mono cartridge vs stereo

Mono cartridge options - Grado does offer mono models in their line up, but I've read they will build any of their cartridges in a mono version as a special order. Best to check with them directly if interested. If true, that may substantiate their mono models are simply internally rewired stereo cartridges (?).

Fleib, I've only seen one source stating that mono cutter heads are still available. Whether that is true or not apparently most current mono reissues are cut with stereo heads. That would explain the groove dimensions and why the 0.7 DL102 stylus may not be optimal for playback of modern mono pressings.

Pryso, I think you're right about the pressings. Even some mono reissues from the '70s and '80s seem to be cut with a stereo head. You don't get the SQ improvement as with vintage pressings.
On another forum it was reported that plans were in the works from the people who did the Beatles box, to do future mono reissues with true mono pressings. He said something about an old Neumann mono lathe.

AT has a couple of mono carts, the AT3MONO and 33. They both have .65 spherical tips; HOMC and LOMC respectively. They're said to be true mono, but that's all I know about them.
The 102 only has two long pins for the output which makes it extra long, or so it seems. For stereo hook-up you double up the wire tags. I can imagine this could be a problem for some cramped headshells or tags with heat shrink. VTF is 2 -4g so it seems like a 103 in that respect. I'm not entirely comfortable tracking my Japanese reissues at 3g, but I guess one go-round won't hurt.

This whole business of mono carts is confusing, not the least of which is your records and what makes sense. I wonder if the Ortofon 2M is a true mono cart, and if so, could you swap the stylus between the spherical and shibata. That might be a good way to cover all bases.
Good turkey day everyone.

If our modern day audio press were interested in education, a la the dear departed Audio Magazine, they would run an article explaining "mono" cartridges and the technical differences between vintage mono and modern mono recordings. But they're in business to sell stuff, whether buying makes sense or not.

I suspect there is no difference between using a modern mono cartridge that is really an internally bridged stereo cartridge with modern mono LPs vs a mono switch on your preamp with those same recordings. With vintage mono the groove width is different and the idel stylus shape is different, and to get that optimal geometry you have to have a mono cartridge built to do the job. At least that's the state of my understanding.

I think just about everything you need to know is in this thread, except which carts are true mono. That, and tip size are what make a hugh difference with vintage mono recordings. If you have such records in your collection and play them with a real mono cart, you'll hear the difference immediately. The entire presentation changes for the better.

Strapping the channels on a stereo cart is slightly different than using a mono switch. It might not matter, but you're cutting the cart impedance and inductance in half on most carts. That might depend on the physical orientation of the inductors (coils). A mono switch in a preamp usually comes after the phono EQ circuit.
Maybe having the phono stage channels hooked together halves the input impedance as well?

I checked out the specs of the Ortofon 2M Mono carts. They seem to be strapped 2M stereo carts just like it says in the mono overview. They're designed to play modern reissues methinks, and the SE model's shibata stylus would seem to confirm that.
2M Mono - 350mH, 700 ohm
2M Blue - 700mH, 1.3K ohm
2M Mono SE - 300mH, 600 ohm
2M Black - 630mH, 1.2K ohm

I think the hard part might be figuring out if your reissues are cut with a stereo or mono cutter.

Guys, I have a single tonearm available to me, and it is set up for stereo. I've got two questions:

1) When using the Y adaptor, do you need two Y adaptors, one to sum the L+R channels and one to redistribute them back to L+R outputs?

2) If you definitely don't have a mono cartridge, is it better to buy stereo re-issues of mono LP's?