2. analog
  3. 1206144745

Grand Prix Audio Monaco Turntable

FYI, Hi Fi Plus (an excellent UK audio magazine) just did a very thorough review of the Monaco turntable. I have had the turntable for a year and think it is incredibly transparent and very involving - you really get pulled into the music. I could never explain why I found the turntable so engaging, but I think Roy Gregory has done a very good job of explaining why. I have had the VPI HRX and am very familiar with a number of the high end tables (e.g., the SME 30 and top of the line Brinkman)and thought those tables were very good, but I never had the same connection with the music as I do with the Monaco
cohnaudio
mtkhl567
157 posts
 
Fcrowder, I've only had it on my Finite Elemente Pagode Master Reference rack. However, all the time I have heard the Monaco at my dealer (Transparent Music Systems) before I purchased one it was on top of a Monaco Grand Prix rack with a racing shelve and apex feet. It was IMHO the best match for the Monaco tt, unlike Mr Fremers experience, it made the table even more quiet and articulate, the pace was right on, supporting the strengths of the Monaco. To date I have not heard that excellent kind of playback in my system yet, although its the same as my dealer's, and I think it's partly due to the Monaco Rack system. The difference is mostly in the lesser details of the recording ambience, and detail cues of the recording space that I am still lacking...

Hope this helps you.
mtkhl567
157 posts
 
For those interested in the GPA Monaco turntable review. Here's the link:

http://grandprixaudio.com/Roy-Gregorys-Review-of-the-Monaco-Turntable.pdf
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
13,121 posts
 
Dear Henry: Thank you for the HiFi+ review's link of the Monaco, here in México we can't find that magazine, only when I travel to USA I can buy it.

My hat off to Gregory, this is a professional review made for a proffesional person ( instead the MF one, with all my respect to him, looks like an amateur one. ) no doubt about.

I don't want to make a " book " here. IMHO the most important subject on the review was ( between other nice things ) that first than all Gregory works hard to understand ( and I mean it ) why, how and where comes the " different " ( nearer to the recording/music ) very high quality Monaco's performance.
He try and he achieve a very high level of un-equalize his brain from what is the standard top belt drive TTs performance, he don't try that the Monaco can sound like all other TTs but he try that the Monaco performs like the Monaco with its own advantages and real differences.

He try several cartridges ( I love that Ortofon 7500, one of my reference cartridge ), phono stages, TTs, etc, etc.

I agree with him in several different aspects like : about TTs designs over the years ( does not change anything. I posted here about in the MM cartridge thread before the Monaco review. ), about the importance ( over the TT ) of tonearm/cartridge combination/matching, about the critical importance of the Phonolinepreamp that with the Monaco and other top TTs " becomes much, much more significant ".

The Gregory's review is a learning one ( for say the least ) in many important and critical areas, Bravo!!!!!!

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
fcrowder
191 posts
 
Mtkhl,
Thanks for posting the review of the Grand Prix Monaco. HiFi+ will not be available in the US until May 2. I generally find RG's reviews to be fair and honest, but ocassionally wish that he would talk a little more about the interactions among various pieces of ancillary equipment, such as a power amp and the speaker under review, etc. In this case, he seems to have done a good job in that area. It would have been nice had he tried the Dynavector tonearm which is reputed to be a very good match for the table. Do you find that power cords and AC filtering have any impact on the sound of the TT?
mtkhl567
157 posts
 
Raul, I agree with you entirely. Now that you read the review, wouldn't it be
interesting to learn what that would sound like in your rig? Btw, for future
reference, at www.hifiplus.com you can buy an eMagazine version of any issue,
and other backissues.

Fcrowder, that is another beauty of this turntable the power from the wall is not
used to drive the platter! The power of a small battery would work too! It uses
5V DC and thus no influence from dirty power, no impact from power cords or
conditioning systems. I tried, Gutwire, Siltech, PS Audio, and no difference from
my stock $1.99 supermarket cord.
More to discover