SH Spotlight If you have a turntable you need to play your mono records in true MONO. How to do it cheaply..

Thank you!

 

I built myself a mono switch box for fun, but couldn't really abide having an extra link in my audio chain once I implemented it and started thinking about it. Instead, I added a mono switch to my phono stage, which is much cleaner. I have to say, even after listening to quite a few mono records this way, I don't hear a huge difference -- there seems to be a little bit of "air/hum" that goes away when I flip the switch and any surface noise moves away from the periphery to the center, but still, it seems a pretty minimal improvement to me. The noisier the record, the more difference it seemed to make, but I can't imagine it making much difference to a new, clean mono pressing. I will definitely continue to listen to my mono LPs this way, but I guess maybe I expected too much.

 

I built a double Y cable and plugged it in. The cable I uses is pretty expensive, let's just say I have "connections" in the cable industry lol

The differences are palpable though not huge and certainly not of the magnitude expressed by some on here. Better vocals and BVs too and some extra revelation in the music but not dramatically better by any means.

Now, it may be that I didn't make it right as I find quite a lot of hiss now on both speakers. any thoughts?

 

More "hiss" after summing a signal to Mono? You should expect to hear LESS noise when switching to Mono. Hiss is not something I normally associate with noise from a turntable, but I suppose it's possible. That is a noise I associate more with FM Stereo or Tapes.

Maybe now that the signal is summed to Mono, other noises may heve been reduced to the point of hearing ramining tape hiss that made it to the Record? Just guessing here, but you did ask for thoughts!

 

Hi and thx

It's hiss in the speakers before I drop the needle.

Ok the problem may be that one of the wires has come loose yet it's still working go figure...

 

Hello.

I've found a friend of mine who says he'll put one of these together for me if I supply the parts. Could you, or anyone out there help, and provide me with a list of parts I need to order to make one?

Many Thanks

 

Sure, check post number 829 in this thread.

 

Any insights/experiences with there being risk or sound degradation by going TT-Y cables-phono stage-line stage (versus TT-phono stage-Y cables-line stage)? I just did a quick test comparing the two Y-cable approaches and they sounded the same to me, but want to be safe and not create some inadvertent signal issue harmful to the gear. Thanks all, and thanks SH for the thread...never would have known or thought of this option.

 

Just summing the channels to mono is only part of the issue. Mono LPs began being cut with stereo cutters around 1968. The easiest way to tell if a mono record has stereo grooves is if there was a stereo (even rechanneled) issue of the record as well as the mono issue. If so, the mono issue was undoubtedly cut with a mono cutter, for use on players with non-compatible mono cartridges. Some pressings of mono LPs were hit-or-miss during the transition to stereo-only. The Mamas & Papas' Farewell to the First Golden Era (Dunhill/ABC labels only) as well as one or two Neil Diamond LPs on Bang are known to play in mono on one side and in stereo on the other. although the jackets and labels carried the mono catalog numbers! The major labels were not known for such erroneous pressings. If an RCA release had an LPM prefix before the stereo-only transition, a Columbia LP had a CL prefix, or a Capitol LP had a T prefix, rest assured the grooves on the record were cut by mono cutters. This may also be true of post-transitional pressings that still used stampers cut earlier, such as Columbia's two Billie Holiday albums Lady Day and Greatest Hits. Neither album was issued in electronic stereo. The best way to identify the grooves on a record issued during this period is to familiarize yourself with the matrix numbers for the various major labels, which is a relatively easy way to identify the groove type. That said, records cut with mono cutters will generally provide better sound if tracked with a 1.0 mil mono stylus. That extra .3 mil between a mono and a stereo stylus can make all the difference in the world. I use a GE VRII mono magnetic cartridge for most LPs and 45s cut with mono grooves, as the 1.0 mil stylus will ignore groove wear from a stereo stylus and the cartridge is ignorant of vertical modulation and as such won't reproduce groove-bottom wear caused by repeated playings with a stereo stylus.

 

I figured this would be the best place to ask this question. I bought and used the mono Y cable setup and it indeed does work. The only difference is that I get crazy distortion if I accidentally play a stereo record with the mono cable in place. I figured it might just be cheap cables, so I built a mono switch according to xmas111's directions and lo and behold, same thing when accidentally playing stereo. When I had an old Harman Kardon receiver in my phono chain, its mono switch didn't do that. Any suggestions?

 

Don't listen to stereo records with your mono switch engaged!

 

Well I guess I'm gonna have to slide out the cabinet and get back there and double check all the wiring today. I kinda figured it would be that. Other than crossed cables, anything I should look for?

 

I played a stereo with the mono in with a Digitrac 280e, .3x.7 eliptical and it sounded just great very open great soundstage I was surprised. The mono's all Captol T code sounded very good also not quite as live,open as the stereo. Go figure

Jim

 

Yeah, with my Harman Kardon 430 Twin it's easy to forget if I have the mono switch engaged. Didn't get the time to check the wiring today. Maybe later this week.

 

Where in the Bay Area? Im in San Rafael

 

Santa Rosa!

 

Been there many times love the mall any good vinyl shops up there? There is a good one with a lot of stock on 4th st here in San Rafael only browsed a little a bit expensive. Hardware shops?

 

If it does it both ways - Y cables and mono switch box (one of which I made and it works perfectly) - then it must be the configuration of the cables.

 

Anyone tried this? I need a stereo / mono switch for my radio and I was thinking of using this guy from my phone to the input. I like to listen to Johnny Cash in mono and some more of my modern tunes in Stereo. Anythought?

http://www.vetco.net/catalog/images/PH-70-023-2.jpg

 

Will these work ?

http://www.amazon.com/Mediabridge-U...1&sr=8-1&keywords=mediabridge+rca+y+connector


http://www.amazon.com/Mediabridge-U...7&sr=8-2&keywords=mediabridge+rca+y+connector

Thanks
Mike

 

One option is the Mackie Big Knob, that has a phono input and a mono button. And a big knob.

 

Will these work ?

http://www.amazon.com/Mediabridge-U...1&sr=8-1&keywords=mediabridge rca y connector


http://www.amazon.com/Mediabridge-U...7&sr=8-2&keywords=mediabridge rca y connector


I also have an additional question to the one I posted regarding the cables above. My phono stage is a Pro-Ject Phono Box USB Phono Preamp which states that it has dual mono circuitry, does that mean that I am already getting the benefits of mono on mono records and that I have no need to use the rca y adapters or will I still need them?

http://www.needledoctor.com/Pro-Ject-Phono-Box-USB-Phono-Preamp?sc=2&category=35249

Thanks
Mike

 

Yes.

 

Still need them.