Grand Prix Audio Monaco Turntable

"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

Dear Jonathan: There is no doubt that the Monaco is an outstanding build design and from the white papers has some different ways ( in some way, unique. ) to approach the TT design to achieve their goals.

For many years till today I'm always supporting the direct drive TT design over other TT drive designs and it for not other thing because its speed accuracy/stability.

Well, IMHO I think that it will be very interesting to find out if the Monaco is the best choice " platform " to go ( maybe it is ) making tests with different tonearm/cartridge combination ( as much you can ) ( I know that the Monaco people already do it, but they are the " owners ". ) that you/we already and really know its quality performance level in other " platforms " and evaluate those quality differences ( that for sure will be ).

There is a lot of research and know-how behind the Monaco that tell all of us that ( in some ways ) it is a " different " audio item ( for say the least ) and where Alvin and his team work are really proud ( you can read how are writing those white papers. )

Anyway, good for the analog audio industry that products like the Monaco appear because this fact can/could help to change and grow-up in the right direction ( quality performance ) the whole audio industry, we need something " fresh " and the Monaco is an example of that.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Les Creative Edge, your user name would suggest an appreciation for technological advance. Moon rockets, even you have to admit that todays space exploration is more advanced than back in the 60s/70s. Sure we can reach the moon today as we did then, but faster, safer, do more research, using smaller crafts and with more precision. We all foot that huge bill (by paying taxes), its the advance of human kind. The technology of the Monaco is kind of like that, an advance in vinyl music reproduction that didn't exist before. Now, net present value $20k back to your 1979 DD turntable, I wouldn't be surprised if the consumer cost would be all that different.