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How are we wiring our Mono systems?

Hello.

I'm building a mono system* out of stuff I have laying around:

CJ PV-1 (or H H Scott LK-72 if I can't get the CJ pots unstuck)

Bryston 2B

Harbeth HL Monitors

Thorens TD-165

I see mono cartridges that have 2 pins out and 4 pins out; the 4 pin people (Grado) say just use one pair but shouldn't a single generator moving in just one direction need only two pins? I'm confused...

Ok, after that it's a single RCA cable to the preamp and a single RCA cable to the amp and single speaker cable to the (single) speaker, correct?

Where should I set the Stereo/Mono and Balance knobs? I guess that will depend a bit on the particular  preamp in question of course. Try and see is always a good way to go. Depending on how the preamp is wired it might be possible to use two speakers but isn't that not mono? 1950 hi-fi magazines say as much...

If you enjoy a mono system please share how yours is set up, or was set up if you've taken it apart.

 

*Please don't come here to poop on mono, or throw your weight around about how smart you are and how dumb everyone else is, it's childish and frankly, boring.

I'm interested in a positive discussion.

128x128tzed
tzed's avatar
tzed OP
10 posts
 

And we have the first contestant in our Why Do People Hate Audiophiles game!

lewm
13,030 posts
 

You’re making it more difficult than it needs to be, unless you want to listen only to mono LPs. Otherwise I just use a preamplifier with a mono mode switch. Next step would be to use a mono cartridge. Of those there are two types, true mono vs stereo cartridges where the two channels are internally bridged, so you get a mono signal on each of the two pairs of output pins. I personally like and want the mono signal appearing on each of the stereo pair of speakers. And no one hates audiophiles.

tzed's avatar
tzed OP
10 posts
 

I guess I thought playing only mono records was implied so sorry I didn't mention it.

Yes, a system for playing mono records (a mix of Classical, Pazz, and Jop from the '40s through the '60s).

I've listened to mono recordings (vinyl and digital) on my stereo for a lifetime so I'm quite familiar with what that sounds like LOL

Ok I give up. Is there a way to delete this thread?

lewm
13,030 posts
 

Why would you want to delete the thread?

larryi
3,982 posts
 

There are plenty of people who want to play mono, even when the source is a stereo recording, meaning that the two channels have to be summed.  The easiest way is with a Y connecter, which is essentially what your mono button does if your component has one.  But, that is not the best sounding approach.  Combining the signals via a transformer is much better sounding—fuller sounding.  I heard this demonstrated via a box with switching and four or five different transformers, as well as a simple Y connector.  There were subtle differences between transformers, but a huge difference with the Y connector which was dramatically worse sounding than all of the alternatives. 

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