Easy & Cheap Mono Signal

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Leonthepro, Jun 16, 2019.

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  1. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic Thread Starter

    Location:
    Sweden
    With me starting to collect a lot more Mono recordings and mixed record pressings Im wondering if there is an easy and cheap way to get my signal turned to Mono for my speakers?
    The reason being is that I believe stuff like surface noise and such will be better masked unlike with the Stereo signal where the music is all in the middle and distortions in the left and right. Of course, a more perfectly centered image will also sound clearer. Or am I wrong in assuming this?

    Ive wanted to upgrade pre amps for a while, for example, I was looking at the MoFi Studiophono box which has a mono switch, but I think it will rather be something like a Schiit Mani, but that doesnt have a mono switch.

    Is there any other add on or method I can utilize to get a good mono signal?
     
  2. CCrider92

    CCrider92 Senior Member

    Location:
    Cape Cod, MA
    There's a forum member who builds and sells small M/S converters. Perhaps a search will show up his name > I and many others have bought from him.
     
    Leonthepro likes this.
  3. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic Thread Starter

    Location:
    Sweden
    I will look around, thanks!
     
  4. Thorensman

    Thorensman Forum Resident

    Glass audio do a mono/ mute /stereo
    Swtch pcb.
    Buy a small metal box, drill anf fit 4 rca
    Sockets.
    Drill and fit glass audio board/ switch.
    Or mount a small toggle switch on
    Your preamp and run 2 wires to
    Phono input left and right signal wires.
    Any technician coukd perform this mod
    In 30 minutes
     
  5. vinylontubes

    vinylontubes Forum Resident

    Location:
    Katy, TX
    member is
    xmas11
     
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  7. CCrider92

    CCrider92 Senior Member

    Location:
    Cape Cod, MA
    Right!!! Thanks!
     
  8. CCrider92

    CCrider92 Senior Member

    Location:
    Cape Cod, MA
    vinylontubes gave you the answer! Good luck.
     
    Leonthepro likes this.
  9. dastinger

    dastinger Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portugal
    I built a box a few days ago and if you're decent with soldering and have the right tools, it's really really easy to do. Here's the result:

    [​IMG]

    Could have painted it and make it all around more appealing to the eye, but didn't want to spend much time with that and wanted to keep the cost down.

    I had to add a ground screw because I have serious issues with hum at my house. It ended up costing me around €15: box, switch and 4 RCAs. 1 hour was enough to have this ready.

    If you ever need any help building one, I'm happy to take more pictures and write down the schematic for you.
     
  10. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic Thread Starter

    Location:
    Sweden
    Much appreciated! But Ive talked to another member about buying his model thats for sale. Im sure I couldnt make an as nice looking box as he has even if the internals are easy, aesthetics matter too ;^)
     
    dastinger likes this.
  11. JackG

    JackG Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    I use the cheap way of y-cable summed to mono then back to stereo cable in my processor loop. For mono I switch in the processor loop.

    What would I gain with a proper switch?
     
    Leonthepro likes this.
  12. dastinger

    dastinger Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portugal
    Oh I totally agree and his looks really nice :)

    I'll eventually spray paint mine too.

    It's just a lot easier to use. No fiddling with cables or the back of the amp.
     
    Leonthepro and JackG like this.
  13. JackG

    JackG Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    That's the thing - all I do is hit a button on the remote of my Outlaw RR2160 to switch in the processor loop/cables for mono use. So I'm wondering about sonic benefits of a proper box/circuit.
     
  14. dastinger

    dastinger Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portugal
    Oh, so I don't think there's any benefit tbh. The idea behind the insides of a box like this is basically a Y cable.
     
    JackG likes this.
  15. levimax

    levimax Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    I bought a very cheap y-cable for mono summing from Amazon. I checked the capacitance and just the y-cable was over 400 pF which was 4 X more than all the other cables from the cart! I bought a decent (still cheap) y-cable and it was under 100 pF but still that is enough to make a measurable difference in FR. For MC carts it is not an issue but for MM carts I would be very careful about using cheap y-cables for mono summing .... it is very easy to do more harm than good.
     
    AaronW and Lucca90 like this.
  16. RPM

    RPM Forum Resident

    Location:
    Easter Island
  17. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic Thread Starter

    Location:
    Sweden
    Is this visual in a waveform perhaps?
     
  18. JackG

    JackG Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    Are you referring to the cables installed at the cart, or after the phono stage in the processor loop as I have them?
     
    Leonthepro likes this.
  19. Chilli

    Chilli Pretend Engineer.

    Location:
    UK
    I think I’m right in saying that adding the two signals together isn’t really all the mono switch should do as you would have a level discrepancy when you do this? Presumably that is taken into account when summing.
     
  20. levimax

    levimax Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    Yes, if you add more capacitance between cart and phono stage with MM cart interaction with impedance with change FR. I have measured this but here is an article that helped me understand it. Magnetic Phono Pickup Cartridges Usually you want around 100 Pf (manufactures recommendation) and a little more or less can "fine tune" things but 400 pF is way out of spec and will almost certainly change things for the worse (move the FR "hump" further into audible range).
     
    Leonthepro likes this.
  21. levimax

    levimax Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    I am referring to between cart and phono stage..... you are correct that once you are at line level a little extra capacitance is not going to be an issue.
     
    JackG and Leonthepro like this.
  22. OldSoul

    OldSoul Don't you hear the wind blowin'?

    Location:
    NYC
    It has a cool '40s-'50s look unpainted, as it is.
     
    dastinger likes this.
  23. dastinger

    dastinger Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portugal
    It does! I like it honestly. I know it would look better aesthetically if it was painted, but I really like that raw DIY style. It would look better without the ground cable on the side, but I wanted to make sure I wouldn't mess anything up on the back where the RCAs are.
     
    OldSoul likes this.
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