Which Mono Cartridge at around $1,300.00?

It's interesting to note that some but clearly not all MC cartridges emphasize using a step up transformer. I in ways view using the transformers as something necessary in the past however not so much with today's cartridges. Anyway, this is a consideration when deciding which mono cartridge might be the best; should I spend money on a cartridge and a transformer too?

Goofy, MC cartridges are typically classified as "High Output" (HO) or "Low Output" (LO). LO is loosely defined as something less than 1.0mV at 5cm/sec. (This is not written in stone.) Most of the mono MCs under discussion here have an output somewhere between 0.3 and 0.8mV. If your phono stage has enough gain for a stereo cartridge with such an output voltage, then it will also work with a mono cartridge of that ilk. You need to find out what is the gain afforded via your phono stage in order to decide whether you need a step-up transformer (SUT). If the use of a SUT can be avoided, so much the better for both your wallet and your results. On the other hand, some would say that the net result of using a SUT with a phono stage of modest gain capability is to be preferred vs using a hi-gain phono stage that may not otherwise sound as good. There is endless debate on this subject; I have no dog in that fight. You don't HAVE to use a SUT if you don't need it. This is basic stuff.

' it will also work with a mono cartridge of that ilk.' I think ilk being the operative word in your statement as not all cartridges are created equal, which is the point of this discussion or so I thought.

To clarify things a bit more and maybe I should have done this earlier but here are the specifications from the ASR Website;

The ASR Mini Basis Phono preamp has the following features :
 The case is made from high-quality, lightly transparent acrylic glass
 Highly efficient, shielded 72 VA PM (Philbert Mantelschnitt) transformer
 High-quality magnetic sheet metal with a low magnetic field gives good dynamic
 Ultra fast Schottky-Rectifier, buffer 200,000 uF with Philips switchmode Elkos
 Very fast

no difference between mono and stereo on whether to use a step transformer or not. Either you need the extra gain or not. If you have an MC input with enough gain then you don't "need" an SUT. The benefit of using an SUT is related to running low output cartridges into your MM inputs versus MC inputs that oftentimes aren't as well constructed/thought out/matched as an SUT into the MM inputs.

Dear Goofy, What you need to find out is what is the rated gain of the phono stage via the MC inputs. What you quoted is just advertising fluff. Somewhere somehow they must also report the gain capability. However, just based on the fact that it is an ASR, I think it is quite likely that you will have adequate gain if you plug your tonearm cables into the inputs labeled "MC" or "MC phono". That is, you probably do not need a SUT. The factors that determine the need for a SUT are (i) cartridge signal voltage output, and (2) phono stage gain. Period. If you have enough of (1) and (2), you don't need a SUT.

Not all cartridges are "created equal", but the requirements for amplifying their outputs are the same regardless of brand, stylus shape, or whether they are mono vs stereo types. The only cartridge parameter that matters in this case is the voltage output for a given stylus velocity. Most manufacturers state the voltage output for a velocity of 5 cm/sec, these days. See also my post above your last one.