EXPLAINED: Mono vs Stereo Records

I just played The Beatles “Yesterday and Today” album that is mono. I have a stereo cartridge and it sounds great even when I compare it to the stereo version. I know this would not hold true with most albums. 👍👍👍

I bought a record from the thrift store without knowing anything about vinyl. I just knew i liked the music so i have a mono record and two stereo records 😂

Ekhon tomar ekush bochor bodhoy » Arati Mukherjee

God damn it! So I have just bought a mono cartridge for no reason? Is that what you are telling me here?! I recently bought Pet Sounds, Revolver and Rubber Soul so I thought I would get a mono cartridge to compliment the mono recordings as I plan to buy more. But it sounds like my Ortofon red and blue would cope just fine. 🙄😆

I have both Magica Mystery Tour and Sgt. Pepper in mono and stereo. The mono version of Sgt. Pepper sounds completely different that the stereo version. I guess it was mixed differently. Some of the sounds are much clearer and distinct with mono. I also have the white album in both versions. I have noticed that with the white album, some of the arrangements are completely different too. I enjoy having both versions of these albums.

I have a mono Sgt Peppers, the original 1967 UK release. I think I see a lot of confusion online about mono versus stereo in terms of mix, like in the Beatles' albums, and how it is NOT just a question of the same information being crushed down to a single channel.

Led Zeppelin’s debut album came out in 1969 and it was stereo

The groves on mono records definitely go up and down! If they did not you could not represent both frequency and amplitude (volume). Stereo records capture both channels at a 90 degree offset allowing the capture of frequency and amplitude of both channels.

I ❤️ mono

Please advice on the Following...
I Was givien a Technics Sl 5 Turntable "Direct drive" and has a Cartridge TM 10 H......so can I Play a Stereo Lp ...or has to be a Mano Lp

A box with a mono/stereo switch on it also ensures mono sound on 78rpm shellac records (with much reduced crackling) and also on any other mono records.

This dispute is largely a result of an artificially created hype. If you listen to Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out in stereo US you won't want the mono versions anymore. Many Beatles albums sound better in stereo. And if you don't like wide panning, there's an equalizer for that.

Mono is great for when you are sharing earphones listening a song. You both hear the same thing without missing out on any instruments.

Another great alternative to having a TRUE MONO signal is to buy a vintage audio receiver and have it to set to MONO instead of Stereo

I don't inherently prefer mono. Sometimes 1960s stereo recordings implemented hard panning, which is often jarring to the modern listener. In that case mono is often the better choice as it centers the vocals.

Stereo is more entertaining. Mono can have more "umpf" and energy. This might come down to the mastering

Stereo is of course not threedimensional - it lacks the 2nd dimension (depth graduation - far/near/front/behind)) that you get from a surround system and the 3rd dimension (height, e. g. with Dolby Atmos). More than one dimension with 2 speakers is just a virtual impression that you get with very good recordings and sound systems.

Ive heard the mono Beatles records, they sound great. But at the same time LOVE how the Beatles mixed there stereo records. They are so dramatically mixed with hard pans left and right. Drums slammed to the right, guitars slammed to the left, vocals could be all over the place with backing vocals on the opposite side. It is pretty old fashioned way of mixing, but it feels more lively and fun to me.

I think you are missing is that mono records play every instrument from both speakers. So suppose you are listening to a John Coltrane Solo in mono you are getting it from both speakers rather than primarily from just one speaker. Hence richer fuller sound. Furthermore. a magical convergence can occur when your speakers and room is set up just right …. You get the center of sound emanating from a center “phantom” speaker where both speaker output converges…with a huge rich sound stage. That is the beauty of mono.

What about Mono cd's compared to their Stereo equivalent ?

Me with the complete stereo Beatles discography going into iTunes and making 320 kb rate mono version…. Hahahahah soo awesome

If it was recorded in mono then it was meant to be played back in mono; however, be wary of the so-called "fold down" reissues. If that's the case then stick with the original stereo versions.

If on a stereo record needle moving 4 directions and on mono only 2, doesn't it mean that you will hear sound only from 1 speaker?

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Do not have a dedicated mono cartridge but my amp is an old rotel with a MONO/STEREO switch. Have several Beatles and Dylan MONO pressings as well as The Kinks MONO box set.

I prefer whatever the artist intended

Stereo LP records came out in 1958, (Stereo tape a bit before that), Stereo FM Radio came out in 1961.Gor who knows what reason it took until 1984 for Stereo TV to come out. Since analog TV used AM for video but FM for sound there was no technical reason NOT to have Stereo TV in 1961 as the tech was RIGHT THERE. Oddly Color came out way back in 1954 and that was a MUCH tougher technical "nut to crack".

I have a few mono albums and I am not a big fan of it. Just collect them and played a few times and I was not impressed at all

There is so much wrong being presented here.

How can I tell if record is mini or stereo?

With the "new" Bluetooth portable speakers mono is back

If I had only one ear, I'm sure I would prefer their records in mono.

Most of the Kinks songs are in mono, always sounded great to me. Your ears are like your eyes, once you get past a certain threshold, the 3d-ness doesn't matter so much. You need to be at the front.

this was really helpful! If you are going to only have one record in mono BB King "The Thrill is Gone" is the one!

Song of the day: Sacrifices by Elton John

A lot of 45 rpm singles were produced for mono so when they were played on top 40 radio they would sound good on car radios... in the days before cars had surround sound systems.
I bought all the Beatles albums up through Revolver in mono (for $2.49 @), then Sgt. Pepper came out and though I have heard there was a mono mix, for some reason all the stores I went to only carried the Stereo version (for a dollar more...).

I have “The Rolling Stones, Now” vinyl in mono and I play it on my stereo turntable and I almost promise the average listener doesn’t hear a difference it sounds just fine

I just bought every Jimi Hendrix record without checking mono or stereo lol

No I dont like stereo. When you have a proper setting, its lot better. And take care of your understanding of stereo. It not because you have tow ears that a cello or a guitar is playing in stereo, no. each sound in emitted in the air as a mono signal. stereo as been created for movie purpose.

Great explanation. The shellac records have become my favorite in elder old af age :^)

Please Please Me / Early Beatles = Mono
With the Beatles / Meet the Beatles = Mono
Hard Days Night / Something New = Stereo
Beatles for Sales /Beatles 65 & Beatles VI = 2009 Stereo / 2006 Capital Stereo / 2014 Capital Stereo
Help! = Stereo
Rubber Soul = 2009 Mono or 2014 Capital US Mono
Revolver = Mono/Stereo
Sgt Pepper = 2009 Mono or 2017 Stereo
Magical Mystery Tour = 2009 Mono
Yellow Submarine = 1999/2012 Songtrack Stereo
White Album = 2018 Stereo
Abbey Road 2009 Stereo / 2019 Stereo
Let it Be = 2022 Stereo / Let it be..naked = 2003 Stereo (non-phil spector / no orchestra version, very dry and high quality)
Beatles 1 (2015 Stereo Mixes) (for songs missing above, especially hits/singles with updated 2015 Stereo mixes)
Past/Mono Masters Vol 2 (2009 Mono) for Inner Light and Old Brown Shoe not in Beatles 1 or other albums.

That's pretty much 99% of beatles songs, in my opinion best quality.

Today I learned that there are Karajan stereo recordings from 1944.

Mono for early Beatles is the best. Hard days night in particular sounds incredible.

Only the original MONO records, I mean the vintage pressings, are authentic because there are currently no monophonic cutting heads. All current reissues that come from a mono master are cut with the same machines where the stereo versions are made, so they are perfectly compatible with our stereo audio system and nothing needs to be changed.

I have a lot of mono, older LP’s and 45’s . They sound awesome! But one dimensional. Never knew about getting a mono cartridge because they sound good with my stereo cartridge. I am amazed at how good the quality was when recorded if listened to on quality earphones or speakers.

Mono mix of Paperback Writer is awesome really loud. Love that echo effect better than stereo version

it's a psuedo mono wannabe

Song of the day: Got To Get You Into My Life - The Beatles

What about playing a stereo record with a mono cartridge?

Side note: MONO is also the name of a Japanese instrumental band, and a medical disease...😐