I currently have a Grado MC+ Mono Phono Cartridge. I was looking on ebay and found several mono cartridges for over $200 each, some were over $1000. I want to step up to a better mono cartridge, but I cannot see paying that much for one.
Mono recordins sound sweet and are less noisy. I have over 100 of them currently and expect that number to expand as I continue to collect older recordings of Jazz and continue to find mono versions of early rock and roll records. I have found no loss of enjoyment listening to mono recordings, and seldom miss the stereo effect of records. I found the mono releases of the Beatles to be more satisfying than the stereo versions because of the musical information that is lost in the stereo mix. I have quite a few old Jazz recordings that are mono and I absolutely refuse to play a mono recording with a stereo needle!
The Grado is a good cartridge, but I am thinking that like the MC cartridge that I finally purchased, there must be more sound in the grooves that can be extracted with a better mono cartridge. I have no beef with the sound of the Grado, but as always, I am looking for more!
I was on ebay and saw a Denon, which I have the DL-110 MC stereo cartridge, which I got for around $160, but the mono Denon cartridge was over $200. Is it worth it? Does it sound good? Will it be a vast improvement in the listening experience of my mono recordings? I wish I knew!
I read a review of a mono cartridge made by Ortofon and it costs over $900, I am not ever going to have the disposable cash to spring for one of those puppies, so I am hoping to find a reasonable mono cartridge that is better than my Grado for around $150 or so.
Is it possible?
I HOPE SO!
Keep listening!
Jeff
