Platinum Audio Solos-vs-Tyler Ref Monitor

The Solos are one of the best mini monitors I have ever heard. They always amazed me with their deep and tight bass, superb imaging and overall musicality. However, they are not easy to set up and must be driven by carefully matched electronics to sound their best. I drove mine with 250W Conrad Johnson MF-2500 and this combination was absolutely fabulous. I have never experienced any excessive brightness and the sound never go fatiguing - just pure music.

Just a good word on behalf of the Solo's which have never sounded aggressive or fatiguing in my system driven at moderate levels as nearfield monitors by modest Sound Valves 35 watts per channel tube amp. When originally auditioned years ago with high output transistor super amp there was positive impression by many listeners/purchasers at one audio store where it was being demonstrated as something of a giant killer. There seems to be some deficiency of component synergy at work in order to explain how these fine speakers have disappointed some careful listeners. I have owned speakers more forgiving of bad recordings, such as British Spendor stand mounted models, but in my system even those with superior high frequency hearing have been enjoying the Solo's. Even around $600-700 represent a good value if you wish to avoid sub-woofer envy felt by many small monitor speaker owners.

Solo is overly bright. try a few layers of toilet paper over the tweeters behind the grille to tame this. Bass is reasonable for a 4" driver, but really nothing special - a decent 6" 2-way has at least as much if not more bass. (Paradigm ref. Studio 20, Aerial 5's come to mind). Also, given that Platinum is out of business and replacement drivers are not available, the solo is a bit of a risky proposition IMHO. I'd only consider buying a set (I know you already have some, but for those who don't) if the price was < $400 and you have a dead room or system to put them in.

-Ed

Hi,
I too have owned both and agree with Rgd.The solos are really power hungry and fatigue set in.They just weren't musical in my system,could have been the amps.
I prefered the taylos much better,esp with tubes.
Check out my listing for the Shamrock Eire.This is a monitor that delivers on the bass.It is a very neutral speaker and sounds good with all tyes of music.
Good luck.
Art

Owned both but not at the same time but heres my take. The Solos provided the lowest bass of any monitor I've tried and clearly played much lower the the Taylo Refs. As a former planar type guy I'm no bass freak but the Taylos didn't quite go low enough for me. If you like the low end of the Solos you'll need to augment the Taylos with a sub. Mids and highs go to the Taylos - Solos were much more aggressive in nature and at louder levels fatigue set in early, never happened with the Taylos. Taylos are accurate but smoother in nature. I now have Ty's Linbrook monitors which I think may still fall ever so short of the Solos on the low end but I feel the bass is tighter and more natural.

I'm really surprised the I-5 has enough juice foe the Solos. I ran mine with a big Bryston amp and felt they could have used even more power.

If you want to stay with a monitor I'll be quite surprised if you find any that will go as low as the Solos at the $1000 pricepoint. IMHO, you'll need to spend more money and get a sub(if you go with another monitor especially the Taylos) but in the end you may just have a much more musical system when all is said and done.