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Help me choose a mono cartridge

Hi all.

I just got myself a Black Friday gift. The Beatles in mono box set at a very affordable price on Amazon.

I do not have a mono cartridge but would like to get one to take the full sonic advantage of this box set. I do not have very many mono records. Approx. 50 out of a collection of 2000 lp's.
Which mono cartridge would you recommend in the $500.00-$800.00 range new or used.

My analog front end consist of:

Sota Cosmos IV with Graham Phantom II
Stereo cartridges are Ortofon A90 and Dynavector XV1's
Audio Research REF3 LE with GNSC reference mods
Audio Research REF 2 Phono (not SE version) with GNSC reference mods

Any recommendation much appreciated.
Thank You.

smoffatt
tonyptony
617 posts
 

@smoffat, I tried a Quintet Mono and an AT33MONO on my VPI Classic 3, using arms that were best matched to either cartridge. The AT33MONO is relatively light and of low compliance so it matched best with my SS black damped Classic arm; the Ortofon was matched to my aluminum Classic arm. I preferred (prefer - I chose it as my mono cart) the Ortofon. It is more neutral than the AT33 without meaning it sounds dull or lifeless; it rather has much less in the way of "tells" in how it reproduces the music. The AT is also a bit softer in the extreme low end, and a bit (only a bit) splashier in the cymbal range. The AT does, arguably, do a slightly better job in reproducing the upper bass and lower midrange.

All of those observations are small compared to what drove my decision. The big takeaway for me was that the Quintet Mono pulled me into the music much more, and actually got me into forgetting I was listening to my TT and sing along to what was playing. For a guy who goes out of his way not to sing I figured that was a pretty good sign. The Ortofon made it seem more real to me.

rshak
417 posts
 
Stringreen - in answer to your question why anyone would want a mono cartridge,  a true mono cartridge picks up modulations in the lateral groove but is insensitive to modulations in the vertical plane.  If you have a less than perfect record with clicks and pops (which tend to reside in the vertical plane), they will be much more silent with a true mono cartridge.  I first learned about this from an old *Listener* article (Jan./Feb. 2002) in which Art Dudley reviewed the Helikon Mono cartridge.  I subsequently bought that cartridge and . . . hearing is believing.  

I have well over 1,000 monaural records in my collection, most of which are pretty old and many of which have clicks/pops that could be heard when played on my stereo rig, which employed an Ortofon Jubilee cartridge.  With the Helikon mono cartridge, however, the extraneous noise - clicks and pops - was much diminished, and my listening experience was more enjoyable.

You won't achieve the same benefits with a stereo cartridge that has strapped coils to simulate a monaural signal or by using the mono button on your preamp. 

Happy listening!
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
I didn't see the need for a mono cartridge ... until I got one. Brand new reissues have more focus and impact; old original mono pressings picked up from thrift shops and dusty garages sounded pristine and clean. I had many 50-ish mono pressings that were unplayably noisy that sound like new.

On one mid-'60s mono album, there was less inner detail with background vocals when played with the stereo cart, especially when compared to the stereo version. Switching to the mono cartridge, the situation was reversed, with the mono LP sounding clearer and even easier to hear into the mix.

So far I've found nearly 100 mono LPs in my collection, most of which are from the '50s and '60s. They are all in steady rotation when I have the mono cartridge installed. 

The only vintage mono LP that doesn't sound as good to me as the stereo reissue is the Mercury Living Presence set of Janos Starker's rendition of the Bach Cello Suites. Both versions sound like real cellos, but the mono version has more bow and rosin sound while the stereo has more body resonance. It must be how the original was mixed and cut, because it's the only vintage mono LP of mine that's a little short in rich tonal balance. 

Altogether a big, satisfying success.

trytone
113 posts
 
Hope I will enjoy mono cartridge benefits. My install is scheduled tomorrow for a Soundsmith  Carmen Dual Coil Mono cartridge. The info sheet states that it is a Nude Elliptical stylus. I would guess it is not a "true mono" cart? There appears to be a metal strap. Was hoping that it might help with older mono records but perhaps I have made another mistake?
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