Poll: Sgt pepper mono vs stereo

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Meddle, Jan 6, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Jose Jones

    Jose Jones Outstanding Forum Member

    Location:
    Detroit, Michigan
    So much for the "if the Beatles participated, it had to be better" argument, eh? :)

    Probably whoever did mix the stereo version heard the mono mix first and correctly assumed it could be bettered, and it was....
     
    supermd, Mazzy and ParloFax like this.
  2. ShallowMemory

    ShallowMemory Classical Princess

    Location:
    GB
    Most of the time it's the mono from the Mono cd box or UK lp as for me (and you're probably different) it just feels more complete in that form
     
  3. Scope J

    Scope J Senior Member

    Location:
    Michigan
  4. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    And they were right! If I'd lived with the mono version for 30 years and then gone to stereo, I probably wouldn't care nearly as much, but as stupid as it sounds, that cocked-up cock crowing almost ruins the whole album for me.

    I should probably just burn a copy of the album that's entirely mono until "GMGM" and then goes stereo...
     
    Cracklebarrel likes this.
  5. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!


    I cannot argue with your preference. But, what's confusing about the poll results? It's clear as day. The respondents, so far, prefer mono almost 2 to 1.

    To me, the stereo is nothing special, even for 1967. And, it is documented that the original intent of the album was mono, although attention was paid to the stereo version by at least one Beatle, if i'm not mistaken.

    The mono version has that sense of urgency and moves right along at a brisk pace, while the stereo version drags on and on. The stereo version actually puts me to sleep, while the mono keeps my attention. So it is a bit sloppy in places. But, that "sloppiness" was well-thought-out and deliberate. That's what The Beatles wanted.

    To me, the mono Sgt Pepper gives off the atmosphere consistent with its theme. It's like a big show featuring Billy Shears. When that's over, The Beatles bring it all back to the earth with "A Day In The Life". Can't get that vibe from the stereo version.
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2014
  6. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA

    I dunno - my fay is pretty murky!
     
  7. resomod

    resomod New Member

    Location:
    Mount Pleasant, SC
    MONO, Not a fan of Beatles Stereo - pretty much ever (except for the Love 5.1 Surround, which isn't really Stereo I spose)
     
  8. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    :confused:
     
  9. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
    Voed stereo, but I prefer the opening track, Getting Better, and She's Leaving Home in mono.
    Worst thing on the mono disc is the transition from Good Morning to the reprise.
    Worst think on the stereo disc is the one channel then the other channel vocal ion the opening track
     
  10. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Re-read your post, King of the Typos! :D
     
  11. malcolm reynolds

    malcolm reynolds Handsome, Humble, Genius

    Location:
    Oklahoma
    I don't think I have even listened to it in stereo since getting the mono box set. same goes for all of the albums in the set except for The White Album.
     
    Grant likes this.
  12. jdlaw

    jdlaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan
    Stereo

    I really like the mono as well. It's great. However, I grew up listening to the Stereo version. It's just more familiar to me
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2014
  13. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    No, YOU read it. Ah! The beauty of the edit function! :D

    If you hurry, you can delete your response. I'll be nice and delete mine too.
     
  14. Mono in one channel and stereo in the other.
     
    Meddle likes this.
  15. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni

    Location:
    USA
    A Day in a Life in mono is amazing! Years ago I had heard this version late one night on the radio and was blown away. It wasn't until I played my mono box that I learned it was the mono mix.
     
  16. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    No, I'll leave it. History will judge me fairly! :laugh:
     
  17. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    I doubt it.:biglaugh:
     
  18. malco49

    malco49 Forum Resident

    the mono mix makes for a much better record!
     
    kevinsinnott and Grant like this.
  19. Summer of Malcontent

    Summer of Malcontent Forum Resident

    The treatment on Paul's guitar solo in 'Tomorrow Never Knows' alone totally justifies acquiring the mono Revolver!

    I always felt that Sgt. Pepper's was the Beatles' most overrated album by far, but finally hearing the mono mix at least persuaded me why some people could think it was a great album. For me, the songs that are improved in mono are vastly improved, and for the first time I could actually appreciate 'Lucy' and 'She's Leaving Home'. The aspects of the album that work better in the stereo mix are quite minor in comparison to, say, running a song at the wrong speed!
     
    malco49 likes this.
  20. Culpa

    Culpa Forum Resident

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    Grew up with the stereo, and much prefer it, but I do enjoy the mono from time to time (except for that "cocked-up cock crow" mentioned above!). I just think that a big colorful artsy piece of work deserves a big colorful artsy stereo mix. And I don't really get how it matters much which mix Beatles were present for or not. Surely they wanted it mixed into stereo, and surely they approved the released stereo mix of their ground-breaking new LP. Both mixes were released at the same time and I don't recall any ex-Beatles complaining when the mono LPs went out of print. Its not the same thing as Lennon complaining about the stereo mix of Revolution, that was a later mix.

    I'd love to know which version McCartney prefers, but I'm sure we'd never get a straight answer to that. Though somehow he does seem like a stereo kind of guy!
     
    Meddle likes this.
  21. Ken_McAlinden

    Ken_McAlinden MichiGort Staff

    Location:
    Livonia, MI
    I voted for the mono, but it is a close call. Even though I like a lot of details of the mono mix better than the stereo, I wish that the mono did not have that extra layer of compression.
     
  22. jtiner

    jtiner Forum Resident

    Location:
    Maine
    What he said...... I'll take the unpopular position of arguing that there are more technical problems with the mono mix. Sure, I like it, and have always had a copy of the mono LP, and I enjoy listening to it. But, I don't think all of the differences were "artistic", just mistakes that were corrected in the stereo mix. The biggest offenders are the crowd noise during the title track, the phasing in With A Little Help, being a bit late to bring the fader back down after the middle effects loop on Kite, the segue from GM to SPLHCB reprise which literally sounds like someone momentarily touched the tape reel, and then hearing the crowd noise at the beginning of the reprise literally coming up to speed.
    Now I will run and hide under a chair........
     
    wayneklein, Jose Jones and ParloFax like this.
  23. 905

    905 Senior Member

    Location:
    Midwest USA
    I've read this many times on this forum, but is it true?
     
  24. Regandron

    Regandron Forum Resident

    [quote="Culpa, post: 9874433, member:

    I'd love to know which version McCartney prefers, but I'm sure we'd never get a straight answer to that. Though somehow he does seem like a stereo kind of guy![/quote]

    haha, paul seems like a stereo kind of guy, and john seems like a mono kind of guy. there is a world of wisdom in that comment. it'll take mark lewisohn 3,000 pages and he won't even get close, i mean it!
     
    Rickchick and Cracklebarrel like this.
  25. htbomb

    htbomb Hot Rod

    Location:
    FLA
    This.

    Stereo Sgts. is the ultimate headphone experience.
     
    Cracklebarrel likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine