Need some turntable guidance

I suggest

set it up again as is, find needed tools or get missing tools, rediscover your tt alignment skills,

listen to it

tt is about speed, I agree with chackster, no problem = no problem.

and if the suspension/bearing transmits vibration into/out of system. sounds like you know about this.

is your floor solid walking around? my floor is springy, my beloved thorens td24 amazing machined bearing very subject to vertical motion, not good, had to trade it.

my new to me jvc-victor very heavy plinth cl-p2, (dual arm) heavy TT81 direct drive spinner, plinth’s factory adjustable feet, still needs and sits successfully on isolation blocks, no problems approaching ...

not these, but similar

https://www.amazon.com/Turntable-Equipment-Tuneful-Cables-Audiophile/dp/B076DGD3X2/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=isolation+blocks&qid=1594745516&s=electronics&sr=1-3

The modern mono cartridge feeds the signal, (vertical vibrations totally ignored), to both channels, so it goes to a standard stereo phono input and your existing stereo amp. You get full room sound, dual mono, frequency balanced as you have already solved. 

So, using the mono amp might be fun, but not needed, and send the cartridge dual mono output where, how to a single mono amp, then to a single speaker? Unless you get a vintage single channel cartridge.

Not being critical of your idea, just letting you know my experience.

I have a pair of tube mono blocks (and spare), but far from integrated, they were made in 1958, so power switching, input switching, speaker out/in, all had to be independently solved. It was fun to have these 35 wpc tubes beat my 305 wpc McIntosh SS EVERY TIME! I sold the SS Preamp and Amp and got tube tuner/preamp from 1962 into modern integrated tube amp.

Another advantage of not using a stereo cartridge to play mono lps is that the grooves are different, and Mono cartridges are conical or elliptical, modern microline stylus are not 'right' for those grooves.

I luckily joined the forum, started learning about playing Mono lps with a real mono cartridge (definitely better), then decided I wanted to try a long arm, and wanted to get to quartz locked direct drive.

long and short of it led me to this large dual arm plinth, 1 arm mono cartridge or MC cartridge (SUT with bypass); long arm stereo, fixed cartridge.

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1SQJL_enUS881US881&sxsrf=ALeKk01z8qSpwytB1W4QD6B0AlagLefr8g:1594902892333&source=univ&tbm=isch&q=victor+cl-p2+plinth&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwif5-Si5NHqAhXSZTUKHSqDCaEQjJkEegQICxAB&biw=1707&bih=888#imgrc=hu6FokQZ0vOUpM

have a look at it's construction, not 4 layers glued, 3 special layers, total 7 layers, 70mm thick.

It's big, but smaller than two TT. Of course modern versions exist, I just feel so lucky to have joined the forum and the advice I have gotten here.

I used to use my McIntosh Mode switch to play 'Mono' mode using a stereo cartridge. I played an old (young Lois Armstrong among others) Jass LP. It was not very involving, more like a history lesson. Played it using my Grado Mono cartridge, behold, very involving music. Others are not as dramatic a change, but in all cases, mono lp sounds better. Starting ___? quality mics, recording machines, recording techniques were quite good before stereo, surprisingly good.

So, I never wanted a two arm table, but, to have Stereo and Mono cartridges mounted, calibrated, mix mono and stereo lps in a listening session at the instant turn of an input dial is fabulous. Just saying.

ctor

Yes, a Y connector works, and I have used them many times successfully over the years, even though purists make faces like they just smelled dog poop. I never have, or would mess with your impedance idea but you are more advanced than me.

You may be right, because playing the Grado 'dual mono' cartridge output thru both channels thru a pair of speakers does sometimes give a subtle illusion of location, not frequent, but it does occur, not disturbing, just huh? when you notice it, then you forget it, and just listen. Mono well recorded can be excellent and thoroughly involving.

My single mono amp hesitation is playing from only one speaker that is presumably near a corner of the room normally for stereo imaging and located precisely for room frequency balance. Mono Jazz LP's is frequent for me, a few of us in listening positions for imaging, i.e. Oscar Peterson, play this Stereo LP, then that Mono LP, back to Miles Davis Stereo, ... which is my frequent habit, and why I am truly enjoying the two arm large plinth solution.

When they knew Stereo LP was coming, before 1958 (tape went stereo in 1956), the big studios sent two separate teams, their accomplished mono recording team, get a session done, then a separate recording team of new Stereo whiz kids, repeat the whole process, costly for sure.

I read that Rudy Van Gelder observed this, couldn't afford double ..., so he decided to record in Stereo, and mix mono from that, and have the Stereo masters for the future. Clever Indeed.

ctor

around the corner from VAS, well what a coincidence. Where are you?

Bill turned out to live in Burlington, NJ, I'm in Plainfield, NJ. Bill knows Steve well. Actually Bill is going to dress up as a masked man and come over today to hear my new and first MC cartridge, AT33PTG-II played thru my 'new to me' vintage SUT, Fidelity Research FRT-4.

It sounds fabulous.

VAS handles Cayin, I plan to take my Cayin AT88 Tube Amp to Steve, he will bias it (internally) while I wait. Later versions of Cayin's have external bias with meters.