The Rolling Stones In Mono vinyl box SQ vs. The Rolling Stones MFSL box SQ: Anyone compared the two?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by EdogawaRampo, Feb 6, 2018.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member Thread Starter

    First, the caveats.

    #1) I've just read this:
    THE ROLLING STONES IN MONO: The Ultimate Review - The Audiophile Man

    It rekindled my interest in the vinyl box.

    #2) I'm not the kind of 'Stones fanatic you sometimes see around these parts, but still I'm somewhat obsessive. I actually have full set of UK mono Decca originals, UK stereos, some US...AND I have the MFSL box, but it's in storage and I haven't heard any of it in 20 years or so.

    I've read over the years that people think early'80s MFSL did some of their best work on the 'Stones box.

    The review 'theaudiohileman' gave of the new box makes the 2016 reissues sound like they beat the SQ (never great anyway) of the originals.

    So...what I'm attempting here is teasing out SQ comparisons between the 2016 box and the MFSL. I know the MFSL used stereo where true stereo was available, but what I'm looking for is SQ comparison, that is, a comparison, if available, of the relative pleasure derived listening to these and does one beat the other?

    If I decided to get the 2016 box I probably need to get on the stick before prices escalate, thus the thread.
     
    RiRiIII likes this.
  2. Tommyboy

    Tommyboy Senior Member

    Location:
    New York
    The only mono albums in the MFSL box are S/T, 12x5 & Out Of Our Heads (US version). I could do a quick A/B in a few days. Perhaps S/T.
     
  3. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member Thread Starter

    Hey, that would be great! I remember when I first listened to the debut LP on the MFSL press and was pretty underwhelmed. After a while, then, I thought that it sounded better than I'd ever heard it before, just no revelation. I chalked it up to the quality of the original recording, which of course was nothing to write home about.
     
  4. Abbagold

    Abbagold Working class hero

    Location:
    Natchitoches, LA
    I liked the US monos. Granted, I’ve not heard the U.K. pressings. Even the London Aftermath mono sounds pretty good considering it’s a fold. The only Mofi I’ve heard was Sticky Fingers and that’s netoriously panned. I guess ignorance is bliss.
     
  5. samthesham

    samthesham Forum Resident

    Location:
    Moorhead MN
    UK After-Math is a fold down but the US After-Math is a true mono mix.

    There are numerous threads that discuss this in detail.

    If one doubts me search for yourself.
     
    McLover likes this.
  6. Adam9

    Adam9 Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй.

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    You've got that backwards, I think.
     
    JuanTCB likes this.
  7. samthesham

    samthesham Forum Resident

    Location:
    Moorhead MN
    No.

    There are numerous threads that attest the mono mixes.

    UK After-Math was a fold it was the 1st Stones LP recorded in stereo.

    That is why the stereo UK is preferred to the UK mono.

    It can be confusing but if you search threads on this forum you will find that US is true mono & UK fold.

    That is until the mono box was released which supposedly used original mono mix for UK After-Math.

    Like I said it can be quite confusing.

    I just go for my preference in sound album by album.

    I do prefer the US After-Math in mono & the U.K. issue in stereo.
     
  8. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member Thread Starter

    I think you've got it backwards, too.

    The US mono Aftermath has always sounded folded to me. Interesting why they'd fold Aftermath as you suggest in the UK but then provide dedicated mono mixes for the UK Between The Buttons and Their Satanic Majesties Request...in any case, I'd like to just one of the "numerous threads that attest the mono mixes." Got a link?

    I have one:

    Rolling Stones, Aftermath and Between the Buttons - dedicated mono or folddown?

    Rolling Stones, Aftermath and Between the Buttons - dedicated mono or folddown?

    "Can someone remind me, the Decca vinyl monos of Aftermath and Between the Buttons - are they dedicated mono mixes or folddowns?"


    keith65
    Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Denmark

    "Between the Buttons US and UK are dedicated, Aftermath only the UK version."

    and here:

    Rolling Stones in Mono - 2016 - Content Discussion Only (Mixes, Tracks, etc.)*

    "US mono Aftermath is a fold down. Mono box version is dedicated mono."

    Or here:

    Rolling Stones in Mono - 2016 - Content Discussion Only (Mixes, Tracks, etc.)*

    "Lukpac, So the US Aftermath in the Mono Box used the Mono mix and the rest of the album is a fold-down? I'm confused or did not read your prior breakdown of this set properly."

    Lukpac: "Whole album is dedicated. The original mono LP was a fold down."


    He's talking about the US mono. At least that's how I read it.




     
    Neonbeam and Adam9 like this.
  9. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    UK mono was dedicated. US mono was a fold.

    Both are dedicated in the 2016 mono box.
     
  10. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member Thread Starter

    Thank you very kindly!
     
  11. marcb

    marcb Senior Member

    Location:
    DC area
    I doubt you, but I don’t need to do a search. You’ve got it backwards.
     
    Neonbeam likes this.
  12. James_S888

    James_S888 Forum Resident

    Yeah, that was what I thought.
     
  13. James_S888

    James_S888 Forum Resident

    The MFSL box set is great.
    Best version of get your ya yas out there is. By far. They did great work on that one. Beats the UK Decca. Easily.
    Beggars Banquet, once you speed up your turntable the necessary 2%, in my opinion, also beats the Decca. IMO. The inner detail is extraordinary.
    Let it Bleed, it's kind of a tie. With the MFSL box set version tied with the Decca '70s pressing.
    Hot Rocks - no contest. Best version there is.

    Comparison with the mono box. Well, IMO, not having the mono but having the DSD box sets, the MFSL comes out ahead of the DSDs. You play them back to back and the DSD sourced vinyl comes up sounding, well, a bit lifeless in comparison to the MFSLs.

    One last word, for Rolling Stones No. 1 - It's a tie between the MFSL and early '80s Decca reissue.
    Rolling Stones No. 2 - it's the 1978 French Decca reissue with the stereo tracks in real stereo. That's the best there is.

    All my opinion of course.
     
    NunoBento, onlyconnect and forthlin like this.
  14. woodyfan

    woodyfan Forum Resident

    Location:
    michigan
    sigh.........the screwups with mixes we get with the Stones....judging by fadeouts, Paint it Black IS a foldie on the US, and Think is a foldie on the UK. Flight 505 and Thumb are the dedicated ones, though. The rest are hard to tell.
     
  15. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    What?
     
    Tommyboy and marcb like this.
  16. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    Why the "After-Math" spelling? Never seen it like that. Just curious.
     
  17. woodyfan

    woodyfan Forum Resident

    Location:
    michigan
    Lukpac, I know your deep involvement in the Stones catalogue, and I learned a lot from your listings of the early 21st century rereleases, but I think you may not have noticed these two instances. As I said--those two tracks are definite foldies (I say with great regret). Of course, you are correct about the original London vinyl being throughout folded, and the Decca being dedicated (and horribly mastered, might I add).
     
  18. googlymoogly

    googlymoogly Forum Resident

    I assume it’s just a reflection of the hyphenated title on the U.K. cover.
     
    EdogawaRampo likes this.
  19. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member Thread Starter

    [​IMG]
     
    Neonbeam and googlymoogly like this.
  20. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member Thread Starter

    Beat me to it! :thumbsup:
     
    googlymoogly likes this.
  21. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    But what releases are you talking about?
     
  22. samthesham

    samthesham Forum Resident

    Location:
    Moorhead MN
    That is how the title is on the U.K. Decca issue......After-Math

    To me its stands out more & is more art like
     
  23. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    Never really noticed that spelling on the UK cover, even though I got the Decca LP when it was first released in 1966. Thanks for the explanation.
     
  24. adm62

    adm62 Senior Member

    Location:
    Ottawa, Canada
    The title is "Aftermath" , it is just displayed with a hyphen.
     
    bonus likes this.
  25. woodyfan

    woodyfan Forum Resident

    Location:
    michigan
    The two folded mixes I refer to are on the mono cd box--haven't as yet heard the vinyl, but I assume they're cut from the same masters.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine