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Early Beatles - do u prefer stereo or mono?

post #1 of 19
4/1/07 at 3:28am
Thread Starter 
Let's say you happen to have both the stereo and mono versions of any given Beatles album prior to the White Album ... which version do you prefer to listen to? I've read that the mono mix is the way to go for the first four albums at least, and I've even seen some suggestion that even up thru Sgt. Pepper's that the mono is the way to go.

The stereo versions are a little funky to listen to, with the vocals focused in the right channel and instruments in the left. But there's also a fuller sound in my head with the stereo version. Whether the mono's are a "better" mix or not I really can't say since the stereo version is so funky to listen to anyway and its hard to compare, but the mono versions are just kinda "there" - that fullness of sound isn't there, even if they might be better mixed. I realize though that the "fullness" I'm talking about may just be an aural illusion created by the distance between the vocals and music in the stereo versions.

Whuch do you prefer to listen to, stereo or mono?

(I'm making it easy for ya - copy/paste the list)

Please Please Me
With the Beatles
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles for Sale
Help
Rubber Soul
Revolver
Sgt Pepper's
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post #2 of 19
4/1/07 at 3:46am
Unfortunately, up to "Rubber Soul" the stereo mixes are basically un-listenable on headphones. They are only barely tolerable on speakers. It is not until the "White Album" that you can realize proper stereo and enjoy the music in a stereo presentation. This has kept me from collecting the early LP's which is a pity.


- augustwest
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post #3 of 19
4/1/07 at 4:47am
I prefer the Beatles mono recordings for headphones. The hard channel separation makes them awful on headphones. Not even cranking up the crossfeed helps much with them. They're better on speakers, but still, the mono versions are best with headphones.
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post #4 of 19
4/30/07 at 10:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Erik View Post
I prefer the Beatles mono recordings for headphones. The hard channel separation makes them awful on headphones. Not even cranking up the crossfeed helps much with them. They're better on speakers, but still, the mono versions are best with headphones.

I am second on this
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post #5 of 19
4/30/07 at 10:07pm
The early Beatles albums were mixed for mono presentation anyway, right? There was no true stereo on early Beatles releases - just "dual mono", I presume.

Regardless, I prefer the original mono releases greatly above all else. With the release of The White Album, stereo became quite tolerable, which is where my specificity ends.
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post #6 of 19
5/1/07 at 12:43am
I like the stereo releases. Although the speration can be annoying at times, I think it opens up the music, and it reminds me of times where sound engineers were so happy to be able to use two channels.
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post #7 of 19
5/1/07 at 11:16am
It's fun to hear them in stereo, but it resembles colorizing films to me. It's fun, but unnatural. These songs were engineered and arranged for mono presentation.

However, I'm glad we have access to both.
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post #8 of 19
5/2/07 at 9:21am
Mono for me please. The stereo mixes give me brain ache over headphones and aren't much better over speakers...
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post #9 of 19
5/2/07 at 10:41am
i will keep the stereo versions i have unless they go back and remaster
the whole catalog as a couple of rumors have it.
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post #10 of 19
5/2/07 at 12:14pm
Get the stereo mix and use a crossfeed filter.
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post #11 of 19
5/2/07 at 5:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mastercheif View Post
I like the stereo releases. Although the speration can be annoying at times, I think it opens up the music, and it reminds me of times where sound engineers were so happy to be able to use two channels.
Amen! I confess I'm one of the crazy one's enamored with the novelty added with the hard split: forces a greater isolation of the instruments and vocals. This allows me to better enjoy each nuance without having to "squint" to hear new characters I may not have picked up on before . . . never gives me a "brain ache."
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post #12 of 19
5/2/07 at 5:19pm
mono for me
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post #13 of 19
5/2/07 at 6:56pm
I like the stereo versions, while it is not natural, like it has been pointed out, it still sounds really good. I find them more interesting to listen to. However, I do listen to both equally.
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post #14 of 19
5/2/07 at 8:32pm
When they did the early recordings in stereo, stereo was brand-new and they were still getting their feet wet with it. Later albums had on the covers “360 degree Stereo” I forget when, but that is when they found that center speaker. Sgt. Pepper’s had good stereo which was done before the White Album.

TheOnlyOne
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post #15 of 19
5/6/07 at 11:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ironman64 View Post
Amen! I confess I'm one of the crazy one's enamored with the novelty added with the hard split: forces a greater isolation of the instruments and vocals. This allows me to better enjoy each nuance without having to "squint" to hear new characters I may not have picked up on before . . . never gives me a "brain ache."
Actually pure in-the-head stereo with no real soundstage means each of your headphone cups has less music (instruments) to reproduce and thus can perform it better.

However, some people's brains have problems understanding such stimuli and get headaches.
Left-handed ones and especially women can easily think using both of their hemispheres.

Try turning on the mono DSP on FooBar to see (hear) what I mean. It's a downgrade!
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