Audio-Technica AT33MONO MC Phono Cartridge.

Ian Kershaw—To Mono, or not to Mono, that is the question…

I was excited to hear Audio-Technica had released an anniversary edition of their AT33Mono MC cartridge. Most of my mono albums are in the jazz category (vocal and instrumental), but I also have some stellar pop and rock albums, too, that would now be able to get the proper mono treatment they deserve.  

As an avid record collector in many genres, I generally prefer and choose stereo pressings over mono pressings. This was always due to my system constraints. I have never had quite the right equipment to truly appreciate the single-channel sound that a mono record produces, that’s not to say that I haven’t collected some nice titles over the years.  

My Use  

Many years ago, I jumped into the vintage pool of equipment (my main receiver was the Pioneer SX-434) as I was looking for that “old school glow” some millennial vinyl enthusiasts yearn for. The SX-434 had what I was looking for, as well as a bonus; a mono switch where I could press the button and it would merge the two channels (stereo) into one to create a single channel (mono). The system was never true mono, however, as I was using a stereo cartridge at the time (Ortofon 2M Red and eventually the 2M Blue).

With a current (and massive) system upgrade later, I now have the reverse type of setup. My superb Aavik integrated amplifier doesn’t have a mono switch (or a separate phono stage). But I now have a secondary turntable (with onboard phono stage) paired with the Audio-Technica AT33MONO MC Phono Cartridge ($299) installed to make for easy switching.

The AT33 cartridge is mounted on the recently reviewed Cambridge Audio Alva V2 Turntable and is connected to an Aavik Acoustics I-280 Integrated Amplifier and an Aavik Acoustics R-280 Phono Stage. Since I have the benefit of having my audio set up in my home office, I enjoy vinyl throughout the day.

I would like to thank Frank Doris and Audio-Technica for providing the AT33MONO MC Phono Cartridge for this review.

Setup/What’s in the box

Setup is relatively easy. You’ll need a small screwdriver—the box includes two types of installation screws to mount the cartridge to your headshell (mine required the larger ones to be screwed in from the bottom up). Suppose you are new to mounting a cartridge. In that case, you may also need to purchase a separate stylus pressure gauge and a cartridge stylus alignment protractor to ensure your cartridge is tracking properly.

Features and Specifications

Frequency Response: 20-20,000 Hz

Channel Separation: 30dB (1kHz)

Vertical Tracking Angle: 23°

Vertical Tracking Force: 2.3-2.7 g (2.5 g standard)

Recommended Load Impedance: More than 100 ohms (when head amplifier is connected)

Coil Impedance: 10 ohms (1 kHz)

DC Resistance: 10 ohms

Coil Inductance: 28 µH (1 kHz)

Output Voltage: 0.35 mV (at 1 kHz, 5 cm/sec)

Output Channel Balance: 1.0dB (1kHz)

Stylus Shape: 0.65 mils conical

Cantilever: Duralumin pipe

Static Compliance: 20 x 10-6 cm/dyne

Dynamic Compliance: 6 x 10-6 cm/dyne (100 Hz)

Mounting: Half-inch

Dimensions: 16.0 mm (0.63") H × 16.6 mm (0.65") W × 26.5 mm (1.04") D

Body Material: Aluminium/Synthetic Resin

Mounting Feature: Half-inch mount

Stylus Size: Nude square shank

Weight: 6.9 g (0.24 oz)

Sound

Straight out of the box, this cartridge sounds wonderful. After only a five-minute coil warm-up, there were noticeable results between stereo playback and this focused mono. My partner, who occasionally listens with me, was across the room and noticed a large difference in the sound from my favourite mono records compared to listening with my stereo cartridge. The mono cart added life and dimension to the mono playback.

What’s the difference between mono and stereo records and how do they sound?

True mono records (late 50s to the late 60s) were cut using a mono lathe, then (after 1967) stereo lathes almost exclusively. Mono grooves are lateral (side to side) whereas stereo-record microgrooves have both lateral and vertical.

A mono cartridge reads the information differently from a stereo cartridge in how the stylus tracks in the grooves of the record; this is called groove geometry. A mono (or conical type) stylus is confined to horizontal compliance only and when using this type of stylus, it will read the information on the left and right side of the groove wall only; together this forms and creates the single channel sound. A mono stylus will ride in the grooves at a different angle from a stereo stylus and will significantly reduce what’s called the noise floor and it will filter out any unwanted sound. Using a mono cartridge and stylus will give you a greater depth of sound.

If using a stereo cartridge on a mono record you may hear distortion—what’s called cross-talk; this is because many stereo styli track at a different angle and because the stylus is reading what’s in the whole groove (laterally and vertically) instead of just the information that is on the left and right side of the groove wall.

Some sound examples from my mono collection:

 Julie London – Julie Is Her Name (Mono)
Liberty – LRP 3006, Canada, 1955

I first learned about Julie London when watching the television show, “Emergency!”. Upon further research, I found that she was also a singer. London quickly became one of my favourite female vocalists and she had me hooked from the moment I heard her first sing “Cry Me a River.” My copy of this record is in VG condition with groove wear that can impact the sound. When I played this recording on my usual stereo cartridge, crosstalk was evident as well as the wear.

With the AT33, London’s voice continued to be extremely luscious and vibrant, especially on “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man.” The groove wear mentioned doesn’t detract from her voice at all due to the deeper grooves and the horizontal compliance of the conical stylus. Barney Kessel’s guitar is distortion-free free and Ray Leatherwood’s bass is rich in sound throughout the narrow soundstage.

 Frank Sinatra – Where Are You? (Mono)

Capitol Records – W-855, USA, 1957

Frank Sinatra’s music was introduced into my life over the years through my grandmother; she would sing his songs to us as children at bedtime. He was her absolute favourite singer when she was growing up, and he still is to this day in her 94th year.

Ever since I can remember, Sinatra has been a great musical influence in my life. I have owned many of his albums over the years, but I tend to prefer his albums with Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra. This specific album I purchased recently from a record show and it was in VG condition but was not with Nelson Riddle. For a couple of dollars and in mono it was a no-brainer. This is Sinatra’s first performance with Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra.

I played this first on my regular stereo setup and the pops, clicks, and mild distortion were evident. The AT33 cartridge took this album beautifully in stride even though there were a few surface scratches present. From the moment the orchestra starts to play “Laura’” you can tell the soundstage is wide, and Sinatra’s voice is warm and inviting throughout the album, something it lacked in stereo.

 Elvis Presley – For LP Fans Only

RCA Victor – LPM 1990 (J2PP-8070), USA, 1959

 From a young age, I was fascinated with Elvis and his Rockabilly style of music. I enjoyed his music and movies so much that I wanted to have his hairstyle growing up—this wasn’t possible, however, as I didn’t have the hair type for it, so I had to settle for a pair of blue suede shoes. I’ve listened to Elvis in stereo for many years, and I’ve owned many different albums, but my good friend Bob came into a collection of Elvis LPs recently which meant I would be able to hear him in true mono for the first time.

 Bob loaned me his NM graded 1S mono first Indianapolis pressing of For LP Fans Only, and I was curious to hear how it sounded on my stereo setup first for comparison. It was as I suspected…noisy and disappointing. The sound seemed uneven and muted, and Presley sounded like he was miles away from the microphone. The AT33 was just the cure for this problem. The soundstage was wider, the vocals clearer, and Presley sounded like he was in front of the microphone instead of far away. My favourite sounding track on this compilation is “That’s Alright”, and this recording is certainly more than just alright.

 Rick Nelson – A Long Vacation (Mono)

Imperial Records – LP9244, USA, 1963

I was introduced to Rick Nelson’s music many years ago by my late stepfather. He grew up with his music throughout his teen years and that meant I did too. When I first started collecting vinyl, I sought out some of Nelson’s albums just to be able to play his music when my parents visited my apartment, and I slowly became a fan of his country-rock sound. I have listened to this record countless times with very much enjoyment, but the guitar sounds were lacking in their vibrancy and his voice sounded slightly muddy when playing on my stereo cartridge.

With the AT33, the improvements were astronomical. Nelson’s voice was incredibly vivid, the noise floor was lowered, and with every strum of the guitar, you felt like you were right there with him.

 Louis Armstrong – Hello Dolly! (Mono)

Kapp Records – KL 1364, USA, 1964

 Everyone knows this Dixieland legend, but listening to Satchmo in mono is an absolute delight. I have owned this record for many years, and in its VG+ condition, there was always some crosstalk that occurred when playing this album with my stereo cartridge. When I listened with the AT33 there was none, and his deep voice and trumpet were swinging with happiness. Satchmo’s voice sounded richer, and his trumpet and the other musician’s instruments shined throughout the record.

 The Rolling Stones – Out of Our Heads (Mono)

London Records (Red Label) – LL 3429, Canada, 1965

The Rolling Stones in Mono box re-release triggered an idea—I thought I would use an example of an original mono version rather than the reissue; after all, who doesn’t love the Stones? A friend loaned me an original copy of this album. The AT33 showcased how good these recordings can sound.

 Listening to this album in stereo sounded very dull, and as if the other band members were further away from the microphone. When listening to “Satisfaction”, it should be punchy and make you sing along, and in this case, it did not. While listening to the rest of the album, Jagger’s voice sounded compressed while the guitar and other instruments overtook his vocals, especially on tracks “The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man”, and “Play with Fire.’”

In went the Audio-Technica with the expected difference. Jagger’s voice shined through, and the instruments during “Satisfaction,”, “The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man” and “Play with Fire” were clearer and sounded much less compressed.

 Chet Baker – Chet (Mono Record Store Day Reissue)

Craft Recordings, Riverside Contemporary Series – CR00593, USA, 2022

This specific album is an all-analogue mastering from the original mono tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio. I have heard this recording in stereo many times since my original copy was a reissue from 2013 on the Riverside label. This is my favourite of Baker’s albums, and I know it well. This mono re-issue, also cut on a modern stereo lathe, has virtually no degrading effects unlike you’d hear on an original mono pressing with the deeper groove. Once I switched over to the AT33, the recording was now richer with a marked improvement on Baker’s horn, Burrell’s guitar, and with every twinkle of Evans’ piano keys.

 Conclusion

Whether your setup has a mono switch or not, this is the best place to begin your journey. The AT33MONO MC 45th Anniversary cartridge at only $299 will give you noticeable results straight out of the box and your sound will show a marked improvement. Setup is easy, and whether you’re a vinyl beginner or an expert audiophile, this cartridge is an absolute bargain and will enhance any type of setup you have, just make sure your amplifier/phono stage is moving-coil compatible. 

Further information: Audio-Technica