How are you playing your precious MONO Vinyl?

My 1st/Main True Mono Cartridge is Grado ME+, with replaceable elliptical stylus ($100.), MI using standard MM Phono. I just replaced my stylus, easy, did it upside down while mounted on my old fixed arm.

Cartridge $185., extra stylus $100.

I sent this to Steve at VAS just to confirm that I wanted an advanced stylus shape on the AT33PTG/II Mono Body as my alternate mono cartridge (It;s done he says it sounds great, I'm picking it up tomorrow).

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AI Overview

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While it's generally recommended to use a mono cartridge for mono LPs, some advanced stylus shapes, like line contact or Shibata, can be used with mono cartridges to improve sound quality. These shapes offer greater contact with the groove wall, potentially revealing more detail and reducing noise. 

Elaborating on the benefits and considerations:

• Improved Tracking and Detail:

  Advanced stylus shapes, such as line contact or Shibata, are designed to trace the groove walls more precisely, potentially revealing more detail and reducing noise. 

• Reduced Wear:

  Some advanced stylus shapes may offer lower tracking forces, potentially reducing wear on the record. 

• Potential for Better Sound:

  Some audiophiles believe that advanced stylus shapes can improve the overall sound quality of mono records. 

• Mono Cartridge Compatibility:

  While advanced stylus shapes are often associated with stereo cartridges, some mono cartridges also utilize them. For example, the Hana SL Mono MK II features a Shibata stylus. 

• True Mono vs. Stereo Cartridges:

  It's important to note that a "true mono" cartridge has only two pins, while a stereo cartridge has four. Using a stereo cartridge on a mono LP can cause damage to the record. 

In summary:

If you're looking to upgrade the sound quality of your mono LPs, using a mono cartridge with an advanced stylus shape like line contact or Shibata can offer a potential improvement. However, it's important to ensure the cartridge is truly mono and that the stylus is properly aligned and adjusted for optimal performance. "

Beatles, One of the new friends I met here brought his collection of Beatles, both 3 Mono Versions and their Stereo versions, all in very good condition. We spent a few hours listening.

I found it was always easier or just natural to follow the words, content of the song/story of the songs in Mono, while the added interest/complexity of the Stereo Image sometimes emphasized the musical content more than the story of the song. That is a big deal when the songs are new, not so much after they become familiar, but in a focused comparison, that became apparent to both of us.

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John's Voice, Paul's Bass Playing on Sgt. Pepper's

I have Sgt Peppers in CD/LP/Reel to Reel (7", 7-1/2 ips). It's great to let people hear/choose among formats.

Any matching content: LP always beats the CD, and people become shocked at how good the tape sounds, to the point I glanced over to find tears coming out of my nephew's eyes (he's a musician). I would love to hear this on Rick's 15 IPS 2 track (another friend I met here). Led Zeppelin on his Otari has to be close to what they were hearing in the studio, making decisions, it is so far beyond any version I ever heard. 

I shake my head at the subtleties of Paul's bass playing, John's voice that I am far more easily aware of, and I have to wonder if Mono would be a superior 1st listen even though it is outstanding Stereo.

@elliottbnewcombjr How would using a stereo cartridge on a mono record damage the record? I can see that using a mono cartridge with no vertical compliance (eg Miyajima) on a stereo record could cause a problem, which is one further reason why I converted the Ruby 3: it retains it's vertical compliance but produces no signal from such movements.

As for the Beatles, I have my brother's original Parlophone mono releases, and have only ever played them with RIAA equalisation. I don't know if they were recorded that way, but they do sound fine.

btw, IF you use different cartridges on different arms, Arm Height Adjustment becomes very important. I am loving my restored JVC Victor UA-7082 and Acos Lustre GST-801, both of which I learned about here.

Here's my simple fix of the UA-7082 arm

JVC Victor Tonearm Sag Repair

I had my Sumiko Talisman S on it, switched to my AT160ml a few days ago, and the arm would not lower onto the LP, the height difference of those 2 cartridges is measurable. I simply free the arm post lock, adjust the height with a turn, lock the height. (very small level on the arm)

@elliottbnewcombjr 

 

• True Mono vs. Stereo Cartridges:

  It's important to note that a "true mono" cartridge has only two pins, while a stereo cartridge has four. Using a stereo cartridge on a mono LP can cause damage to the record. 

That's not always true. My Lyra has four pins but it's a true mono. See my earlier posts. Here's what Lyra says about it:

Two totally separate monaural coils are used in the Atlas Mono, since most monaural cartridges are used with stereo amplifiers and stereo speakers. The separate coils also help avoid possible ground loops and hum problems that could otherwise be caused if a single coil is fed into a stereo two-channel amplification system, thereby tying the two channels together electrically.

In addition to parallel mono connection to a stereo system (two amplifiers and two speakers), it is also possible to leave one set of connections unattached for pure mono playback with a single amplifier and a single speaker. However, it is also possible to connect the two mono channels in series for additional output when used in a pure mono system