Phono Stage advice for Mono listening

Mono listening, with a mono cartridge, has proven to be essential to my enjoyment of music. I started with a tonearm with detachable headshells, and would just switch the cartridges when I wanted to hear mono. I had done all the set up work in advance, so all I had to do was plug in the new headshell, set the tracking force, and I was on my way. Still, it sometimes was a barrier to spontaneous listening. I then tried using two turntables, one with a mono cartridge, one with stereo. My phono section took two inputs (one MM, one MC), and so I just had to flick a switch. 

A couple years ago, I had a larger plinth made for my Thorens 124, and mounted two tonearms on the same table. I saved space, a little time, and made a little money by selling the second turntable. This has proven to be the best solution of them all. 

I use a Zesto Andros ll phono preamp, but I hear really good things about the PS Audio phono preamp. 

I bet you try a few solutions before you settle in. That is sort of the fun of the equipment side of the pursuit. The bold, immediate sound of a good mono record played back with a good mono cartridge is the fun of the music side.

David

I use two tonearms on a table with two separate phono amplifiers into one preamplifier.

Get the McIntosh phono preamp.  MP100 is the more modestly priced solid state model, but the It does stereo and mono.  Look for a used MP1100.  It is wonderful.  Sell your other phono preamp and invest in the McIntosh.  You won’t be disappointed.  It can handle multiple settings for multiple tables and cartridges.

My tonearm, a Morch DP-8, mounted on an Amazon Reference TT, has a removable arm wand which allows for quickly switching from stereo to a dedicated Mono cartridge without having to make any adjustments.

I went full out with a dedicated Mono cartridge set up to play Mono pressings, primarily RCA Shaded Dog classical records from the '50s and '60s, which are very well recorded.

Comparing the sound of the pure Mono set-up with just playing the Mono records through the Stereo set-up did not, in my opinion, disclose any clear advantage of the Mono over the Stereo.

This may be because the Mono cartridge was not competitive with the much more expensive LOMC cartridge employed in the stereo set-up, although I was using a highly regarded Mono cartridge at the time.

Bear in mind the sound was different between the two, because of the employment of different sounding cartridges.  The Mono rig sounded a little more robust dynamically, but the Stereo rig was more detailed and for reasons I cannot explain, seemed to have a wider soundstage, almost mimicking a Stereo effect.

My conclusion, for the limited times I listen to Mono recordings, the expense and hassle of having a dedicated Mono set-up was not worth the added expense for any perceived sonic gain.

These comparisons were done through a Nagra phono preamp, Elekit SET amplifier and Avantgarde Trio speakers.  That is my experience for what it is worth.