I have used a Lyra Helikon mono for several years. The loading issue is a matter of personal taste. I usually start on 47k Ohm and work my way down until I hear no improvement. The nominal impedance for most moving coils is around 100 Ohm but this may be too low for the Helikon
In comparing a mono to stereo cartridge on the same record and by switching arms in the turntable arm mount, I can definitely tell you that the groove noise is virtually gone and the image depth improves greatly. If you have more than a few hundred mono lps, and can interchange tonearms easily, a dedicated mono cartridge is the way to go.
In comparing a mono to stereo cartridge on the same record and by switching arms in the turntable arm mount, I can definitely tell you that the groove noise is virtually gone and the image depth improves greatly. If you have more than a few hundred mono lps, and can interchange tonearms easily, a dedicated mono cartridge is the way to go.