Ground loop with Miyajima Premium mono

Robin, Do you mean to say that this is the usual recommended mode of operation for the Premium mono (one channel hooked up and preamp set to "mono")? Does this mean that one would have to tolerate hum (or sound coming out of only one spkr) if one's preamp does not have a mono switch?

Lew,

you can do the same thing with interconnects that a mono switch will do. so it's not a limitation not having a mono switch.

you simply have to rid yourself of the ground loop.

Thank you to all for the debate.
One thing is interesting: the same cartridge work fine
throught a EAR 88PB phono stage,without hum problem in
stereo connections.Different construction on phono stages?
Perhaps dual mono or balanced inputs are implicate?

you can do the same thing with interconnects that a mono switch will do.

Mikelavigne, please explain. Do you mean by using a Y-interconnect or Y-connector? Otherwise, offhand, I don't see how.

Thanks.

ok. Robin said, due to the fact that both sides of the cartridge use the same mono signal; when connecting two stereo outputs it "can" cause a ground loop. this does not always happen. in fact; i've had it when it did not cause a ground loop....and i don't know why it does not always happen.

but if it does; then you get a sum'ing interconnect (where you have 2 rca inputs into one rca output) and plug that into one side of your preamp. and then use the mono switch on your preamp to get 2 channels of mono. you have then defeated the ground loop.

if you don't have a mono switch then you get a splitter (an interconenct with a single rca input and 2 rca outputs) plug the suming single output into the splitter and plug one output from the splitter into each stereo input. you now have a mono signal out of each input (just like a mono switch).

the most elegant solution is to get a friendly cable maker to make you the suming and splitter combo piece and eliminate the extra connectors. it's a simple thing to do.