Monacor Menhir, highly efficient floorstander   in Klang+Ton 6/2008

Menhir aus Klang+Ton 6/2008
Technical data
- impedance: 8 Ohm
- rated SPL (2.83V/1m): 93 dB
- size (HxWxD): 105 x 36,8 x 45 cm
- frequency range (-8dB): 31 - > 20000 Hz
- crossover frequency: 2000 Hz
- speaker type: bass reflex
To attain extremely high dynamics was the main objective in designing this loudspeaker. Menhir (the type of stone Obelix used to throw around) turned out to be an exceptional top class loudspeaker with high efficiency. One drawback is the high space requirement.

Excerpt from the Klang+Ton listening test

... "Neither the well recorded drums and the piercing bass on the Dire Straits classic "Communiqué" nor the Far East drummers are a serious challenge for the Menhir, even at volumes that provoked colleagues to leave the room with a shake of the head. To be honest, I didn't regard the volume of these Monacor speakers as excessive since not only the dynamics were right but also the sound quality. But - with valves? Definitely - only with low power, single ended amps there are some shortcomings in the lower bass. Three-dimensionality is simply striking. The sound stage put up in front of the listener allows rock musicians to get cracking, but also chamber ensembles to show some subtle nuances or large orchestras to display the full bandwidth of their spectrum. Acoustic guitars don't only consist of mere body, but vibrating strings and picking noise, strings not only show-off their famous sweetness but also some harsher overtones. With these speakers one can follow all musical details or enjoy the hair-raising dynamics; and the best? That's all possible at any volume."

Our kit consists of

- SP-12A/302PA mid / bass driver
- Celestion CDX1-1430 tweeter
- MRH-83 tweeter horn
- MHA-35 screw adapter
- ST-410GM terminal
- ST-955GM terminal
- BP-500G binding posts
- MBR-100 bass reflex tube
  (shortened to 4 cm)
- MBR-100 bass reflex tube
- 2 mats nap foam MDM-60
- 6 x damping wool Sonofil
- 1 x heavy foam MDM-30
- rubber feet HF10
- sealing tape
- 8 x PAN 4x20 screws
- 8 x MZF-8605 screws
  with nut
- 8 x Allen wood screws 4x16mm (MZF-8614)
- 3m cable 2x2.5 mm2
- building instruction
(the Monacor Loudspeaker DIY Magazine)
- the crossover components*) to be mounted on wood:
 
- 1.0 mH air core coil / 1.4 mm *)
- 0.33 mH air core coil / 1.4 mm *)
- 0.39 mH air core coil / 1 mm
- 1.8 mH air core coil / 1.4 mm *)
- 0.27 mH air core coil / 1 mm
 
- 2 x 22 μF MKP capacitors / 400V *)
- 3.3 μF capacitor / 400V
- 15 μF MKP capacitor / 400V
- 3.9 μF MKP capacitor / 400V
- 8.2 μF MKP capacitor / 400V
- 68 μF MKP capacitor / 400V *)
 
- 10 Ohm resistor, 20W
- 3.9 Ohm resistor, 20W
- 8.2 Ohm resistor, 20W
- 6.8 Ohm resistor, 20W
- 4 x 15 Ohm resistors, 20W

Please note: *) In addition to Monacor crossover components we also supply components by Jantzen, Mundorf, Intertechnik. The coils in series to the bass driver have 1.4 mm wire instead of 1.2 mm, resulting in slightly tighter bass dues to reduced heat emission of the crossover. In addition we supply MKP capacitors throughout, instead of higher loss MKT.

Price remains the same! Upon request original Monacor components are also available.

Menhir kit without cabinet
Price per unit EUR 730,00 excl. VAT: € 613.45 / $ 662.52

Price hint: the price of EUR 390 indicated by Klang+Ton is unfortunately not possible with components prescribed and priced by Monacor; the actual price would be well over EUR 500 per speaker.

If you prefer to mount the crossover components on a PCB instead on wood we recommend 1 or 2 PCB's depending on spacing of the components:
PCB, Order No. I-8805002,     Price   EUR 11,80 excl. VAT: € 9.92 / $ 10.71

Our Menhir kit with lower cost components

If you wish to have the kit with
a) Standard terminals (please bear in mind that the bi-wiring terminal requires a different cut-out)
b) with gold-plated brass binding post
c) standard N25 nap foam instead of Monacor MDM-60
we recommend the following, lower priced kit:

Menhir price / performance kit without cabinet
Price per unit EUR 665,00 excl. VAT: € 558.82 / $ 603.53

If you prefer to mount the crossover components on a PCB instead on wood we recommend 1 or 2 PCB's depending on spacing of the components:
PCB, Order No. I-8805002,     Price   EUR 11,80 excl. VAT: € 9.92 / $ 10.71

Impedance correction for valve amps

If you wish to connect the Menhir to a valve amp we recommend an impedance correction with the following components:


- 0.22 mH air core coil 1.4 mm
- 8.2 μF MKP capacitor
- 2 x 22 Ohm / 20 Watt resistors

Menhir impedance correction kit for valve amps
Price per unit EUR 24,20 excl. VAT: € 20.34 / $ 21.96

Menhir with high-end crossover

Monacor's building instruction states that higher quality components in certain places might improve the sound. However, if high priced components are used the price / performance ratio will suffer.

To those of you who still insist on higher quality components we recommend our high-end crossover version.

This kit contains in the signal path to the bass driver 1.4 baked varnish coils instead of the improved 1.4 wire coils improving on the microphonics effect (microphonics effect: the current produces mechanical vibration in the coil, inducing unwanted voltage that is passed on to the speakers). In the path to the tweeter we also employed baked varnish coils; the MKP capacitors remain.

Menhir kit with crossover without cabinet
Price per unit EUR 750,00 excl. VAT: € 630.25 / $ 680.67

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