Playing mono records properly without breaking the bank - a phono pre-amp question.

Thanks everyone for chiming in. Personal experience is always helpful from others specially at different price points. What I'm gathering from the comments are:

a) best to have the "mono switch" within the phono preamp to minimize any added signal loss and/or distortion.  I'm planning on getting a used phono stage so the KAB mono at $200 feels money best spent on a phono with mono switch. And don't see any KAB mono in the used market.  Thanks elliottbnewcombjr  for the suggestion.

b)Stereo cart may sound as good /better than a Mono cart, but as anything in this hobby feels like it depends on the implementation of the product, cost difference, etc. The example of the  $1k mono cart having more soul than a higher priced stereo cart certainly shows that there is room for experimentation once/if one goes deeper into this hobby.

c)Not being able to have a mono cart, separate rig, separate tone-arm, but having a mono switch may buy some time before the upgrade-itis kicks in.
As a picky perfection seeking engineer, looking for the highest resolution and imaging in my current digital rig, I'm sensing that I won't sleep soundly without a mono switch on my future phono preamp.

Just use a good stereo cartridge with good channel separation. 

Lots of garbage being spewed out trying to sound knowledgeable or scientific. 

You dont need to disable the stereo cart. The ever-so-slight differences in channels will be cancelled or helps to add depth to the playback. Disabling causes a very lifeless, dead, flat quality to playback. Save yourself the trouble and expense.

I might disagree here.  Going mono does a lot to cancel out scratches and pops.

Setting aside whether or not there is a technical advantage to a true mono cartridge over a stereo one the real point here is that if you are going to the trouble of creating a second dedicated mono setup then this is a real chance to choose the flavour of cartridge that best fits with mono recordings. Maybe you prefer the sound of 50s mono played back through a cutting edge MC -- if so great. But for me listening to the Chordettes through my Zero despite it's ridiculous tracking force (3.5g) and far from svelte body has a magic, a fullness, tone and amazing sense of depth that somehow is missing on my far more expensive stereo rig.

And yes the same recording owned in both mono and stereo mixes is often preferable in the mono. Generally 50s and early 60s cutting setups delivered better frequency range (more HF) in mono than stereo (per my conversations on this topic with Tim de Paravicini) so that may be part of the reason. Anyway there's so much to offer and find in mono -- a mono switch is absolutely a good place to start (and helpful for hum cancelling even if you get a mono cart -- that's another topic) but don't give up on the dedicated mono search too soon.

hrabieh, your 12/10 summary seems like a "sound" solution.  ;^)

Hope you then enjoy those mono treasures.  For the future, keep in mind the differences with older (pre mid-60s) mono releases.