Mono Cartridge match for Ikeda 407

Rickim

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Aug 1, 2021
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My research has narrowed down three mono carts I want to consider- Ikeda 9mono; Miyajima Infinity mono & MSL Eminent Solo. Any experience/opinion which would best match with my Ikeda 407 arm?
 

jeff1225

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Jan 29, 2012
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My research has narrowed down three mono carts I want to consider- Ikeda 9mono; Miyajima Infinity mono & MSL Eminent Solo. Any experience/opinion which would best match with my Ikeda 407 arm?
I found that heavy, low compliance carts worked best with my Ikeda. I would also look at the Ortofon mono.
 

Mike Lavigne

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Apr 25, 2010
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I had Miyajima Zero, Denon and SPU A mono on 407 and liked Miyajima best.
and if you liked the Miyajima Zero mono, either stylus version (i have both 1.0 mil and 0.7 mil) of the Miyajima Infinity is even better, for not so many more dollars.
 

Mike Lavigne

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Why would you want a mono cartridge.? Isn’t stereo better.

a very good true mono cartridge will outperform ANY stereo cartridge on mono pressings. i have three very expensive stereo cartridges with better arms and cables than my 2 mono carts. yet playing mono pressings the mono's are better even though they have a list price (less than) 20% of the stereo cartridges.

here is a link to the Ortofon website about mono cartridges. scroll down past the mono cartridge models and it gets into the reason mono's sound better on mono pressings. and they are right.


the ideal mono cartridge does vary whether the pressing is an early (50's and early 60's) wide groove (1.0 mil) or later stereo cutter head (0.7 mil) mono (mid 60's and after).
 
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Addicted to hifi

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a very good true mono cartridge will outperform ANY stereo cartridge on mono pressings. i have three very expensive stereo cartridges with better arms and cables than my 2 mono carts. yet playing mono pressings the mono's are better even though they have a list price 20% of the stereo cartridges.

here is a link to the Ortofon website about mono cartridges. scroll down past the mono cartridge models and it gets into the reason mono's sound better on mono pressings. and they are right.


the ideal mono cartridge does vary whether the pressing is an early wide groove (1.0 mil) or later stereo cutter head (0.7 mil) mono (mid 60's and after).
Thanks for explaining this to me.
 

groovemaster

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@ Mike Lavigne

You write about true mono systems, which have clear advantages, that is also my experience.

I also distinguish again between mono needle and mono generator. The systems with mono generators, i.e. true mono winders, are much more exclusive and rare, because the manufacturers have to design a completely new system for them. The manufacturing costs are correspondingly high. The result is a real mono signal and not a bridged stereo signal, i.e. pseudo mono.
I have had the very best experience with this, a dynamic that takes your breath away. Punch without end.

For mono playback I use the Monophonic -TRUE MONO- from Audiospecials.de , a real, single-channel mono phono amplifier. It can also equalize the records properly, steplessly with two potentiometers, the same principle as EMT JPA 66 or FM Acoustics. Left knob, Bass boost, right knob High Roll off. A List with 130 EQ curves is added.
The systems I like to change very much between Miayima, but also Grado and Ortofon are among my favorites.

I love Mono, espacially the Jazz Records.
groovymaster Monophonic_1 Kopie.jpg
 
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Cableman

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Dec 27, 2013
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Phil Spector stated ‘Back to Mono’. And who are we to disagree. I have a section in my rack of only mono lps. All genres. From time to time I’ll pull them out whether Sinatra the aforementioned Spector Chuck Berry Elvis Miles Stravinsky Satchmo The Stones Love Dylan etc

when I do I introduce a stereo> mono conversion cable that I believe does the job nicely and it saves me having to either change cart or add another arm to my TT.
 

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