Please explain mono

Should point out that while the mono switch is useful for those without separate mono cartridges, these recordings should be listened to from a single speaker, or pair very close together to get the tonal balance right.

Our heads provide natural L to R cancellations which stereo recordings take into account but mono may not. 

This does not apply to headphone listening though.

Best,

Erik

@lalitk 

+1 well said.

While I know some real advocates for mono… those saying the mono Beatles audiophile reissue has better tone and sounds better. For me personally, and this is me not everyone, mono recording are a huge letdown. The music must be simply incredible to hold my attention… for instant Fats Waller… recording in the 30’s and 40’s is so unbelievably good I’ll occasionally listen to it. 

Insofar as the mono cartridge thing goes, if you have a setup with two tonearms you are blessed.  Most aren't gonna have this, and even if you have switchable headshells most likely further setup is warranted.  Myself, I have found playing a mono record with my stereo cartridge works fine.  I guess a mono cartridge would do much to center the sound, but I've been shocked with some of my good-quality 50's mono records sounding very much like some sort of stereo!  I guess I'm not a purest, but the bottom line here is that you may not be missing much in an audiophile sense by listening to a mono record.  Certainly you may be listening to a performance that you can't hear any other way.  I just got an original copy of Schwartzkopf's 1954 LP performance of Strauss' Four Last Songs, cleaned it up, and I would never let that thing go.  

I forgot to add, a number of "older" records, like those pre-White Album Beatles one were done in mono, the stereo versions mixed later.  Many other records from back then are in the awful "artificial stereo".  The first Buffalo Springfield album was remixed in mono by Stills & Young after their managers messed up the stereo version.  No one should ignore those records because they were in mono, unless you're just an "audio freak" caring only about sound and not music.  I don't think many of us are that.

Within my ability within my system parameters to enjoy mono lps, 

I've been very impressed.