What is the draw to mono cartridges??

[3db]

Companies still keep offering mono cartridges and many a audiophile keep running to them in spades. Why? What is their draw? Personally, I fel mono sounds flat and unengaging with no spacial cues in music what so ever.

 

[TLS Guy]

Companies still keep offering mono cartridges and many a audiophile keep running to them in spades. Why? What is their draw? Personally, I fel mono sounds flat and unengaging with no spacial cues in music what so ever.

You can only play a mono record with a mono cartridge, or you will ruin a stereo record.

A mono cartridge has no advantage over a stereo one with the channels coupled.

I have no idea why anybody buys mono cartridges except for playing 78s.

 

[highfigh]

You can only play a mono record with a mono cartridge, or you will ruin a stereo record.

A mono cartridge has no advantage over a stereo one with the channels coupled.

I have no idea why anybody buys mono cartridges except for playing 78s.

I'm sure someone will come along and explain it to us- I can't wait to read the description of how it makes them all gooey inside and how they're completely recharged, as if they just went on a vacation, just from listening for 1/2 hour.

It must center their chakras, or something.

 

[BMXTRIX]

To many rational thoughts run through these forums. I think maybe that question should be asked again on a proper audiophile forum.

 

[mtrycrafts]

...
I have no idea why anybody buys mono cartridges except for playing 78s.

Well, maybe, there is a resurgence in the 78 marketplace?

by the way, aren't those mono cartridges cut differently?

 

[3db]

To many rational thoughts run through these forums. I think maybe that question should be asked again on a proper audiophile forum.

I don't have a spool big enough to take care of all the BS an audiphool site would post.

 

[valvesnvinylfan]

Yeah, it’s kind of a fringe thing, but I myself own a true mono cartridge in addition to my stereo cartridges. Why? Because I own and enjoy a ton of classical, jazz, and other pre-stereo, mono era–only records.

A stereo LP's grooves are cut with both horizontal and vertical modulations to produce a signal, while mono LPs contain only horizontal modulations for the signal. However, LPs generally attract dust n dirt into their grooves vertically, and that's where a mono cartridge comes in handy: Since a truly mono cartridge is designed to only pick up the horizontal modulations, using a mono cartridge on a mono record can be much, much quieter in terms of background noise than using a stereo cartridge on same. This is because the mono cart’s generator coil assemblies are 90 degrees/parallel and perpendicular to the record surface instead of 45 degrees/in an X-shaped cross like with a stereo cartridge. Note that a real mono cartridge is different than a cartridge that is just internally strapped for mono; there are an awful lot of cartridges out there whose generators aren’t really “mono-oriented” and their construction is no different than their stereo counterparts: Their two channels are just simply combined before the output pins.

I buy a lot of old, used mono records on the cheap whose grooves have accumulated a lot of gunk, and it seems like no matter how much I clean some of ‘em, some of that gunk is just too deep to get out; having a cartridge that won’t turn a lot of that gunk into noise is a huge blessing when we’re talking about records of solo piano or violin sonatas with quiet passages throughout. And since the mono cartridge I have requires the same alignment/set up parameters as my stereo cartridges, all I have to do is swap one cartridge/headshell combo for another whenever I go from a stereo to a mono record.

So hope this helps explain the mono thing a bit--it's a noise thing (or rather, reduction of). If you enjoy a lot of pre-stereo era records, a mono cart is definitely not required, but it might just make your music a little more enjoyable.

 

[BMXTRIX]

That post just made way to much logical sense. You will need to be taken out back and have your 'vinyl approved audophile' card destroyed!!!

 

[valvesnvinylfan]

I know, I know, sorry! While I do consider myself somewhat an audiophile, I probably should've peppered my reply with some made up, non-sensical audiophile babble, but unfortunately those just aren't my reasons for owning a mono cartridge

 

[3db]

Yeah, it’s kind of a fringe thing, but I myself own a true mono cartridge in addition to my stereo cartridges. Why? Because I own and enjoy a ton of classical, jazz, and other pre-stereo, mono era–only records.

A stereo LP's grooves are cut with both horizontal and vertical modulations to produce a signal, while mono LPs contain only horizontal modulations for the signal. However, LPs generally attract dust n dirt into their grooves vertically, and that's where a mono cartridge comes in handy: Since a truly mono cartridge is designed to only pick up the horizontal modulations, using a mono cartridge on a mono record can be much, much quieter in terms of background noise than using a stereo cartridge on same. This is because the mono cart’s generator coil assemblies are 90 degrees/parallel and perpendicular to the record surface instead of 45 degrees/in an X-shaped cross like with a stereo cartridge. Note that a real mono cartridge is different than a cartridge that is just internally strapped for mono; there are an awful lot of cartridges out there whose generators aren’t really “mono-oriented” and their construction is no different than their stereo counterparts: Their two channels are just simply combined before the output pins.

I buy a lot of old, used mono records on the cheap whose grooves have accumulated a lot of gunk, and it seems like no matter how much I clean some of ‘em, some of that gunk is just too deep to get out; having a cartridge that won’t turn a lot of that gunk into noise is a huge blessing when we’re talking about records of solo piano or violin sonatas with quiet passages throughout. And since the mono cartridge I have requires the same alignment/set up parameters as my stereo cartridges, all I have to do is swap one cartridge/headshell combo for another whenever I go from a stereo to a mono record.

So hope this helps explain the mono thing a bit--it's a noise thing (or rather, reduction of). If you enjoy a lot of pre-stereo era records, a mono cart is definitely not required, but it might just make your music a little more enjoyable.

Thanks for the explanation. You can tell from what I'm about to say that I may not totally understand your point yet. You are saying that a true mono cartridge playing a mono record has better nosie rejection than a strero catridge playing a stereo record. What my experience has shown me that mono recordings played through a stereo cartrdge are noiser than playing a stereo recoridng through a stereo cartridge. I find teh ticks and pops are more to the forefront of the music. I have not tried a true mono cartrige on a mono LP. Now maybe its teh recording quality wasn't as good as it is now, I'm not sure. Just sharing my experience.

 

[TLS Guy]

Yeah, it’s kind of a fringe thing, but I myself own a true mono cartridge in addition to my stereo cartridges. Why? Because I own and enjoy a ton of classical, jazz, and other pre-stereo, mono era–only records.

A stereo LP's grooves are cut with both horizontal and vertical modulations to produce a signal, while mono LPs contain only horizontal modulations for the signal. However, LPs generally attract dust n dirt into their grooves vertically, and that's where a mono cartridge comes in handy: Since a truly mono cartridge is designed to only pick up the horizontal modulations, using a mono cartridge on a mono record can be much, much quieter in terms of background noise than using a stereo cartridge on same. This is because the mono cart’s generator coil assemblies are 90 degrees/parallel and perpendicular to the record surface instead of 45 degrees/in an X-shaped cross like with a stereo cartridge. Note that a real mono cartridge is different than a cartridge that is just internally strapped for mono; there are an awful lot of cartridges out there whose generators aren’t really “mono-oriented” and their construction is no different than their stereo counterparts: Their two channels are just simply combined before the output pins.

I buy a lot of old, used mono records on the cheap whose grooves have accumulated a lot of gunk, and it seems like no matter how much I clean some of ‘em, some of that gunk is just too deep to get out; having a cartridge that won’t turn a lot of that gunk into noise is a huge blessing when we’re talking about records of solo piano or violin sonatas with quiet passages throughout. And since the mono cartridge I have requires the same alignment/set up parameters as my stereo cartridges, all I have to do is swap one cartridge/headshell combo for another whenever I go from a stereo to a mono record.

So hope this helps explain the mono thing a bit--it's a noise thing (or rather, reduction of). If you enjoy a lot of pre-stereo era records, a mono cart is definitely not required, but it might just make your music a little more enjoyable.

You are misinformed. A stereo LP is not a horizontal and vertical cut. Left and right are both at 45 degrees. It was found early on, that you can not get full sufficient modulation with a vertical cut.

However, it does make sense that since a mono cartridge only responds to lateral modulations, that it might be quieter on a dirty mono record.

I have few mono records, but they are in good condition. My only mono cartridge has a 78 rpm stylus in it, so I can't put it to the test.

 

[valvesnvinylfan]

Hi 3dB, sorry for the long-wnded explanation, I'm just saying that a mono record played back via a mono cartridge generally won't pick up as much groove noise as a mono record played back with a stereo cartridge. I've tried the same mono records with both the stereo and mono versions of my cartridges, and it's nice being able to cut out a lot of groove noise with the latter. Hope this helps!

 

[3db]

Hi 3dB, sorry for the long-wnded explanation, I'm just saying that a mono record played back via a mono cartridge generally won't pick up as much groove noise as a mono record played back with a stereo cartridge. I've tried the same mono records with both the stereo and mono versions of my cartridges, and it's nice being able to cut out a lot of groove noise with the latter. Hope this helps!

I had a feeling that was going to be the answer. I guess I'll have to put up with groove nosie as I only have one TT and swapping out a cartridge and aligning it is too big a job. Thanks for your response. I'm glad there's an explanation and that I'm not going mad.