Fact or misinformation?

Lew,

I agree that a mono switch helps.  The big thing it does is converts all the noise to a mono signal since having mono music and stereo noise is very distracting.  All of this based on the evil premise to some that you are listening to mono in the "sweet spot" of a stereo setup.

dave

There is vertical compliance to keep the tip in the groove and handle record warps. Just higher compliance laterally. No vertical compliance means the stylus bounces in the groove from record warps.

yes... and interestingly enough the choice of the day was to use a rectangular cantilever cross section with a high aspect ratio to put all of the rigidity in the lateral direction.  The  flex of the cantilever in the vertical direction is what dictates the compliance and as you mention, it is a much lower value than the lateral number.

dave

Horse puckey.... 

intact audio makes a reasonable point. I doubt most modern cart's have limited vertical compliance tho.  I think i would be more concerned with the reverse, since in the old days the grooves were cut entirely laterally (well, there was that 45 degrees but the two were out of phase....) so the reverse is more, IMO, likely- except that about 0.01% of us have mono cartridges.

Yes, a buddy of mine does. He also has multiple arms on one table. Wonderfully insane.

No. I agree with all the other members that no harm will occur. I also use my mono switch with an old LP. It is sometimes amazing with a stereo cartridge.