The mono Beatles box set thread (part 2)

I only listen to the Beatles in mono, other than Abbey Road and Let it Be. Have you heard a -3N -3N BFS in mono? It might change your mind. Big, powerful mono sound. Do you run tubes (now equipment listed in your profile)?

 

I don't buy CDs, but I'm surprised the recent mono releases sell so cheaply?? I would have guessed they would fetch much higher prices?

 

I only own the mono box. I will probably purchase an Apple USB edition of the stereo recordings. Anyway, for me the real treat is the mono version of the White album. I'm hoping to go tube eventually and look forward to hearing the mono versions then.

 

The only four vinyl Beatles records in mono
I prefer over the stereo are Revolver,SPLHCB,MMT (EP) & TWA.
The early albums I prefer the stereo to the mono.

 

I got mine for 199 dollars, Canterbury Records, Pasadena.

 

It took me awhile to get used to the mono versions (same with Dylan) but now I don't listen to the stereos at all.

 

If you want to hear a real ear catcher, play She Said, She Said and turn up a couple of notches around 32K (iTunes equalizer works as well). Then play the song loud, the bass will blow you away. Also, the bass Come Together with 32k up a couple of notches will amaze you.

 

If I'm listening on a stereo system and the sound field is pretty well dispersed in a room, it's the stereo versions most of the time. I'm a sucker for fidelity, and I love hearing every element of a recording.

If it's headphones, though, I prefer mono, as the stereo mixes just fall flat because of the often ludicrous channel isolation.

But...that's only in stereo, of course.

 

I prefer the White Album, "Tomorrow Never Knows", and "Get Back" in stereo. I pretty much listen to the mono for everything else. I do go back to the mono White Album for some tracks, such as "Happiness Is A Warm Gun", as you mentioned.

As for the "farcical" stereo, I have been listening to the Bear Family CD of the Tony Sheridan recordings (courtesy of our local public library) and I am really taken by how much better these stereo mixes from 1961 sound compared to most of the Beatles official canon. Yet, I listen on headphones and realize that much of the same "vocal on one side, drums in the other" mixing is still employed. The balance and dynamics just sound better and these are two track recordings. What the hell did Bert Kaempfert know about recording in stereo that George Martin didn't?

 

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=206171

 

Thank you. I was sure that our gracious host had something to say on the subject.

And, he didn't even like the Bear Family CD, but it still has better sound than then the stereo With The Beatles or Rubber Soul.

 

I just typed this in the iTunes thread, but it probably makes more sense here...

"Clearer" also doesn't neccesarily mean better. Albums like "A Hard Day's Night" & "Rubber Soul" have guts in mono. They sound thin and wimpy by comparison in stereo. Stereo was still something of a gimmick in the mid-60's. That's why you get some of those ridiculous stereo mixes like RS. And most of the Beatles singles were never meant to be heard in stereo initially. I'm glad both are out there and I prefer stereo mixes like The White Album for example. But I remember Lennon calling some of the stereo mixes "embarrassing" at one point. I take it he preferred the mono mixes on much of the stuff.

I think the mono box is excellent. If all reissues were done this well there would certainly be less to bitch about around here.

 

I usually prefer the White album in stereo but Savoy Truffle kills in mono

 

To be more specific, the stereo mixes are better on the Sheridan recordings than on the aforementioned albums even though the 2009 CDs are mastered better than the Bear Family CDs.

 

??

Do you mean 32 Hz?.....or ????

 

....maybe aberyclark's a dog!?

 

Love having the mono mixes, even though I (generally) prefer the Beatles' canon in stereo. I particularly love Pepper and the "white album" in mono, they seem more of their time and "pungent" somehow. Rubber Soul just makes more sense in mono, too. Some of the mono stuff seems a tiny bit dull or "rolled off" in the treble area, to me; so, stereo for most of it.

 

What are these 'Bear Family' Cd's you talk about ??

 

A lot of people like or now claim to prefer Pepper in mono, and I do too, for a long time now. The mono Help is a new-ish discovery and one that keeps growing on me for how much I like it over the stereo, either original mix or GM's 1987 version.

The others, Beatles For Sale excepted, have things going on / qualities that make a definitive preference more complicated. Or they could be broken down song by song. Because some within an album sound best in mono or vice versa. That goes for Pepper too, there's a couple things I still prefer the stereo mixes on.

 

http://www.bear-family.de/repertoir...bop-hamburg-days-2-cd-box120sbook.html?lang=1

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatles_Bop_–_Hamburg_Days

http://www.amazon.com/Beatles-Bop-H...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1314494646&sr=1-1

 

Ruff Ruff......yes I meant 32 hz

 

Another beatles Bass treat is Baby you're a rich man from the 1990's Yellow Submarine album (the one with all the remixes and blue cover). Although the mono MMT version is good, the bass really growls on the YS remix CD. I have not heard stereo MMT or stereo 2009 YS album.

 

I agree - except for your use of the word "tiny!" I usually complain of masters sounding too bright (or too compressed) but the Beatles monos are too rolled off on the top end for me. There's just no pleasing me!

Talking of the mono set: the uncompressed stereo Rubber Soul (on the mono disc) is the best I've heard this album since playing the vinyl as a kid. Ironic that I buy the mono box and my favourite bit is stereo!