japanese red mono Beatles vs UK original

I think the heading says it all. How does the sound of the 82 red vinyl mono series compare to original UK mono pressings?

 

they're quite favorable and often superior IMO.

Especially Pepper and the White Album...sheer bliss.
Others will surely have their own opinions. I think its worth owning both issues. The german as well, for the stereo Die beatles and MMT. Otherwise, I'd say all the Japanese monos are quite wonderful.ya gotta have both mono and stereo issues of the UK lps, but for mono those Japanese red issues from '82 are tuff to beat

 

Steve it's good for you to be able to come out with these statements, HONEST do not take offense to this, but would you be kind enough to explain exactly WHY then?

I take it that you are saying you prefer the UK pressings because of your playback system is tippity tops, but give us a real explanation for your reason. You may get as technical as needed also.

I'm here to learn...!!!

 

Gary, but those discs will never forgive you! Seriously, I have a few Japanese pressings (not that much especially in these waters) and some sound great and some sound dreadful.

 

Quickly now, let's differentiate between the general Japanese pressings and the 1982/1986 Mono red vinyls. I have a set of the 1982 Japan monos and a couple of the 1986 Japan monos, and I find the monos generally bass heavy and fat compared to most Japan pressings!!!

Yes, lots of Japan stereo pressings are a bit "sweet" in the EQ department, but not these.

I'd like to invite any of you who find the mono Japanese records too "bright" to offer your opinions, and to please PM me if you have any desire to sell these compromised LP's, I will buy them!

I'm guessing I will have no takers...

 

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Sorry

 

Your use of the words "Resolution" and "Honest". Actually have different meanings to me as musical terms.

Without ever having known you've used these terms, I don't wish to speculate on what you mean exactly.

So when saying Resolution, Do you mean evolves or gets more precise as in better?

With the word "Honest", I seem to want to take that as, the tubes have warmed up and you will get a more consistent sound from your amp for playback.

See Steve, "Toppy" I get what you mean, a bit more on the High End a bit more crispy sounding.
Most guys here use the hip audiophile catch phrase "that it sound's to brite for their ears".

Personally it can be the equipment guys are using, also the size and the acoustics to the room they're listening it in that could make a big difference. Then as always, just how we each tend to listen as opposed to how we want something to sound. At which this can just become a matter of taste. So I would gather to say this is where your use of the word "Honest" could also come into being.

Even though it's not what you are actually trying to explain or mean.

 

Steve has pointed out several times that the mono's went through a different limiter than the stereos, and therefore have a very different sound. Once you know that, you can see that comparing the sound of the stereo mixes to the sound of the mono mixes is like comparing apples and oranges. It's like many of their albums came in two entirely different versions, and we should think of it that way, IMHO.

And don't be afraid to say you prefer the stereo Sgt. Pepper, or stereo Rubber Soul or whatever, it's just what you like to listen to, that's all.

Really, it's all ice-cream, just different flavors! I'm glad most of us are able to listen to both

 

Steve, are you referring to these specific '82 red vinyl mono issues or Japanese stereo beatles lps in general? I find you comment curious because I don't find these the least bit bright like the stereo japan issues sound.

 

Here again, are some terms used often when descibing the sound of a recording.

In this case, it's "Squashed" or "UnSquashed" again it sound like the new hip audiophile type phrase, yet when used what is the writer really trying to say musically here???

I need an exact reason why these terms are used, in the description above on listening to a Sgt Pepper Mono LP and stereo LP.

What is wags really saying! What does he really mean to listen for to use Squashed and UnSquashed???

 

I am not sure why this was, but Jack Hunt did a few treble boosted cuttings for Nautilus himself. I would imagine they cut it they way they were told to, just like a lot of mastering engineers are forced to compress the life out of everything today.

But most of Hunt's MFSL work sounds pretty flat. Sometimes I would have liked just a little sweetening. I am not sure if the MFSL Beatles set I used to have had the Ricker or Hunt Sgt Pepper. Probably the Ricker, it was bright.

What is interesting is that some of the MFSL's were stamped with a Ricker cutting on one side and a Hunt cuting on the other. My MFSL Gerry Rafferty is that way, but they did manage to get them close on that one.

I would be interested to know who were the 'ears' behind each of the MFSL LP's as well. Anybody know? Was it actually the cutting engineers?

I wasn't that impressed with the sonics of a red mono Pepper I had the opportunity to hear. The mix was a treat though. The red mono LP was a lot better than a mono CD I got to hear. Both were Japanese, I believe the CD was a bootleg though.

 

The vocals for Sgt Pepper's did have like a phasing or doubling type of effect on them. Then when mixed down into the mono version well what can I say my friend. There's just no way most of the vocals sounded quote NATURAL sounding as you are describing.

I thank you for your definition as the word "compressed" would tell me more what you really were describing!

 

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EDIT

 

I'm guessing your re-issue is not a good representation of an "original" 1st pressing. Does your -1 matrix number have anything following it, IE another -# or letter? I ask because I have some 2 box pressings that have -1 matrices with a letter following, -1G for example. My Collection of Oldies has that matrix.
I don't doubt your preference to the Stereo mix based on your description.

 

In comparing my UK Blue Box Stereo Pepper to my German (1-072-#####)Pepper, I much prefer the German Apple to the UK pressing, much more dynamic. I don't have the original Stereo Pepper to compare it with however, just the Blue Box version. I'm sure Kipper could give us the rundown on the different versions if he can hear us...Kipper, where art thou?

 

Wow, you just read my mind

Having a MoFi as my only White album I was anxious to get my hands on a mono White album. With clean copies of UK originals thru the roof, I found a mint Japanese red vinyl copy last week. I cued her up and not good! I got thru half of side one and had to take it off. Steve, I agree with you. The better your front end, the less you'll like this. I think my system is pretty good (check my profile if you're interested), revealing, and pretty neutral. Guess i'll have to save up for a UK.

 

I began collecting Japanese red vinyl monos based on comments from this group. I started with a Pepper, which was quiet and warm- not exactly like a UK original, but I liked it. I got a White Album, and it sounded like something was lacking, but OK. I got a Rubber Soul, A-B'ed against a "-4" UK original, and the original won easily- more bite to the percussion, clearer vocals. I stopped collecting the Japanese red monos at that point.

 

I have the first three of the red mono's, the only problem I notice with them was "A Hard Day's Night", it plays out of phase, if you push your mono button in on you preamp. Not a big deal, if you play it back in stereo. I have not played them in a long time, I remember liking them at the time. Like them or not, they are certainly beautiful to look at.