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Thread: Mono cartridges

  1. #21
    montesquieu Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by bonzo View Post
    Ok, good point. So the small good performances still on the originals
    In my opinion money is better spent on a good record cleaning machine than on expensive reissues. (On the whole - sometimes you just have to have a record).

    Funnily enough most of my reissues are Jazz where I don't have a big collection to start with and where my tastes are not exotic enough to be delving into rare recordings - the opposite of where I am with classical where (by and large) I already have most of the mainstream recordings I would want to buy, and it's fishing out rare gems where the fun (and a degree of risk) is. Thankfully 'collectors' haven't really got to grips with classical yet, and where they are, they are mainly hoarding stuff I wouldn't buy anyway. So unlike Jazz it's not really an expensive exercise.

  2. #22
    Join Date: Aug 2013

    Location: London

    Posts: 129
    I'm Ked.

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    Reissues by orginal stereo standards aren't expensive. I am talking about under 50 quid as compared to what stereo originals cost.

  3. #23
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: Barnet, london UK

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    I'm Adam.

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    Quote Originally Posted by bonzo View Post
    Fine, but what to buy - I believe that classic records and speakers corner did an excellent job with their stereo reissues, and am happy to have them over originals, especially due to cost, but also in many cases sonically. So, with mono, are the reissues better than the originals, sonically?
    Well, In my experience, A Music Matters premium 45rpm or 33rpm reissue is equal to a NY Blue Note original, for example.
    Small variations in differences, but nothing too much. I had in fact in a moment of madness, I considered selling all my originals and replacing with these beautifully crafted reissues. I just couldn't do it though.

    As you maybe be aware, A Music Matters reissue will cost you £45 - £100 plus postage, many Blue Note originals are now fetching many hundreds of $$££.. So for me, Premium reissues are the way to go, sonically. Besides, originals are getting really hard to find in near mint condition, if not impossible. The better your vinyl front end, the more I found I was hearing the snap crackle & pop.

    The chaps recutting these records are very passionate about the reproduction process, they balance the integrity of the original sound with premium vinyl product and sympathetic remastering control and great packaging. It appears to be a real labour of love.

    Prestige records for example, used inferior recycled wax to cut their records, so even if you find excellent condition mono titles, vacuum wet cleaned, they will still sound hissy. So another thumbs up for the mono Analogue Productions reissues of this great label's catalogue.

    Coincidently, just this week, I purchased Miles Davis 'Seven Steps to Heaven', Mono (1963 Columbia 8851) .. to be totally frank, using various Stereo carts, it sounded near unlistenable! Utter Shite. But I will wait to try it on a true Mono cartridge before I launch it across the garden. I can tell you now, a MFSL of the same title would blow it away!
    "lack of passion is fatal"


    Vinyl: Thorens TD-124mk2 / SME-312 Aluminium 'special' / SME M2-9R / STEREO: Etsuro Urushi Cobalt / Shure M3D / Ortofon SPU A95 / Cartridge Man Music Master / Shure - SC35C (US) / SAEC C3 MC MONO: Miyajima Zero B 0.7mil mono / Miyajima Premium 1.0 / Amps & SUTs: Radford STA25 mk3 / AD Audio 'Satchmo2' pre & LCR phono / Hashimoto HM-7 SUT / ETR-MONO SUT Digital: Audio Note 4.1 (with DAC5 upgrades) DAC / Roon / Tidal Speakers: Tannoy 12" MGs' in RFC custom 'Rutland' Cabinets with RFC crossovers / Tannoy ST-100 Super Tweeters Cables: LFD Grainless phono / RFC Mercury / Duelund DCA16GA tinned copper / Kimber 12TC / SW1X Audio Design USB-SPdif / Duelund DCA20GA interconnects / SW1X Audio SPDIF Aero 6 / Mains Power Conditioner / Box Furniture rack / Audiodesk Systeme Vinyl Cleaner / a very beautiful & understanding Wife!

  4. #24
    montesquieu Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by bonzo View Post
    Reissues by orginal stereo standards aren't expensive. I am talking about under 50 quid as compared to what stereo originals cost.
    I'm not sure I've ever spent £50 on a record.

  5. #25
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

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    I'm Grant.

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    Quote Originally Posted by montesquieu View Post
    I'm not sure I've ever spent £50 on a record.
    only once.
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

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  6. #26
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: Barnet, london UK

    Posts: 2,146
    I'm Adam.

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    Quote Originally Posted by montesquieu View Post
    I'm not sure I've ever spent £50 on a record.
    unfortunately ...I have many times. Jazz seems to be the genre where trophy collectors lurk. Sods!
    "lack of passion is fatal"


    Vinyl: Thorens TD-124mk2 / SME-312 Aluminium 'special' / SME M2-9R / STEREO: Etsuro Urushi Cobalt / Shure M3D / Ortofon SPU A95 / Cartridge Man Music Master / Shure - SC35C (US) / SAEC C3 MC MONO: Miyajima Zero B 0.7mil mono / Miyajima Premium 1.0 / Amps & SUTs: Radford STA25 mk3 / AD Audio 'Satchmo2' pre & LCR phono / Hashimoto HM-7 SUT / ETR-MONO SUT Digital: Audio Note 4.1 (with DAC5 upgrades) DAC / Roon / Tidal Speakers: Tannoy 12" MGs' in RFC custom 'Rutland' Cabinets with RFC crossovers / Tannoy ST-100 Super Tweeters Cables: LFD Grainless phono / RFC Mercury / Duelund DCA16GA tinned copper / Kimber 12TC / SW1X Audio Design USB-SPdif / Duelund DCA20GA interconnects / SW1X Audio SPDIF Aero 6 / Mains Power Conditioner / Box Furniture rack / Audiodesk Systeme Vinyl Cleaner / a very beautiful & understanding Wife!

  7. #27
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norwich

    Posts: 1,064
    I'm Mike.

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    Quote Originally Posted by montesquieu View Post
    ... I just noticed on PFM someone is selling some Nimbus Supercuts for up to £2k a pop - £900 for a recording of the Eagles. I simply don't understand that at all.
    I know there are a lot of Nimbus Supercuts, and Sgt. Pepper's is and was one of the most expensive. I believe they were all limited to 1000 per run, which would at least be one reason for their inflated values. I've got two, and although they are of excellent s.q., they are not that exceptional, i.m.o.

  8. #28
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: London

    Posts: 150
    I'm David.

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    If you have a suitably heavy Tonearm the GE VRII is an absolute bargain (often less than £100) finding good quality styluses is not too hard and Expert Stylus can retip old ones.

    In my system I have a Japanese Gray copy arm fitted with a GE VRII which has both 1.0 and 0.7mm styluses fitted..now this is only used to play 50/60’s Mono LPs I really wouldn’t trust it with modern Mono reissues but the sound it produces in my mind easily competes with the Stereo GM E SPU I use for playing more modern records.
    David.

  9. #29
    montesquieu Guest

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    I have a VRII. It works fairly well but I wouldn’t say it competes with a Miyajima. Always fancied checking out a Fairchild but prices have got a bit silly (damned collectors). I have a Sonovox on the way which is supposedly up there with the Fairchild - we’ll see.

  10. #30
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: Barnet, london UK

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    I'm Adam.

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    I have far more Mono records then i ever realised, maybe north of 1500 or so.
    I've always played them with Stereo cartridges and generally thought they sounded pretty good. Sometimes the odd record had a lack of focus or felt a bit of a mess in the mix. I had always put that down to old records, maybe poorly recorded, maybe poorly pressed.
    Anyway after reading bits about Vinyl Mono playback, there seems to be two camps.

    1. You Just need to push the Mono button on your pre/phono amp, should it feature one, job done, simple, no need to further faff.
    2. Purchase a dedicated Mono cartridge, with the correct stylus size for the corresponding Mono cuts you have and maybe push that Mono button on the pre.

    Montesquieu, PetRat and a few others, of this parish, have well trodden this Mono path and on a recent visit demonstrated what different Mono cartridges can offer in comparison to a Stereo cartridge on a Mono record. I was pretty impressed at what the Mono cartridge does to the presentation. It felt like someone had fiddled with the focus knob, it just came together and felt right. Anyway Tom had used some lovely examples of Miyajima Mono cartridges for the demo, after climbing the Mono cartridge upgrade tree.

    So could Mono playback be done using a less exotic Mono cartridge as a taster?...

    For a few days I have been messing about with an old, inexpensive mono cartridge from the 50's I believe, a General Electric VRII, kindly loaned by Tom. Excuse my ignorance, but this thing was industry standard in the states for a long time. I have to say this thing looks crude, tracks at 5g... If i'm honest, initially i didn't entirely have confidence it would produce good music.

    Well, Blimey! partnered with my SME 3012 on the 401 idler, it was a revelation, not the last word in refinement by any means, but detailed, smooth, great bass and lovely midband, the focused Mono reproduction is very satisfying indeed. A great intro to Mono reproduction and for sure I will be looking at more refinement from a higher end Mono cartridge in the future.

    On further rummaging around the internet I stumbled on this piece written by a Jazz Record collector, it may have some benefit posted here, I hope it inspires one or two to think about those old Monos that don't entirely show their beauty on a stereo cartridge.

    cheers

    http://dgmono.com/2018/04/06/deep-gr...width-mystery/
    "lack of passion is fatal"


    Vinyl: Thorens TD-124mk2 / SME-312 Aluminium 'special' / SME M2-9R / STEREO: Etsuro Urushi Cobalt / Shure M3D / Ortofon SPU A95 / Cartridge Man Music Master / Shure - SC35C (US) / SAEC C3 MC MONO: Miyajima Zero B 0.7mil mono / Miyajima Premium 1.0 / Amps & SUTs: Radford STA25 mk3 / AD Audio 'Satchmo2' pre & LCR phono / Hashimoto HM-7 SUT / ETR-MONO SUT Digital: Audio Note 4.1 (with DAC5 upgrades) DAC / Roon / Tidal Speakers: Tannoy 12" MGs' in RFC custom 'Rutland' Cabinets with RFC crossovers / Tannoy ST-100 Super Tweeters Cables: LFD Grainless phono / RFC Mercury / Duelund DCA16GA tinned copper / Kimber 12TC / SW1X Audio Design USB-SPdif / Duelund DCA20GA interconnects / SW1X Audio SPDIF Aero 6 / Mains Power Conditioner / Box Furniture rack / Audiodesk Systeme Vinyl Cleaner / a very beautiful & understanding Wife!

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