The Platine Noiree line comprises four models, which can be combined to create anything from a tiny bedroom stereo system to a complete home theater speaker package. The PN-4521 tower speaker and the PN-4421 center speaker include a SLAPS; the PN-1411 monitor and PN-2421 surround speaker are too tiny to accommodate one. All use the same 1-inch tweeter and 4-inch woofer in various combinations. SLAPS aside, the drivers are rather generic—the woofers feature stamped metal frames instead of the more robust cast frames found in most high-end speaker woofers.

Having seen Platine Noiree only in photos, I am unprepared for its visual impact. I examine the quality of the finish, looking for telltale imperfections that often accompany such ambitious aesthetics, but I find none. I discover, though, that removing the grilles transforms the speakers’ looks from sublime to sub-par; who wants to face a battalion of 18 woofers and tweeters every time you watch a movie? I decide to listen with the grilles intact and suffer the slight sonic degradation that usually occurs when tweeters are hidden behind fabric. (Click image to enlarge)

But with Platine Noiree, no degradation occurs: Unlike most speakers, these actually sound better with the grilles on. After playing a few DVDs and CDs, I begin to realize that the Platines Noirees sound excellent. Voices, in particular, are smooth and natural, both through the tower speaker and the center. (With the grilles off, voices take on a slight nasal coloration.) I listen to all my favorite DVDs with the Platines Noirees, and the movie dialogue sounds just right.

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