Audio Hardware Deals: Speakers, Headphones, Turntables, Etc.

Let's put the discussion out there in case anyone ever goes down this road.

So my initial thought with the second setup was to have a mono setup, mono cart, and the StudioPhono has the mono bypass as well. But as I dig around and the questions I posed to @HiFi Guy were the following:
  • Is a mono cart worth getting if your mono pressing are current pressing or re-issues and not "Original" pre 1965ish mono pressings.
  • Would the mono bypass on the StudioPhono (Or any other mono bypass) be the same as running a mono cartridge.
  • Would running both be the best scenario, mono bypass and a mono cart.
Inquiring minds want to know, these kinds of conversation are always fun ;)
 
AnthonyI said:
Let's put the discussion out there in case anyone ever goes down this road.

So my initial thought with the second setup was to have a mono setup, mono cart, and the StudioPhono has the mono bypass as well. But as I dig around and the questions I posed to @HiFi Guy were the following:
  • Is a mono cart worth getting if your mono pressing are current pressing or re-issues and not "Original" pre 1965ish mono pressings.
  • Would the mono bypass on the StudioPhono (Or any other mono bypass) be the same as running a mono cartridge.
  • Would running both be the best scenario, mono bypass and a mono cart.
Inquiring minds want to know, these kinds of conversation are always fun ;)
Click to expand...
I don’t think you need to worry about mono bypass if you are running a mono cart. I think that cuts out the signals not being used when you spin a mono record with a stereo cart. Or something like that. I’m curious in the answers because there is always the possibility that when I upgrade my table, I just make the u-turn a dedicated mono player.
 
Lee Newman said:
I don’t think you need to worry about mono bypass if you are running a mono cart. I think that cuts out the signals not being used when you spin a mono record with a stereo cart. Or something like that. I’m curious in the answers because there is always the possibility that when I upgrade my table, I just make the u-turn a dedicated mono player.
Click to expand...

If I ever upgrade my table I’d like to have one with a removable head shell so that it’s just easy to switch between the cartridges, no room for two tables here!

My understanding of the mono button is the same as yours though, it’s for mono records on a stereo cart, with a mono cart that’s already been done in the cartridge.
 
Joe Mac said:
If I ever upgrade my table I’d like to have one with a removable head shell so that it’s just easy to switch between the cartridges, no room for two tables here!

My understanding of the mono button is the same as yours though, it’s for mono records on a stereo cart, with a mono cart that’s already been done in the cartridge.
Click to expand...
That's the A #1 reason I wanted a second deck, to be able to try out carts easily.....the MoFi ain't going anywhere 😉
 
Lee Newman said:
I don’t think you need to worry about mono bypass if you are running a mono cart. I think that cuts out the signals not being used when you spin a mono record with a stereo cart. Or something like that. I’m curious in the answers because there is always the possibility that when I upgrade my table, I just make the u-turn a dedicated mono player.
Click to expand...
Kind of how I'm understanding it as well, but this is an un-traveled road for me, so we lean on the experts 🙂
 
AnthonyI said:
That's the A #1 reason I wanted a second deck, to be able to try out carts easily.....the MoFi ain't going anywhere 😉
Click to expand...

Yeah I totally get that, the mofi is a better table I’m sure!

If I ever get a new table it’ll likely be that I save up for a while for one of the nice modified technics so it’ll be that much better than mine that it’s a moot point. That said my table was a 30th gift from my dad so there’s a reticence there to change it all lol!
 
AnthonyI said:
Let's put the discussion out there in case anyone ever goes down this road.

So my initial thought with the second setup was to have a mono setup, mono cart, and the StudioPhono has the mono bypass as well. But as I dig around and the questions I posed to @HiFi Guy were the following:
  • Is a mono cart worth getting if your mono pressing are current pressing or re-issues and not "Original" pre 1965ish mono pressings.
  • Would the mono bypass on the StudioPhono (Or any other mono bypass) be the same as running a mono cartridge.
  • Would running both be the best scenario, mono bypass and a mono cart.
Inquiring minds want to know, these kinds of conversation are always fun ;)
Click to expand...

I've been down this road, I have an SL1200mk2 that I use to swap between a mono cart (Audio Technica ATMONO3-LP) and a beater stereo cart I use for testing worn records. The good stereo stuff gets played on a Rega P3-24. I've used mono switches on integrated amps, Y cables, mono switch boxes, and finally a true mono cart. If you plan to get a mono cart, make sure it's true mono (ie. only has horizontal compliance). Some cartridges like the VM610MONO are just stereo cartridges that are internally wired to mono (this is kind of like just using the mono button on your preamp).

My findings are as follows, but as always YMMV:
  • Is a mono cart worth getting if your mono pressing are current pressing or re-issues and not "Original" pre 1965ish mono pressings.
    • One of the benefits of using a mono cart, or using the Mono button on an amp/preamp is to reduce surface noise on playback. A true mono cart plays much better in regard to surface noise because it only picks up the mono(horizontal) groove info. Using a mono button with a stereo cart helps in this regard because it sums the channels, but to me it sounds more like the noise is pushed to background or turned down versus being removed. I find I've found that new mono reissues are so clean/quiet that using a mono cart didn't have a significant benefit over using a stereo cart with the mono button (think the Beatles or Bob Dylan mono reissues). For older mono pressings I would say it definitely is worth getting a true mono catridge.
  • Would the mono bypass on the StudioPhono (Or any other mono bypass) be the same as running a mono cartridge.
    • No its not, as mentioned above the mono button/bypass sums the stereo signals (left and right channel), so kind of like combining the channels then sending the same result to both speakers. A mono cart only reads the mono portion of the groove.
    • How does it sound? To me, for older pressings, the sound you get from using the mono button isn't as tight or clear as using a mono cart. Hard to describe, just have to listen to an example!
  • Would running both be the best scenario, mono bypass and a mono cart.
    • You don't need to the mono bypass when using a mono cart. The mono cart sends the same signal to both channels.

If you check the Steve Hoffman forums you'll find a lot of info on this. Note that alot of the info I've found there is wrong (go figure) but there is useful info there. That's where I found out about true mono carts and those that are just stereo carts wired for mono.
 
imajindat said:
I've been down this road, I have an SL1200mk2 that I use to swap between a mono cart (Audio Technica ATMONO3-LP) and a beater stereo cart I use for testing worn records. The good stereo stuff gets played on a Rega P3-24. I've used mono switches on integrated amps, Y cables, mono switch boxes, and finally a true mono cart. If you plan to get a mono cart, make sure it's true mono (ie. only has horizontal compliance). Some cartridges like the VM610MONO are just stereo cartridges that are internally wired to mono (this is kind of like just using the mono button on your preamp).

My findings are as follows, but as always YMMV:
  • Is a mono cart worth getting if your mono pressing are current pressing or re-issues and not "Original" pre 1965ish mono pressings.
    • One of the benefits of using a mono cart, or using the Mono button on an amp/preamp is to reduce surface noise on playback. A true mono cart plays much better in regard to surface noise because it only picks up the mono(horizontal) groove info. Using a mono button with a stereo cart helps in this regard because it sums the channels, but to me it sounds more like the noise is pushed to background or turned down versus being removed. I find I've found that new mono reissues are so clean/quiet that using a mono cart didn't have a significant benefit over using a stereo cart with the mono button (think the Beatles or Bob Dylan mono reissues). For older mono pressings I would say it definitely is worth getting a true mono catridge.
  • Would the mono bypass on the StudioPhono (Or any other mono bypass) be the same as running a mono cartridge.
    • No its not, as mentioned above the mono button/bypass sums the stereo signals (left and right channel), so kind of like combining the channels then sending the same result to both speakers. A mono cart only reads the mono portion of the groove.
    • How does it sound? To me, for older pressings, the sound you get from using the mono button isn't as tight or clear as using a mono cart. Hard to describe, just have to listen to an example!
  • Would running both be the best scenario, mono bypass and a mono cart.
    • You don't need to the mono bypass when using a mono cart. The mono cart sends the same signal to both channels.

If you check the Steve Hoffman forums you'll find a lot of info on this. Note that alot of the info I've found there is wrong (go figure) but there is useful info there. That's where I found out about true mono carts and those that are just stereo carts wired for mono.
Click to expand...
I take the Hoffman forum with a grain of salt, lol. That's some great info, I'm starting to feel like I should put the mono cart on the back burner for now and maybe use the bypass....I only have a few "old" mono pressings, the rest are all newer. I wanted to try a non-Grado cart on this system, got a recommendation from @HiFi Guy , so we'll see. Right now my biggest obstacle is getting this set up somewhere, lol
 
AnthonyI said:
I take the Hoffman forum with a grain of salt, lol. That's some great info, I'm starting to feel like I should put the mono cart on the back burner for now and maybe use the bypass....I only have a few "old" mono pressings, the rest are all newer. I wanted to try a non-Grado cart on this system, got a recommendation from @HiFi Guy , so we'll see. Right now my biggest obstacle is getting this set up somewhere, lol
Click to expand...

if I had a table worthy of it I’d love to give the soundsmith cartridges a go, they’re a bit too pricy for my current set up though!
 
AnthonyI said:
I take the Hoffman forum with a grain of salt, lol. That's some great info, I'm starting to feel like I should put the mono cart on the back burner for now and maybe use the bypass....I only have a few "old" mono pressings, the rest are all newer. I wanted to try a non-Grado cart on this system, got a recommendation from @HiFi Guy , so we'll see. Right now my biggest obstacle is getting this set up somewhere, lol
Click to expand...
[Homer Simpson] Mmmmm. Grado Mono cartridge.[/Homer]
 
apholden said:
[Homer Simpson] Mmmmm. Grado Mono cartridge.[/Homer]
Click to expand...

As much as I love my gold and am planning on an 8mz stylus upgrade I’m not sure if I’d go grado for a mono cartridge. They seem low down the range tbh and if I was on my expensive tt with sme exchangeable headshells I think I’m on a stereo and mono soundsmith zephyr mimc...
 
Joe Mac said:
As much as I love my gold and am planning on an 8mz stylus upgrade I’m not sure if I’d go grado for a mono cartridge. They seem low down the range tbh and if I was on my expensive tt with sme exchangeable headshells I think I’m on a stereo and mono soundsmith zephyr mimc...
Click to expand...
It was (mostly) a joke anyway. It figures they wouldn't be all things to everyone, especially when their claim to fame is their unique sound signature. The first question to ask is probably, "is the Grado Sound what I want?"
 
apholden said:
It was (mostly) a joke anyway. It figures they wouldn't be all things to everyone, especially when their claim to fame is their unique sound signature. The first question to ask is probably, "is the Grado Sound what I want?"
Click to expand...

I know and don’t get me wrong I love their sound signature, it just seems that 78 and mono aren’t things they’re that arsed about and they just have a couple toward the bottom of the prestige range.
 
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