Monitor Audio Pl 300ii vs. KEF Reference 5


I own the KEF Reference 5s.  I borrowed the Monitor Audio Pl300 ii speakers for comparison, which is still under way.  Thoughts so far:  Both are good speakers.  The KEFs provide a lot of detail.  Listening to classical music, you can hear orchestral instruments and sections pretty clearly.  Background and counter melodies can be identified. Piano music is very realistic.  The MAs do not provide as much instrumental detail but they do have a more mellow, deeper, broader sound.  Which is better is really a matter of personal choice.  As I said, I’m still listening so these are some quick preliminary reactions.  More later.  
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@bo1972 
I am looking at both the MA PL200ii and PL300ii for a small room, 16 x 14 or 11 x 13. I was reading in the Stereophile review that the reviewer found the 300ii worked well in the 16 x 14 room (he ended up buying the speaker). Though in the following UK review they suggest a bigger room is required for the 300ii,

https://www.whathifi.com/monitor-audio/platinum-pl300-ii/review

Can you give some feedback as to the SMALLEST room one could use for the 300ii and 200ii?

What SS amplification do you like to use with them?

I will be listening to these speakers and a few others shortly but want to gather info before I do so. Thanks.
First of all you need both amp and sources who are capable of revealing all the properties of sound. I will not tell in details how this works.

But I can say this; the PL-200 II is in a Tru-Fi world a better loudspeaker than the PL-300 II due to how it is build en the size. I always say: you need to leatn to look further. Working by Trial and Error will never make you understand what you are doing. 

The facts proof over and over again that trial and error has no foundation on which you made your decisions. You are just guessing and that is why trial and error is so ineffective. 

The Monitor Audio Platinum loudspeaker is in a Tru-Fi world a totally different loudspeaker than in the trial and error world. Based on the fact that in a Tru-Fi system all the 8 properties of sound are used. In a trial and error system most of the time they miss 2 or often more properties of sound.

Most of mu clients said; we would never have bought a MA Platinum in any trial and error system. They auditioned it also at other shops and shows. Than it is an inferior endresult based on the properties which are missing. And the fact that other properties are filled in at a much lower level.

I will never give my huge advanytage and knowledge to others for free. I use it for myself and for the manufacturers who pay. This is what I do for a living. Tru-Fi makes any trial and error system sounds inferior. Each audiosystem hat can reveal all the different properties of sound and even at a higher level will influence your emotion so much more.

You always will choose for the system that can influence your emotion the most. This has nothing to do with personal taste, but due to the fact that our emotion almost works the same way.

The only that is a personal matter is the fact that people have their own preference in music. But....the emotion which the music possesses works always the same way. This can be proven over and over again by Tru-Fi.

Audio is done by shootout. And the most convincing and emotional sound each person will choose. That is why we create and use all the properties of sound. And second we use all the aspects which influence the human emotion by music to the max.

That is why Tru-Fi is so much more appealing than any trial and error system. When you listen to your system with your beloved music and you compare it with a Tru-Fi system what can reveal all the properties of sound with the same music we see that each single person directly understands that it is superior.

Often they say; I knew it only in a few seconds. This is how big the impression is between an incomplete audiosystem vs a system what can reveal all the properties of the same music. I spend so much time in the past regarding sound and the human emotion. That is learned to use them at the max and this maxes a huger difference in endresult.

I think the biggest problem is that sound and stage is very complex. You need to understand many many different aspects to be able to understanbd why the stage and sound is what you hear.

I did this for over 20 years of time. Thousands and thousands of hours. Over and over again. And it never stops. I learned to create both sound&vision. This is not even comparable with doing sound&vision by trial and error. The endresult is of a different level and from another planet.

The people who do not like what they read are the one who will react. They are only able to react by irritation and greed. They cannot react on the thread.

Tell us in details how you found and choose your system. Audio is all about sound and the quality in realism and emotion you can create. 
@bo1972 The reason I have included the 200ii in my search is because of comments by owners that it sounds like the KEF Blade a very holographic speaker. That is one that places the performers and instruments in identifiable positions (if they were recorded like that). The Blade sounds like live music to me with the ability to visual the performance. If I can find a smaller speaker to have the same holographic ability I will get it. I am going to get this for my office which will be on the small size. I am getting the Blades later for the family room.

I am going to audition the following speakers in a month or 2 in S. Cal. Luckily, all I want to hear are available in a relatively short driving distance.

Monitor Audio PL200ii (same store has PL 300ii)
KEF Ref 1 and KEF Ref 5 (same store as PL 200ii)
Focal Kanta2 (same store are PL 200ii)
Vivid Audio Kaya 45
Magico A3
Totem Tribe Tower (maybe)

I currently have the Audience 1+1 V2 speakers powered by Benchmark DAC3 + Benchmark AHB2 amp. However, I am likely going to get a Luxman 509x integrated for the office so that I can run either the Audience speakers and whatever new floorstander I buy. With the flick of a front panel switch I can run either set of connected speakers. If the new floorstander is short enough in height the Audience speaker will reside on top of it (8 lbs) . If it is too tall I will use dedicated stands for the Audience speaker. The Monitor Audio 200ii is short enough to pull this trick off the others on my list are not.

The Benchmark gear will move to the family room for the Blades or maybe a bedroom.
Both the Blade and Reference have the same kind of distortion in the middle/high freq. range. When you use an amp who can build a huge deep and wide stage like a Pass Labs. You will hear how limited the stage depth and width is.

We can create a stunning level in diversity in height of voices and instruments. Even when you use the best audio products who are able to create this, the Blade and Ref will show you that the height of voices and insttruments are on the same height. We call this a hifi stereo parameter.

There are not many loudspeakers brand who can reveal diversity in height and also all the different properties of sound. Most people who do audio by trilal and error have no F. idea anything about sound. They have no idea what they do and how they make their decisions.

You only can understand audio when you understand all the different properties of sound as you know all the different aspects like smog, acoustics, high frequent noise and magnetism who negatively influence the sound and stage.

When you do not understand this, you will never understand audio untill you die. This is a 100% fact. Maybe it is not what you want to hear. But this is the truth. Trial and error has no foundation and no one can change that.

People need to learn to think further. When you are not able to think further you only can do audio by gambling. Audio is all about sound. And sound is founded on properties. These are all facts. And by sound they can easily be proven over and over again.

Most people don’t like to hear the truth. But when you cannot and will not face it you will have a limited level in sound and stage untill you quit. Trial and error will never make you understand both sound&vision. This is why you never can guide and understand it.

There is only one way to go and this is being able to think and work in properties. I am sorry for all people that this is the truth. When it would be different I would have written it.

Each brand and product owns properties of sound on facts. When you use brands and products who are not able to reveal all the different properties of sound you will use the PL-200 II or PL-300 II at a very low level. All your decisons are chosen by gambling. Based on the fact that when you would be able to think in properties you would have taken totally different decisions.

Take a look on google and search for pictures of the Blade. Take a good look at the way they made the cabinet and look for how they connected the drivers inside.

After this just use your brains..........


@bo1972  I will keep that in mind about the Blades. However, getting back to my original question about room dimensions for the Monitor Audio speakers. What are the room size guidelines you follow for placing a 200ii, 300ii, and 500ii?