Tasty AstyIn a world of ill-fitting clothing this Monrio CD player comes across as an Armani suit, its lines being so simple that most rivals look cluttered by comparison.The case is superbly finished and the quality of workmanship is good enough to impress at £1000 let alone £695. The minimal controls work with precision and the display is easy to read, even at a distance. The only complaint with the ergonomics is the omission of stop and pause buttons on the front panel. As it is, these operations can only be accessed from the remote control.Inside you'll find a Philips transport and a 24-bit DAC, the circuits being split to minimise the effect of the transport and control electronics interfering with the audio circuits.
There are even two mains transformers - one for the digital circuits, the other for the analogue side of things.Monrio has paid a great deal of attention to the quality of its components and the Asty uses plenty of audiophile grade components throughout the design. And all this attention to detail brings sonic rewards.The player recreates a solid soundstage and tracks such as Layla from Eric Clapton’s Unplugged album enjoy great presence. Acoustic guitar has plenty of bite and detail without being harsh. Lead vocals and the backing band are both sharply Focused. Just as pleasing is the way this player lets the rhythm track guitar momentum.Like all good components, it isn't musically fussy: it'll punch out the hard driving beats of Salt'n' Pepa while also capturing the subtleties of the group's voices. Similariy, Gershwin’s Cuban Overture retains its energy and joy despite its complex nature.This is a very find CD player. It plays all types of music with equal ease and matches this sonic skill with fine build and classy styling. If you’re looking for a player at this price the Asty deserves serious attention.Frequency range; 20Hz-20kHz
Amplitude linearity; -1dB a 20kHz
Dynamic range; 105 dB
Signal-to-noise ratio; 115 dB
Channel separation; 110 dB (1kHz)
Total harmonic distortion; -97 dB
Audio output level; 2,10mV
Digital output level; 0,5 V p-p, 75 ohm
Sampling frequency; 44,1kHz
D/A Conversion; Sigma Delta 24 Bit
Mains voltage; 110/115 – 220/240V +/-10%, factory set for destination country only
Mains frequency; 50/60 Hz, factory set for destination country only
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