Mono Cartridge Question


You chaps have watched me struggle with the issue of my London Decca Reference being irreplaceable, and then joyfully learning that John Wright has a successor after all. You have seen me buy and test three other MI designs (Nagaoka MP-500, Grado Statement3, Soundsmith Sussurro MkII) along with my older MC cartridges (Ortofon Kontrapunkt C and Benz Micro Ruby 3). Since those struggles have led me to owning two SME turntables and four tonearms, I am now torturing myself with the question of whether one of those four should be home to a dedicated mono cartridge. Remember, I only have one ear and cannot hear stereo at the best of times. A mono cartridge for my few dozen mono recordings would be a matter of reduced surface noise and possibly some improvement in dynamics.

I can get hold of an Ortofon Cadenza Mono (two voice coils so not true mono) for about 1600CDN, and a Miyajima Zero for 3450CDN. So the question is this: am I mad to even think about it? Money is not what it once was before I retired. There is no opportunity to go and hear these before purchase, without spending much more than purchase price on travel.

Shall I "make do" with my rather good stereo carts for my mono LPs or is there something better waiting for me when I get out those Parlophone Beatles LPs?

 

dogberry

Showing 1 response by drrsutliff

I recently had this same endeavor in mind for a second TT that entered my system.  Originally looked at the Ortofon Cadenza but it did not get along with my DSA Phono2 being a dual mono phono preamp design. Set up ground loops that I could not eliminate. It went away and just received the Miyajima Zero which has not yet been mounted.  I have listened to both the Cadenza and the Zero in other systems and found each to have excellent possibilities.  Discuss with your dealer the interaction of the cartridges with the design of your preamp.