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

Showing 1 response by bdp24

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.