Mono switch on phono preamp vs Mono Cartridge

AT33PTG/II Stereo and AT33Mono: Both MC 0.3mv 10 ohm coil, 

general recommendation is 1:10 SUT and 100 ohm load. 

When I check the specs of other member's gear, especially units that have a single fixed MC input (like my Luxman SQN150 Integrated), I very often find it is a 100 ohm load

Just to say, they are ideal for those many Integrated Amps, Preamps, Phono Stage that have 100 ohm loading.

I have to say, that Grado Mono ME+ (moving magnet, replaceable stylus) sounds darn good as well as my modified AT33. I could be happy with just the Grado. The Grado is Elliptical, many are Conical.

I have two Lyra Atlas Lambda cartridges. One is the SL and the other is the Mono. They are identical cartridges in every way, except for the configuration and orientation of the coils. Each cartridge is mounted on a Clearaudio Universal 12" tonearm, using identical tools and geometry. Both arms have the same Siltech DIN/XLR phono cable into a Boulder 1108 phono-stage, and each input is configured identically. The Boulder phono-stage has a mono switch.

If I play a mono record, there is a clear difference between playing it with the mono Atlas cartridge vs playing it with the stereo Atlas cartridge and engaging the phono-stage mono switch. There is just no contest. It’s not even close. The dedicated mono cartridge provides a lower noise floor, with more air and space between instruments, and bigger/deeper soundstage. It’s a lot more lush and natural sounding. It doesn’t even seem like listening to mono. On some mono records my wife thinks it’s really stereo and is surprised by the performance of mono on the system.

If you have a decent collection of mono records – as I do – a dedicated mono cartridge is well worth the effort. 

And FWIW: most of my mono records are reissues. There are some that claim it doesn’t matter because all mono records since the mid 60s have been cut with stereo heads. Yes, that’s true, but it isn’t the whole story. The cutting heads are reconfigured for cutting, to make a true mono cut. Kevin Gray has a white paper about that somewhere.

@lewm 

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.

That's completely unnecessary with a true mono cartridge. It will make no difference since the channels are already summed (which is all the mono switch does anyway). All you are doing is adding in circuitry that isn't needed. If you think it sounds better, maybe it's just noise shaping on your phono-stage from the mono switch that you happen to like.

Dwette,you extrapolate too widely based only on your own single experience.

@lewm No, I disagree. I think it's a great example of what a real mono cartridge brings to the table.