How are you playing your precious MONO Vinyl?

Actually it sounds like our experience is quite similar.  It is the limitation imposed by the English language that is impeding communication here.  I used the adjective smooth to characterize MC sound.  You more precisely use the example of a piano and attack, or lack of same, as a limitation of MC sound.  It seems clear to me that our observations are converging.  My preferred stereo cartridge is an Experion, a MI.  We both listen to a lot of jazz.  My guess is that our favorite piano is not a Steinway, at least for jazz.  Something a with a little more edge to it serves jazz better.  A good Baldwin perhaps, or one of my favorite sounds from the past, a Mason & Hamlin?

this 16 minute video popped up,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb5VfiFy0kY

It says emphatically: ALL Octane Levels have the same energy level, the power difference is about whether you get good detonation or not (which includes clean fuel injectors).

At minute 16, this video makes a distinction between premium ’REQUIRED’  and premium ’RECOMMENDED’. I had a 1994 Jag XJS (that’s what he shows) it had the straight 6, not the masochist’s V12 that his example must be.

He says twice ’you can use regular in a vehicle that says recommended’.

I say: two cautions: if you sense knocking, irregular detonation, that would mean you tried, your computer, anti-knock is not handling it smoothly and go back to higher octane. 

additives, carbon deposits, clean fuel injectors is a separate issue, he shows dirty parts, injectors .... Watch your mpg, if it drops, you must/might be getting poor detonation must/might have dirty fuel injectors ...

Like most audio items, I would never buy a new .... BMW, the late 2014 model year 2015 sticker was $121K, I got it late 2024 for $33k (with 33k miles). Bought a 6 year warranty, used it 3 times already: window regulator; oxygen sensors; blind alley camera, there's a lot ot tech on the beast. 

All my vehicles: I put the recommended for several months, then try regular, ok, every once in a while run a tank of Premium, back to regular if I cannot feel/hear tell any difference, and drive hard up a hill frequently to verify you are getting good detonation, IOW make sure you are not unaware of poor detonation. The Volvo C70, just regular for 7 years.

lalitk OP

thanks for the links

I/we hear what we wanna, read between the lines, but we can only quote what’s there to find

"Stephen Russ, senior technical leader for gas engines at Ford, says this normal knock is usually detected and addressed within one or two combustion cycles and poses no threat to the engine. —ET"

"The Charger’s manual says 87 octane will provide "satisfactory fuel economy and performance." In our testing, "satisfactory" proved to be nearly identical to how the car performed with premium gas. Similar to the BMW, the Dodge’s gains on the dyno (14 horsepower and 23 lb-ft of torque) translated into negligible improvement in our real-world acceleration testing. Saddled with elephantine heft and eager to spin its rear all-season tires at launch, the Charger posted the same 4.9-second hustle to 60 mph on 87 and 93 octane. At triple-digit speeds, the higher power on 93 octane gave the Charger an advantage measured in tenths of a second. The Dodge also posted a 0.3-mpg improvement on premium with its average of 23.5 mpg. Just as important, the bellicose roar of the iron-block Hemi and the Charger’s ability to reduce its rear tires to jungle-gym ground cover are unaffected by the fuel in the tank."

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what they didn’t do is put 87 in the BMW or any vehicle that recommends higher, i.e. go against ’recommendation’. Who would do that? Mine’s nearly new at under 40k miles now.

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"Gasoline with a higher octane rating does not self-ignite easily, and burns more evenly than lower-octane fuel under harsh conditions, resisting detonation and knocking. Modern engines, with electronic sensors and controls, are very good at preventing detonation of lower-octane gas (this is why drivers no longer hear much knocking). But high-octane fuel is still specified when designers want to achieve better acceleration and power output, and when they are willing to accept a slightly bulkier and heavier engine with higher operating costs."

back to the 1st article: the increased power is measurably SLIGHT

"The higher-octane fuel trimmed a single tenth of a second across all of the (BMW) M5’s acceleration times.

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I’m not bragging, I might need engine repairs, just to say, I buy used cartridges, in this way also I am more of a risk taker, you win some, you lose some, I just cannot continue to feel like a sucker.

repeat: high-octane fuel is still specified when designers want to achieve better acceleration and power output

It’s barely measurable, not felt on the street. Get up that hill girl!

I meant to mention that there is a possibility that a mono cartridge will create a ground loop with a stereo phono stage. If the phono stage has a mono switch, than this will resolve any hum issues.

@billstevenson As I mentioned earlier to what Lewm had posted regarding stylus size and groove width. There are actually two mono groove widths prior to the 1960’s. There is the widest mono groove which is what you’ll find with the first vinyl pressings and then later, a Microgroove width. The Microgroove was a narrowing of the original mono groove in order to fit more music per side. I do understand that Lewm is not an expert however, I am still perplexed why these two mono groove sizes are not mentioned more often whenever the topic comes up.

Thanks for this information.  It seems clear that if there is a performance difference for a specific vehicle that boost is coming from the engine management software adjusting the settings such as timing based on the knock sensor readings.  Without the benefit of this information what I have done is listen to the engine.  Not sensing pre-ignition, I dropped from 93 first to 91 and then to 87 octane fuel.  This in the cool months.  In the summer, I use 93 just because it is hot.