Topic: Mono or Stereo, what's your Fab choice when listening to The Beatles? (Read 12173 times)

Bingo Bongo · « **on:** June 13, 2015, 07:31:33 PM »

if this Poll has been asked already, I tried a search without luck.

I know some people have bought the new 2014 U.K. mono re-issue LPs and absolutely luv 'em, but going from the 2009 CD releases of both Stereo & Mono re-issues, you must have a fav that you listen to most.

Having both, I can tell you, I always revert back to the Stereo versions.

You?

KelMar · « **Reply #1 on:** June 13, 2015, 10:52:18 PM »

I mostly prefer mono. I do choose stereo when I listen to the White Album CD though and "She's Leaving Home" sounds better to me in stereo. I haven't bought all the remastered stereo CDs but I've heard enough tracks from them with my Pandora subscription to feel comfortable forming an opinion. As for the mono LP's, I've got Rubber Soul and Sgt. Pepper's waiting patiently to be opened. I'm looking for a nice block of uninterrupted listening time. I may have to run away somewhere with them to get it!

Bobber · « **Reply #2 on:** June 16, 2015, 07:40:41 AM »

I must admit I haven't even unwrapped the mono's yet!

Bingo Bongo · « **Reply #3 on:** June 16, 2015, 12:57:32 PM »

Quote from: Bobber on June 16, 2015, 07:40:41 AM

I must admit I haven't even unwrapped the mono's yet!

CDs or LPs Bobber

?? Gather your just collecting them, not playing them.

Hello Goodbye · « **Reply #4 on:** July 30, 2015, 10:25:57 PM »

Mostly MONO for me.

Fab4Fan · « **Reply #5 on:** August 05, 2015, 02:11:43 AM »

When I was younger and really beginning to develop a severe case of Beatlemania (1977) all the way to September 2009, I had always preferred Stereo.

Once the Mono set arrived, I found I preferred those versions over stereo in most cases.

Although, there have been select tracks in mono I preferred even during my "stereo" years.

Mr Mustard · « **Reply #6 on:** August 05, 2015, 09:05:04 PM »

It's funny how so many of us listen to or even hear things "differently". I remember a mate of mine having a graphic equaliser and the fun we had messing about with the settings. He always thought I liked too much treble ("tinny" according to him "crisp and clear" according to me). On the other hand, I felt he was always too bass-heavy ("deep and rich" to his ears, "muffled" to mine).

I've been listening to The Beatles all my life and I still don't particularly "remember" which versions are mono and which are stereo...I can't recall the nuances/variations of the version I'm not listening to at any given moment and so am unable to mentally compare them in my mind's ear. I'm a bit the same with Blu Ray vs DVD or HD vs "normal" or whatever - I see the one I'm watching, the other formats are, literally "out of sight and out of mind".

So please help me out here. Can someone suggest, say, six or ten Beatles numbers where the difference between mono and stereo is very pronounced. I'll then play them back to back and try and decide which, if either, I tend to prefer. Suffering as I do from completistitis, all versions/box sets are readily to hand.

Thanks!

Hello Goodbye · « **Reply #7 on:** August 06, 2015, 12:36:44 AM »

Quote from: Mr Mustard on August 05, 2015, 09:05:04 PM

It's funny how so many of us listen to or even hear things "differently". I remember a mate of mine having a graphic equaliser and the fun we had messing about with the settings. He always thought I liked too much treble ("tinny" according to him "crisp and clear" according to me). On the other hand, I felt he was always too bass-heavy ("deep and rich" to his ears, "muffled" to mine).

I've been listening to The Beatles all my life and I still don't particularly "remember" which versions are mono and which are stereo...I can't recall the nuances/variations of the version I'm not listening to at any given moment and so am unable to mentally compare them in my mind's ear. I'm a bit the same with Blu Ray vs DVD or HD vs "normal" or whatever - I see the one I'm watching, the other formats are, literally "out of sight and out of mind".

So please help me out here. Can someone suggest, say, six or ten Beatles numbers where the difference between mono and stereo is very pronounced. I'll then play them back to back and try and decide which, if either, I tend to prefer. Suffering as I do from completistitis, all versions/box sets are readily to hand.

Thanks!

To start:

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)

http://youtu.be/ARXFeDz8zpk
One can clearly hear what Paul is shouting at the end of the MONO version

She's Leaving Home

http://youtu.be/uo2KPacj7qs

http://youtu.be/73Y2ALxGubw

Hello Goodbye · « **Reply #8 on:** August 06, 2015, 12:54:35 AM »

Money (That's What I Want)

http://youtu.be/O_MwIwVGAaA

http://youtu.be/eQUcm2UhhHQ

Hello Goodbye · « **Reply #9 on:** August 06, 2015, 01:12:49 AM »

Blue Jay Way

http://youtu.be/zqsqvunsxZE

http://youtu.be/q5TLsnTaP4k

No clues in the MONO version...

http://youtu.be/dwUMh6Ie4zc

Bingo Bongo · « **Reply #10 on:** August 06, 2015, 05:54:49 PM »

I still can't believe they didn't put "I've Got Blisters On My Fingers" on the mono white LP!!! And what's with the speeded up version of "Don't Pass Me By"

Ringo sounds so funny being pitched up higher in his voice!

ibanez_ax · « **Reply #11 on:** August 06, 2015, 08:12:28 PM »

Quote from: Mr Mustard on August 05, 2015, 09:05:04 PM

It's funny how so many of us listen to or even hear things "differently". I remember a mate of mine having a graphic equaliser and the fun we had messing about with the settings. He always thought I liked too much treble ("tinny" according to him "crisp and clear" according to me). On the other hand, I felt he was always too bass-heavy ("deep and rich" to his ears, "muffled" to mine).

I've been listening to The Beatles all my life and I still don't particularly "remember" which versions are mono and which are stereo...I can't recall the nuances/variations of the version I'm not listening to at any given moment and so am unable to mentally compare them in my mind's ear. I'm a bit the same with Blu Ray vs DVD or HD vs "normal" or whatever - I see the one I'm watching, the other formats are, literally "out of sight and out of mind".

So please help me out here. Can someone suggest, say, six or ten Beatles numbers where the difference between mono and stereo is very pronounced. I'll then play them back to back and try and decide which, if either, I tend to prefer. Suffering as I do from completistitis, all versions/box sets are readily to hand.

Thanks!

Different airplane noises.

http://youtu.be/KQznltaPUnA

http://youtu.be/YenWxf40Ce4

ibanez_ax · « **Reply #12 on:** August 06, 2015, 08:15:10 PM »

Longer ending in mono

http://youtu.be/UN0ufvVOGkA

http://youtu.be/qfej8lS4CJQ

Mr Mustard · « **Reply #13 on:** August 06, 2015, 11:46:22 PM »

Oh heck! Thank you all so much but.....

It MUST be my ears I guess. It's just that...how can I put this... I just can't really pick up any SIGNIFICANT difference between the stereos and the monos! Sorry!! I feel like that kid who dared to shout out "The King is in the All Together!" in The Emperor's Clothes tale. I know we diehard Beatles fans have a reputation for being obsessive. Well OK, let's admit it, we're perceived as "anoraks". But have we really got to this level of hairsplitting?

So Paul's vocal fade out at the end of "Got To Get You Into My Life" is more drawn out in the mono version. And? So in the stereo take's shorter fade out he emphasises the word "single" ("every SINGLE day" I always thought he was dropping a hint by the way!). So?? I'm not being obtuse, honestly.

Do you honestly strongly prefer one mix over the other? Why? (I'd genuinely like to know).You're a lot fussier than me then!!!

Sorry guys, no appreciable difference. Stereo, Mono, all brilliant and, for me, equal and interchangeable. I suppose it was silly of me to expect the kind of jarring contrast you get between black & white and colour. But it was quite disappointing to realise just how minimal and subtle the differences are.

By the way it was quite interesting playing both versions simultaneously (carefully synchronising them and then periodically muting one or other version alternately to try and highlight any noticeable difference was fun but wholly inconclusive).

The only one I couldn't align was "She's Leaving Home" where I think the stereo option was deeper and consistently slower. Playing them together sounded disturbingly slurry and awful!!!

Seriously though, thanks very much for those examples.

Moogmodule · « **Reply #14 on:** August 07, 2015, 02:08:28 AM »

I also have to admit,it not ever doing a close comparison. I understand the mixes are different and that mono mixes were the priority in the earlier Beatle albums with the stereo mixes often passed off to an assistant rather than George Martin doing them. But I couldn't honestly say whether one is better than the other.

Now quadraphonic, that's a different story.

Bingo Bongo · « **Reply #15 on:** August 07, 2015, 02:20:36 PM »

Myself I prefer the separation of music instruments/voices from speakers or headphones. Sounds like live music, whereas mono to me does not. Sure that's the way Beatles first recorded as they did not know any better as that was they way back then. You don't see them recording in mono anymore since Abbey Road or solo stuff.

As far as the differences, check out YouTube and search: Beatles Mono vs Stereo. There are a few on there that explain them all.

Hombre_de_ningun_lugar · « **Reply #16 on:** August 09, 2015, 07:22:54 PM »

I prefer MONO from Please Please Me to Beatles For Sale, and STEREO from Help! to Let It Be.

Hombre_de_ningun_lugar · « **Reply #17 on:** August 09, 2015, 07:34:10 PM »

Quote from: Mr Mustard on August 06, 2015, 11:46:22 PM

Oh heck! Thank you all so much but.....

It MUST be my ears I guess. It's just that...how can I put this... I just can't really pick up any SIGNIFICANT difference between the stereos and the monos! Sorry!! I feel like that kid who dared to shout out "The King is in the All Together!" in The Emperor's Clothes tale. I know we diehard Beatles fans have a reputation for being obsessive. Well OK, let's admit it, we're perceived as "anoraks". But have we really got to this level of hairsplitting?

So Paul's vocal fade out at the end of "Got To Get You Into My Life" is more drawn out in the mono version. And? So in the stereo take's shorter fade out he emphasises the word "single" ("every SINGLE day" I always thought he was dropping a hint by the way!). So?? I'm not being obtuse, honestly.

Do you honestly strongly prefer one mix over the other? Why? (I'd genuinely like to know).You're a lot fussier than me then!!!

Sorry guys, no appreciable difference. Stereo, Mono, all brilliant and, for me, equal and interchangeable. I suppose it was silly of me to expect the kind of jarring contrast you get between black & white and colour. But it was quite disappointing to realise just how minimal and subtle the differences are.

By the way it was quite interesting playing both versions simultaneously (carefully synchronising them and then periodically muting one or other version alternately to try and highlight any noticeable difference was fun but wholly inconclusive).

The only one I couldn't align was "She's Leaving Home" where I think the stereo option was deeper and consistently slower. Playing them together sounded disturbingly slurry and awful!!!

Seriously though, thanks very much for those examples.

I understand you're pointing more to the different masters used for stereo and mono; and I'm with you there, I don't care too much about those differences.

But when it's about the sound, I prefer stereo, especially that extreme channels separation of 60's recordings, that's a great experience to me. However, I prefer mono for the early albums, especially Please Please Me and With The Beatles, because a stereo record made with a two-track master tape is too thin.

Kevin · « **Reply #18 on:** August 09, 2015, 08:20:24 PM »

I'm not really audiophile, but I really noticed the difference when I bought a mono Pepper vinyl. IMO it sounds so much better with a very dense sound. Within you without was especially a revelation.

Hello Goodbye · « **Reply #19 on:** August 10, 2015, 05:12:51 AM »

Quote from: Kevin on August 09, 2015, 08:20:24 PM

I'm not really audiophile, but I really noticed the difference when I bought a mono Pepper vinyl. IMO it sounds so much better with a very dense sound. Within you without was especially a revelation.

In my case I had both the Parlophone and Capitol MONO LPs since 1967. Listening to the LP in STEREO always sounded a bit lacking.

http://youtu.be/qY38IDPoZRA

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Author Topic: Mono or Stereo, what's your Fab choice when listening to The Beatles? (Read 12173 times)

KelMar

Bobber