MONITOR AUDIO Gold 100 6G Review
A decade ago, in the world of Hi-Fi speakers, the trend was mainly toward compact formats. But for a few years now, large monitor-type speakers — sometimes three-way designs — have been making a comeback. These models often have a very vintage look, reminiscent of the heyday of stereo in the seventies. With its new Gold 100 6G, the English brand Monitor Audio offers a much more modern approach. This is clearly reflected in the product’s design and is matched with cutting-edge drivers.
by Pierre Stemmelin
Monitor Audio completely revamped its Gold series of Hi-Fi and home theater speakers this summer, releasing the 6G (sixth generation). On this occasion, the British brand revisited the lineup’s structure. Indeed, the dipole surround model Gold FX 5G has been replaced by a Gold On-Wall 6G wall speaker, more in tune with current expectations.
Meanwhile, the Gold 200 and 300 5G tower speakers have been transformed into the Gold 300 and 500 6G, featuring a new larger midrange driver. The Gold C250 6G center channel has also been upgraded to adopt this new midrange driver. Finally, a small bookshelf speaker, the Gold 50 6G, now makes an entry at the start of the range, and most notably, the Gold 100 6G that interests us here has moved up a notch, going from two to three ways.
Three proprietary ways, with a genuine 20.3 cm woofer, a midrange driver covering a wider range, and a tweeter of the Air Motion Transformer type
Design and Build
Despite its three-way design, the Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G is still relatively compact. True, you can’t just tuck it into a small bookshelf, but its Monitor Audio ST-2 stand (around $765 per pair) is only optional. It can easily find its place on a sideboard. The speaker’s three drivers are proprietary to Monitor Audio and utilize in-house technologies.
The bass driver is a 20.3 cm woofer with a cast metal frame and a seriously robust motor (a 5 cm ventilated voice coil and a 12.5 cm-wide magnet). It’s equipped with a concave C-CAM (Ceramic-Coated Aluminium Magnesium) cone that features hexagonal dimples forming what the brand calls HDT (Hexagonal Diaphragm Technology). The same cone type is used for the midrange driver which, in this 6G Gold series, now measures 7.6 cm in diameter, compared to the previous generation’s 3.6 cm.
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The tweeter, meanwhile, comes from the high-end Platinum 3G series of speakers. It is an MPD III (Micro Pleated Diaphragm) model, with a pleated membrane of about 4×4 cm, similar to an Air Motion Transformer.
A cleaner design, but still very refined finishing details, and a crossover that’s far from budget-friendly
In terms of design, there have also been some changes. The Monitor Audio Gold 6G speakers are now manufactured in China. With the Gold 100 6G, gone are the rounded edges or the angled side panels from the Gold 5G series. Even though a decorative metallic crest is retained on top, the design is more understated, and the cabinet is a fully rectangular shape with sharp angles. The finishing details remain very refined, as evidenced by the midrange waveguide, the tweeter’s honeycomb grille, and the two magnetized fabric covers that neatly outline the drivers.
The cabinet is tuned via a rear-firing bass reflex port of the HiVe II type, featuring a fluted opening. It’s constructed from 19 mm MDF panels, with an internal brace and foam damping panels. The drivers aren’t directly attached from the front. Instead, they’re clamped to the baffle from behind. Three large threaded rods, anchored to the rear of the enclosure, are screwed into the back of the woofer and tweeter motors as well as into the sealed back cup of the midrange driver.
Finally, note that the crossover in the Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G is not designed on the cheap. It uses silver-plated internal wiring, as well as film capacitors (MET, MPT) and cemented resistors made to custom specs.
Specifications
- 1) Type: 3-way compact speaker
- 2) Sensitivity: 86.5 dB for 2.83 V/1 m
- 3) Recommended Amplification: 130 to 500 watts
- 4) Continuous Power Handling: 250 watts
- 5) Nominal/Minimum Impedance: 4/3.9 ohms at 140 Hz
- 6) Drivers: 20.3 cm HDT C-CAM woofer, 7.6 cm HDT C-CAM midrange, MPD III tweeter (approx. 4×4 cm)
- 7) Frequency Response (free-field at -6 dB): 49 Hz to 60 kHz
- 8) Frequency Response (in-room at -6 dB): 32 Hz to 60 kHz
- 9) Maximum Level: 119 dB SPL
- 10) Additional Specifications:
- Bass Reflex Tuning: rear HiVe II port
- Port Tuning Frequency: 38 Hz
- Crossover Frequencies: 700 Hz and 2.6 kHz
- Dimensions: 230 x 447.7 x 357.3 mm
- Weight: 14 kg
- Manufacturing: China
A three-way highway for music?
Designing a two-way speaker that sounds good and natural is relatively easy. Doing so in three-way form gets a lot more complicated because multiplying drivers also multiplies constraints. We can immediately say that Monitor Audio has done an excellent job with these new Gold 100 6G models.
The sound of these speakers is, as one might expect, fairly warm and round. The efficiency is not very high, and the lower midrange lacks a hint of openness, which partly comes with the three-way territory. But the Gold 100 6G makes up for this with a very good balance, outstanding control, and a superb top end.
When driven by a powerful and dynamic Hi-Fi amp, they show strength and punch in the bass. The low end is relatively deep and expansive, yet very well-controlled. If the speakers are placed close to a wall, foam plugs for the ports are included to prevent any overemphasis.
Measurements show a nicely linear frequency response, slightly elevated. The subjective impression is different: the upper midrange and treble are highly detailed, very open, and articulate, yet remain delicate. They do not come across as aggressive, excessively bright, or overly clear, instead providing an excellent sense of smoothness and extension.
The phase alignment of the three drivers is also very well done. The sound is clean and precise, free from any cacophonous effect when pushing the volume, and the stereo image is quite stable. The Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G are not the most explosive or demonstrative speakers we’ve heard, but they bring together a great mix of qualities, maintain balance, and know how to be engaging and full of character.
In summary
The Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G speakers are different from what we usually come across. Being three-way models, they’re a bit trickier to position and to power than two-way bookshelf speakers, yet they fully capitalize on this configuration. They offer a successful blend of control, performance, and generosity, standing out with their extended frequency response and a beautifully defined, airy upper midrange.
Monitor Audio Gold 100 6G : Good Speakers Got Even Better!
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