There’s zero point in listening to mono albums without a mono cartridge truthfully. The improvement in fidelity is astounding.

Hi Michael after watching your video as we have many original mono LPs EPs and singles from the 1950’s and 1960’s (I am 76 years old so this is my era!!}. I have bought an Ortofon 2m Mono cartridge for my Technics deck which arrived today. Wow what a revelation!!! A very different experience to my very 😅high end stereo cartridge on my Linn turntable. So together all the instruments are clear from high to low and a tightly centred cohesive image. Now I am enjoying my mono records properly.. they don’t sound right on the stereo cartridge !! I look forward to many hours listening to my old favourites.

I can't tell you how grateful I am to know this. Thanks Michael!

Surprise indeed and very useful as virtually all my mono LPs are modern reissues. I am finding that quite a lot of 60's music which was originally recorded in mono sounds better than the stereo version even when it was recorded at the same time. Possibly the engineers of the day hadn't got a lot of experience in stereo.

Great information to help make the music we love more enjoyable. Thank you , Michael !

Great stuff Michael so happy Revolver & Rubber Soul & Pepper were some of your first mono experiences. Love to hear your comparison between the recent mono Beatles cuts with your originals. The key thing is a having the genuine original mono cuts,as new mono may be biased so stereo users can still enjoy. Informative video Michael thanks for sharing and putting this out there ✊

Thanks Mike….very important detail!

mono is just beautiful, enjoy it!

Excellent observation and audiophile contribution.

Sehr interessant! Vor ca. 20 Jahren habe ich damit ebenfalls angefangen, aufgrund des Kaufes einer 78er Plattensammlung. Mein EMT950 bot die Moeglichkeit mit den entsprechenden Tondosen (auch heute noch zu bekommen), diese entsprechend abzuspielen. Es ist unglaublich, was speziell solche 78er an Energie und Klangqualitaet bieten, speziell Schellacks aus den 50er Jahren. Dagegen klingen 33er m.E. wie eingeschlafene Fuesse. Mit der Zeit wurde mir allerdings bewusst, dass das nur richtig und perfekt funktioniert, wenn man das auch konsequent MONO hoert, d.h. moeglichst mit EINER grossen, vintage JBL oder Klipsch etc. (in meinem Falle einem kleinen Quad ESL 57), die man in eine Ecke stellt, an eine Wand oder sogar, im besten Falle, etwas Entsprechendes in die Wand einbaut, damit man im Raum, wie vorgesehen, wie in einem Konzert in der Musik baden kann. Ein unglaubliches Erlebnis und eine Zeitreise. Viel Spass weiterhin 👍

Some additional information about mono cartridges and recordings. First, Volker, in the previous mono video, talked about mono in the 50’s en the 60’s and the differences in grove width. In general there are no normal grove 33 or 45 rpm discs, only some special broadcasting discs, the discs Volker was talking about are 78 rpm shellac discs. All the ‘modern’ mono records are cut with so called micro grooves. So you can use all sorts of stylus profiles, but if you use records with surface scratches and plops, or clicks, a spherical stylus profile is in most cases the best. But a good quality disc can be played with elliptical or even a Shibata type stylus. Most so called mono cartridges have both channels connected together in the cartridge, by doing this the cartridge only respond to the horizontal movement of the stylus, hence mono. Although Ortofon stated this is better than a mono switch at your pre-amp, I think it comes very close and is a lot cheaper, if you have a pre-amp with this facility! If you have a mono switch at the pre-amp, also the noise of the phono amp or phono stage is reduced. There are also a few real mono cartridges, as far as I know, only a few types Ortofon SPU’s, they only respond to horizontal movements of the stylus, but are very rigged in the vertical plane, so playing stereo records with such a cartridge could damage the stereo disc. Check you supplier! Michael made a remark about the sound of recent mono recordings when played with a mono cartridge. My personal view on this; the mono is an afterthought, post processing of the stereo recording/mix. I think the making of proper mono recordings is an lost art, there aren’t people like Rudy van Gelder anymore.

Ciao Michael! I remember that I had recommended you to get a mono cartridge a couple of.years ago.... I'm very glad that you are part of this very small club now‼

Thank you for your vlog, very interesting and you confirmed some of my thoughts on modern release Mono records. I, like you have many original Mono pressings from the late 50`s and early sixties which were cut with a Mono cutting head and when I got a Mono cartridge it was amazing the difference from listening to them with a stereo cart. But listening to modern Mono with the Mono cart it wasn't the same, so I have always had that thought, even though these records might have been recorded in Mono it sounds like they have been cut with a stereo head.

Thank you for this review. It answers a lot of questions. I’ve been having about listening to my mono reissues. I guess I can save my money and time and just keep my current cartridge. Fascinating review. Thanks so much.

Thanks for the post Michael. This isn't the first time I've heard that modern mono reissues likely did not employ mono cutting. I have only a couple of original monos, so this valuable information for me, and probably for many others.

Thanks for these thoughts. I manage a sound media lab (Hifi listening) at a university with 100k+ vinyl in our library, many original mono pressings, but we only have a stereo cartridge. I guess we need a mono turntable now too, we need to revisit the monos.

Just to update you Michael I have been going through some of my modern release mono Jazz records that I have previously played with a mono cart and have now played them with a stereo M.C. a vast improvement. It is like listening to mono recordings with a mono cart that have been cut with a mono head. Thank you for enhancing my HiFi experience.

Interesting video. It's good that you have also issued some warnings. I have noticed that with mono records that are played with a stereo pickup, the stylus used has a not insignificant influence. Mono records played with a stereo cartridge with a MicroLine or Shibata stylus sound considerably better and different than those with an elliptical stylus. This is usually the case in normal stereo operation, but in my opinion the difference is even greater with mono records.

Really very interesting. Id love to hear what you have to say about some of your ERC true monos that you have on this setup

Michael, congrats on the cart. From what I understand, a true mono cart will damage stereo records in playback. Mono carts that are made today can play stereo records no problem. That being said, I simply have an external mono switch and the difference is night and day when playing mono records. Vocals are pushed forward a bit and bass is bigger. Cheers from the US.

I prefer the stereo reissues though I will buy the mono when I have no choice. I do not have a mono cart at this time but have the switch on my preamp. I sometimes forget to switch it. Thanks again.

I have some early Blue note monos and i find that the mono switch on my pre amp makes a difference. I love the cohesive sound i get from mono pressings.

Hallo Michael, das freut mich sehr, deine Mono Erfahrungen kann ich nur teilen. Ich habe auf meinen Plattenspielern auch jeweils 2 Tonarme, einer mit einem SME3012 Ortofon Mono SPU. Damit höre ich schon seit Jahren und besonders gefallen mir die lten 50/60er Mono Jazz Originale, die ich von meinem Vater geerbt habe (großer Jazz Fan, ca 2500 Originals). Viel Spaß weiterhin...

Ohhh, ich freue mich schon so darauf über deine Erfahrungen in unseren nächsten Live Stream zu quatschen. Das wird spannend. ;-)

In my teen years in the 70s I only got a mono record player which was valve with a garrard multi record stack! It sounded great playing stereo records! I never at the time considered I was missing out!

Hi Michael, very interesting experience. It would be of great value to have Kevin Gray’s take on this and getting him to answer a few questions regarding the cutting procedure on mono reissues. Regards from Sweden

Could you do a further review on the Beatles original mono vs repress vs stereo with different cartridges? Great videos keep it up.

Would love to see a video on your experience with the mono cart and first pressing blue notes.

Thanks for your channel. A true mono cartridge will not be able to play stereo records, the mono cartridge you have must be a stereo cartridge converted to mono. It is allways a matter of taste, but after my taste a reissued mono recording sounds better with a mono cartridge, the voices and the sound depth gets much more dimensional. I play my mono cartridge into a mono stepup but connected to a stereo phonostage. I think that using a mono phonostage will improve the sound from mono even further. As an example to my experience, I have the Beatles mono box set, and I never played it as I it sounded terrible on my stereo set up, so I did not quite understanded the hype. I listened to the Beatles mono set with my mono setup and for the first time I enjoyed the sound. When listening to a mono record with a mono cartridge, I cannot avoid to think about what we have learned with recorded sound for the past 70 years. The simplicify of mono much be an advantage when trying to play the grove from the records. I however think that especially clasical music play by big symphony orchestras sounds better on stereo, maybe because of the complexity of the music.

I couldn't find a photo of a mono cutterhead that would fit the Neumann VMS 70 or 80. 82 is DMM

Dear Michael,Very interesting video. Definitely the big benefit of having two tonearms on one player as I would have a hard time buying a second high end player for using a mono cartridge. As being a huge Beatles fan myself, did you already compare the mentioned Rubber Soul or Revolver OG UK Monos with the 2014 Monos when played w/ the standard stereo cartridge?

Michael, in the comparison you made between the mono cartridge and the stereo cartridge, you used the same arms and cartridges made with the same manufacturer, technology, materials and time of use, but only differentiated by one reading mono modulation and the other reading modulation stereo? I believe that this would be the condition to make a fair comparison.

Michael, please play your 2014 Beatles Mono re-issues with your new Mono cart. vs your Stereo cart. and post your thoughts on the outcome. I seriously doubt Sean McGee used mono cutter geometry to cut the lacquers given pretty much everyone uses stereo cartridges these days.

You are exactly right . these new Mono releases are cut the same as a stereo just with a mono input. Mainly good for records that had strange stereo mixes like the Beatles revolver for just one example where vocals were on one side and instruments on the other than panned to center and things like that. Jefferson Aiplane Surealistic Pellow another example where people want the Mono. But like you said you need an original mono to use a mono cartridge. not a new mono pressing those will sound better with a stereo cartridge because thats how they are cut. I have quite a few 50s Albums in Mono like Peggy Lee and Dianna Washington Albums like those shine with a mono Cartridge. So all that to say your not only onto something you are right.

I wonder that no one told you about that. It was the reason why I passed on a mono cartridge. Playing just the mono originals better needs quite a load of such records to make sense. And not rarely the stereo versions are better sounding anyway.

Do you use 1 signal line ? Or both left and right on your stereo amp and speakers ? Or do you go down to one speaker ?

Hi Michael, think you made a mistake by comparing new records (mono or stereo) with your Mono-Cartridge vs. your Stereo-Cartridge. As from your last video I got the info that your new Mono-C. has an 1mil Diamond. This is the one fitting old Mono-Grooves. New Mono-Grooves are cut tighter - same like the Stereo-Records. Your 1mil will not fit. To compare with your Stereo-C. you need a Mono-C. with the modern 0.7mil Diamond (same cut like your Stereo-C.). Cheers Stefan

Interesting

Side journey into mono must also include a mono bloc amp and single speaker. Maybe a classic Altec, Bozak, or JBL from the mono era.

Does your photostage offer RIAA curve changes and are dedicated Mono? That can cause problems with modern mono pressings, makes them sound not as great as 60's monos.

I think I told you this 2 years ago and many times in between, get a mono system. So you are finally there, good. I am a musician, I talked a lot to sound engineers and they told me that with mono you have no cancelation in the frequency spectrum. Whenever you have the chance to be in a studio, just switch the phase of a microphone, specially when the instrument is miked with two mikes. Just switch the phase on one and you know what I talk about, but don't wait another 2 years🙂 To play a stereo record with a mono cartridge? maybe your april fool........

Great channel. But worth mention, all mono Beatles UK records after Beatles for Sale is cut with stereo head. Not saying they can not benefit from a mono cart even they are cut with stereo head. I will guess mostly all mono records on EMI are cut with stereo head after 1964.

I have about 3000 LPs, with about 90% in original mono (mostly hard bop from 55-63). The difference between a mono a stereo cart is stunning. I fully agree, the sound opens up. Most people honestly feel they are listening to stereo, as you get the beautiful sound stage. To me, I think the main issue was that engineers (you too Rudy) didn’t really understand how to mix stereo until ~67

Welcome to the world of original mono

Sir - which was your first record you ever buy? :)

Your mono cartridge is made for old mono records. Those have bigger groves so the needle is bigger, too. Modern mono records have smaller groves like stereo records so those shouldn't be played with those bigger cartridges as it might damage them. There are mono cartridges for new records but I would recommend you use your stereo cartridge with a mono switch as that should give you more or less the same result. It doesn't really matter that modern mono records are cut with stereo heads because both channels are cut with a 45° angle. If the stereo head cuts a mono signal you get more or less the same result you would get with a mono head. So: Old records with the mono cartridge, new records with stereo cartridge and mono switch - the switch is important.

Isn't the mono stylus profile incorrect for playing stereo LP's? Is there any risk of damage to the LP?

Sorry if i missed it, but what Mono-cartridge you are using?

Now you should hunt down that UK Mono of Odessey & Oracle. Still looking……

Isn't it even damaging to a LP cut with a stereo head if you play it back with a real (not just rewired) mono cartridge?

I feel as if we're assuming the mono cart and stereo cart are very similar. Which mono cart do you have? I'm assuming your stereo cart is a MC cart with a micro ridge stylus. Does your mono cart have the ability to resolve the same detail? The information IS there if it sounds better with the stereo cart. Perhaps your journey now needs to consider different mono cart variations - different widths, different stylus types.

A lot of talk about mono vs stereo cutterheads without any explanation of the difference… or if the difference actually makes a difference in the shape of the groove from the same mono signal. For example, I very much doubt that the OG Beatles mono and stereo were cut with different cutterheads. I get the different widths of early to late mono, but a mono groove is a mono groove.

Pretty simple to pick up a vintage receiver with a mono switch. No need to buy a mono set up.

I disagree that new mono records don’t benefit from a mono cart. The drop in background noise compared to using a stereo cart is huge. The use of a mono cutting head is over-rated.

I have two a turntables one (a Rega Planar 3) with a dedicated mono cartridge (a Ortofon 2M Mono Cart), and a second (another Rega Planar 3 - 50th anniversary ed.) with a dedicated stereo cartridge (a Rega Exact 2 MM phono cartridge). Now I'm sure that the stuffy, snooty audiophiles will snicker, cackle and will be dismissive by saying that this is nothing to be proud of; but those are what I currently own. Are you saying that based on your new "mono experience" that I should probably be better off playing my newly pressed mono records on the turntable with the stereo cartridge vs. the turntable with the mono cartridge?

I think the need for a mono cartridge is a little overkill to enjoying mono records Plus that means another turntable for the second cartridge I’ve been using a stereo cartridge and enjoying the mono records I own If you’ve got the money for all the extra cartridge and table that’s great but it’s a little overkill

Hi Michael, I seem to recall, in a past video, Volker saying that your mono cartridge was being custom made for you by Ortophon, to be a good match for your mono tonearm, and recently mentioned that it will be sized for modern microgroove records, which I think began in 1948. Ortophon is one of the few who still make “true” mono cartridges, in that they are made to only track in a lateral motion, just like the cutting head is doing. Ortophon had a special mono cartridge made to honor the release of the Beatles mono box, and they also still make a few other true mono cartridges as well. One of the advantages of using a true mono cartridge is that it will not read any vertical groove information, thus making things quieter. The reason your stereo record sounded poorly may be that your true mono cartridge is not reading the vertical grooves it would normally have. Please compare your original mono Sgt. Pepper with your modern Beatles mono box copy.

Favorite Alice Cooper album: Fools

is time to make mono amp and big speaker again (1 only)

I'm quite amazed that it took you so long to actually hear mono records through a mono cartridge. You can't listen to mono records in any other way. I wouldn't even begin to review a mono record in any other way.

Bob Dylan Mofi Monos ❤

April Fools ?

Mono cartridge on a stereo Alice cooper record = April Fools

mono

We’ll played April Fools joke. Such sincerity! Oscar worthy performance.😂

Well after the legalization of cannabis all music would sound better 😂😅

Hi Michael, my syspicion is, that you are using a mono wired cartridge and not a real mono pickup which allows for lateral stylus-movement only. "Real" mono pickups will damage stereo records! Same is true for modern mono pressings being produced with a stereo cutting head. To my experience you only get the most out of vintage mono recordings when you use a true mono pick up which allows only for lateral movement of the stylus (improved dynamics, lower noise floor, more of the music being right there in front of you). BUT: playing back a record which has been cut with a stereo cutting (no matter if it says stereo or mono) will almost certainly damage your record. There is a bunch of affordable very good real mono cartridges out there, it is defnitely worth to give it a try!

I can't believe how someone who has been reviewing mono albums for years has only now discovered Columbus's Egg 👎👎👎

Love ya Michael, but you are confusing many issues here…

Must be April Fools because he is so completely wrong he appears to be stupid which we know he isn’t. If you play a stereo LP with a TRUE mono cartridge it will scream as it has no vertical compliance. If you use a stereo cartridge summed to mono as maybe he did it will never sound as good as a true mono cartridge. This whole video is really embarrassing as we know all mono LP’s be they original or re-issues sound far superior with a true mono cartridge.