Stereo To Mono Y-Cable Before Or After Phono Stage?

In trying to do the stereo-to-mono conversion in order to get better playback from mono vinyl, I did Steve Hoffman's suggested of connecting Y-cables to combine channels. I'm curious if anyone here has experimented with whether it's better to connect between the tonearm and phono stage, or between the phono stage and amplifier? Or is there no difference. I'm thinking that since the signal is light and delicate coming out of a cartridge compared to what comes out of a phono stage, you stand the chance of damaging the signal with additional cabling between the table and phono stage.

 

Mine is between the phono and line preamp. I didn't even consider introducing it earlier.

 

Because of the voltages involved, after the phono preamp is best, due to low voltages and capacitance issues that doing it pre phono stage can introduce more variables opposed to doing it at the higher line level voltages...

 

That won't mean it won't work pre phono stage, but there is less possibility for potential coloration, if that makes sense....

 

I assume you mean after the phono stage into the receiver/amp and not after the phono stage into the turntable? Sorry but I'm sometimes dyslexic. Really.

 

I'm also a little confused.
Is it..: Turntable --- regular cables --- PreAmp --- Y Cable --- Amp (?)

If so, I was doing it wrong!
thanks for this thread, AnaloJ.

 

Preferably the way you stated above, not directly after the turntable. That's not always possible for everyone though.

 

Try it either way and see what sounds best. When I used a y cable in the past, I thought it sounded best using it before the preamp or phono stage RIAA.

 

My main system preamp has a mono switch, but I bought a used Pioneer receiver for my "B" system yesterday that does not have one, or even pre-outs. It does have two tape monitor loops, so I went from "Rec Out", combined the channels with a "Y", then to another "Y" into the "Rec In", essentially creating a loop.

All I need to do to switch to mono is engage the "Tape Monitor" switch on the front panel.

 

Mine hummed badly pre phono / post it sounds GREAT !!!

 

Same as what I found.

 

I have considered doing it this way as simply pressing a button would be less hassle than messing with cables each time I want mono. However, my amp has only one tape loop and my headphone amp is in the way of the path. If I used the headphone amp for only one source (eg cd) this wouldn't be an issue - I'd just connect that source directly to the little amp , thus freeing up the tape loop for mono vinyl. However, this is not the case. But, I have been wondering if I could simply use the double y cable to daisy chain through the headphone amp and then press rec. out when switching to mono. The headphone amp has an input and an output so in theory it should work. I haven't tried it cos it's such a back - breaking contortionist job getting around the back of my gear for possibly no good reason. So, do you think this might work?

 

I was too impatient to wait for opinions so bit the bullet and tried it. Works beautifully. My previously redundant tape button is now a mono button. No more cable hassle. Yay!

 

Way to go! I am going to route my "y' through the tape loop as well.
As soon as I can stop playing all these great Mono records I have found!

Silly question - Playing stereo records with the Y any advantages ?

 

Eg old stereo Jazz in average condition = quieter?

 

Not sure about old stereo Jazz records. Not my field I'm afraid. I've only used the double Y cable (as it's actually made up of two Ys I'm not sure why we don't call it an X cable. Oh well) with stereo records to test the mono playback - like I did tonight, for example. Now the Ys only come into play when I press the tape button. Sorry if this doesn't answer your question.

 

Ditto. I had the same experience.

 

Nope.

 

Okay, I must have bought the wrong cables because when I plug in my Y cables, the music is barely audible. If I unplug either the left or right channel from the female end of the Y cable, everything is suddenly audible in both channels. These are the ones I ordered:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002J1LE8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002J1LF2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Any clue on which one is messing me up here?

 

I don't think the "Y" cables are your problem. Sounds like one channel on your cartridge is wire in reverse and with the "Y" cables your shorting out both channels to ground.

just a thought on my part......

 

Yup! That's exactly what it was. I figured it out last night after I found that the cables worked fine playing mono stuff off my iPod. I'll blame my colorblindness.

 

Yes. Many of those records (e.g. Blue Note, Riverside after 1960-1961) were technically fold-downs anyway. The original mono records had different compression and EQ applied to them, but since you are using a Y cable on a stereo record, you probably aren't after audio and historical accuracy anyway. But yes, it will give you much quieter surface noise and less distortion. Go ahead and try it, it's legal to experiment.

 

Hi guys, since we are talking about the 'tape loop as mono switch' solution, can anyone tell me if it's possible to do on my amp as well?

I have an old NAD 3020 which has no mono switch. My turntable connects to my AUX IN, since I use an external MC phono pre. Here is a photo of my connections... is there a way to do that tape loop thing on there, too?

 

I'd say you could put the "Y" cables in the Play & Rec jacks then hit the Tape button on the front.[

 

Until now I've only had cables plugged in into TAPE PLAY. It acts like a second Aux. If I press the Tape button on the front it acts like a temporary switch (the AUX button still remains pressed), however I still only hear the sound coming from Tape, not Aux (or Tuner) anymore. I don't quite understand those functions.