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Playing mono records properly without breaking the bank - a phono pre-amp question.

Hi there.. I can use some suggestions for playing mono records properly.I'm about to put together my vinyl system and trying to figure out how to best play mono records without having to either buy a separate TT, have a turntable with two tone arms or have a switchable head-shell, all of which are not an option at the moment.  Someday, I think having two tone arms will be the way, but now I need the most economical way to have a nice experience.
I will have at a minimum, a nice stereo stylus/cartridge, but I'm wondering if I should be focusing my phono-preamp search to those with a dedicated mono switch?  I have a Hegel integrated and there's no mono option. 
Are there  simple ways (contraptions)  other than a phono-preamp with a mono switch, to achieve high quality mono playback with a stereo stylus? My search for the right phono preamp would be much easier if I knew I didn't need to make sure it had mono.

Appreciate any suggestion or direction - would love to hear your person experience playing mono on a generally "stereo" rig.

hrabieh
flatblackround's avatar
flatblackround
279 posts
 
This topic has been discussed many times here.  It can get very interesting.  The key word in the thread title is “properly”.  A stereo cartridge in a system without a mono switch is not proper mono.  However as clearthink states, music will come forth.  It boils down to how many mono albums in a collection and how much money to properly optimize mono playback.  A true mono cartridge is critical for proper mono playback.
yeti42's avatar
yeti42
287 posts
 
Some mono records were made to be playable with  a stereo pickup but the earlier they are the less likely this will be the case and those that weren’t have a sound like frying eggs in the background, a mono switch (mine’s on the pre) will get rid of that and move any pops and ticks to the centre with the music (not always desirable). I tend to use mine just when necessary as there is a minor dulling of transients that come with it. Choice of stereo cartridge is also a factor, a 17D3 with its micro ridge stylus didn’t play mono that well.
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
If you’re not into antique records (pre 50s or old 78rpm) then an MM cartridge with true mono signal generator like Grace F-14 MONO (just two pins for lead wires) and modern stylus profile (not old conical) - this is all you need for use with conventional phono stage, amps etc
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
If you go on over to SoundSmith.com and check out the info there, or search YouTube where you will find a lot of the same videos, you will find Lederman has some very good info on mono. Its not something I'm into, just love listening to guys who know what they're talking about which Lederman is pretty high up there. Some of what he says about mono is buried in with other subjects, so you may have to watch the Stereophile guy get a tour of SoundSmith for half an hour to catch the 30 seconds mono comment, but if its important to you it'll be worth it. Nobody else I've seen so clearly explains exactly what is going on when you play a record.
aberyclark
1,355 posts
 
I believe both AT and Ortofon have Plug n Play mono cartridges if your headshell is removable. If not, unless you really play mono quite a bit, I would just use a mono switch for such. 
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