Grand Prix Audio Monaco Turntable

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.

Mtkhl567,

No doubt that the Monaco is a good example of using some current technologies. I was not trying to compare any turntable from Japan Inc. of the 70's and 80's directly to it. Only in that it is not rocket science in making a turntable that works well. In essence all that a turntable must do is spin a record at measured speed, do it quietly as it can and withing allowable tolerances. These points were generally made by the better to best Japan Inc. tables of the late 70's and early 80's.

From here it is all about tuning the table. In a perfect world it would be trying to make a turntable sound as neutral as possible be affected by external resonances as little as possible and be generally user capable in operation. Fact is all turntables new and old add colour or flavour to sound. All add noise and all will vary in user friendliness and some are better than others over any and all speed issues. Direct drivers from the 70's and 80's would all score among the best of any tables made new or old when it concerns speed issues. Japan Inc. tables of that era will vary wildly inability to do other things, control noise, control resonances etc. The best ones back then did an admirable job and as good as very many new ones today, many that are praised as good to great turntables today. Just because a turntable may be vintage does not mean it cannot perform as well or even kick the arse of numerous newer models.

To be fair to better to best vintage DD tables from Japan Inc. None ever sold for $20,000. not even half that even if you factor in inflation. The best generally went for between $500-$1000 given the year.If their manufacturers would reopen lines and build them as they were but brand new today, they'd be bargains for what they give a listener.

None of them would truly rival a Monaco or a Certus (I'd enjoy owning either if I could), but the again one did not have to spend the amount equal to a price of a small car to buy one of them. Just look at the Technics SL-12xx series. It verifies my point. I'm not saying my KAB arm rewired SL-1200MKI is a rival to a Monaco or to some of the other uber priced units. But for under $1000 it sounds great and would embarrass some other tables, again often other which are praised. In reality its ability to run an at and hold speed is not too far off that of even a Monaco. It is the most speed stable table I have ever owned, sure I have not plunked many thousands down on tables over the years but I'm glad I can get great performance without having to take out a significant loan.