mono lp replay?? do you set up another TT for it?


i have many mono lp and like them. I was told mono lp should be reply on mono cartridge for its best result??
I am using linn LP12, so only one arm is used for this TT, any suggestions on how to set up this mono replay systems? (i do have another spare TT at home)

thanks a lot

Tim
timchen
I too have many mono LP's and enjoy them very much. I think a stereo cartridge is fine for modern mono pressings.

78 RPM mono records are another story. They are cut vertically and require a different cartridge to play properly. Benz Micro manufactures a mono 78 cartridge designed especially for the purpose.

If you decide you must have two cartridges and do not wish to give up your Linn, consider a tonearm with a detachable wand. Careful planning with cartridge mounting, spacing and weights allow that second cartridge and wand to "plug and play" with only volume adjustment.
I agree with Albert on both points. If you want to try it out, you could get a Lustre GST-801 tonearm w/detachable headshell, and get a Denon DL103 for stereo, and the Denon DL102 for mono. The DL102 is a mono-only version of the 103. There may be other carts out there for mono only, but the Denon is the one that I know about.
Personally, I find my stereo cart to do a fine job with the mono recordings.
Lyra makes a cartridge specifically for mono:

http://www.lyraaudio.com/HelikonMono.htm

I enjoy mono recordings with my stereo cartridge. In fact, I find some sound better, in many ways, than stereo. I read somewhere recently that jazz, in particular, is made for mono (or was it, mono is made for jazz?). My original mono LP of "Time Out" has a much more focused sound. The instruments have much more weight and tonal quality.
To set up another set-up for mono could give you better replay, but you have to consider weather or not you choose to make the expenditure to put your system at the forefront of superior playback capabilities. A mono cartridge would have to be of superior quality to be able to gain benifit to your stereo cartridge of superior quality. Most would spend as much as they can on the one cartridge because the better stereo cartridge more often gives better results that splitting that budget in two, then there is the expence of another turntable of quality, and the arm, or getting an arm with extra armwands. You didn't mention your arm or cartridge, or your spare table that perhaps somebody could be more specific. I have had no experience with mono cartridges, but benz and lyra are both offerring high end mono cartridges, and there must be something to that.
Of coarse, if you were to set up a mono set up of quality, and used different components than your stereo set up, it might just sound different.
I often use the mono switch to good results. It doesn't really make to much difference on mono recordings, but on those that are reprocessed for stereo, the results sometimes amaze me, and please me.
The generalization that I understand is that it is not really cost effective to double (or increase) a budget for mono playback, but I am also interested in expriences others have had with this.
I think it would be real fun to optimize another set up for mono. Can't have too many turntables, right?
thanks for all your response. my Linn comes with Ekos and Archiv cartridge(Linto phono), and they sound fine. I do have a good contion old Yamaha, and think maybe i should give it a try??
BTW, what kind of mono lps do you folk have? I have some good Westerminster mono lP(even one Morini brahm violin crt) and like them.
thanks again.
If find that my Nottingham Spacedeck is very convenient for this application. I have two "arm pods" on mine and, for awhile, had a MM cartridge on one arm (Origin Live Silver)and a MC cartridge on the other (Spacearm). With my Kora Eclipse preamp, which has separate MC and MM phono stages, switching between the two is a breeze. About a month ago, someone suggested that I mount a mono cartridge on my OL Silver arm so I tried the aforementioned Denon DL102 just for kicks and giggles. I've liked it so much for my mono jazz collection that I am thinking of leaving it in this configuration and deciding between the MC/MM cartidges for the Spacearm.