Mono listening

[spl84]

I am just now getting a few mono records and would like to know what all is needed to enjoy them at their fullest? I know they make mono cartridges but is that all you really need? or do you have to build a whole system around mono listening? I realize that a mono record will play on a stereo system but I'm strictly speaking of getting the full experience of this format... How much difference is there between listening to mono records on a stereo system vs mono setup?

 

[Al ears]

Don't know if you can actually get a full mono system or why you would want to.
You could get a mono power amp and use just one speaker I guess but don't think it would sound any better than mono through a stereo system.
A mono cartridge should be sufficient. You don't mention which deck you have but some phono preamps have a mono button to do a similar job by combining the Left / Right signals.

 

[abacus]

When you are playing a mono record all the sound will appear come from the centre between the speakers, however how well it does this will be dependent on how good the system is and your ears.
If it is not good, just turn the balance control to either full right or full left and listen out of one speaker, nothing else needs to be done. (A mono cartridge is mainly designed for old 78rpm recordings rather than vinyl)

Bill

 

[Al ears]

I would disagree with the above, slightly.
A mono cartridge will be a good way to replay any disc recorded in mono and if you have quite a few it would certainly ne worth considering buying one.

 

[Gray]

Stick with a stereo cartridge, you want your pops and clicks to be stereo don't you? 🙂

 

[daytona600]

1/ Simple Press mono button on phono stage / pre amp
2/ Advanced Buy a mono cartridge 0.7/1.0mil stylus
swap Three cartridges in headshell 33/45 stereo , Mono , 78 Mono
if done correctly old mono records can sound amazing

What is MONO?

Ortofon is a micro-mechanical powerhouse, which develops, manufactures and markets the world acclaimed Ortofon phono cartridges.

www.ortofon.com

Modern Microgroove Records have a V profile Groove & Modern Mono Microgroove Re-issues

0.7mil is Suitable for Reissue Monaural LP and a Mono LP of after 1960.
1.0mil is Suitable for the Monaural LP of a deep groove of the first press of the 1950s.
However, both styli can trace the monaural LP of all generations without a problem.
When you listen to the monaural LP of all generations, we recommend 0.7mil.
When you listen to a monaural LP of the first press of the 1950s mainly, we recommend 1.0mil.

Why Mono ?
A mono cartridge is mechanically different from a stereo cartridge. Simply switching a stereo cartridge to mono does not work perfectly. Despite what manufactures claim mono switches invariably add the two channels by simply shorting the two channels together, even very" expensive units do this. Hiend units can sum the two channels with extra electronics to eliminates the vertical response and improve the signal to noise by 3dB. However even summing does not provide the ultimate, a cartridge designed for mono, with a single coil and no vertical movement reduces surface noise, vertical noise and fits the groove properly.

Older Mono records have a U type Groove Mono/78RPM 3.0mil is the accepted norm & Steel Needles for gramophone records

other types used by collectors are 2.0/2.5/3.0/3.5/4.0/8.0 ( MIL = 1/1000th of a inch )

2.0MIL - 2.0 X 0.4 mil Elliptical diamond - worn LPs, some transcriptions.
2.5MIL - 2.5 X 0.5 mil elliptical diamond - late unworn 78s
3.0MIL - 3.0 X 0.5 mil elliptical diamond - most 1905 to 1940's, slightly worn 78s & transcriptions, & some Edison discs.
3.5MIL 3.5 X 0.8 mil elliptical diamond - old or worn 78s, transcriptions.
4.0MIL 4.0 X 1.0 mil elliptical diamond - Edison Diamond & very old/worn discs, raw aluminium, RCA home recordings., also Pathé vertical discs
8.0MIL 8.0 mil conical sapphire - RCA home recordings, and worn Pathé vertical discs.
.

 

[Gray]

Steel Needles for gramophone records

They suit my music perfectly.
(They sound diabolical).

 

[DCarmi]

Those "nails" will certainly clean gunk out the grooves (and remove most of the music too)!

I remember my parents having a Ferguson unit with the stylus that flipped over from 33 to 78.

I still have one of Dad's old shellacs but nothing to play it on. I guess I could manually spin the Planar 3 at 78rpm and stick a sewing needle between my teeth. Then again, maybe not!

 

[WayneKerr]

Those "nails" will certainly clean gunk out the grooves (and remove most of the music too)!

I remember my parents having a Ferguson unit with the stylus that flipped over from 33 to 78.

I still have one of Dad's old shellacs but nothing to play it on. I guess I could manually spin the Planar 3 at 78rpm and stick a sewing needle between my teeth. Then again, maybe not!

Sewing needle and a matchbox as a speaker works fine Been there, done that, in my yoof.

 

[Gray]

Sewing needle and a matchbox as a speaker works fine Been there, done that, in my yoof.

You've made me appreciate my gramophone.

 

[DCarmi]

Sewing needle and a matchbox as a speaker works fine Been there, done that, in my yoof.

It's the sort of most of us did, like hunting for the reversed hidden message in Pink Floyd's The Wall, or playing LPs at 78, but are much too grown up to do now.

I'm tempted to ask which type matchbox produces the best bass response, but I'll not expect and answer.

 

[WayneKerr]

It's the sort of most of us did, like hunting for the reversed hidden message in Pink Floyd's The Wall, or playing LPs at 78, but are much too grown up to do now.

I'm tempted to ask which type matchbox produces the best bass response, but I'll not expect and answer.

Swan Vesta was passable but Bryant&May was better for bass

 

[spl84]

Thanks , I have an Audio Technica LP120 model(will make a signature soon).... so not the best but it is very easy to change out the headshells. This is one of the reasons I have yet to upgrade my TT to a more high end model. I will miss this for sure. I actually won an older mono record in an auction but it's mint. So this will be the only one I own at this point but will surely accrue more over time. I don't think I even have a mono switch anywhere on my preamp or TT/amp. I just got the tube box s2 and thought there was a switch but i didn't see one...

 

[Al ears]

Thanks , I have an Audio Technica LP120 model(will make a signature soon).... so not the best but it is very easy to change out the headshells. This is one of the reasons I have yet to upgrade my TT to a more high end model. I will miss this for sure. I actually won an older mono record in an auction but it's mint. So this will be the only one I own at this point but will surely accrue more over time. I don't think I even have a mono switch anywhere on my preamp or TT/amp. I just got the tube box s2 and thought there was a switch but i didn't see one...

if you use a mono cartridge you do not necessarily need the switch.
Your phono preamp only has a subsonic switch which can be useful on occasions

 

[spl84]

if you use a mono cartridge you do not necessarily need the switch.
Your phono preamp only has a subsonic switch which can be useful on occasions

Yeah I will definitely look into getting one. Although, swapping cartridges every-time I want to hear my mono stuff would get old. I will probably end up converting one of my older tables into a dedicated mono player. I always wondered why guys would have these crazy looking dual tonearm turntables and my guess would be for most it would be this exact purpose... One for mono , and one for stereo.

 

[Rui]

I am just now getting a few mono records and would like to know what all is needed to enjoy them at their fullest? I know they make mono cartridges but is that all you really need? or do you have to build a whole system around mono listening? I realize that a mono record will play on a stereo system but I'm strictly speaking of getting the full experience of this format... How much difference is there between listening to mono records on a stereo system vs mono setup?

when stereo records appear mono was playable on stereo turntable players without a problem ,the reverse would not be perfect

 

[plastic penguin]

Why on earth would anyone want a mono player unless you want to revisit the 1950s? And swapping a good stereo cart for a mono is too much of a faff. Just buy a monogram.

 

[Revolutions]

Does the two y-cable trick work to make a stereo sound in mono? I tried it once but didn’t really notice a difference, and now it’s too difficult to get to the back of my amp to bother.

 

[spl84]

Why on earth would anyone want a mono player unless you want to revisit the 1950s? And swapping a good stereo cart for a mono is too much of a faff. Just buy a monogram.

I would LOVE to visit the 50s for the first time. I can't REvisit the 50s since I was born in the 80s

 

[Roger_A]

Why back to the 50s for mono? Well into the 60s most albums were produced in mono and stereo versions - all my early Beatles and Stones LPs (amongst others) were in mono as most people had a Dansette style gramophone usually with a BSR or Garrard auto changer deck with mono ceramic cartridge.

 

[Edbostan]

Don't know if you can actually get a full mono system or why you would want to.
You could get a mono power amp and use just one speaker I guess but don't think it would sound any better than mono through a stereo system.
A mono cartridge should be sufficient. You don't mention which deck you have but some phono preamps have a mono button to do a similar job by combining the Left / Right signals.

Many of us still listen in mono either through our smart speakers or phones.

 

[plastic penguin]

I would LOVE to visit the 50s for the first time. I can't REvisit the 50s since I was born in the 80s

The point I was making is don't concern yourself about mono players or mono carts, make the most of your stereo.

 

[Al ears]

Many of us still listen in mono either through our smart speakers or phones.

Perhaps so but this has nothing to do with the OPs questions

 

[Al ears]

The point I was making is don't concern yourself about mono players or mono carts, make the most of your stereo.

That's a bit tricky to so when you're playing a mono LP....

 

[plastic penguin]

That's a bit tricky to so when you're playing a mono LP....

Why? I have loads of mono albums yet they sound absolutely fine.