It's been a couple of months ever since Monitor Audio GR10 replaced my previous speakers, JM Lab Electra 905 – I got used to 905's excellent midband, details and clarity. Gorgeous look and great finish were additional bonus, too.

Also, they've fit like a glove to my Exposure's 3010S CD & Amp darker tonality. So, I was a bit suspicious concerning first impressions about this traditionally shaped, sharp-edged cube, particularly because there was no chance I could try it in my system before purchasing. But, leaned on numerous positive impressions and reviews, I decided to settle them down on my speaker stands.

And luckily, I did no mistake: this little bugger become one of the most pleasant surprises between underestimated little speakers, having all virtues for a long-term relationship in my system: sound is open, but not agressive, high are detailed, but not heavy. Vocals and choruses sound real, rounded and natural - for my taste, this is probably the best side of this speaker. Treble, middle & bass section are seamlessly connected in one ensemble, making music great for listening in any moment, also working well with all kind of music, without prefering any genre – classical music sounds equally exciting as r'n'r, making this little speaker a great all-rounder.

Bass is something else – Exposure 3010s is capable to provide deep, strong and accurate bass, all they need is good speaker to accompany them, and that's exactly what GR10 are capable for – deep and strong bass ( of course, considering their modest size ), but well controled, never hiding any important details in overall musical athmosphere.

Shortcomings – when pushed too loud, tweeter can sound harsh, producing high tones rough on the edges, alltough not with every kind of music, and not so obvious – but such a phenomenon can be easily forgiven even to a more expensive stuff. Also, in these moments, soundstage becomes compressed and details in more complexed recordings are hardly recognizible.

Connectors on rear will probably peel your skin off whenever you try to press them stronger, ther are just too close – but the real problem occurs any time you wish to do some testing by removing original jumpers for better ones – connectors are too close and awkwardly recessed, so any jumper replacement would become a painful job even for a tiny fingers.

But, once you put this GR10 on a proper stands and let them play their best, everything else is easily forgotten.

Great detail and soundstage with excellent,clean bass.

None in the right room.

Liked the silver 6's and was reccomended to hear the S10's. Great thing about Sound Advice is they let me listen to muliple speakers ($5000 worth at one time). So I had the silver 6's and the 10's in my living room at the same time. YOU HAVE TO HEAR SPEAKERS IN YOUR LISTENING ROOM TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE! I have a VERY bright room. The gold 10's had a better high end but lacked the warmth of the silver 6's. I also had the gold floor model which was TOO warm. I would love a speaker with the silver mid and lows and the gold tweeter! I chose the silvers because of the warmer midrange and better bass. Yet I was quite surprised by the bass of the 10's. I didn't expect bookshelf speakers to have all that bass. So the gold tweeter is awsome but I prefer the silver midrange and bass. Great speaker in the right room. Highly reccommended.

Similar Products Used:

S6 Monitors. Boston Acoustic PV700.Boston Acoustic VR3B.

A remarkable refined loudspeaker, with plenty of detail, smooth midrange, very extended and airy treble, tight and articulate bass. However, not for boomer listeners.

Hard to find one, and not only for the price range.

I really think this is one of the most underrated speaker today available, and it's strange due to Monitor Audio good reputation worldwide.
The GR10 is in my opinion the bookshelf speaker to beat in its price range. To hear a significantly better sound you must go very far beyond them....(I've never heard the new GS10, but I guess it would be close in sound to GR10)
What make me say it all?
This speaker EXCELS in different areas as stereo openess, articulation, focusing, micro dynamic. I moreover preferred GR10 to several floorstander speakers due to their greater coherence.
About their limitations: as some of the previous reviewers wrote, their treble can be a little metallic or aggressive, but it could happen mainly if they're used with a budget digital source or if your listening room is too reflective. In my system the only source is a Mitchell Orbe/Sme IV/Benz LP and all is smooth and very detailed at the same time, and the treble extension just add air and space to reproduction, without any listening fatigue. I found that using GR10 with tube gear (mine is Klimo Merlin/Kent mono) give moreover remarkable musicality, but be aware, in a 30mq room 30/40 watt tube power amp is strictly necessary if you want to obtain a realistic listening level, while in rooms up to 15mq GR10 could be ok even with a 300B amp or similar stuff.
About the bass extension, yes, is a mini monitor, but do not fool yourself, their bass is not so limited as their dimension can make you imagine, and above all is a tight and articulate bass.
Finally, the price. These speakersare no more produced, and are usually available on the second hand market between 700/900 $, depending on finish, which makes their purchase an incredible bargain....what else could I say?

Similar Products Used:

Sonus Faber Minima Amator, B&W 804, Monitor Audio Studio 20 etc.

A remarkably refined sound, plenty of detail, smooth midrange, very extended and airy treble, tight and articulate bass. However, not for boomer listeners.

Hard to find one, and not only for the price range.

I really think this is one of the most underrated speaker today available, and it's strange due to Monitor Audio good reputation worldwide.
The GR10 is in my opinion the bookshelf speaker to beat in its price range. To hear a significantly better sound you must go very far beyond them....(I've never heard the new GS10, but I guess it would be close in sound to GR10)
What make me say it all?
This speaker EXCELS in different areas as stereo openess, articulation, focusing, micro dynamic. I moreover preferred GR10 to several floorstander speakers due to their greater coherence.
About their limitations: as some of the previous reviewers wrote, their treble can be a little metallic or aggressive, but it could happen mainly if they're used with a budget digital source or if your listening room is too reflective. In my system the only source is a Mitchell Orbe/Sme IV/Benz LP and all is smooth and very detailed at the same time, and the treble extension just add air and space to reproduction, without any listening fatigue. I found that using GR10 with tube gear (mine is Klimo Merlin/Kent mono) give moreover remarkable musicality, but be aware, in a 30mq room 30/40 watt tube power amp is strictly necessary if you want to obtain a realistic listening level, while in rooms up to 15mq GR10 could be ok even with a 300B amp or similar stuff.
About the bass extension, yes, is a mini monitor, but do not fool yourself, their bass is not so limited as their dimension can make you imagine, and above all is a tight and articulate bass.
Finally, the price. These speakersare no more produced, and are usually available on the second hand market between 700/900 $, depending on finish, which makes their purchase an incredible bargain....what else could I say?

Similar Products Used:

Sonus Faber Minima Amator, B&W 804, Monitor Audio Studio 20 etc.

Imaging, accuracy, ability for the speakers to disappear. I would buy these again in a second at full price if something happened to them.

none

I picked these up at 50% off due to Good Guys going out of business (that's sad, great store). I heard these in the sound room for a couple weeks they were just awesome. The imaging was better and they were more accurate than any of the other speakers I listened to. I heard all the Energy lines and they sounded good, but I kept coming back to the GR-10. It was the articulation of the speakers and the total dispursement of the sound that sold me, the speakers just seem to disappear. Well, the third time I went back I decided to purchase them, good thing I waited as the discount went from 40% to 50% off. I got the last pair of Cherry GR-10 still new in the box! I got them home I got another surprise when I took them out of the box. The cherry verneer is the most beautiful burl grain I have even seen, the speakers look like works of art and sound just as good. I have finally reached audio nirvana. I am running modest equipment which I will no doubt upgrade. All I have is a 1994 Denon CD changer and 1994 Denon 545R receiver 60watts RMS powering the GR-10, it does very well, but a new integrated Amp @ 100-150 watts RMS will be much better. I have been playing the GR-10s 24 hours per day at a low-med volume since I got them two days ago. They sound better and I guess they should be burned in in a couple more days. I plan on running these with a powered sub. The bass is good and accuate, but a sub will do much better. I do not listen to music at real high volumes, and I am not a big booming bass fan. I do listen to every type of music from Classical, Jazz, Rock, Metal, the GR-10s make everything sound better. Highly Recommended!!!!

Similar Products Used:

Energy RC-10, RC-50 Boston Acoustic

Good imaging and soundstage, quite revealing, non-fatiguing but a little bright

The position of the binding posts is really annoying because you cannot biwire with spades on all ends, they sound a little metallic

This is one of very few speakers on Audioreview to receive 5 out of 5 stars and I totally agree. They outclass my PMC FB1s which cost double the money in all areas except bass. I prefer bookshelves for their lower coloration, price and size. I went shopping and looke at the following brands: Paradigm S2, Energy Veritas 2.2i, Totem Sig 2, and the GR10. The Veritas were loud but seemed way to bright and unrefined. Not they are not decent speakers, they just sounded the worst of the bunch The Model 1s were the most pleasant to listen to out of all 4 but I don't really like laid back speakers so I passed. Their bass was lacking compared to the other models too. So it came down to the Paradigms and the Monitor Audios. The Gr10s seemed more lively while the S2s were warmer in the mids. The dealer would not give me a good deal so I walked. The GR10s do everything well in my opinion. They have smooth treble, detailed mids and decent bass for their size. I got mine in the Piano gloss finish which I would highly recommend. The Paradigms seemed better built but looked uglier.

Similar Products Used:

Paradigm Studio 40, PMC DB1 & FB1, Mordaunt short 904

Soundstage, built quality and extremely high sound vs footprint ratio

none

Replaced my beloved Silver 5i's. Using as fronts for a 12'x24' theater. The 10's even at about 20 hours of use sound surprisingly good. The soundstage has grown in both width and especially in height. The detail and imaging is first rate. These speakers simply sound so much larger than they look. Matching my burgandy velvet curtains, these rosemahogany 10's all but disappear in my theater. Couldn't be more pleased with this upgrade.

Similar Products Used:

MA Silver series, Paradigm, Energy

No added brightness, just smooth clarity. Vocals just can't be better.

none

I used GR 10's as a replacement for PMC 702, which I loved. I just heard great things about the GR 10 and for the price, I had to try. They sound unbelievable with my system. A little bit more punch than the PMC-702's. The mid and treble, especially with female vocals is hard to believe. I use a sub, so I can't give an honest view on the low bass, but the mid bass is very fast. These speakers can handle alot of volume and sound as smooth as silk. They image better than anything I've listened to.

Similar Products Used:

monitor audio PMC 702

Uncolored presentation, bass extension, soundstaging, coherency, and pace.

A bit thin sounding if used with the wrong gear.

I bought the GR-10s a few months ago when I started putting together my home theater. Here is what my audio system is like as of now... Mains - Monitor Audio GR-10s Center - Monitor Audio GR-Center Surrounds - Monitor Audio Silver 3i Main Stands - Osiris Audio 24" Surround Stands - Atacama Nexus Amplifier - Acurus ACT 125x5 Processor - Acurus ACT 3 w/ABM Source - Pioneer Elite DV-47a Cables - Kimber 4TC mains, Kimber 4TC center, Monster Cable Original Surrounds Room Description - 15' by 22', no acoustical treatment, no windows, speakers 30" from rear wall 7'6" apart, listening chair 9' back I've been thrilled with the Monitor Audio speakers. They are quite simply one of the most neutral uncolored speaker that I have ever listened to. They have bass extension like few other monitors, and soundstage with the best of them. To my ears they easily bested the Paridigm Studio series, B&W CDM1, and B&W N805. At their price point and speaker style, I couldn't find a better speaker. They are perhaps slightly forward and shifted more to the analytical side than most other speakers. They are still be very musical, but they would do best with a warmer sounding amplifier. My Acurus amplifier shows its limitations readily when it drives the GR-10s. My suggestion for amplifiers would be a higher powered tube unit, or a warmer sounding solid state.

Similar Products Used:

B&W N805, B&W CDM1NT, Paradigm Studio series

Neutrality,timing,build quality

None that I have noticed

After many lengthy auditions of top quality compact monitors I opted for the Gold Reference 10's. The first thing a potential buyer should remember is that the burn in period of these speakers approx 70 hours in my experience. After this they sound marvellous and have almost ruined my social life as I find myself listening to my cd's and tuner at every opportunity. Seriously though these speakers have been a revelation, they have the rare ability to produce music without any colouration. Top quality patnering equipment is essential with these speakers as they will not hide any shortcomings in the front end. I use a Marantz CD17mk2KI Cd player and a Cyrus 7 amp with PSX power supply and Van Den Hul cables. Solid Mass loaded stands are also recommended. I will resist the temptation to describe the sound of these speakers as they dont really have any signature to add to the music they simply reproduce what is fed to them. I have also found myself smiling whilst listening to these speakers as small details that with previous speakers have been masked by colouration or distortion are revealed with absolute clarity. To sum up, give them an audition remember to let them burn in before final placement and enjoy your music.

Similar Products Used:

B&W CDM1NT