My first turntable in decades is the Monolith (about 2 years ago). Super frustrated with the setup and can never get it right. Records would skip at exact same spot... Finally sent it back to Monoprice. Got me a Fluance RT84... Never looked back... Not sure why.... I even have a friend of mine that has classic Linn LP12 help me out for hours to get it set up correctly. Fluance setup ? A breeze and it sounds amazing especially for the $$$.
The VM95 cartridge has a trick up it's sleeve. You can upgrade it by just putting a better stylus on it. The "body" of the whole series is the same. So it gives very good return on investment. Once you wear the stylus out, you can move up a model (or more) for the replacement stylus.
@@cheapaudioman can the Ortofon 2M also take the black and bronze level stylus, styli? I am fully aware of the AT VM95 upgrade path that goes all the way up to the best stylus they make, which is "nude shibata" I believe. I hope RUclips doesn't block my comment because I wrote "nude shibata," because it looks like something I shouldn't be bringing up in a turntable video.
@@AndyBHome no...not the red. You can upgrade to blue, like Randy said(and its a great upgrade...huge difference) but, thats as far as you can go with that. I'm aware of the other two, but I'm not sure about stylus swapping on other of the 2m platforms.
Hey Randy, thank you for this review. A Note: Sum hum on the review today, sounds a bit like you have a big Fender tube amp in your pocket. Lastly, I have a Monolith table from a couple years ago, it is pure black, has an auto start when you move the arm towards the record and it does stop when the cartridge finds the run out groove. I find this to be a turntable for the masses. I am old and have had and sold some great tables and lowered by record collection by a great deal. This table fills in the category of if they come this will play. Mine is quite beautiful but does not have the Bluetooth or USB out. It does have a built in preamp that sounds ok. I grew up with Dual and cheap Thorens tables all the way up to Oracle and thwe Monolith does not disappoint. So anyone wanting to dip their toes in the vinyl market would be very happy with this. This coming from a regular guy.
Before I ever put in a cartridge (1st time), I bought a small container of screws, nuts, and washers. You will drop them while working on new carts, and you don't always find them in the carpet.
It would be great to see a cheapaudioman review of the AudioTechnica AT3600L. That's an amazingly good cartridge at an amazingly low price. It seems like a solid candidate for Best Cheap Audio Equipment of the Decade. And it's really rugged - perfect for thrift store vinyl.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that the Rega Carbon and AVIDHiFi CA-1 bear an uncanny resemblance to the AT3600L.. . . to the extent that something pretty obvious becomes obvious. plus oh, the AT3600 has a carbon fiber cantilever and it's sold under literally "many" other brand names and model names, such as the low end Crossley NP5, the not as low AudioTechnica CN-5625, AudioTechnica AT91, Denon, Dual, Onkyo, JVC - the list is extensive. And there are both AudioTechnica stylus choices available. And there are fancy third-party styluses available.
@@AndyBHome I picked up a couple CF-3600LE cartridges from LP Gear ($50 each). Yes it has a carbon fiber cantilever. Check out the specs on LP Gear's site. Sounds great on my Technics S Arm turntable. Using Zen Phono pre-amp.
So I did a test of my old Dual 502 (35+ years old) with a high torque AC motor and a 1 year old belt. I replaced the arm with the REGA RB 250 arm. I played one of my Shure Test LPS with a 1,000 hz tone and with my frequency meter got readings of 1004 to 1006, cyclical. Could be a combination of the Lathe motor and my Dual 502 motor, and maybe an less then perfectly center punched hole??? Could also be a deviation of my motor pulley or the cast platter run errors. Who knows. My old Denon DRS 810 3 head deck after recording the 1,000 hz tone read 999.6 to 999.8 hz.
I used to think of that AT-VM95E cartridge as a cheapy to be avoided but I was wrong. It's actually very good. It's more than just a starter cartridge.
They are really good & the better the turntable the better the sound you will get from the cartridge, you can also upgrade by just changing the stylus as they are interchangeable. I used the microline version & was blown away
@@docwells7 : The one you have is the original AT95E.... This turntable features the newer AT-VM95E, which is a redesigned and improved cartridge. The VM95E comes as standard on the newer AT-LP120X turntable too, and is a marked tonal improvement over the older one. Mind you, the original AT95E wasn't a bad cartridge, and was well respected; if you enjoy yours, that's great!
@@stevesstuff1450 Thanks for the interesting info Steve! Could you point me to good information about that new line of cartridges? I went to Amazon and noticed there are a couple of different versions.
I have a similar anti-skating system on my Taya Turntable from the 70's works great.. I also have a fluance RT-85 which i love ..the taya uses my Shure V15II cart which is great also
I bought an Angel Horn HP-002 .The tone arm mechanism looks the same the tone arm is different . Make sure your turntable is completely level or it is almost impossible to set anti-skate . I almost sent it back it but I threw out the box . I upgraded the cartridge to this same AT-VM95E and it sounds great . I think next time I will get a turntable with a anti-skate dial and skip the frustration . Your can upgrade the Audio Techinca Stylus and not change the cartridge if you buy the VMN95 line stylus.They have like 6 different Stylus for this cartridge 4 are higher up in quality the next is a Nude diamond for around 100 dollars.
Finally someone reviewed the Monoprice Turntable. More please, as their offerings are right up your channel's alley. Check out their premium HT speaker system as well. If you just want stereo and want a sub, one could but the MP 5.1 Premium system, throw the center and surrounds away and sill have a great sounding system for less than most bookshelves that can't compete with the bass of a dedicated sub.
I have the original Monolith turntable from 3-4 years ago and it is still very nice. Holds speed well and no fuss/no drama. It has auto stop at the end of the record and an anti-skate dial instead of a weight on a string. And arguably, a better cart (AT100E as opposed to the 95)
It has the same anti skate mechanism as the Pro-Ject Debut, etc. There's nothing wrong with A-T's VM95 cartridge series, especially since you can upgrade by just buying a better stylus.
I dropped a Nagaoka MP-110 nut about two months ago on Berber carpet that’s woven from a bunch of different shades of tan/brown. It’s still somewhere in my carpet; never found it. I cussed for an hour.
Randy, the Best Reason, "to Blue Tooth" a Turntable signal is to allow the "record player" to be closer to the Listener. When otherwise, there would be a concern for the Resistance & Capacitance of extensive Hook up Wiring wreaking havoc to It's Audio. It's NOT a REMOTE Control. But, It would make playing Vinyl easier.
But Bluetooth is digital. You would be introducing a cheap analog to digital converter in the signal path. One would be better off just sticking with CDs and streaming.
I am itching to grab a pro-ject. Been feeling guilty about buying Chinese instead of Austrian designed Czech made for about a year now. Will follow advice and grab another cartridge, lol. Calming music while I look for tiny screws on the backup…
It is the same turntable as the Lenco LBT-188 and the Argon Audio TT to name a few. The design is just a bit different when it comes to the position of the knobs and the type of tonearm.
I’ve been wanting to upgrade from my AT-LP60 for quite some time. This video intrigued my interest. After watching, I think I might still go with the Fluance 81. Though, I might go for broke with the 85 after I buy a receiver. I listen to my records in a 12x12 bedroom, so I don’t need anything massive. Thanks for showing more options!
I'd save up for the RT85. You'll eventually want to upgrade the RT81, and it will cost you much more to add the 2M Blue and acrylic platter after the fact. I'm on the verge of pulling the trigger on an RT85.
I am not seeing a Headshell on the Monoprice site. Does the Audio Technica angled headshell worK? It's called an AT-HS3. At $29, it's more than 10% the price of the turntable. ; ) But still...if it works that could be a good option.
it is true I have only compared cheap phono pre-amps but I have yet to detect differences between them. if the job of all phono pre-amps is to apply the standardized RIAA curve then there's no difference between them. for me it's the same as cables, people WANT to hear a difference when they unnecessarily spend a lot.
Hey Randy, I've got two 1978 TT, a Sanyo and a Sony. They work just fine. Both semi automatics, one direct drive and the other belt driven. Looking to get a more modern design looking TT, but don't want to spend too much. What do you think??
Turntables-cartridges-vinyl-zero stat-disc washer-stylus brush-and some more stuff I probably forgot. All that went to my ex with my blessings. Because of cd's. Like em-hate em, I don't care. To each their own and I chose cd's. And my modest collection is a bit over 600 when last counted, a long time ago actually. Rock on folks...
Can pick up a akai 206 C for £100 less. Personally I use the fantastic Garrard 401 (SME arm) amp wise I use the wicked sansui AU 717 Which drive my two pairs of leak sandwich 600 speakers.
I'm looking for my first turntable. Having trouble deciding on one. Would you suggest this one, the Audio Technica LPW40WN or maybe something else I've overlooked?
I've been trying to repair an SME3009 tonearm all weekend. Well I say all weekend, because for 85% of it, I've been scrabbling around on the floor, trying to locate the teeny tiny screws it's held together with! Why do they never just fall DOWNWARDS, as opposed to falling at an oblique angle and then ricocheting off in random directions?
It looks neat, but the Fluance RT81 does nearly all the tricks this one does for the same money. A straight headshell and auto-stop mean way more to me than USB and bluetooth. I still like Monoprice for cables and such, but often end up disappointed in their consumer electronics. Fit and finish issues for not much, if any, savings over a traditional brand.
I'd be curious to know how you think an old classic technics SL 1200 turntable sounds...the workhorse turntable for DJs. Totally serious about this. Maybe you can get your hands on and borrow one from a DJ?
Don't have to change cartridge because the new AT VM You can just change the stylus right up to a shibata stylus I think without having to mess with cartridge set up genius.
Randy - this is perfect for me putting together my first Hifi system. Question: for amp would you go with a Schiit Vidar ($699) or Emotiva BasX A2 ($449)?
Damn, had planned on grabbing a Fluance RT85, but the plinth on this matches the walnut on my Sherwood Now I’m questioning if I should just buy this and upgrade the cartridge and platter instead of snagging the fluance
My friend Colin was a mad Crüe fan. He got two tickets for a surprise secret show at the ‘new’ Marquee Club in Charing Cross. His girlfriend couldn’t go, it was a weekday, so I did. Can’t remember the set, probably the last time I went to the Marquee, about ‘91 I think.
Great review, again! And the production standard is on the up and up, but Randy’s straight forward, down to earth approach remains. An affordable cartridges should be threaded and have user a upgradable stylus like the Audio Technica.
You're right, too many "features", all those extras should be canned, improve quality of the basics, make it easier to adjust the anti skating setup and make it stop at the end of the record. Also, when/if changing the cartridge the stylus pressure and antiskating setup may need to be changed as well creating more headaches. So Monolith should follow the KISS principle, IMHO, and stick to basics and ease of use/setup.
Man, these nut stories are cracking me up! I just use a pair of forceps or a bit of double-sided tape on the flat side of a regular screwdriver tip to get it started. Now losing a screw while swapping out a laptop motherboard, that's an exercise in sanity loss. As far as the anti-skate on this table, I agree with most, nope for me. My mid-80's Denon DP-62L has me spoiled in that regard. If a replacement was needed, I can see a Fluance RT-85 as a good choice, maybe one of the lower end new Technics.
The anti skate weight is what turned me off from Music Hall and Project. After several years of watching they still use them. The belts are annoying to. I bought a technics 1200GR. Direct drive and it's super quiet. I had the cartridge I wanted from Ortofon mounted for me. The setup is easy. But if I had to mount the cartridge to the headshell it would probably still be in the box!! The GR is completely manual. So when playing a record you gotta lift the tonearm when it's done!! If the technics 1500C had come out before I got the GR I would have gotten it. Premounted ortofon red. Setup is a breeze.
After wasting nearly $400 AUD on their M1060 I will never buy Chi-Fi again, let alone Monoprice. Worst part is they're still not discontinued. Hope people have a better experience with their turntable. Maybe they've learned some lessons about quality by now, but since they're still selling the M1060 I doubt it.
Heavy rubber platter mat takes care of platter ring just fine, or add some adhesive sound mat to the bottom of the platter. Guess im old school but I dont get why anyone would want a hard ass acrylic platter mat, makes no sense far as damping and absorbing unwanted harmonics or bass feedback etc. I think the boutique audiophile world is largely in the business of snake oil; I would be far more happy to see auto stop or auto return on these stupid expensive tables, its an extremely useful feature found on some very respectable table brands that arent too cheap to add it using noise as an excuse not to.
If one's spectacles do not fit correctly take them to the store have them adjusted.sitting on camera constantly messing is ruddy irritating or one has a problem habit.
Speaking as a woodworker, it boggles my mind that they don't use real hardwood more. It's not very expensive, just look at a similarly sized cutting board, or virtually all electric guitars.
@@mkemp01 I didn't say the buzz was a bad thing. You're the one who thinks it's bad. You're the one with a negative attitude. You seem to take every opportunity to troll me. Have you thought of getting your life?
Been considering getting into vinyl but......... It seems to be the mother of "audiophile" rabbit holes. C'mon Randy don't you know one needs to spend 8k plus to do vinyl "properly" Sorry for the sarcasm, I do greatly appreciate your content. Helps me keep some sanity in an insane hobby.
The whole string and weight anti skate is a joke on any turntable, id never buy one with it. I would go with the Fluance RT81 for the same price, also the fluance has auto stop and a much more standardized headshell and antiskate setup. A nice rubber mat will alleviate any platter ring concerns
the age of high res, SINAD, perfection is gone - RIP DAC - now ppl want DISTORTION and to get that they use tubes, turntables, records, and all kinds of old stuff. soon ppl start to collect cassette tapes that have lost some of their magnetic coatings.
That anti-skate rinky-dink makes this feel like a garage project. Didn't feel/sound right, so let's jiggle it some more??? Microscopic nuts??? No thanks!
I can't believe when you punch in RUclips videos, how many different philosopher videos come up lately. Most people who buy turntables and play records, are doing almost nothing right to enhance the sound quality of their playback. Pythagorus, if they had turntables back in his philosophy days would say "A wise would deaden the ringing in the platter." Socrates would say "A wise man would take those cheap turntable feet off, that come with turntables, and replace them with something way more effective to combat vibration." Dyonisis would say, "A wise man would not look for a phono cartridge with a really complex stylus shape like ShibataLline Contact, Gyger etc. unless he is a real expert at cartridges alignment." If your half a hairs diameter off you will get increased sibilance and mistracking, and if you're more off than that in your aligning, those stylus shapes can literally recut the grooves of your records. I stick with elliptical.
Ive never liked the hanging weight antiskate setup on ANY table as it seem way too cheesy in todays hi tech age. Its like throwing a rock and a rope over a tree limb, stupid. By the same token having to change speed by removing the platter and changing the belt location is also barbaric on something like a high end turntable, I expect something way more civilized from something made in todays age.
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You lost me with that crazy anti skate set up. That's nuts.
Well done Randy.
My first turntable in decades is the Monolith (about 2 years ago). Super frustrated with the setup and can never get it right. Records would skip at exact same spot... Finally sent it back to Monoprice. Got me a Fluance RT84... Never looked back... Not sure why.... I even have a friend of mine that has classic Linn LP12 help me out for hours to get it set up correctly. Fluance setup ? A breeze and it sounds amazing especially for the $$$.
The VM95 cartridge has a trick up it's sleeve. You can upgrade it by just putting a better stylus on it. The "body" of the whole series is the same. So it gives very good return on investment. Once you wear the stylus out, you can move up a model (or more) for the replacement stylus.
that's cool. the Ortofon red upgrades to a blue. I did that with mine
@@cheapaudioman can the Ortofon 2M also take the black and bronze level stylus, styli?
I am fully aware of the AT VM95 upgrade path that goes all the way up to the best stylus they make, which is "nude shibata" I believe. I hope RUclips doesn't block my comment because I wrote "nude shibata," because it looks like something I shouldn't be bringing up in a turntable video.
@@AndyBHome no...not the red. You can upgrade to blue, like Randy said(and its a great upgrade...huge difference) but, thats as far as you can go with that. I'm aware of the other two, but I'm not sure about stylus swapping on other of the 2m platforms.
@@AndyBHome black and bronze share a body that is different from red and blue.
It is definitely no fun if you drop one of your nuts when you swap out a cartridge. Totally agree.
Hey Randy, thank you for this review. A Note: Sum hum on the review today, sounds a bit like you have a big Fender tube amp in your pocket. Lastly, I have a Monolith table from a couple years ago, it is pure black, has an auto start when you move the arm towards the record and it does stop when the cartridge finds the run out groove.
I find this to be a turntable for the masses. I am old and have had and sold some great tables and lowered by record collection by a great deal. This table fills in the category of if they come this will play. Mine is quite beautiful but does not have the Bluetooth or USB out. It does have a built in preamp that sounds ok. I grew up with Dual and cheap Thorens tables all the way up to Oracle and thwe Monolith does not disappoint. So anyone wanting to dip their toes in the vinyl market would be very happy with this. This coming from a regular guy.
I noticed the hum as well.
Before I ever put in a cartridge (1st time), I bought a small container of screws, nuts, and washers. You will drop them while working on new carts, and you don't always find them in the carpet.
Upgrade the needle to either the Microline or Shibata and you’ve got some great tracking and great detail retrieval.
It would be great to see a cheapaudioman review of the AudioTechnica AT3600L. That's an amazingly good cartridge at an amazingly low price. It seems like a solid candidate for Best Cheap Audio Equipment of the Decade.
And it's really rugged - perfect for thrift store vinyl.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that the Rega Carbon and AVIDHiFi CA-1 bear an uncanny resemblance to the AT3600L.. . . to the extent that something pretty obvious becomes obvious.
plus oh, the AT3600 has a carbon fiber cantilever
and it's sold under literally "many" other brand names and model names, such as the low end Crossley NP5, the not as low AudioTechnica CN-5625, AudioTechnica AT91, Denon, Dual, Onkyo, JVC - the list is extensive.
And there are both AudioTechnica stylus choices available. And there are fancy third-party styluses available.
@@AndyBHome I picked up a couple CF-3600LE cartridges from LP Gear ($50 each). Yes it has a carbon fiber cantilever. Check out the specs on LP Gear's site. Sounds great on my Technics S Arm turntable. Using Zen Phono pre-amp.
🎉🎊Congratulation 90K 🎊🎉
Thank you 🙌
So I did a test of my old Dual 502 (35+ years old) with a high torque AC motor and a 1 year old belt. I replaced the arm with the REGA RB 250 arm. I played one of my Shure Test LPS with a 1,000 hz tone and with my frequency meter got readings of 1004 to 1006, cyclical. Could be a combination of the Lathe motor and my Dual 502 motor, and maybe an less then perfectly center punched hole??? Could also be a deviation of my motor pulley or the cast platter run errors. Who knows. My old Denon DRS 810 3 head deck after recording the 1,000 hz tone read 999.6 to 999.8 hz.
I used to think of that AT-VM95E cartridge as a cheapy to be avoided but I was wrong. It's actually very good. It's more than just a starter cartridge.
I liked it. my first experience with an AT cartridge. I need to get some more in.
They are really good & the better the turntable the better the sound you will get from the cartridge, you can also upgrade by just changing the stylus as they are interchangeable. I used the microline version & was blown away
It was the cartridge that came on my AT LP120 five years ago, and I haven't even considered replacing it. Sounds great.
@@docwells7 : The one you have is the original AT95E.... This turntable features the newer AT-VM95E, which is a redesigned and improved cartridge. The VM95E comes as standard on the newer AT-LP120X turntable too, and is a marked tonal improvement over the older one.
Mind you, the original AT95E wasn't a bad cartridge, and was well respected; if you enjoy yours, that's great!
@@stevesstuff1450 Thanks for the interesting info Steve! Could you point me to good information about that new line of cartridges? I went to Amazon and noticed there are a couple of different versions.
I enjoyed this one a lot. The details you provide is much more than you get from anyone else doing this. Nice job, Randy.
I have a similar anti-skating system on my Taya Turntable from the 70's works great.. I also have a fluance RT-85 which i love ..the taya uses my Shure V15II cart which is great also
I bought an Angel Horn HP-002 .The tone arm mechanism looks the same the tone arm is different . Make sure your turntable is completely level or it is almost impossible to set anti-skate . I almost sent it back it but I threw out the box . I upgraded the cartridge to this same AT-VM95E and it sounds great . I think next time I will get a turntable with a anti-skate dial and skip the frustration .
Your can upgrade the Audio Techinca Stylus and not change the cartridge if you buy the VMN95 line stylus.They have like 6 different Stylus for this cartridge 4 are higher up in quality the next is a Nude diamond for around 100 dollars.
yeah. that was the one part of the setup that I can see as being a "no go" for some.
Finally someone reviewed the Monoprice Turntable. More please, as their offerings are right up your channel's alley. Check out their premium HT speaker system as well. If you just want stereo and want a sub, one could but the MP 5.1 Premium system, throw the center and surrounds away and sill have a great sounding system for less than most bookshelves that can't compete with the bass of a dedicated sub.
I have the original Monolith turntable from 3-4 years ago and it is still very nice. Holds speed well and no fuss/no drama. It has auto stop at the end of the record and an anti-skate dial instead of a weight on a string. And arguably, a better cart (AT100E as opposed to the 95)
Good to see more affordable turntables. This only helps the consumer with the competition with manufactures.
It has the same anti skate mechanism as the Pro-Ject Debut, etc. There's nothing wrong with A-T's VM95 cartridge series, especially since you can upgrade by just buying a better stylus.
I dropped a Nagaoka MP-110 nut about two months ago on Berber carpet that’s woven from a bunch of different shades of tan/brown. It’s still somewhere in my carpet; never found it. I cussed for an hour.
Oh, man. That stinks
Nagaoka provides extras because installing them can be a PITA.
Perfect timing. I was looking at these this week and the info out on it was weak at best
It feels like we been buds a long time discussing audio. Your show it really good
Randy, the Best Reason, "to Blue Tooth" a Turntable signal is to allow the "record player" to be closer to the Listener. When otherwise, there would be a concern for the Resistance & Capacitance of extensive Hook up Wiring wreaking havoc to It's Audio. It's NOT a REMOTE Control. But, It would make playing Vinyl easier.
good point. that never occurred to me.
But Bluetooth is digital. You would be introducing a cheap analog to digital converter in the signal path. One would be better off just sticking with CDs and streaming.
@@vinylrules4838- NOT necessarily ... But do it Your way - "hard wire" a Turntable 6 ft. or more, from your Amp/Preamp. Good Luck !
Yes removable head-shell is a big plus ! But every time you change head-shell for a new cartridge you need to setup your arm once again…
I am itching to grab a pro-ject. Been feeling guilty about buying Chinese instead of Austrian designed Czech made for about a year now.
Will follow advice and grab another cartridge, lol. Calming music while I look for tiny screws on the backup…
It is the same turntable as the Lenco LBT-188 and the Argon Audio TT to name a few. The design is just a bit different when it comes to the position of the knobs and the type of tonearm.
Would be interesting to compare it with DROP + AUDIO-TECHNICA CARBON VTA TURNTABLE
Very attractive turntable for the money. The platter and tone arm really set it apart. I'd still probably opt for the Fluance.
I’ve been wanting to upgrade from my AT-LP60 for quite some time. This video intrigued my interest. After watching, I think I might still go with the Fluance 81. Though, I might go for broke with the 85 after I buy a receiver. I listen to my records in a 12x12 bedroom, so I don’t need anything massive. Thanks for showing more options!
I'd save up for the RT85. You'll eventually want to upgrade the RT81, and it will cost you much more to add the 2M Blue and acrylic platter after the fact. I'm on the verge of pulling the trigger on an RT85.
I would love to see you do something on closed back headphones. Options for those still stuck in office cubes but wanting some hifi.
I dont do vinyl, but my buddy is looking for a good entry level turn table. Im gonna send him this video. Thanks Randy!
Awesome, thank you!
I am not seeing a Headshell on the Monoprice site. Does the Audio Technica angled headshell worK? It's called an AT-HS3. At $29, it's more than 10% the price of the turntable. ; ) But still...if it works that could be a good option.
it is true I have only compared cheap phono pre-amps but I have yet to detect differences between them. if the job of all phono pre-amps is to apply the standardized RIAA curve then there's no difference between them. for me it's the same as cables, people WANT to hear a difference when they unnecessarily spend a lot.
First time I had coffee listening to u Randy
Great review! You have got a ground loop hum in your audio. Not sure if you heard it or not
Take a tip from Joe Collins, when changing cartridges with those fideley little nuts, do it in a big plastic bowl!
Yes, I have broken one of the pins of the Hana EL, and to buy a new one...
I have the drop+audio technica carbon vta it has the same cartridge ad this monoprice but its quit a bit nicer... More features 399 UDS
Hey Randy, I've got two 1978 TT, a Sanyo and a Sony. They work just fine. Both semi automatics, one direct drive and the other belt driven. Looking to get a more modern design looking TT, but don't want to spend too much. What do you think??
Turntables-cartridges-vinyl-zero stat-disc washer-stylus brush-and some more stuff I probably forgot. All that went to my ex with my blessings. Because of cd's. Like em-hate em, I don't care. To each their own and I chose cd's. And my modest collection is a bit over 600 when last counted, a long time ago actually. Rock on folks...
Very competitive price and the wood plinth looks nice
Can pick up a akai 206 C for £100 less. Personally I use the fantastic Garrard 401 (SME arm) amp wise I use the wicked sansui AU 717 Which drive my two pairs of leak sandwich 600 speakers.
I'm looking for my first turntable. Having trouble deciding on one. Would you suggest this one, the Audio Technica LPW40WN or maybe something else I've overlooked?
I've been trying to repair an SME3009 tonearm all weekend. Well I say all weekend, because for 85% of it, I've been scrabbling around on the floor, trying to locate the teeny tiny screws it's held together with! Why do they never just fall DOWNWARDS, as opposed to falling at an oblique angle and then ricocheting off in random directions?
If you have threaded cartridge then buy a thumb screw kit.
thanks for the tip... should I get this or the B&O 3000 for same price?
@cheapaudioman - So, would you recommend this over the Fluance RT80 at $50 less?
I’ve been looking for reviews on this there are basically none!
It looks neat, but the Fluance RT81 does nearly all the tricks this one does for the same money. A straight headshell and auto-stop mean way more to me than USB and bluetooth. I still like Monoprice for cables and such, but often end up disappointed in their consumer electronics. Fit and finish issues for not much, if any, savings over a traditional brand.
I'd be curious to know how you think an old classic technics SL 1200 turntable sounds...the workhorse turntable for DJs. Totally serious about this. Maybe you can get your hands on and borrow one from a DJ?
Can you use high sample rates with the USB function? (Like 196khz?) Thanks.
Don't have to change cartridge because the new AT VM You can just change the stylus right up to a shibata stylus I think without having to mess with cartridge set up genius.
The green vinyl sells it. The green cartridge is like icing on the cake.
Randy - this is perfect for me putting together my first Hifi system. Question: for amp would you go with a Schiit Vidar ($699) or Emotiva BasX A2 ($449)?
Vidar.
Both are probably decent.
Damn, had planned on grabbing a Fluance RT85, but the plinth on this matches the walnut on my Sherwood
Now I’m questioning if I should just buy this and upgrade the cartridge and platter instead of snagging the fluance
My friend Colin was a mad Crüe fan. He got two tickets for a surprise secret show at the ‘new’ Marquee Club in Charing Cross. His girlfriend couldn’t go, it was a weekday, so I did. Can’t remember the set, probably the last time I went to the Marquee, about ‘91 I think.
That’s awesome. They’re doing a stadium tour with poison and Def Leppard. They’ll be selling Metamucil instead of beer there
@@cheapaudioman haaaaaa
Looking for a basic setup, a decent turntable and wired headphones. I’m mostly going to listen to classic punk, and metal. Any suggestions?
Great review, again! And the production standard is on the up and up, but Randy’s straight forward, down to earth approach remains. An affordable cartridges should be threaded and have user a upgradable stylus like the Audio Technica.
Thanks, John
Omg I swear your intro gets more pixelated every time I love it
My plan is for an RT85, those tone arms with the hanging doo-dads are OUT for me....I'm not that guy🤣🤣🤣 not patient at all🤣🤣🤣
You're right, too many "features", all those extras should be canned, improve quality of the basics, make it easier to adjust the anti skating setup and make it stop at the end of the record. Also, when/if changing the cartridge the stylus pressure and antiskating setup may need to be changed as well creating more headaches. So Monolith should follow the KISS principle, IMHO, and stick to basics and ease of use/setup.
Man, these nut stories are cracking me up! I just use a pair of forceps or a bit of double-sided tape on the flat side of a regular screwdriver tip to get it started. Now losing a screw while swapping out a laptop motherboard, that's an exercise in sanity loss. As far as the anti-skate on this table, I agree with most, nope for me. My mid-80's Denon DP-62L has me spoiled in that regard. If a replacement was needed, I can see a Fluance RT-85 as a good choice, maybe one of the lower end new Technics.
What do you think of the Monolith tube amps?
Did it yesterday, on an incredibly clean laminate floor - nut lost forever 😔
A Fluance RT80 or RT81 is a much better choice for overall quality and a much nicer wood finish.
I've lost my nuts on a regular basis while installing my Nagaoka MP-110's and -150's. Fortunately Nagaoka provides extras.
The anti skate weight is what turned me off from Music Hall and Project. After several years of watching they still use them. The belts are annoying to. I bought a technics 1200GR. Direct drive and it's super quiet. I had the cartridge I wanted from Ortofon mounted for me. The setup is easy. But if I had to mount the cartridge to the headshell it would probably still be in the box!! The GR is completely manual. So when playing a record you gotta lift the tonearm when it's done!! If the technics 1500C had come out before I got the GR I would have gotten it. Premounted ortofon red. Setup is a breeze.
After wasting nearly $400 AUD on their M1060 I will never buy Chi-Fi again, let alone Monoprice. Worst part is they're still not discontinued. Hope people have a better experience with their turntable. Maybe they've learned some lessons about quality by now, but since they're still selling the M1060 I doubt it.
Dropped many of those little nuts... maddening!
Fluance is king, at their prices they killed competition for sure.
To be honest I need a good Automatic turntable, I look like I've been hit with Tazer putting the tone arm down, not good .
project has one but it's limited with it's upgradeability.
@@cheapaudioman I was looking at the Audio Technica but the reviews were only ok .
I know you reviewed one I will go look back ... Tar .
Is it better than a Lenco direct drive ?
i know its just me being weird, but whenever i see a product with those knobs i check out. theyre so chintzy
I don't what's going on with Monoprice but the site keeps tripping a weird "unsafe site" warning from Ublock Origin
Heavy rubber platter mat takes care of platter ring just fine, or add some adhesive sound mat to the bottom of the platter. Guess im old school but I dont get why anyone would want a hard ass acrylic platter mat, makes no sense far as damping and absorbing unwanted harmonics or bass feedback etc. I think the boutique audiophile world is largely in the business of snake oil; I would be far more happy to see auto stop or auto return on these stupid expensive tables, its an extremely useful feature found on some very respectable table brands that arent too cheap to add it using noise as an excuse not to.
It's there any benefit to an S shaped tone arm versus one designed to be straight?
You might want to Google that rabbit hole. It can get deep, but then you could choose how far you want to go
Sounds like a great value at $250.
If one's spectacles do not fit correctly take them to the store have them adjusted.sitting on camera constantly messing is ruddy irritating or one has a problem habit.
Speaking as a woodworker, it boggles my mind that they don't use real hardwood more. It's not very expensive, just look at a similarly sized cutting board, or virtually all electric guitars.
You have a slight background buzz.
You’re always negative. Always. I don’t know why you bother watching.
@@mkemp01 I didn't say the buzz was a bad thing. You're the one who thinks it's bad. You're the one with a negative attitude. You seem to take every opportunity to troll me. Have you thought of getting your life?
It’s a caffeine buzz.
U mean the technic sl1200 aren’t the best?! 😂
Does anyone make a turntable tht plays more than 1 album anymore ?
My nuts have indeed dropped.😂
Been considering getting into vinyl but......... It seems to be the mother of "audiophile" rabbit holes. C'mon Randy don't you know one needs to spend 8k plus to do vinyl "properly"
Sorry for the sarcasm, I do greatly appreciate your content. Helps me keep some sanity in an insane hobby.
Anytime. I love my $700 ish set up
Why do they call it a turn table when it is not a table that turns?
This looks like a Hanpin made device
The whole string and weight anti skate is a joke on any turntable, id never buy one with it. I would go with the Fluance RT81 for the same price, also the fluance has auto stop and a much more standardized headshell and antiskate setup. A nice rubber mat will alleviate any platter ring concerns
Looks like a nice chunk of wood for the money 🤔
like my 45 year old Sansui 2050
Hum in the last few videos.
come on over and help me trouble shoot Craig.
@@cheapaudioman I would love to, Randy! The drive over is kind of a show stopper. I'll let you know if I'm ever in the area, though.
the age of high res, SINAD, perfection is gone - RIP DAC - now ppl want DISTORTION and to get that they use tubes, turntables, records, and all kinds of old stuff. soon ppl start to collect cassette tapes that have lost some of their magnetic coatings.
Motley Crue? Really? I understand your love of Metallica. But Randy, what's in that coffee besides caffeine?
C'mon. Kickstart my Heart was a jam.
@@cheapaudioman ok, ok. One or two good ones. 1 great one . . . Girls, Girls, Girls. ☮️
Too Fast for Love and Shout at the Devil
‘Nuff said.
Two fiddy
That anti-skate rinky-dink makes this feel like a garage project. Didn't feel/sound right, so let's jiggle it some more??? Microscopic nuts???
No thanks!
Hey, simple solutions for simple problems. MoFi tables use the same approach.
I can't believe when you punch in RUclips videos, how many different philosopher videos come up lately. Most people who buy turntables and play records, are doing almost nothing right to enhance the sound quality of their playback. Pythagorus, if they had turntables back in his philosophy days would say "A wise would deaden the ringing in the platter." Socrates would say "A wise man would take those cheap turntable feet off, that come with turntables, and replace them with something way more effective to combat vibration." Dyonisis would say, "A wise man would not look for a phono cartridge with a really complex stylus shape like ShibataLline Contact, Gyger etc. unless he is a real expert at cartridges alignment." If your half a hairs diameter off you will get increased sibilance and mistracking, and if you're more off than that in your aligning, those stylus shapes can literally recut the grooves of your records. I stick with elliptical.
if it was from Fluance it would be missing parts and untested at the factory!
I've had about 5 of them come through and they've all worked and had all of their parts. I'm sorry you had a different experience.
Ive never liked the hanging weight antiskate setup on ANY table as it seem way too cheesy in todays hi tech age. Its like throwing a rock and a rope over a tree limb, stupid. By the same token having to change speed by removing the platter and changing the belt location is also barbaric on something like a high end turntable, I expect something way more civilized from something made in todays age.