Best Arm and Cartridge Setup for Mono LP's

Lyra Helikon Mono is a very good cartridge to check out.

Using the combo on a Garrard 301, amazingly good.
Mark

Miyajima Premium BE and Fidelity Research FR64S.

I like listening to Mono records too. There are a few cartridges out there, I use a Lyra Dorian mono and it does a very good job. It does not hum, is really silent in the grooves, not analytical, good body and robust dynamics.... Helikon mono seems to be a good choice too. The Miyajima I don't know, anyway, use an Arm which can be adjusted from VTA, lots of the old ones have a much better soundstage when tail is down. But it is different from Label to Label.

Because I own several hundred mono LPs, I've done a bit of research.

I believe you must first consider which records you will be playing before buying a mono cartridge. Note this applies only to 33 LPs, not 78s which have at least 3 mil stylus tip requirements. Dates refer to master cutting, not performance date for reissues. This is a function of the groove size created by the cutter head.

Pre-stereo era monos (roughly '48-'57), select a 1.0 mil conical stylus.

Early stereo era monos (roughly '58-'68), select a 0.7 mil conical stylus.

Recent mono reissues (mid '90s to present), select a mono cartridge with a modern narrow stylus profile or a stereo cartridge if you have a mono switch on your preamp/phono stage.

Lyra may have been the first to promote narrow profile stylus tips for better performance in modern mono cartridges. I think this may be true for playback of the recent mono reissues, but not as good for older original LPs. This is not to say a mono cartridge with a narrow profile stylus would not work on earlier pressings, it simply would not be optimal.

Another question is the basic design of the cartridge and how the coils or magnets are wired. Most older mono cartridges pick up signals only from lateral movement. This is why they are claimed to be quieter in playback. Some current production mono cartridges are said to be stereo pickups that are strapped internally. Grados are mentioned in this regard for example. From what I know, this would be no different/better than a mono switch on your preamp or phono stage and a stereo cartridge.

EQ for older (mono) recordings. The RIAA curve was approved by 1955 but not adopted by all record companies until the early '60s (a few in Asia did not comply until the '90s). Prior to RIAA, different labels used different EQs in recording. Most preamps from the 50s offered at least 2-3 EQ settings in addition to RIAA, and now there are again a half dozen or so that provide adjustable or alternative settings. So what you need will depend on what you have to play. All reissues for the past 15 years should have RIAA.

Have fun.