Mono switch on phono preamp vs Mono Cartridge

+1

I am a big advocate of having a dedicated Mono Cartridge: pre-mounted with an arm with a removable headshell, or two tonearms. My left arm is Mono, ready to go in seconds during a listening session. 

I have a vintage McIntosh mx110z Tube Tuber/Preamp with a full featured Mode Switch I never want to live without

I played Mono LP's with Stereo Cartridges, Preamps on Mono for 40 years (I'm 77 now). (not vintage mono, I mean early 60's mono. I paid $2. for Mono or $3. for Stereo, and didn't have good equipment back then. Budget: $6./week, gotta decide.

I read here after I joined in 2019, and tried a true mono cartridge, and I am so glad I did.

The answer is: it is a little, a little more, a whole lot better depending on each LP.

a. always less noise, as any slight scuffs, minor warps, dust in the grooves will make some vertical motion which will be noise in a Stereo Cartridge, nothing with a Mono Cartridge: a little, a little more, a whole lot more noise.

b. precise distinction of individual instruments and voices. That's the whole lotta difference. NOT Imaging, distinction.

I have a mono lp with early Louis Armstrong. I played it with my AT33PTG/II preamp in mono mode. The whole thing was like a history lesson, I would never play it again.

I received my inexpensive Grado Mono, elliptical on aluminum:

https://gradolabs.com/products/grado-prestige-mono-phono-cartridge-model-me

Oh, there's Louis, now you can distinguish trombone, trumpet, sax ... I play it for friends, they usually go home and buy a Mono Cartridge.

It is hard to break the habit of seeking Imaging, and some Mono LPs benefit from listening thru only 1 speaker, which my Mode Switch does. That's the vintage mono experience, and you can sit anywhere and listen.

A better Mono Cartridge? I found a AT33PTG/II Mono Cartridge with a broken stylus. I had VAS Audio put a line contact on boron on it. That's what is on my left arm now, my Grado a spare, and to bring to friends homes.

c. Modern Mono: my friend (met him here) brought his collection of Beatles Mono and Stereo Versions, we played both versions, with their proper cartridges. 

Both of us felt: Mono, the music was good, however we were more involved with the words, the meanings of the songs; whereas the Stereo versions, we were more involved with the sound, took our attention away from the words/stories. Of course it's hard to define when listening to songs we were so familiar with.

Note: if you go for two tonearms, you need a way to select which arm. I have a SUT with 3 inputs, front selectable, and PASS for MM, so only 1 set of cables to my Preamp.

There are many Rega fans here, however:

Rega is fixed cartridge tonearms, so changing to a different cartridge is a long and careful process; and you need shims to change the arm height if the cartridge height is taller than their 'shorter than most' 14mm high cartridges. i.e. remove the arm ....

this one and many others are 17mm high.

Two Turntables, a Rega ready to go for Mono would be a better Rega idea.

Thanks @billstevenson That is fantastic insight. I think I will be patient and buy the parts I need as I can find them and get a second tonearm + cartridge. Yes, I agree, I feel like the RB330 (1 model below my current tonearm) + a Hana SL Mono would come pretty darn close to what I have now without breaking the bank. I would hope and assume.

Thanks @elliottbnewcombjr for that info as well.

Yes, I can connect a second tonearm to my phono Preamp, it has multiple inputs. I even have a phono input in my preamp as well. So i have several options.

That mode selector options you have is very nice!

And I wont need to switch cartridges on the fly as my table can allow for 2 tonearms. So the Mono cartridge will always stay put.

Stupid question, if I get the dedicated arm and mono cartridge, it isn't necessary to use the mono mode on the phono anymore right? Im almost 100% certain, but just want to confirm. 

If you do acquire a mono cartridge and ancillary gear, I advise you to use the mono switch on your preamp, as well, when playing mono LPs.