Here's one that certainly looks to be acceptable:
http://www.musicdirect.com/products/detail.asp?sku=ALYRTITANM
http://www.musicdirect.com/products/detail.asp?sku=ALYRTITANM
How good can a mono cartridge be...?
Here's one that certainly looks to be acceptable: http://www.musicdirect.com/products/detail.asp?sku=ALYRTITANM |
thanks for the responses so far. i am fully aware that there are many mono cartridges *AVAILABLE* (including $4K models), but i am wondering this specifically: will a modest tonearm (say a rega) + a modest mono cartridge (say in the $500-700 range) perform BETTER on mono recordings than my (top-of-the-line) tonearm + (top-of-the-line) stereo cartridge? i cannot afford to own 2 top-of-the-line tonearms and 2 top cartridge, but i am wondering if the modest mono combination would actually sound better on mono records. can anyone help? thank you! |
will a modest tonearm (say a rega) + a modest mono cartridge (say in the $500-700 range) perform BETTER on mono recordings than my (top-of-the-line) tonearm + (top-of-the-line) stereo cartridge? Yes for the cartridge. Check out a Shelter 501 mono and you are there. A Mono Cartridge is for Mono Recordings and a Stereo Cart. for Stereo. To compare a cheap Rega Arm with a Top of the Line Tonearm is a different Story. Try it with a Shelter 501 Mono cartridge, it is not expensive and you will hear your Mono's in a real good Quality. |
Hi. I have a humble system so I can't tell you how the "modest" set-up will compare to your superb stereo set-up. Then again, no one from out here can honestly know what might "sound better" to you, since it's a purely subjective experience. My suggestion, since you are curious, and since I trust that the curiousity will not disappear by itself, is to invest in the modest arm and cart that are in your price range (Rega arm and Shelter 501 cart?) and give it a go. If it doesn't provide the satisfaction you're wondering about, you can sell both for modest losses. The psychic benefit of definitively answering the question for yourself will be well worth the modest cost. Good luck! [By the way, I have a tonearm on my table that allows for swappable headshells and for the past few months I've been using an Ortofon K-B ($1,200 sticker) for stereo and a Grado ME+ ($130) for mono and the Grado has pleased me more for mono -- quieter backgrounds and lusher timbre.] |