The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour - mono or stereo?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by btomarra, Oct 8, 2011.

  1. btomarra

    btomarra Classic Rock Audiophile Thread Starter

    Location:
    Little Rock, AR
    Yes, we have had lots of threads on this album. There was a thread where we choose our formaty for each Beatles album where they were released in both formats.

    Just wanted to focus on this lp and the stereo/mono mixes of the songs from the film and the second side of 1967 singles...with your comments and preferences.

    I seem to be going to the mono mix more than the stereo. One song (which we have also had threads about is Bluie Jay Way...

    According to this website:

    http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/beatles/var-1967.html



    I and others here don't seem to hear it at all (or maybe I am missing something). However, I still prefer the mono mix despite this. Does it appear the mono has more phasing than the stereo? Or maybe the mono mix brings it out more (?) Also, the cello and organ lower in the mix seems to better present the foglike atmosphere...comments?
     
  2. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    Usually, I like a lot of stereo, but in this case...

    [​IMG]
     
  3. steveharris

    steveharris Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    A few days ago I listened to the mono cd from the EP collection.
    I`ve only been playing the mono lately it seems.
     
  4. btomarra

    btomarra Classic Rock Audiophile Thread Starter

    Location:
    Little Rock, AR
    I had a wee bit of trouble reading that button...could you enlarge that just a tad? :winkgrin:

    Thanks for chiming in ! :)
     
  5. btomarra

    btomarra Classic Rock Audiophile Thread Starter

    Location:
    Little Rock, AR
    Thanks, Steve. :agree:
     
  6. pmckeeaalaska

    pmckeeaalaska Forum Resident

    Location:
    Anchorage, Alaska
    Much prefer the mono. Lots of cool vocal effects not found on the stereo version.
     
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  7. Greg(ory)

    Greg(ory) Some Stupid With A Space Gun

    Location:
    (Massachusetts)
    for vinyl, I'll usually grab the German stereo, but away from my table it is all Mono

    [​IMG]
     
  8. pig whisperer

    pig whisperer CD Member

    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan
    From the "Magical Mystery Tour" EP thread:

    Magical Mystery Tour (stereo)

    Your Mother Should Know (mono)

    I Am the Walrus (stereo)


    The Fool on the Hill (stereo)

    Flying (stereo)

    Blue Jay Way (mono)


    I haven't listened to he mono remasters in two years and don't rememer the mono mixes for side two. My '87 CD is stereo, so stereo it is.
     
  9. lennon_08518

    lennon_08518 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Roebling, NJ, USA
    I prefer the mono mixes on all MMT songs except "I Am the Walrus."
     
  10. apple-richard

    apple-richard *Overnight Sensation*

    I'm a stereo guy through and through. When I play the EP I choose Mono to mix it up, the LP is always the Stereo version.
     
  11. btomarra

    btomarra Classic Rock Audiophile Thread Starter

    Location:
    Little Rock, AR
    Darcy,

    For Baby You're a Rich Man and All You Need Is Love you do get longer fades in mono.
     
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  12. btomarra

    btomarra Classic Rock Audiophile Thread Starter

    Location:
    Little Rock, AR
    Such as the phasing on Your Mother Should Know...
     
  13. Maidenpriest

    Maidenpriest Setting the controls for the heart of the sun :)

    Location:
    Europe

    :wave: This thread you may find useful:

    http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=260666&highlight=
     
  14. btomarra

    btomarra Classic Rock Audiophile Thread Starter

    Location:
    Little Rock, AR
  15. Maidenpriest

    Maidenpriest Setting the controls for the heart of the sun :)

    Location:
    Europe
    Cool :cheers:
     
  16. ralph7109

    ralph7109 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Franklin, TN
    I actually am not a fan of the borderline absurd phasing on the mono version.
     
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  17. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    It's interesting some of you guys prefer "I Am the Walrus" in stereo. For me this was the number one track that got me into the mono, because I couldn't stand that duophonic (fake stereo) in the latter half of the track. Uggghhh!
     
  18. Trashman

    Trashman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    The mono 45rpm Parlophone EP rocks the most, even if it's not the most convenient format to listen to. In my mind, it's the way MMT was meant to be heard.
     
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  19. fitzysbuna

    fitzysbuna Senior Member

    Location:
    Australia
    I wish the video remix was released!
     
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  20. cencalphono

    cencalphono New Member

    Location:
    Santa Maria,CA
    "DuoPhonic" was a Capitol Records process. The latter half of "Walrus" ain't "DuoPhonic".

    I prefer the stereo versions. I've got the original Brit. stereo and mono EP sets, U.S. LP's and all the CD versions.
     
  21. It's on a song-by-song basis for me. I do prefer the stereo "Penny Lane" in particular.

    I grew up on the stereo (my brothers had a stereo as a kid and I inherited it along with their vinyl when they were drafted) with the exception of "Something New" and "Sgt. Pepper" (although I DID spent more time with the stereo for that title).

    The Duophonic stuff on the original "MMT" US album I could do without though and prefer the mono for those tracks. Once I heard the German stereo it was like the gates of heaven had opened! (OK that might be hyperbole).
     
  22. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    I wasn't using the term duophonic to relate this to Capitol records. I know they didn't have anything to do with. "I Am the Walrus" was fake stereo à la EMI.

    I know Capitol liked to promote duophonic as something they invented ("after 5 years of experimentation", as the publicity blurb goes), but in the end it wasn't anything special, just a form of fake stereo as RCA had done before them and others after that. So I think I can take the liberty of using "duophonic" as a catch-all term for fake stereo if I feel the artistic need of varying the terms a little bit. But I understand now that using it here can confuse things, because the original MMT on Capitol had some duophonic tracks. Sorry for that.

    But back to topic, for me the stereo "I Am the Walrus" is botched. Technically speaking, only half of it is stereo. I never liked that. I really only started enjoying the song when I discovered the mono box and have been sticking to that version ever since.
     
  23. BlueSpeedway

    BlueSpeedway Curated Iconic Half-Speed Picture Disc

    Location:
    England
    For some reason that annoys me on every mono CD I have (2009, EP, unofficial), but it doesn't annoy me on my US mono LP.
     
  24. Zephyr

    Zephyr Active Member

    Location:
    Kitchener, Ontario
    The great thing is we don't have to choose. We have both.

    For me, like a lot of the second half albums of the Beatles career, it's song by song. I prefer:

    Magical Mystery Tour - stereo
    Fool on the Hill - stereo
    Flying - either
    Blue Jay Way - either
    Your Mother Should Know - mono, when I'm in the mood for the weird phasing. Plus the way the vocal moves around on the stereo is odd
    I Am The Walrus - mono (although remix on Love beats all)
    Hello Goodbye - stereo
    Strawberry Fields - stereo
    Penny Lane - stereo
    Baby You're a Rich Man - either; almost prefer the mono mix because of longer fadeout
    All You Need Is Love - mono
     
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  25. Dark_Globe

    Dark_Globe New Member

    Location:
    North Carolina
    I honestly don't care which version, but I think that the stereo mix fits the material better.
     
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