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Monolith table

Roboturner91

Roboturner91

Super Member
Banned
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=27749

Is this the same thing as the ELAC Miracord 50? It certainly seems to be....at half the price. The ELAC seems to have a flat gray or dark finish around the outside of the plinth and piano black on top whereas the Monolith is piano black all the way around.

Other than that they appear to be exactly the same.
 
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NoTransistors said:
Are you considering a purchase? Wow&fluter is enough to hear on sustained notes.
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I am looking at many options, this being one of them.

Specifications being what they are - arrived at through different means and not being a true measurement - they don't concern me all that much. I've never heard anybody complain about the U-turn and that's got a w/f of .175%, compared to the common .2% of many new tables these days, compared to what I would term an overly optimistic .045% on my 30-year-old Technics.

The proof, as always, is in the listening....if I don't like it, at least I can return it and try something else. Having said that, I'm leaning toward the U-turn.
 
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FWIW I own a U-Turn Special Walnut that I've really enjoyed the last couple of years. The U-Turn guys provide spectacular direct customer service. However, I believe that their product line has gotten stale and would consider a Fluance in the <$500 segment at this point. They just came out with several improved models that offer .07% W&F and a very good s/n ratio spec as well. They have done what I hoped U-turn would do in adding an enhanced line to their existing models.
 
DavidTT said:
FWIW I own a U-Turn Special Walnut that I've really enjoyed the last couple of years. The U-Turn guys provide spectacular direct customer service. However, I believe that their product line has gotten stale and would consider a Fluance in the <$500 segment at this point. They just came out with several improved models that offer .07% W&F and a very good s/n ratio spec as well. They have done what I hoped U-turn would do in adding an enhanced line to their existing models.
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If you are referring to the Fluance RT84/85, I do believe this is the same table as the Monoprice and ELAC mentioned above, with a different tonearm. Interesting.

However, I'm more in the $300 budget area than going up to $500. I had basically settled on the U-turn Basic with lifter and cartridge upgrade, until I came across the Monolith.
 
Nope. The new Fluance tables are absolutely NOT the same as the Monoprice and ELAC's you mention. Look carefully. The new Fluance tables use a belt that drives the outer platter, not a sub platter. Completely different design. The RT82 and RT83 are priced at $299 and $349, and the RT82 comes with an Ortofon OM10. Take a closer look and you'll see the differences in the design and very large differences in the specs as well. I don't believe you will find a new belt driven table around $500 and under with a W&F spec as low as these new Fluance machines. I predict that they're going to do very well in the market. I would buy one over the Orbit at this point.

Roboturner91 said:
If you are referring to the Fluance RT84/85, I do believe this is the same table as the Monoprice and ELAC mentioned above, with a different tonearm. Interesting.

However, I'm more in the $300 budget area than going up to $500. I had basically settled on the U-turn Basic with lifter and cartridge upgrade, until I came across the Monolith.
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Looks like same OEM (arm, at the least) as some of the TEACs(?)

g063TN280WA-F.jpg

277493.jpg
 
Yep. I was looking at the Teac TN-200 and NT-300 too. Unfortunately the latter seems to have gone up in price by around $100 post-holidays and the 200 is so much older; it was a Massdrop thing and I get the impression it was a model they used to work out the kinks on before getting serious with their current turntable lines.
 
So I was literally in the middle of ordering a new Orbit when I got an email notification that the Monolith was on sale for $175 and free shipping. At that price I couldn't resist. The Orbit with arm lifter and no other upgrades, plus not-free shipping was at $239.

If I don't like the Monolith I can return it and go back to my original plan with the Uturn, but I've studied this pretty closely and this appears to be almost the exact same table as the $500 Elac, down to the funky/redundant power switch on the back. So I'm thinking it should be pretty solid.

Detachable headshell, AT100 cart, auto stop, built-in preamp, spring-loaded hinges, arm lifter and adjustable anti-skate.

Will report back when I get it.
 
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Let us know how it works out robo. Will be interested since I own a Fluance and it seems likely the Monoprice is made by Ya Horng too. At $175 shipped it could be a tremendous value.
 
Assuming it doesn't have any wacky speed fluctuations or anything like that. There's practically nothing out there in terms of reviews on it. AVS Forum did a review and seemed to like it, but it wasn't very in-depth.

I'm just assuming a brand like ELAC doesn't put their name on a $500 turntable if it's a piece of junk, and I'm also assuming that the Monolith's identical looks to the ELAC corresponds to identical guts. But hell I couldn't even get a base model U-Turn or one of the decent Crosleys for $175. For that price I can afford to be the guinea pig.

I've only ever had p-mount tables before so it'll be stepping into a new world for me. Excited. Wish I could fast forward a few days.
 
Roboturner91 said:
So I was literally in the middle of ordering a new Orbit when I got an email notification that the Monolith was on sale for $175 and free shipping. At that price I couldn't resist. The Orbit with arm lifter and no other upgrades, plus not-free shipping was at $239.

If I don't like the Monolith I can return it and go back to my original plan with the Uturn, but I've studied this pretty closely and this appears to be almost the exact same table as the $500 Elac, down to the funky/redundant power switch on the back. So I'm thinking it should be pretty solid.

Detachable headshell, AT100 cart, auto stop, built-in preamp, spring-loaded hinges, arm lifter and adjustable anti-skate.

Will report back when I get it.
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Relax, you will be able to find a universal angle headshell on Amazon or Ebay.

Audio Technica has one
31wfSxQRqcL.jpg

Audio-Technica Universal Angled Headshell for at-LP3 Turntable (at-HS3)
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATHS3-Turntable-Cartridge/dp/B06XHFNHTH

and Denon has one too.
41amuJpx17L.jpg

Denon HEADSHELL ASSY (BK) DP300F :)
https://www.amazon.com/Denon-HEADSH...=B00HEZK8DS&psc=1&refRID=FG3FJ6874JJQ13D49A4P
 
lico said:
Teac as well

https://www.amazon.com/Teac-TAHS3-D...qid=1548563498&sr=8-1&keywords=teac+headshell

I find it funny a couple of years ago nobody called the angled headshells universal (or even know about them) when I was trying to find them for my new Teac turntable (especially on AK). Now they are mainstream lots of new tables use them.
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Much thanks for the heads up. :thumbsup:

I tried to keep track of the new developments, there are quite a few young and new turn table users in my area.
41CqiirEP-L.jpg

Teac DJ Equipement (TAHS3)
https://www.amazon.com/Teac-TAHS3-D...keywords=teac headshell&tag=viglink4323590-20
 
The number of new tables and products out there is very interesting considering what was available a few years back. You have several brands all putting out similar tables with a few twists on controls and finish like it was back in the day. I didn't know about the Monolith until I just read it here - looks to be a nice table at a great price to me.
 
Look at that heavy longhorn on there as well. I've been surprised at how well my U-Turn Orbit tonearm adjusts to different cart and weight configurations. I installed a longhorn that had also been potted internally and weighed a ton. It required the adding of tungsten weights to the CW and I was surprised at how well the machine tracked and sounded thereafter. That skinny Orbit tonearm does a marvelous job for me. Thanks for posting that pic Wayner.

WaynerN said:
Nice table for the price.

View attachment 1400153
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