Venture Electronics Monk Plus review

For a small manufacturer, the Monk Plus is a well‐judged build. A fairly thiick wire has some memory so will tangle, but not badly. I think it will be good for robustness. The large housing size could interfere with people who have small ears. The semi‐translucent gray–amber of my standard Smoke edition is amusing, but I make it as only passable as a design statement.

Reasonable volume. Sounds muffled—a lack of volume range. Tight rendering of attack and decay. Reasonable timing. Swells are handled reasonably, they can muddle. Some edge at low lead strings, and somewhere in high strings. And a controlled bump somewhere near mid‐bass sounds. Frequency range is limited, though in the extremes. Details are poor, though the available frequency range and overall finesse deliver scrapes and scratches enough. Delivers color everywhere. Huge scale but vague on position.

Not a good voice amp. For orchestral music, the occasional frequency response jars, and the muffle is dark, but the finesse and scale are welcome. The way the Monk Plus effortlessly rides into a string section can be unlike anything else. The Monk slows and distances rock music, and can jar and muddle. It’s only good for electronic pop. The space can be affecting on solo musics.