition sound of Monitor Audio experts
Where can I listen to it? Hsinchu The famous exhibition sound in Zhubei. Liang Zhiyuan's famous exhibition audio, one is located in Taipei Xinzhuang , and the other is located in Hsinchu Chubei. This is a flagship store in Zhubei, and the top equipment distributed by the famous exhibition is all in the flagship store in Zhubei. Boss Liang first opened a store in Taipei, but he saw that the young middle class in Hsinchu attaches great importance to lifestyle, so he went to Hsinchu to open a store to provide local consumers with high-quality audio and video services. But the storefront originally located in Hsinchu City is not big enough,In 2016, it moved to the store next to Zhubei Bo Aiguo Center, which is now the location of the famous Hsinchu flagship hall.
In the first year, the flagship hall only had a storefront on the first floor. The large space outside was bright and spacious, with a variety of display items. Inside, there is a dedicated listening room, where the theater and two channels are shared. It's good to have such an audition room. Many dealers in Taipei have far less space here, but Boss Liang is not satisfied. In the end, the spatial processing methods of theaters and two-channels are different. Theaters attach importance to sound absorption, and pure music needs to be diffused in two-channels. Theaters have relatively high functional independence, and two-channel systems can be more integrated into the home. It is best to have a professional theater display space, as well as a listening room suitable for two channels.
Opportunity has come. In the coming year, the second floor will be rented out. Boss Liang saw the opportunity and rented the second floor immediately and divided it into two audition rooms. As he expected, there was a 6 million yuan home theater showroom inside. It is a top-level demonstration space, not only with equipment, but also with theater layouts. Iron Man, Darth Vader, Batman, and Thor are all waiting in there. Of course, that's a doll portrait. There are 24 channels arranged inside, which is more than the 11 channels of the general Japanese top gauge, and the sound effect is absolutely first-class.
This one is bigger outside. It is used to display the Hi End sound system. There is a lot of space, and only large speakers can handle it freely. The space is mainly designed according to the needs of two channels. The back wall of the speaker is mainly diffused, and there are sound-absorbing panels on both sides of the corners to prevent standing waves; the ceiling is designed with a stepped design to reduce the reflected sound above; the walls on both sides are sound-absorbing , the seat back wall is both sound absorption and diffusion. Boss Liang specially selected beautiful-looking space acoustic treatment props, so that people do not feel that this is a professional recording studio, but a comfortable home leisure space. However, this space is also equipped with Lyngdorf's multi-channel system, and is also equipped with an anti-light curtain, so that guests can experience how the two channels and the theater can coexist and share.
Over the years, Famous Exhibition has moved and expanded again to provide guests with a better listening environment and to demonstrate the best effects of the equipment he distributes. Last year, when U-Audio editor Dong Hongjun came to the exhibition to audition PL500 II, he was in the audition room on the first floor, which was much smaller than the audition room on the second floor.Not even half. It is no wonder that the speakers were placed very close to the side wall in order to widen the distance, and only a large angle toe-in could be used to reduce reflections. Now there is no need to be so wronged, the two speakers are about one meter away from the side wall, which is completely in line with the original manufacturer's recommendation. The toe-in is still placed in order to reproduce the solid audio and video and present richer details while widening the distance between the speakers and creating a wide stage.
Boss Liang has been selling Monitor Audio for nearly ten years. In his mind, Monitor Audio is a value-for-money product with a good brand image. "This PL500 II is really great value. It is very difficult to find such a large speaker on the market. It uses so many technologies, and the workmanship is so meticulous, and it can still sell for this price." A single PL500 II weighs 100 kg and is 180 cm high. , as the latest flagship of a British veteran brand with more than 40 years, the price is only 1.2 million. Looking at the entire Hi End market, such speakers are really rare.
D’Appolito-style unit arrangement analog point sound source
This is the second time the U-Audio editorial department has listened to the Monitor Audio Platinum PL500 II. Regarding the technical content of this speaker, Dong Hongjun wrote very detailed, readers can refer to the article "Gentle Power-Monitor Audio PL500 II". Here I will only mention a few important points. The first thing to talk about is its units and their arrangement. The PL500 II shares the upper 7 units, an MPD pneumatic tweeter is located in the center, and the upper and lower are an RDT II midrange, arranged in an MTM arrangement, and this is located in the middle of the PL500 II, which is the basic element of the Studio speaker. There are two 8-inch RDT II woofers on the top and bottom of the mid-high range, which are standard D’Appolito design; it can make the speaker sound more similar to the ideal point source type.
Almost all sounds in nature come from a single point. When you speak, the sound comes from your mouth. When you play the violin, the sound comes from the violin. When you clap, it comes from the palm of your hand. sound. That's where the concept of point source comes from.The ideal point sound source is that one unit is responsible for all frequency bands, so that all sounds are emitted from one point, which is the full range unit. However, it is very difficult for a unit to cover the sound of the full frequency range and to respond flatly. Even the best full-range unit has its limitations. Therefore, the coaxial unit appears. Different units are used for different frequency bands, but they are placed on the same sound axis and sound in concentric circles. It is not easy to do the coaxial unit, the two magnetic systems are so close, and they are both powerful magnets, how can they not interfere with each other? Therefore, really excellent coaxial units are rare.
D'Appolito design is a compromise solution of deformation, the tweeter is placed in the middle, and the midrange and woofer are placed on the upper and lower sides of the tweeter, forming an analog coaxial sounding method to achieve the effect of a point sound source. . If only 3 units are used, the height is not bad. A 7-unit speaker like the PL500 II has a completely symmetrical design from top to bottom, so the cabinet has to be pulled higher. The height of the PL500 II is 1.8 meters, the space is not large enough, and the ceiling is not high enough. Not only is it easy to feel oppressive when placed, I am afraid that there will be too much reflected sound above. Such speakers require a large room to accommodate them.
A basket of cell secrets
After talking about the theory of cell arrangement, go back and talk about cells in detail. Due to the large sound area and high sound efficiency of the pneumatic tweeter, the diaphragm can emit the volume of the general traditional hemispherical tweeter with only a slight movement, which enables the tweeter to work in a lower distortion range and the extension of high frequency. Also better. The original factory claims that this MPD pneumatic treble can reach 100KHz within the attenuation range of -6dB. Compared with the traditional hemispheric treble of about 20KHz, it can sing higher, and can reproduce more complete overtones. More confident.
mid-bass adopts RDT II Rigid Diaphghram Technology 2nd Generation, which is a sandwich-structure diaphragm with Nomex material developed by DuPont in the middle, which is made into a honeycomb structure. The materials attached to the inner and outer layers of Nomex are also different. The inner layer is carbon fiber, and the outer surface is an ultra-thin, ultra-lightweight material called C-CAM.What is C-CAM? This is actually a composite material with an aluminum-magnesium alloy as the base and a ceramic evaporated on the surface. Such a composite sandwich diaphragm can reduce the distortion by about 8dB at 300Hz according to the original factory measurement. This second-generation high-rigidity diaphragm is the unit with the lowest distortion ever produced by Monitor Audio.
There are also orange rings and frames behind the mid and woofers. A "Dynamic Coupling Filter" called DCF can be used as a damper to eliminate the residual energy of the unit at high frequencies. A "Tapered Line Enclosure" called TLE provides a closed structure behind the midrange unit, using an Anti-Resonance Composite called ARC to absorb the midrange back. It can also block the interference of external fluctuations and make the intermediate frequency cleaner. There is a long stud on the back of each mid and woofer unit that goes straight through the back panel, which is fixed in both directions in the front and rear, making the unit more stable.
Complex cabinets to reduce standing waves
The tall PL500 II is not made in sections. Instead, it is integrally formed, which not only increases the difficulty of packaging and transportation, but also makes the production more troublesome. In order to resolve the back wave in the box, the engineer designed a complex structure, which is enough to provide the high rigidity of the box and guide the airflow. Reduce the interference of sound waves. There is an "exclusive" bass reflex hole behind each woofer, and the radial three-dimensional stripes at the opening can reduce airflow noise. For shock absorption at the bottom, the specially designed multiple foot pads combine a variety of materials to achieve the best shock absorption effect.
cabinet production can also see the original factory's intentions. The two sides are slightly curved and folded back, and the back plate is slightly concave inward, reducing the parallel surfaces in the box, and also strengthening the box structure. With the complex internal structure, standing waves can be eliminated. The piano lacquered cabinet is also covered with leather on the front deck, and the original factory found cooperation with Andrew Muirhead & Son, an old-fashioned leather factory established in 1840. Is this tannery great? Their hand-made leather can be seen in the British Parliament Building and the Burj Al Arab in Dubai,what do you say?
with everything that makes sense
speaker is here. No matter how clever the design is, you need to listen to it before you can get a glimpse of its ability. This time, Boss Liang brought out the Electrocompaniet EC4.8 preamp with AW400 mono, the source is the ECM 1 MK4CD flip-up CD turntable, and the digital output is decoded by the Mizik DAC. Why does it fit so well? "EC's pre- and pre-amps are neutral, thick, and full of musicality. I use this pre- and pre-amp in this audition room, and it is no problem to set up any pair of speakers in this room. For guests, it is also the least idiosyncratic. Safe choice." Boss Liang's description of the sound of the EC amplifier is very pertinent, but I don't understand that the ECM 1 MK4 is also a CD turntable of 200,000 yuan, why do you need an additional DAC? The price of Mizik's dPlay Plus DAC is only 120,000. Can it really make the sound better? "After this Mizik dPlay Plus DAC is installed, there are a lot more details. Even though it is not expensive, the sound is good." I can't endorse this. This is my first time listening to Mizik. Let me listen to it slowly and see if what Boss Liang said is true.
The details are sufficient and realistic
Now that I'm talking about the details, I'll tell you how it performs. Excellent, so excellent. What's the best way? Can you add a word too? There are not only many details, but also a sense of reality. The first CD I put down was the 2011 Kaohsiung Audio Show Commemorative CD. I'm familiar with this CD from beginning to end. I've heard it on many systems, but I can't think of any other system I've heard that can express the presence and solidity of details like this one. EC is not the kind of thin, delicate and transparent amplifier, which is not the credit. If you have to take credit for it, it is the sense of reality and authenticity. The neutral and thick sound of EC can always give the sound and image a solid shape. What about the front and rear ends of the system? If the front end cannot be dug out, the back end cannot sing; if the back end cannot be sung, it is useless to dig out the front end.Therefore, I thought that Boss Liang and Mizik really made sense. As for the speaker side, of course, it matters more. I only heard about Studio not long ago, and I heard a lot of detail on Studio, but not so real, not so rich. A little bit of burr can be felt on the Studio, much less on the PL500 II.
The fourth track of this CD is Piazzolla's "Tale of Tango - Brothel 1900", in which in addition to accordion, piano, violin, cello, double bass , there are also rich percussion, flute and other instruments. In addition to the dexterity of the fine and varied percussion behind it, it can be heard that many musical instruments are played because the details are revealed, which brings a sense of authenticity. For example, the air sound of a flute, the crunching sound of cymbals, the vibration of piano strings. Realism is based on the accumulation of information. The seventh track is taken from the Minuet from Britten's Variations on a Theme of Franck Bridge. When there is enough detail, the tiny commotion in this piece comes alive. After a ensemble, the theme was announced, repeated twice, and the theme that followed was morphed. Strings of different parts were responsible. The quality of the double bass plucked behind was really good. It can be seen that these four 8-inch basses are really not Cover, the bass not only has quantity, but also has quality and resolution. In the middle section, after a whimper of the double bass, the violin part strikes the strings with a bowed back. There is a lot of detailed information, and it needs to be able to lay out the picture. The PL500 II depicts it clearly and realistically.
The full vocals are so solid
The tenth track is baroque musician Terradellas' opera work "Pleasant loneliness", an aria sung by the soprano, the sound and image are condensed and tangible , and it was not until I heard the human voice that I realized that the audio and video of the PL500 II is actually atmospheric, accurate, warm, warm, full, full, and huge. I asked Boss Liang, will the PL500 II be much different from the PL300 II? "Of course it's a lot worse, less than half." He compared the upper edge of the PL500 II's treble with his hand. "The PL300 II is only half as high as this, but the height is slightly higher than my hand." I'm afraid it's not bad. just momentum,I think it's strong, full and rich, but it's not just the number of drivers, but the D'Appolito design, which makes the whole PL500 II sound like a coaxial driver or full-range driver from one point, but the speakers The height of itself also pulls out the height of the audiovisual and sound field, so when I listen to instrumental music, I don’t feel that the audiovisual is strong, I just feel that the stage is open, but when I hear the human voice, I feel that these music are written in capital letters . To buy PL500 II, prepare a large living room first!
The soprano sings tactfully, with a smooth voice and rich details, making every pitch change, tongue snap, and word articulation clear while singing, but it doesn't feel noisy. The luster of the strings is beautiful, the ancient cello is in a deep tune, sings and accompanies in the back, and the harpsichord is decorated with the starlight of the night, and the beauty of the music comes out. It is also a human voice. The twelfth track sings the bass, and the strong voice sings the song "Midnight's Parade" by Geringka. Not only the singing is rough, but also the music is rough, which is more flavorful than the previous Baroque songs. very different. PL500 II sings the soprano songs of the Baroque period with the temperament, and when it arrives here, it immediately turns into a Slavic agility and majesty. A good speaker should be like this, what to sing, what to look like, when the bass sings the extended bass at the end of the song, the stable singing and the rhythm that swirls in the throat are enough to explain everything. Hearing this and writing this, I can't help but emphasize again and again that the PL500 II has a really good physical feel, with flesh and blood, spirit and spirit. The audio and video it carves is not a delicate and gentle jade Guanyin, but a resolute and mighty Martial Saint.
The wide sound field is magnificent, listening to the orchestral music to the fullest
It is really enjoyable to listen to Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 " Organ " on such a large system. The stage depicted by PL500 II is very big, and the momentum of the orchestra is easier to come out. I often bring this CD out for audition, and I have missed many times on the big system. The space on the second floor of Hsinchu Famous Exhibition is large enough.Only then can a large speaker like the PL500 II be able to stretch freely. The first half of the first movement starts with an adagio, and after a while of brewing, it turns into a lively allegro. The texture of the strings is really good, whether it is played slowly, fast vibrato, or dramatic arpeggios, they all show a very realistic picture. When I listened to the Studio, I felt that it was full of realism and life, but the Studio speakers could not be opened, and the sound was lost when the distance was opened. The audiovisual and stage are still solid and full. After the music has reached its climax, as soon as the ensemble plays, the momentum comes out, and it seems to be easy. This shows the benefits of the PL500 II, which is eight meters tall.
At the adagio in the second half of the first movement, the pipe organ appears for the first time, accompanied by the orchestra in a low and slow pace. The PL500 II opens up the performance of the strings and woodwinds. This level cannot be confused, and it will not be beautiful if it is confused. The pipe organ lining the bottom supports the world like the earth, and the orchestra rotates and flows on it, and the lustrous beauty of the strings is displayed here. What I found with the PL500 II was not the highly transparent, spotless picture, but the layered soundstage, which is another aesthetic that seeks realism. When the music enters the second movement, it is lively and even irritable, and the music moves fast, but the PL500 II is still in danger and not chaotic. I don't know if the PL500 II is good or not. I only know that some people use a 36W Air Tight tube machine to push it and are satisfied; but he probably didn't listen to Saint-Saëns' organ symphony, and the EL34 tube machine may not be able to express what I heard. to the momentum. If you don't believe me, just play the second half of the second movement and you'll know that the grand feeling of the organ and the orchestra's contention fully reflects the style of everyone in the PL500 II.
I think the PL500 II, although tall, still retains the sweetness and gentleness of Monitor Audio's sound. It is often said that British speakers are like British gentlemen, gentle and temperamental, moderate in advance and retreat, and restrained in manner. I've always found this stereotype undesirable, and I try to avoid it when writing reviews. I myself have used small speakers with Monitor Audio with golden treble, and I know what Monitor Audio was after in those days.But today is different, times are different, market tastes are different, their speakers have changed so much in appearance, Platinum series speakers not only remove the golden treble, but also use pneumatic treble. Can it be considered a gentleman?
highs are clear and clear, bass is fast but homemade
I should have made it clearer: in this pairing, the PL500 II has clear and clear mids and highs, while the bass presents a gentle And temperate temperament. Listening to Aglise playing Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 1, the high notes played by Aglise are clear and thick, with a rhythmic sound and a warm luster. This MPD aerodynamic treble is really powerful. The bass chords strummed violently have a rounded thickness and heaviness, but I always seem to feel a little less impactful, and Agrissy's outrageously strong chords are more restrained in their singing. However, when the strings appeared and the trumpet played brilliant notes, the regret in my heart was immediately swept away. May I praise this MPD treble again? The brilliant tone of the trumpet is really beautiful. You can tell by listening to the fourth movement. What is a realistic trumpet sound, what is a splendid and warm trumpet sound, what is a golden, metallic texture, all here.
Listening so far, I feel that the PL500 II has a good figurative sense on the one hand, and opens up the sound field and space on the other hand. This is very important when playing classical music, because classical music recordings are made with natural instruments and in a real space, so the realism of the sound and the sense of open space are very helpful in recreating the liveness of classical music . But what about pop music that relies on mixing and post-production?
The drums of pop rock are fierce, and the sound is thick. Powerful and enjoyable. The drum sound is solid and responsive. Earlier, I said that the impact of the piano is a little weak, but here, the drum sound is solid and full of strength. The PL500 II is amazing,I'm just picky to say that it seems to round out the impact of the piano, but the drum sound is so powerful and intimidating. This may seem contradictory, but in fact it does not contradict. The sound of drums and pianos is different, and the nature of the sound is different. Even if they are equally powerful, pianos have higher requirements for density and speed. Monitor Audio doesn't seem to want its flagship to be too sturdy, and it still needs to be elegant. But really, you have to listen to the drums here. The drums in the next song "Industrial Disease" are also wonderful, round, full and elastic. With the electric guitar behind it, the more you listen to it, the more exciting it becomes. As for Mark Knopfler's vocals, which are distinct and three-dimensional, the PL500 II really has nothing to say about vocals, thanks to the mid-range MTM mid-treble module.
009 Is there anything more powerful? How is Michael Jackson? Listening to "They Don't Care about Us", the electronic drums are playing fiercely and Michael sings anger in a suppressed voice. MJ's songs have a rich mix of layers, and if they don't have a bit of high-level strength, they will inevitably be too noisy and chaotic, especially when listening at high volume. Listening to the PL500 II singing this song, listening to "Stranger" and then listening to "Come Together", it is inevitable that Monitor Audio should release an MJ special edition of MA. Although the PL500 II has four 8-inch woofers, the speed of the bass is fast enough, there are not too many long tails, and the sound is clean enough, not clean enough to be crisp, and still maintains a sense of mellowness. Such a low frequency, when playing MJ's song, the taste is particularly spicy. If time is not enough, just listening to "Come Together" is enough! Oh, come together Babe!
Watching at the end of the day, watching the mountains and rivers
If you have heard the Monitor Audio PL500 II at the audio exhibition, then I want to tell you that your experience is definitely not more exciting than mine this afternoon. because of space. During several exhibitions, the PL500 II was limited by space, even if the Yuanshan Hotel is relatively large, it is still not enough. The space here is bigger, and it can handle more energy.Allowing the speaker to be further opened, it also shows the generosity of the PL500 II.
If you have a budget of about 1 million speakers, and if your living room is large enough, the Monitor Audio PL500 II is a pair of flagship speakers worth listening to. Not only does the original factory make great efforts in technology, but in terms of sound performance, it can interpret the details in a delicate and true way, and it can also swallow mountains and rivers heroically and vigorously. If you still have doubts after reading such a long article, then I suggest you go to the flagship store of Mingzhan Audio Hsinchu to appreciate it and see if what I said is true, or if PL500 II sings true, or if I say PL500 II sings It's really true.
Specifications
Monitor Audio Platinum PL500 II
Type: 3-way 7-unit speaker
Unit: 8-inch RDT II long-throw unit bass x4, 4-inch RDT II midrange x2, MPD Air Tweeter x1
Frequency Response: 22Hz - 100kHz (-6dB)
Efficiency: 91dB (1W@1M)
Max Sound Pressure: 120dBA (pair)
Nominal Impedance: 4Ω (minimum 4.2Ω @ 120Hz)
withstand power: 400W(RMS)
recommended amplifier power: 150 - 400W(RMS)
crossover point: 3.6kHz, 460Hz
size: 1803 x 504 x 626mm (including base)
weight: 99.1 kg (single)
Price: NT$1,200,000/pair
Import general agent: Dingshang
Tel: (07)2512886
Website: www.teamsound.com.tw
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