2 Wonderful Stereo LP's RESCUED by: MONO MODE and BALANCE


to be sure, I played these with both of my MC cartridges, alignments all refined that morning. Identical imaging results. Everything else I'm familiar with that I played just before these sounded wonderful

1st STEREO rescued by MONO MODE

we have a wonderful live performance by the Bill Evans Trio at the Village Vanguard, 6-25-1961

https://www.discogs.com/Bill-Evans-Trio-Featuring-Scott-La-Faro-Sunday-At-The-Village-Vanguard/relea...

Stereo Imaging very strange: Bass Hard Left; Drums left, just inside of the Bass, nothing in the middle, Piano Hard Right. It seemed like a big wide stage, players at opposite ends (impossible at the Village Vanguard). And the respectful audience’s few noises very indistinct.

McIntosh Mode Control to the Rescue: Moved to MONO MODE position (still receiving the stereo info from the stereo cartridge, the hard left sent to both speakers, the hard right sent to both speakers).

What a wonderful performance, like a great mono recording, everything ’together’, distinct, and the few audience sounds became real, added to the awareness it was a live performance.

A terrific musical experience.
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2nd: Remote BALANCE to the rescue.

another superb album, duets by Lee Konitz and Red Mitchell

https://www.discogs.com/Lee-Konitz-Red-Mitchell-I-Concentrate-On-You-A-Tribute-To-Cole-Porter/releas...

Balance was: Sax just a bit right of center; Bass mid left, not hard left, but a definite asymetrical presentation, they didn’t seem to be playing together.

REMOTE BALANCE, a few clicks to the right, bingo they performed together. An example of a lot being gained by a small balance refinement.

Oh they are great together!
elliottbnewcombjr
Just thinking: to confirm the imaging: My friend had two of the Bill Evans Riversides, he gave me this one. I'll ask him to bring his copy here, and I can play mine on his system as well.
Stereo albums with hard pans are not a good thing. Almost never done today. 
I am sure most people know this but a lot of those early stereo LPs with what Russ calls a hard pan are derived from mono tapings. I don’t know exactly how they did it, but the result is often an empty space between the two channels. Also, I suppose that since Stereo was a novelty, there was an attempt to exaggerate channel separation for the novel effect compared to mono . Even when stereo recordings were first made.
"...Also, I suppose that since Stereo was a novelty, there was an attempt to exaggerate channel separation for the novel effect..."

Exactly this.