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Affordable Mono Cartridge For VPI Scout

I have a Shelter 501 with my scout/super platter, but I have several mono records and an interest in music from the 1950s. I am looking into getting a new arm wand to experiment. Shelter has a Mono cartridge, but the price seems ridiculous to me, at $1,750, plus I might as well take the opportunity to experiment with a different sounding cartridge. So far, I have been thinking about Lyra Dorian, Cartridge Man Music Maker, the Sound Smith Denon mods or one of the Benz mono cartridges. I'll upgrade my table when finances permit, probably a few years from now....looking for a cartridge that will be good for a long time, even with a better table (e.g, TW-Acustic). Any suggestions would be much appreciated. All the best, Mark
mcmprov
plinko
254 posts
 
Someone on audio asylum recently bought a Benz mono and really likes it. True mono and likely a good match to VPI tonearms.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
I have never had a mono cartridge, started with a mono system but a stereo cartridge so do not claim to be an expert, was led to that site by thread on another forum, all opinions expressed by them are theirs and not mine. Correct info appears to be hard to get, one site has a mono version of the Audio Techina 33, the AT 33 mono for $375, on another site there is the apparently identical AT 3 mono for $175. As I said I played my monos with a Stereo cartridge starting in 1962 and can't remember anyone making a big fuss about it in the days when mono LPs were common. Some time ago I posted my disbelief that mono cartridges should cost twice the price of the stereo version. Despite the considerable outcry at my ignorance of such matters I persist in it.
sberger
146 posts
 
I'm using a Benz Ace mono low output cart with my Scoutmaster and it sounds great.
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