Mono vs. Stereo

Which do you prefer? Growing up a second generation fan, I discovered the albums on the Capital vinyl in stereo, for the most part. I just assumed that mono was a primitive format that technology had surpassed. It wasn't until many years later that I got my hands on a mono Revolver and thought "Whoa, this is a different album". And then recently came the Remasters and I decided conclusively that I prefer the mono over the stereo w few exception. The stereo separation seems to take some of the edge off the recordings. The hard panning on Rubber Soul is just annoying. Does anyone else have an opinion or preference?

Great topic/poll!

My experience was a carbon copy of yours... grew up on the Capitol stereo LP's—however, many of my first listening experiences were at my aunt's house, and I discovered quite recently that several of her albums ("Meet The Beatles", "A Hard Day's Night" UA Soundtrack, "Beatles VI") were mono copies!

And I, too, always assumed that mono was a "primitive" form that stereo technology had left in the dust..... and I was given a similar wake-up call upon hearing my U.K. EP collection (different guitar solos, different fade-outs, etc., etc.)

I voted "depends on album"... although, it's more like "depending on mood". I have found that I lean to the mono remasters more than the stereo counterparts. Albums like "Revolver" and "Sgt. Pepper" are particular mono favorites, however I have not forsaken the stereo versions outright.

Agreed on Sgt Pepper. In fact I prefer everything from Please, Please Me to Rubber Soul in Mono. Revolver and White album I enjoy listening to in either mix. They are the most vastly different in either format. Pepper I prefer in mono almost exclusively.

My experience is exactly like the two of you above... except I consider myself Generation 1.5 since I was a toddler during most of the Beatle years. All my original vinyl is American-issue, so that's what I was used to... but I have really come to appreciate the mono.

I voted "depends"... but I must admit that sometimes I enjoy listening to the stereo versions and I turn the balance all the way to one side just for fun... not better sonically (unless I'm just focusing on John's gorgeous vocals on Rubber Soul), but it just takes me back to the good ol' days...

I just prefer the separation of stereo, especially the early recordings. HOWEVER, I do like the anomolies of the Mono Pepper/White Album and after reading the rave about Revolver, I shall revisit that now.

Overall, I prefer Sgt. Pepper in mono, with one curious exception : does anyone else feel that the chicken to guitar segue in the reprise is a bit awkward in mono?

Typically I go for the stereo since those are the versions I'm familiar with and, let's face it, 90% of the songs don't sound that different in mono. A few have some really noticeable changes (e.g. "Help!") and some have changes that you'll notice once they're pointed out but by and large, the mono albums aren't the entirely different listening experience that certain purists make it out to be. Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's and the White Album are the closest.

That said, PPM is totally unlistenable in stereo.

I'll stick with mono for the first three albums. "Please Please Me" and "With The Beatles" especially are close to being unlistenbale in stereo. "Beatles for Sale" however is a must in stereo. I can go either way with the others.If I want to hear Ringo shout he got blisters on his fingers I'll go for stereo White, if I don't I'll put on mono White.

Not being a purist, I never think about it. Most of my Beatles stuff is on the computer these days so if I want to listen to a whole album I just pick something and it may be anything from mono, stereo to one of the Alternate bootleg.

Originally Posted by ringo_rama

Typically I go for the stereo since those are the versions I'm familiar with and, let's face it, 90% of the songs don't sound that different in mono. A few have some really noticeable changes (e.g. "Help!") and some have changes that you'll notice once they're pointed out but by and large, the mono albums aren't the entirely different listening experience that certain purists make it out to be. Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's and the White Album are the closest.

That said, PPM is totally unlistenable in stereo.

I wouldn't agree w this. The mixes are often different. In stereo certain channels were pushed back in the mix where the panning occurs because it sounded awkward in that separation. In instances they weren't, they maybe should have been (Rubber Soul). There's some beautiful nuances that were lost in the stereo mixes. Revolution comes to mind as a song that lost all it's balls in stereo.

There are definitely odd differences in a lot of songs, and certainly it's worth listening to in order to get a slightly different experience from the songs we've heard inside out for years...but I think all told, there were only about 5-7 versions that felt significantly different enough that I have both versions on my Zune.

ITA about "Revolution" though. Once I heard the mono version I never looked back.

I listened to 'Revolver' again in Mono today and don't see what the huge deal is. Aside from some of the backwards guitar loops in ''I'm Only Sleeping" and a little more oomph in a few other songs--didn't sound that much different. I must be one of the lone eagles that love the first 4 UKs in Stereo. I think Ringo Rama (you still rock this place bud!) and someone else said PPM is unlistenable in stereo but I love that wide stereo. I remember buying a japanese pressing of PPM vinyl when I was a kid and thought it was the greatest thing. I want to revisit 'Magical Mystery Tour' in Mono next-I seem to remember some differences on that one too.

Originally Posted by 834

I listened to 'Revolver' again in Mono today and don't see what the huge deal is.

The main differences with "Revolver" in mono are mainly fade-out differences, and differences in various sound effects treatments...

"Tomorrow Never Knows" has both... longer fade-out (more piano jangling), and different backwards loop sounds.

"Got To Get You Into My Life" has a longer fade-out with different shouting by Paul.

"Love You Too" has a longer fade-out (more sitar twanging)

"I'm Only Sleeping" has already been mentioned.

"Taxman" I believe has the cowbell come in at a different time.

But, the over-all mono sonic experience is different from the stereo versions if one listens closely. Can't really explain it, but it's there.

I have to say that I do prefer the stereo mixes on one particular album: "The White Album". One example of just why is "Helter Skelter". No fade-back-in? Nooooo... that's just wrong.

I guess I oversimplified the 'Revolver' dealio, and I dig/dug the subtleties. I guess I meant that it isn't as blatant as some of the differences on 'Pepper' or 'White Album'. Someone said that they couldn't believe it was the same album (Revolver) when listening to it in Mono, and I never felt that kind of epiphany listening to the Mono version, but I hear what y'all are sayin'.
p.s. Hof--I hear you on the HS fade-in (stereo), when I hear the mono version and know there won't be any blisters, you're always.kind.of.expecting..it..

Originally Posted by 834

I guess I oversimplified the 'Revolver' dealio, and I dig/dug the subtleties. I guess I meant that it isn't as blatant as some of the differences on 'Pepper' or 'White Album'. Someone said that they couldn't believe it was the same album (Revolver) when listening to it in Mono, and I never felt that kind of epiphany listening to the Mono version, but I hear what y'all are sayin'.
p.s. Hof--I hear you on the HS fade-in (stereo), when I hear the mono version and know there won't be any blisters, you're always.kind.of.expecting..it..

These are albums I've been listening to since I was twelve. When I hear a new mix, it's not difficult to get excited about hearing things that I didn't hear before. Things once buried, now in the mix as intended. It's probably no big deal to a lot of folks. I don't listen to the Beatles daily anymore. Once every five yrs or so I table up the discs and reintroduce myself. These mono remasters got me very, very excited.

Originally Posted by Colonel Angus

These mono remasters got me very, very excited.

Same here. They were the most exciting Beatle offering for me, personally, since the Anthologies.

I go in fits/start as well, but for Christmas last year, I got a 2 terabyte hard drive as a present, well with all that space, FLAC it is, which means I've got to re-download everything and re-import all of my cds, which is as good a reason as any to listen to everything over again. The Beatles stuff alone is a huge project which I've been concentrating on for the past month+. My frame of reference having been born in '66 and starting collecting in '74 was the Capitol/Apple stereo stuff. I was given 'With The Beatles' when I was 8 and was fascinated by the hi-hat intro to 'All My Loving'/became aware early on that the 'same' song is not in fact the same, and have been digging for weirdness in different versions ever since!

I've come to realize it's a song-by-song decision for me.

I think it varies on the album for me. The later stuff I like the stereo but with the earlier stuff I actually prefer the mono

Varies on album.