2. music
  3. 131510-3833

Mono recordings

What's the attraction of mono recordings? I have a couple CDs (Pet Sounds  and Cream e.g.) that contain both stereo and mono tracks and a couple mono lps (using a stereo cartridge). I always prefer the stereo cut. What am I missing?
rockyboy
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,927 posts
 

There are a couple of other reasons for stereo/mono differences.

1- Brian Wilson mixed The Beach Boys albums to mono because A- he is deaf in one ear, and B- he loved Phil Spector’s music, which was always produced in mono only.

2- Before the late 1960’s, when Rock ’n’ Roll finally became considered adult music, records were mixed to sound good on radios and jukeboxes. Many hours were spent on the mono mix, the stereo mix often left to an assistant engineer to do in a quicky session. Stereo LP’s were pressed only so the record companies could charge a dollar more per disc. When I started buying LP’s, the mono versions sold for $2.99, the stereo $3.99.

rockyboy OP
335 posts
 
Appreciate all the comments. Very interesting. Out of state right now, but when I return home I will give another listen to my mono material. 
kennythekey
593 posts
 
One of the main things that I aspire to in this hobby, besides loving the music, is to attempt to reproduce it as it was recorded. IMO, that's the best we can do regardless of the format, or the care or knowledge of the engineers. It is what it is. So, if you love the music and it's only in mono, what's our job? Sure, you can stay away from mono recordings, but you may be missing out.

As mentioned above, much music is only recorded in mono, and a couple of years ago I wound up with my accountant's vinyl collection, mostly mono. I'm getting close to finishing off my final system except for tweaking, because I'm getting up there in age and it's time to unwind.

My plans are to cap off my system by adding a second arm with a mono cartridge. When I upgrade my phono stage, I'll also be adding a true mono circuit. I'm doing this, because it's important to me.
Kenny
rockyboy OP
335 posts
 
Very nice.
Your upgrade path, 2nd arm and mono cartridge and a phono stage with a mono circuit, really gets to the root of my original question. After the upgrade, how will the SQ or listening experience compare  to playing one of your mono lps on my VPI Classic 3/Soundsmith Zephyr MkII?  Wish I could hear a mono lp on your system both before and after the upgrade. Enjoy the music!
shadorne's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
shadorne
7,477 posts
 
If the original is mono then it is what the artist and producer made at that time. You are hearing the music as others first heard it 50 years ago. For example, a lot of Beatles was only Mono until they went back and remixed several years after.

Like a neutral audio setup vs a euphonic one - some are not interested in accuracy or originality of the recording but others want to hear the music as faithfully as it appeared on the first recording issued.
More to discover