Monrio Top Loader Type 2

 CD Player

Privilege was the first CD Player built by Monrio. Launched in 1997, the Privilege was the beginning of an uninterrupted series of CD Player characterized by excellent musicality and an aesthetics almost always innovative and particular. Thanks to the long experience in achieving and testing different circuit solutions in the analogue section and D / A conversion, we were able to achieve a world-class CD Player with excellent musical characteristic and construction; the Top Loader Type 3.

Specifications

OUTPUTS, ANALOG (Stereo):  Balanced XLR 4.4V RMS; Single-Ended RCA 2.2V RMS

OUTPUT IMPEDANCE:  660 Ω Balanced, 330 Ω SE.

FREQUENCY RESPONSE:  0.5 - 20,000 Hz  +0 -1 dB.

SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO :  105 dBA

DISTORTION:  .01% 1kHz.

RESOLUTION:  2 x 24 bit/192 kHz Delta-Sigma DAC.

CHANNEL SEPARATION:  95 dB 1 kHz.

OUTPUT DIGITAL:  RCA coax SPDF 75Ω  0.5V p-p

SIGNAL FORMAT:  Sampling Frequency : 44.1 kHz.

TUBE COMPLEMETS:  2 X 12AU7

DRIVE MECHANISM:  Philips CD-PRO2M (Top Load): Wow & Flutter: Immeasurable

1. Discs: Accepts 5” (12 cm.) and 3” (8 cm.) size. 

POWER REQUIREMENTS (Detachable power cord):  200-250 V AC 50/60 Hz. – 100-135 V AC 60Hz.

CONSUMPTION:  60 watts Max.

DIMENSIONS (W x H x D):  438 x 94 x 380 mm

WEIGHT:  10,5 Kg (net);  15 Kg (shipping) 

Monrio Top Loader Type3

Vacuum Tube Compact Disc Player – Transport

The research and development staff at Monrio consists of long time audiophiles with a deep understanding of how recorded music should sound. Years of experience in the Hi-End Planet led to the creation of the Top Loader Type 3 CD Player, a world-class product built for eyes and ears

Solid and elegant, the Top Loader Type 3 CD Player combines aesthetics design with the latest and most advanced in digital technology . Combined with the best digital and a fully differential circuit topology with dual-triode vacuum gain and solid state regulation - located directly on the audio circuit board -, the Top Loader Type 3 is a remarkable performer. Power Supply stage, DAC stage and Output stage are isolated electronically and mechanically from the mechanism via a separate chassis

Specifications

OUTPUTS, ANALOG (Stereo): Balanced XLR 4.4V RMS; Single-Ended RCA 2.2V RMS

OUTPUT IMPEDANCE: 660 ohms BAL, 330 ohms SE.

FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 0.5-20,000Hz +0 -1dB.

SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO : 105 dBA

DISTORTION: .01% 1kHz.

RESOLUTION: 2 x 24bit/192kHz Delta-Sigma DAC.

CHANNEL SEPARATION: 95 dB 1kHz.

OUTPUT DIGITAL: RCA coax SPDF 75-ohm 0.5V p-p

SIGNAL FORMAT: Sampling Frequency: 44.1 kHz.

TUBE COMPLEMETS: 2 X 12AU7

DRIVE MECHANISM: Philips CD-PRO2M (Top Load): Wow & Flutter: Immeasurable

1. Discs: Accepts 5” (12 cm.) and 3” (8 cm.) size. 

POWER REQUIREMENTS (Detachable power cord): 200-250VAC 50/60 Hz. – 100-135VAC 60Hz.

 CONSUMPTION: 60 watts Max.

DIMENSIONS: 438 mm W x 94 mm H x 380 mm D

WEIGHT: 10,5 Kg. Net, 15 Kg. Shipping 

Monrio STO-O1 Multifunction Music Server

The STO Music Server offers a silent playback system when playing from the built-in HD or CD Drive. It is a high performance audio playback system designed as a true audiophile unit.

We've incorporated all the functionality you need into the STO Music Server and eliminated the need for a PC. Now you can store your music, manage your collection and even burn CDs. All that in high performance audio fidelity.

Extend your musical repertoire and enjoy thousands of free internet radio stations, delivered directly to your stereo system. On the STO Display, get detailed information about the artist, album and track that is currently playing.

Unlike listening to your music on a computer, iPod or MP3 music players, the STO Music Server combines a high-resolution DAC, Tube Output stage, CD quality digital sound, ultra-quiet hard drives and passive cooling to eliminate fan noise to deliver the best possible hi-fi audio quality.

HARDWARE SPECIFICATION

- 1x front SD Card interface

- 1x rear USB 2.0 Host interface.

- 1x RJ45 10/100M Base-T Ethernet interface.

- 1x HDMI 1.3 HD video/audio integrated interface.

- 1x AV/Stereo OUT combination interface.

- 1x Component(Y/Pb/Pr ) video out interface.

- 1x Stereo Audio Analogue out interface

- 1x Coaxial SPDIF digital audio out interface.

- 1x Optical SPDIF digital audio out interface.

- 1x Stereo Audio Analogue in interface

- 1x AV/Stereo IN combination interface.

- 2x internal SATA I/II interfaces

- 1x 100 ~ 240V AC power interface.

- 1x Full function remote controller.

- One CD/DVD Drive

- Two SATA HDD or 5.25' Pull-type HDD rack installable (Option).

- Support USB 802.11n/b/g WIFI dongle, Up to 300Mbps transmission speed.

- Size: 430 x 330 x 50mm (W x D x H) .

Storage Supported:

- Two internal 1TB Hard Disks (one used as backup)

- One internal CD/DVD drive

- External USB Hard Disks

- External USB media card readers

- USB disks / USB sticks

- iPod external dock station

- WAV / WMA / MP3/ FAT file systems supported

FEATURES

- 24bit/192kHz Digital-to-Analog Converter

- Tube Analog Audio Output Stage (tube complement 1 x 12AU7)

- In-built CD/DVD Drive, Internet Radio, SD Card MP3 Player, Aux Input

- Touch screen display

- iPod, iPhone application – iPod and iPhone touch becomes a touchscreen remote

- Record, Store & Play from HDD, DISC or Analog Audio Input

- Record to Internal hard disk

- Timer Recording

- Time Shift

- EPG Program Schedule Recording

- Web Remote Schedule Recording

- Audio Streaming

- Wired & Wireless Network

- Expand more storage with USB2.0

- UPnP Media Streaming

Storage Supported:

- Two internal 1TB Hard Disks (one used as backup)

- One internal CD/DVD drive

- External USB Hard Disks

- External USB media card readers

- USB disks / USB sticks

- iPod external dock station

- WAV / WMA / MP3/ FAT file systems supported

MONRIO Asty Line MkIII

The construction of the Asty Line is at once simple, careful and robust, it uses a bottom plate in steel which support PC Boards and power transformer. Top cover is made in aluminium painted in silver.Faceplate is built on 10mm thick of machined aluminium. Finish is silver brushed and anodised. Knobs are machined from solid aluminium, hand polished and painted in silver finish. Control functions include on/off power switch, Mute switch input selection and volume. Volume is remotely controlled by a supplied “Monrio Design” remote handset. Four single-ended input and two balanced input sources are accommodated, with two sets of single-ended main outputs, stereo balanced XLR and one set of fixed-level tape outputs. The passive components are of top quality: tube socket is ceramic; metal film 1% precision resistors are used all over the circuit; power supply decoupling capacitors are double-bypassed utilizing polypropylene caps for more linear high-frequency current delivery with no compromise to speed or extension. On the output stage an oil impregnated metallised paper dielectric capacitor has been chosen for its long-term capacitance stability that achieve really constant performance in audio reproduction.

Combining the most advanced, triode/junction FET hybrid topology and solid-state regulation - without any feedback - the Asty Line is a remarkable performer. This also reduces the output impedance to about 100 ohms - capable of driving any power amplifier, tube or solid-state. It is the answer to the impassioned quest by music lovers for a high performance, reliable and affordable tube preamp. While conventional tube preamps have always been recognized as the ultimate, and expensive, way of listening to music there have been serious impediments to wider scale use. The rumors you heard about conventional tube circuitry are true, tube preamp are expensive, tubes can get noisy and you can’t get much gain from a tube circuit. The Asty Line hybrid tube/FET circuit eliminate all of these conventional problems and gives you the sound quality of tube and the reliability of solid state. The only way to bring the sound quality of tubes to the masses is by eliminating the tube tremors. By integrating FETs with tube we eliminate all the weakness of tubes and preserve their unique ability to reproduce real music. The preamp circuitry uses FETs in those sections that are stressed and usually create noise, in addition, the FETs eliminate all tube microphonics. In the Asty Line all of the audio information appearing at the input including imaging, dynamics, purity, and musicality are preserved completely and delivered to the output without any distortion or alteration. One of the design factors that is responsible for the Asty Line level of performance is the sophisticated multiple tiered solid-state regulated power supplies independent for each channel. A shielded toroidal transformer, with various secondary wiring, provides the separate voltages for filament, high voltage, FET input stage and services. The 6922 has 220VDC fully regulated by a transistors regulators. Its filament is powered at 6.3VDC from a filtered and regulated supply. The choice of full regulated power supply allows the tube to receive stabile and clean power supply. The switch-on is delayed, through a relay, in order to preserve tube life.Instead of chassis wiring which can create sonic problems, the Asty Line has no wiring. There is a small amounts of wiring required to connect signals between input/output PC Board and gain block PC Board.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Gain: 22dB
Frequency Response: 10Hz – 150kHz, +/-1dB
Max output level: 10 Volts
Distortion: THD 0.1% - 1kHz
Output Impedance 120 ohms
Power Supplies: Fully-regulated low and high voltage supplies
Tub complement: 1-6922/E88cc dual triode
Power consumption 25 watts
Dimensions: 438 x 84x 360 mm
Weight : 7,5 Kg.

MONRIO MP-11

The MP11 represents the first modern-day effort to utilize the proven superiority of the vacuum tube input stage connected to an amazing ICEPOWER® output stage. It uses a 12AU7 front-end tube. Its purpose is to provide the differential signal for true balanced operation. Tubes are superb in preamp stages – they are linear and circuits may be kept very simple. When the very frail signal coming from the source passes through very few devices that are inherently linear, less damage will be done.Careful attention has been given to the tube power supply. A stable, well-regulated power supply is used throughout the preamp section. The MP11 uses a three terminal IC voltage regulator to supply the heaters of the vacuum tube. This ensures that the cathodes of the tube are operated at a constant temperature regardless of the current AC line voltage. The characteristics of each triode section, and therefore the voltage gain of each amplifier stage, are strongly affected by the temperature of the cathodes. Regulating the voltage supplied to the heaters also helps to minimize tube generated noise in the circuitry. Regulation of the high voltage supplies is also necessary for optimum preamplifier performance.

Utilizing a unique design topology capable of adapting to any of today's audio and video system needs and reproducing sound with the unmistakable Monrio rhythmic drive and musical integrity.At the first sight the MP11 Monoblock Power Amplifiers may appear receptively small, but don’t be misled by their surprisingly compact size - each Monoblock is capable of generating 500 watts of peak power into 4 Ohm. They will optimize the performance of any loudspeaker and create an utterly stable three-dimensional soundstage with realistic dynamic response and a wealth of musical detail.The MP11 offers an unprecedented alliance between power and efficiency in a small and elegant chassis. It features iron die-casting, combined with aluminium extrusions and covers, which together result in a rigid case that offers great immunity to the effects of external vibration.With both balanced and single-ended inputs, the MP11 offer compatibility with any source component. Compact size and light-weight are perfect for multi-channel use, the MP11 offers maximum system flexibility for use in audio-video applications and, most important, its very low operating temperature allow for flexible placement in any listening environment.Switchable XLR and RCA inputs, twin pairs of five-way binding posts for biwiring and a convenient Stand-by button on the front panel complete the exterior. MP11 Monoblock System is a unique listening experience.
Specifications
Output Power: 250 watts @ 8 ohms
500 watts @ 4 ohms
Frequency Response: 6/60 kHz, 3dB
Dynamic Range: 117 dba
Load Impedance 2- 16 ohms
THD+Noise <.05%/4 ohms @ 1 kHz Inputs: 1 x Balanced XLR, 1 x Single-ended RCA Outputs: 2 pair Gold Plated binding posts Weight: 8.5 kg. Dimensions: 210mm (w) x 390mm (d) x 100mm (h)

Monrio Asty PL '' CD Player''

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

Monrio Asty

Monrio has become one of the best-known names in Italian hi-fi market; their specialty are quality electronics at down-to-earth prices. Their web-site, www.monrio.com, is on-line but still under construction. During my long, low-profile audiophile career, I didn't have the chance to listen to many of their products, but I have always kept Monrio in high esteem, both for their consistency in delivering good products to the market and for their well-thought technical solutions. I remember, in particular, their use of a CLC (capacitor-choke-capacitor) PSU on a solid state amplifier of theirs, a remarkable solution in a world where the PSU of most amplifiers, even those carrying substantial price tags, is made of a rectifier bridge and a host of huge capacitors. Old memories, which, while revealing my age, also confirm the fact that Monrio has been in this market sector for a long while.In this review we will investigate the Asty, their entry-level integrated amplifier.

The Asty is really good even at first sight: restrained and stylish, in a black case, with a nice, substantial faceplate in 10mm brushed aluminium; its solidity and compactness makes for a nice feeling of sturdiness. On the simple and clean faceplate we find four knobs, from left to right the input selector, the balance control, the volume control and the on-off switch. On the back panel, as it is normal, the input connectors are placed; these are a little bit too close each other, especially if you need to use those audiophile-approved interconnects of garden hose size, and the high quality output binding posts. One of the inputs is named "direct"; according to the user manual, this input is the one to use in an A/V system, after operating a switch inside the amplifier.Lastly, an IEC mains socket is present.

Inside the chassis, the good first impression is fully confirmed. The inside is very well engineered, there is a motherboard, upon which almost all the electronic components are located, a toroidal transformer and a side board which hosts the input selection circuitry (and, I think, the phono preamp one - I can't be sure, as my sample was line only)

All of the components seem to be good quality and the circuit is completely dual mono from the bridge rectifiers on. The potentiometers would seem to be quite low-cost ones, but you won't hear a word from me against these components as, most of the times, cheap ones are almost better-sounding than their more expensive counterparts, their main drawback being a slight lack of reliability. Rated output power is 55w/ch, almost certainly Class AB, as the amp is always barely warm, small heatsinks notwithstanding.

To put it bluntly, I think this test of mine is inconclusive (but don't worry, read on and you'll find a report by someone whose opinion is valued much more than mine) as the marriage between this amplifier and my speakers is not an ideal one.The Monrio wasn't bad sounding, far from that, but reviewing a 55W amplifier with 100dB/W/m speakers is quite unfair. I know, I know, I will eventually have to treat myself to a pair of "normal" loudspeakers, but for reviewing purposes ONLY, right?Anyway, if I had to summarise the impressions I had of this amplifier, I would say, as an old Italian ad for a whisky, "clear in colour, clean in taste"; this is the kind of basic character of the amp's sound quality, the first impressions confirmed in longer listening tests.The balance is tipped towards the clear, but this doesn't mean that the bass is lacking, far from that, but it's a well articulated and restrained one. Vocals, and midrange in general, aren't up to the quality of the ones provided by my reference amp; the human voice, in particular, is lacking in body and in that "breathing" quality which makes it more credible, but this is nitpicking, as this is a product which achieves much more than it's fair to ask from it. The frequency extremes are fine, always present and lively as they are. The soundstage is good in width, slightly less good in depth, as a little shortening of perspectives is apparent.To summarize, this amp's sound is fine, a down-to-earth, honest sound quality, which doesn't achieve the reference level in any parameter, but never lets down.

The Asty is, no doubt, a good product. It is well built, it employs good quality components and it's sound won't make you think you could have spent the amount it costs in a better way, Yes, let's not forget this amp just costs 650 Euro, which in my opinion makes of it the integrated amp with the best price/quality ratio I have had the chance to listen to.It surely has some drawbacks, but, at this price level, if it didn't have any, it would be a miracle.Nice one, Monrio!

Output Power; 50 watts per channel /8 ohms

Total harminc distorsion (THD); 0.07% at 8 ohms0.03% at 4 ohms

Frequency response; 10-20kHz/ -1dB

Input inpedance; 10k ohms

Input sensitivity; 330 mV for max output power

Mains voltage; 110/115 – 220/240 VAC

Mains frequency; 50 or 60 Hz

Inputs/Outputs; Five high-level inputs,

1 Tape output,

1 Direct input (A/V connection),

2 Five-way binding posts per channel,

1 IEC AC mains connector

Dimensions; 430mm(w)x80mm(h)x310mm(d)

Weight; 8.5 Kg.