Grand Prix Audio Monaco Turntable

Mtkhl567,

I'm not taking issue with the wonders of the Monaco. I'm simply making the basic point that there are no perfect components, only different trade offs, even between VERY good designs; not to negate ANY hierarchy of quality. Neither am I trying to make undue comparisons between the SP10 and the Monaco, although the Albert's SP10 is VERY good. I have heard the Monaco although not in controlled circumstances. And, I wouldn't assume so much about my system's resolving capabilities, or my preferences. I can appreciate pretty much all well executed approaches for what they offer. No offense taken though.

Raul,

your point is a given. Mine was more general. See above.

Dear Mtkh1567: It is no doubt that the Monaco is a today top TT like the Walker or many other out there ( including those " old " Japanese designs that I think you don't have the opportunity to heard/hear/try/test yet. )

What are the targets on a TT design?. well IMHO it has to be a design first where the TT can spin with accuracy and stabiity ( short and long run/time ) at 33.33, 45 and 78 rpm, second: it has to spin with out any internal or external distortion ( vibration, resonances, fast disipation, sound/bass feedback, platter resonances, etc, etc ) that means absolutely internal/external isolation, third: choose a material platter/mat that is/will be inert or that kill LP/platter-mat resonances, fourth: same that second target in reference to the arm board and fifth: precise/well made/high quality design execution.

All these targets are more easy to say that to achieve. Different TT designers have different approach to achieve those TT design targets ( and other ones ) and all of them share at least one TT subject: no one is free of " colorations ", there is no perfection here at least not yet and the Monaco is no exeption as good as certainly is.

IMHO and at this top level of quality TT performance and other than TT isolation the tonearm/cartridge " figure " is what could make the difference.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

"those speed accuracy figures they publish are probably not measured at the platter level."

On a direct drive where else could the measurement be taken? Besides measurements would be pretty meaningless anyway. Yes the Japanese DD tables from the 80's perfected the art to the point of having superb measurements. The sound is also respectable given the price point, but they are not even in the same ballpark as the current start of the art. I think that the DD topology is inherently superior, but as with all high end audio equipment the magic is in the implementation.

Speed accuracy is an overloaded term that often is misunderstood. The meaning is often quite different depending on the time reference. Average rotational speed is the accuracy of the speed over a relatively long period of time. It's basically how close to 33.333 rpm does the platter turn. In my opinions this is a relatively unimportant measure. Small errors in pitch are quite inaudible but this number tends to be focused on. Far more important is speed accuracy within a very short time frame. In other words how constant is the speed as measured within a 1 millisecond window. Short term speed variations are easily heard and are detrimental to good sound. Yet there is no measurement available for this type of speed accuracy. Wow and flutter measurements are low bandwidth and completely miss these more important, higher frequency artifacts.

Every turntable in the world has speed inaccuracies. In my opinion nobody has reduced these into complete inaudibility. For most of these inaccuracies there is no measurement method available. Further I doubt that most could be measured.

I am an owner of 6 EMT 948, 1 EMT 950 and 2 Technics SP-10MKII turntables. I have always endorsed direct drive and for good reasons. I have also owned many top belt drive and idler drive tables. Direct drive is clearly my favorite. This started many years ago when I was a club DJ in NY and I experienced what changing the pitch, or speed, did to effect the sound of the record. It is quite obvious even at a very minute level.

As a dealer for Grand Prix Audio and having been in many discussions with Alvin Lloyd at a somewhat early point in his design, I have a good understanding of what went into his design as well as the uniqueness of what he is doing. I am not trying to tell you to go out and buy a Monaco turntable or how I feel it performs against the other turntables I have owned and experienced. All I am trying to convey is the technology should be looked at with an open mind. This really has not been done before.

Go to the Grand Prix Audio website and read the "White paper". It is very informative and those who know Alvin know there is absolutely no marketing hype and everything reported is actual and true.

This will only tell you so much and all of this bantering is really immaterial until you actually hear it. Only then can you determine whether it is your "cup of tea".

Also, for those of you who would like a copy of the review, let me know privately and I will email it to you.

Best Regards,
Jonathan Tinn
Chambers Audio

Well said Jonathan, Alvin is going to post the HiFi+ review on his website too.

Henry