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

Tonearm cable
into
Two-female to one-male RCA Y splitter
into
One-female to two-male RCA Y splitter
into
phono stage

If your phono stage hums when you do it that way, put the Y cables between phono stage output and line preamp input instead

 

Considering an Ortofon 2m Black was used as the cartridge when referencing the original pressings in the studio, it makes for an interesting tie-in. This Beatles/White mono cartridge also is said to have a Shibata type stylus, and therefore seems like a mono version of the Black (though its just my guess).

 

OMFG, I'm too dumb to live. I've had my integrated amp for 2 years, but I seldom use the remote, and until I saw this, it never occurred to me to check whether the remote has a mono button. Which it does indeed have [banging head on desk repeatedly].

 

Or, if you are lucky enough to have a mono switch on your preamp, all this is avoided.

 

It's probably just Ortofon Black bridged for mono internally.

 

Thank you. Doh! I get it now. I thought it was some special ready-made cable, not two ffm/mmf y cables combined. And I deny all accusations of how I came by those abbreviations. My conscience is as clear as my internet search history.

 

Thanks! My CAT preamp has a built in phono preamp, so there is no option but to go from the TT. I'll have to use two male into VPI and one male to one female to two male into the CAT.

So much for expensive TT cable.

 

I think the regular Ortofon 2M mono cart is probably like this (the Quintet mono is), but it sounds as if the "SE" version of the 2M mono might be real mono, so it probably won't be $400.

 

I think the se version only designates the upgraded stylus. If bridged internally, it's basically a 2m black that presses the mono button/patches in the y cables for you.


I hope this clears things up for many people here. If you want to focus on getting good sound out of a mono disc, put together a system that strives to get the best sound from any disc. The rest comes naturally.

 

From my experience (with a Denon DL-102) a modern mono cartridge can get a lot out of those old mono records — in terms of minimising the surface noise and having a certain midrangey punchiness. But that is where it all stops. The Denon was frequency-wise much more limited. My stereo cart (AT33PTG2) revealed much more extended treble and bass in those grooves, even if it lost a bit of the focus of the mono cart. So if you are after a more flat response, a stereo cart and a mono button might be the better answer for you.

 

Yes, you will be fine with these mono reissues, thats how I play mine, and with a mono button on your amp you can always try to see what you like the most.

 

Thanks for the bit of information. I'm going to stick with my stereo cartridge. I would rather pur that money towards buying a really nice MC cartridge instead.

 

A white Rega RP3 and that Ortofon Mono cart are starting to pull at my heartstrings......and my wallet.

 

Bah, you would need two turntables before considering a mono cartridge I reckon. Imagine....hmm I feel like mono peppers tonight, lets change cartridge and re align. Not likely. Hence it becomes a expensive option. Just use Stereo.

 

Some Quad preamps have a great mono button, e.g. on the Quad 34 if you push the mono button you can then use the balance control to balance between the incoming channels for minimum noise (the image stays centred). It's useful for old records that have more wear on one side of the groove wall than the other due to being played without bias compensation, chipped stylus damage or whatever, you can often pretty much dial it out.

 

Steve just to clarify, are you saying that I lose a lot of noise if I do the Y connector "summing," or if I use the mono setting on my receiver? From the answers you've given some other people on their questions it sounds like for the most part my assumptions have been in line with your viewpoints but just to clarify; do you see this summing of channels as a worthwhile thing to do, or do think someone who is listening through a receiver with a mono setting will get the desired output? And I know that's all relative...there's a reason why it's being talked about as much as it is. Also I would listen out of both L/R anyway, so I don't see that part as an issue.

 

That's what I suspected you were saying, I just wanted to be sure. Thank you.

 

I have a Cambridge Audio Amp and it has a 'B Speaker' Button and a 'Direct' button I have never used either any idea if the 'Direct' Button is the mono button, I think it just by passes the tone/bass I have no Mono records to try it out, I also have my speakers bi-wired ??