Stereo. The way they were recorded, mono only gives a muddier presentation, unlike some of their contemporaries, where the mono is more 3D. Let's face it, one has to go with the lesser of the two evils.
I have several Kinks compilations but would really like to get the albums to listen as an original album by album experience I have only ever known Stereo but really like the look of The Kinks In Mono set, but I agree Kinks is better in Stereo (I am judging this on the Village Green deluxe set I have) 'what about the first 3 albums are they available in Stereo or like The Beatles Mono is that the only 'original' option so have to be heard that way ??
Dont know them that well and never compared but it seems like an easy choice if this is true. Stereo was kind of primitive back then though.
It depends on the album. There were 5 60s albums in stereo: The Kinks, Face to Face, Something Else, Village Green and Arthur. (Okay, 6 if you count Live at Kelvin Hall.) The Kinks has some weird panning and a horrible mono-with-echo You Really Got Me. Some of the tracks sound OK in stereo, but mono is the way to go with this one. Face to Face is an abomination in stereo. First of all, many of the tracks are in mono anyway. And except for 2 songs, the stereo ones have either only a very short intro in stereo, or some echo effects in different channels. Rainy Day in June is missing some lovely harmony vocals in stereo and Little Miss Queen of Darkness has the rhythm electric guitar mixed up way too loud, obscuring the much more interesting acoustic guitar accompaniment. The mono mix of Something Else may be a better mix but I find I prefer the stereo these days. Sounds warmer for one, even though some vocals are out of phase and End of the Season is mono. Likewise, with Village Green: the mono may be a superior mix but I am liking the stereo these days. Arthur in mono is almost as bad as Face to Face in stereo. Victoria's 2 guitars don't stand out and Shangri-la is distorted. I do like the title track in mono though. Live at Kelvin Hall. I've heard both mixes and would rather not hear either one again! So 3 in stereo although 2 are close and 2 in mono.
As always, it depends upon the album or song, and the techniques used when recording/mixing the music. It's silly -especially on an audiophile led forum - to deal with absolutes when it comes to the choice of mono or stereo.
If you are talking about American Reprise releases before, say 1965 or 1966, then mono. There seems to be something wrong with the early Kinks stereo U.S.A. Reprise discs. There are people here who know more about this then I do, but this seems to be the case.
yes I know but is this forum really audiophile these days ? Because I have never heard The Kinks albums how originally intended only on hits collections etc I want to make sure I hear the best version either Mono or Stereo and find some deep cuts I can then afterwards look into all the differences and which is best etc, but I don't want to be put off with the first listens
Nope the USA versions mean nothing to me I am British and want the albums as 'The Kinks' intended them to be !!
This is pretty fair. The mono mixes are usually better balance wise but not always SQ wise. On Arthur.. the title track is the one case where mono is bettter.
Well, fake stereo was used used on a number of them as between the first UK album and Face to Face there were only mono mixes. You're right that you recognize there is something wrong with the early Reprise stereo albums.
my poll is naff then so I and others should disregard it, it needs to be a vote between which is the best version for each individual Album, unfortunately I do not have enough knowledge about the history of The Kinks record releases to have realised this !!
Well, getting everything up to Village Green in mono (or that one and/or Something Else in stereo) and getting Arthur in stereo is a safe bet. Hard to go wrong there.
Village Green is a toss up. I can't listen to Phenomenal Cat in stereo after having heard the mono. Edit: The singles from that period are WAY better in mono. Wonderboy, Berkeley Mews, even Days, all more coherent.
