Was this Miles Davis Steamin LP a rare find?

11-01-15: Fjn04
That's too funny. Now I don't feel bad for not grabbing the Miles: Relaxin LP.
Thanks Rshak.

So... it was recorded in mono and
mono is its native mode. Yet you'll pass on some of the best jazz ever made
because it's not in stereo, even though it was recorded before stereo records
existed?

BTW, the Analogue Productions reissues of classic mono records are some
of the very best-sounding records in my collection, such as their version of
Nat King Cole's "After Midnight"

Life doesn't lose its meaning if you have a limited soundstage. Tonal
balance, dynamics, and a low noise floor are more important, and these are
the areas where the AP mono pressings (as well as the new Parlophone
Beatles mono LPs) really shine.

Oh, OK. My misunderstanding.

However, sometimes it's good to jump on something while you can. In Jan. 2011 I bought two new MoFi Sinatra releases--Sinatra at the Sands and Sinatra's Sinatra. I recently checked for them, and the original vendors were all out. I found used ones for about $540 and a NOS copy for $999.99 on Amazon. If you check the usual suspects--Soundstagedirect, Acoustic Sounds, Music Direct and Elusive Disc--none of them have either of those titles.

However, Acoustic Sounds still has the AP mono reissues of Relaxin', Cookin', and Steamin' in stock.

I wonder what size the production run of thos MoFi Sinatras was.

Well, I think you're in for a treat when you open Sgt. Pepper's. I was only familiar with the Capitol stereo version for many years. Then a few years ago I read Geoff Emerick's book (Here, There, and Everywhere) about his experiences in the control booth with The Beatles. He mentioned how they spent most of a work week doing the mono mixdown of Sgt. Pepper's, and the Beatles were present for that. The stereo mix was a toss-off, done in a few hours and with no Beatle involvement. The stereo version had always sounded thin and brittle to me.

Not so the mono version. It's warm and rich. There are even some content differences. For example, you'll hear a significant difference in the laugh track at the end of "Within You Without You."

11-03-15: Fjn04
Johnnyb53- Which Beach Boys Mono do you hav?"

My only BB monos right now are recent Capitol issues of Pet Sounds and Smile!, and although they may not match the AP's, I think they're pretty good on 180g vinyl and a nice rich tonal balance. The vocals are wonderful on both as well. When I got the mono cart, Smile! and Pet Sounds are two of the first mono LPs I played.

Brian Wilson has been deaf in one ear most of his life, so the story is that he always favored mono.

It's nice to see that the Beach Boys back-catalog has been getting the same sort of respect for the original intendted analog mixes that The Beatles' catalog finally got. I will have to pick up some more. These early BB albums transport me to my early adolescence when I was crazy for cars and our family (in Cincinnati) vacationed in SoCal annually.