In the 60s, everybody did not listen to the Beatles in mono. That story was created by people who wanted to sell mono copies to the many people who already had them in stereo from the 60s, which is, ironically, how they listened to them then. Just ask yourself: when is the last time I listened to my supposedly superior sounding mono box? Thought so.
You forgot to add that "George Martin carefully planned and constructed stereo mixes". Since 2009 I listen to officially released mono mixes of Beatles stuff pre-1968 and I happily ditched stereo mixes even before that (when I found certain medicine man's 'needle drops').
Yeah, that stereo mix of Please Please Me, was really carefully constructed! Especially when George Martin originally mixed Love Me Do and P.S. I Love You in duophonic in 1963!
That may have been true where you are, but I asked my old man about this and he said everyone he knew bought mono because they didn't have fancy record players/hi-fi
Exhibit A - “Got To Get You Into My Life” Exhibit B - the rest of it. Maybe TKN actually sounds decent.
These thoughts are just my opinion; I grew up with The Beatles, first concert I attended aged 12 was The Beatles ar The Plaza, St Helens early 1963. I also grew up listening to The Beatles and many others in Mono until 1968 and around the time of The White Album. I enjoyed Mono and up to The WA preferred all the Beatles albums in Mono, still do. At first I thought Stereo was a gimmick but I admit preferring The WA in Stereo. I'm no recording engineer, I always leave that side of stuff to our experts on this forum. However the improvement in Stereo, obvious to most was down to technology, 8 track, 16 track... Everything changed after 1968, Stereo was no longer a gimmick, it was the norm. I still listen to my Beatles Mono Box both CD & LP more than their Stereo versions. However I am unable to understand why people were clamouring for a Mono AR, that was daft for a number of reasons. Until I started reading this thread I never had an issue with Revolver in Stereo, in fact I still don't despite the discrepancies pointed out. It's what you get used to after all these years, please note I have not said I listen solely to The Beatles in Mono. I may be wrong with this but aren't 'modern' rock recordings a mixture of Mono & Stereo? Regarding The Beatles Anniversary remixes, I have enjoyed GM's Sgt Pepper & WA and I am looking forward to hearing AR in just over a month. I also think GM can do justice to future remixes of the rest of the catalogue. Some of you will disagree with this but as I stated at the start of this post these are my opinions.
Nothing wrong with either exhibit. I am basing my comments on the original 1966 stereo Parlophone LP, the original EMI SWINDON CD, the 2009 remaster CD, and the USB drive. Equipment as in my profile. I am not sure what you're basing your comments on.
Last night. Pepper in mono was a revelation to me. I still love my early 80s stereo albums. Was the first time I got to hear the Brit albums. Love my mono box (both cd and vinyl) just as much. I listen to my 2014 stereo CDs the least of all.
Whether the stereo-mix is good is a subjective assessment, but the paperwork makes it clear that The Beatles were more involved mixing the album in mono, and that they were unenthused with the way their albums sounded in stereo until they acquired more sophisticated recording equipment and mono records were being phased out by the industry. That is a fact.
There are a few things that stick out like sore bums on the mono version (for me). Mostly (for me) the electric guitar in "Here, There And Everywhere" It feels too loud and out of tune. In the stereo it's sort of buried and doesn't ruin everything. Must be my sensitive artists ears.
To those who say no to remixing: You are the Japanese soldier isolated on an island years after 1945, who hasn't heard the news: The. War. Is. Over. We are three deluxe-editions, and multiple miscellaneous releases going back years, into remixing the Beatles catalog. Millions enjoy the new mixes. Some of us probably wouldn't even be listening much, were it not for this. And despite the joy generated, it's taken nothing from you, except perhaps in your mind, where you're still on that island, fighting a war, thinking your records might be taken away, or resenting the pleasure others are taking in it, or thinking you should control the catalog, or how others hear it...
For most of the 60's, stereo playback systems were very expensive, as were the disks themselves. The masses listened in mono. As far as mono box sets... there certainly are albums I prefer in stereo. Sgt Pepper, Revolver, and MMT are not on that list. The mono sounds great, the mixes are better. That goes for most of past masters, too.
Today. Oh wait, and yesterday. Now that I think about it: every frigging week actually. When was the last time I listened to Please Please Me in stereo?... Jee that's a tough one. I honestly can't answer to that one. It's been years, certainly, but how many years, I can't honestly say.
Glad you're enjoying your mono sets. As you can guess, stereo here, from day one. Didn't mean to offend anyone!
Mono record players were relatively cheap in the early '60s, and the ones most likely to be found in a teenager's room. Stereo systems were considered audiophile, they were expensive, and not many houses had one. Besides, mono records as well were a bit cheaper than stereo records, until about 1967. So until around that year, mono was certainly the reference. After that year, the trend reversed.
I think that they were the same price in England. Had I known then what I know now I would have spent all my pocket money on several gold and black label Parlophone stereo Please Please Me LPs at 28s 6d each (well under £2 !!!!!!!).
As someone who lived through the '60s, I can state with absolute certainty that mono was the common currency back then. Until the very end of the decade, stereo didn't really come into it. Most people had mono record players. That's how it was. What is it with this revisionism?! Whether or not you choose to play a mono box set in the 21st century though is another issue entirely. Let's not confuse the two things.
I purchased the mono CD box just for the different mixes found on Sgt Pepper and the White Album. I was happy t'see it also had an alternate stereo mix of one of two of the albums - I'm not sure whether it's one or two 'cause I fit into the "thought so" group of listeners you mention. I also have the mono LP Box and if I ever update my stylus, I might get around to playing a track or two on that one. I haven't been in any hurry.
