Page 54 - 2022-08-01 Sound & Vision

test report

MONOLITH BY MONOPRICE BELT DRIVE TURNTABLE

RATING

PERFORMANCE

FEATURES
Play it Again, Sam ERGONOMICS

VALUE
By Michael Trei

around $200, and include an adjust-
able tonearm and a replaceable phono
cartridge. This allows you to dip your toe
in the vinyl waters for minimal outlay and
then improve things a step or two at a
time if decide you like what you hear and
want more. The Monolith by Monoprice
Belt Drive Turntable slots right into that
market position.
The turntable comes in two versions.
The basic $200 model is equipped
with the ever-popular Audio-Technica
AT-3600L moving-magnet phono
cartridge. While this serviceable
cartridge is a big step up over the cheap
heavy tracking ceramic cartridges they
stick in those suitcase players, it’s not
exactly going to get an audiophile’s
juices flowing. But when you move up to
the $250 Monolith under review, you get
the Audio-Technica AT-VM95E phono
cartridge, perhaps the best cartridge
you can buy today for less than $100
and one that provides a very easy
upgrade path.
That $50 price difference pre y
much correlates with the difference in
cost between the two cartridges, so it’s
money well spent. Besides the cartridge
upgrade, the only difference between
the two models is that the $250 version
is offered in a walnut vinyl (Monoprice
model 600046) or gloss-black finish
(600047), while the $200 version is
available only in gloss black (600045).
AS SOMEONE who works with turn- vinyl records over the last few years, There was a time when all turntables
tables almost every day, one question I there has also been a huge boom in the would output a low-level signal (directly
get pre y frequently is, “How much do I equipment needed to play them—from from the phono cartridge) to feed the
need to spend to get a real taste of what $50 suitcase players that appeal mostly phono input on an amp or receiver.
the buzz with vinyl is all about?” Defining to kids all the way up to rigs that can cost But these days a lot of people want to
the entry level for record players can be as much as a house. connect their turntable to something
tricky. Spend too li le and you’re prob- For me, an entry level turntable has other than an old-school amp or
ably going to be disappointed and lose to be able to play records safely without receiver, so newer budget turntables
interest pre y quickly. Spend too much damaging them and must sound good The Monolith tend to provide several connection
and you’re likely to dismiss playing out of the box, while also offering some turntable provides options. The Monolith is no exception.
records as just another overpriced sort of an upgrade path. What I tend wired and wireless A Phono/Line switch on the back of
fad. With the great surge of interest in to think of as “real” turntables start at hookup options. the turntable lets you select a low-level

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54 August September 2022 soundandvision.com