Grand Prix Monaco review in new Stereophile- OUCH

The goal was and is always, with any review, to make the product under review sound as good as it possibly can within the context of the review system. Of course VTA was carefully adjusted. And while I'm at it, I understand there are some IDIOTIC rumors floating around (based on a reader's email) that the Graham Phantom did not contain damping fluid. Of course it did. Who could have made such a ludicrous assertion? The Graham, which I own, was taken from the Continuum's second armboard and installed on the Monaco. The VTA obviously had to be readjusted to take into account the difference in platter height (etc.). Also, according to this reader, some yentas are asserting that my relationship with the folks at Continuum affected the review. So let's see: I attended Harry Weisfeld's son's Bar Mitzvah, I attended the funeral of his other son (the one for whom the JMW Memorial arm was named) and consider Harry Weisfeld a closer friend than I do the guys from Continuum, but somehow, after reviewing the Simon Yorke S7, I sold my TNT and bought the Yorke, though I had never met Simon Yorke at that point in time. You know what? There are some real idiots in this hobby. So let me reiterate. I LISTENED TO THE MONACO AND WROTE WHAT I HEARD. That's what I do every time, all the time. I separate the products from the people. It's essential to do that. Unfortunately, there are too many reviewers who can't do that, so they end up writing frothy, chummy reviews of every product they get in. Never a bad word. Why bother reading such reviews when you can read professional advertising copy or a publicist's hand out?

well i haven't heard the caliburn but it;s would be typical of fremer to like because it is one of, if the not the, most expensive tables on the market. It may not be a great table or it may be. But, i'd be curious is head to head it was better than a walker, galibier,teres, forsell or whatever...

I think people take these subjective reviews too seriously. Look at the "glowing" subjective review the same guy gave the Zanden Transport/DAC in Stereophile's November 2006 issue, and that thing measured terribly...

If this thread hasn't set a record for the most postings in a week, I'd like to know what has. "Desperate Housewives" and "Dancing With The Stars" must be eating their hearts out.

Personally, I looked past the subjective opinions, and ordered an accelerometer and charge amplifier today. It will help me refine the sound that I HEAR. Sounds that others hear direct me, but don't restrict me, to what I'll lay my dollars down and buy.

Hey Ken,

If you tell Mike Fremer about your cool '55 Chevy, maybe he would fly out and show you how to use the accelerometer.