The Beatles in Mono Discussion

[@billvado79]

When I got this box set it was like hearing the Beatles for the first time. I love the mono mixes.

[@paulayers1111]

I always appreciate your Beatle discussions John. If you don’t mind me saying, your voice is quite calming.

[@franklincoolport27]

My friends father who worked for British intelligence in the 1960s was a massive Beatles fan and when he passed away i came into possession of his Beatles vinyl many of which are in mono. As i vinyl collector myself i have bought the reissues which are great, but the originals still hold up amazingly well sound wise and i am also delighted to have all original artwork and extras from Pepper, Mystery tour etc.

[@Ad.Dd.James.]

I was looking through my Mono CD boxset just last night that I bought 11 years ago. It’s a real treasure and I remember being asked at the shop I purchased it if I wanted the black digital stereo boxset or the mono? I answered stereo but then quickly changed my mind and said ‘Mono’ This turned out much to the dismay of a couple standing behind me as it was the last copy in the store on the 9/9/09. 😁

[@jonparsons363]

I don’t agree with everything you said John, but massive respect for offering an informed opinion - thanks.

[@applescruff1969]

Sgt. Pepper in mono is the only way to hear it, as far as I'm concerned.

[@plonker3668]

I’ve become quite addicted to watching these , you cover very interesting topics , thanks and keep it up:)

[@demonsbutterfly]

Giles Martin did a Fantastic job remixing the 3 albums thus far The Clarity is immense You can now hear everything and not murky bass and drums

[@toonhkuitjes6382]

I think he made the bass too prominent. One of the things that made the Beatles as great as they were was Paul’s melodic bass lines. It’s shoved in your face in the remixes rather than tastefully in the background. I do like the remixes but that is one of my gripes.

[@demonsbutterfly]

Toon H Kuitjes Bass was always up front on the Beatles Recordings. Paul always recorded his part last to enhance melodic ideas.

[@normanbourassa9921]

I just keep hoping he will Remix Revolver. The stereo mix of that album has always sounded rushed, and even sloppy in some spots. The 2015 remixes of Eleanor Rigby and Yellow Submarine fixed the most obvious mistakes on the original stereo mixes, but I'd love to hear the entire album remixed. The mono mix of Revolver has always been excellent.

[@demonsbutterfly]

Norman Bourassa yes Revolver will sound great if Giles is given the project

[@Simbetam]

@@normanbourassa9921 wish theyd remix them all. Wed probably get revolver for 60th anniversary. sgt peppers started the whole collectors edition box set fad. so i think theyd only wait for important milestones to release albums to maximise profits

[@Wayner71]

A very interesting topic. It's great to hear your opinion on this. Cheers.

[@JazzRonin45]

This is definitely one of the best, if not the best, review on The Beatles in Mono Boxset. As a pre-teen in the late 1980s I only listened to hand me down cassette tapes of the albums Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, Beatles for Sale, Help!, Please, Please Me, A Hard Days Night and Rubber Soul. When The Beatles Anthology was released in 1995, I listened to it and made me start to update my Beatles Catalog. I got the CD and Cassette Tapes based on the 1988 remasters by George Martin. They first sounded a bit different as I was used to the older early 1980s cassette versions. Same thing when I started updating to the 2009 Stereo. It felt weird listening to it specially on headphones. Then I got used to it. Last year I got the Mono Box Set and again it felt very different listening this version, specially the whole album Help, Sgt. Pepper and the White Album. Then there are the Giles Martin remixes that modernize the Beatles music.

[@VagueRANT100]

I bought Sgt.Pepper mono first press back in 1967. My nephew bought the 2009 mono CD Box upon release and was suitably impressed (as am I) with the sound.I treated him to a listen of my original vinyl recently and his eyes were popping out of his head as drool dribbled from slack jawed grin.....he seemed impressed.It was great to hear him comment on how powerful the mono sounds and how immersive an experience it was for him!

[@utub1473]

Gotta have the mono versions on vinyl, the full set! It's worth it believe me. Magical Mystery Tour especially stands out to me as MUCH better in mono.

[@xtstevie]

Another Fab video John & i have to say i love the Mono Mix of The Beatles (White Album) even though Helter Skelter is edited by a minute missing Ringo's famous shout at the end!! The Mono Mix of Macca's Ram is awesome as well.....

[@henryhemming1494]

Great review John. I listened to it in both mono and stereo and both seemed to have their advantages. Hope I got the instructions right.

[@allancorfield8164]

wish i still had my mono White album

[@tdunph4250]

I am a either way type of guy when it comes to Mono vs Stereo for the Beatles. I just love the music. BUT, I will say one thing. After having been raised on Sgt Peppers stereo for my whole life (in Canada) and then, 2009, being exposed to the album in Mono, it just blew my mind and I felt that I had wasted all this time never having been exposed to Sgt Pepper on Mono. To me, it's no comparison for that particular album. The rest of the discography, it doesn't matter quite as much. Different songs have little differences which is fun to point out and talk about but in terms of the bigger picture, it doesn't matter too much. It's common knowledge that The Beatles preferred Mono.

[@theemraldwolf5874]

It doesn't matter much to me (pun intended)

[@ThePajdzik]

Love both versions and LOVE the beer can on the window sill :)

[@olympian3]

I have the mono revolver vinyl rerelease and I treasure it. The Beatles were present during the mono mixing sessions and weren’t for the stereo. (Up until maybe abbey road?) also the stereo mixes weren’t really made with stereo headphones in mind during the sixties and they just don’t come out so well in that regard

[@jnagarya519]

Stereo was a novelty during most of the earlier 1960s. Stereo didn't begin to take over the market until 1966-ish.

[@gumbycat5226]

The Beatles didn't have any role in mixing and finalizing their first few albums and singles. It was all done by the engineers. They didn't even know that the first LP would not include 'Hold Me Tight'; George Martin's superimposition of piano on tracks of the second LP (especially 'Money') was done without the Beatles, and the stereo is much more heavy-handed in this regard (he worked on it for at least three sessions after finalizing the mono). The Beatles weren't involved in the running sequence either, had no choice about which songs would make it into their first 2 movies (apart from the title song), etc. As they grew in confidence they started taking over these functions. So therefore, for the first few albums, it all comes down to personal preference since the Beatles weren't involved. Mine is for mono, going with George Martin's insistence on not releasing the stereo in 1987. One of the reasons to prefer the mono versions of 'Revolver' and 'Sgt. Pepper' is that by this time the Beatles were starting to take control. These albums include some particularly challenging songs that were impossible to replicate exactly in both mixes, and the mono gives you the opportunity to hear them the way the Beatles did. All those tape loops and backward recordings - our personal preference will always be subjective but if we want to understand these historic recordings in their historic context, there is no debate: mono wins up to (but excluding) the Double White. The same applies to the singles up to and including 'Hey Jude' (which didn't even get a stereo mix for its first 2 years - incidentally I actually prefer the stereo mix for the way the final seconds work- the beautiful bass line).

[@nidumite]

All my early Beatles albums up to Abbey Road are mono including the Magical Mystery Tour double EP, lyrics included. All played on a Dansette and then a Bush portable record player; all still playable on my modern record deck.

[@sonnys84]

Great review, I'm going to see if the mono versions are available on amazon music app, as I've only listened to the stereo, versions

[@randyventresca4152]

Great stuff! Thanks :)

[@mojojojojuniper6122]

New sub I just watched your top 20 albums and left a comment your great and love and knowledge of music is heartwarming

[@gswithen]

I'm also a fan of both versions. I remember buying the first 4 cds in 1987 and wondering why they were in mono. When I obtained the boot Backtrack which had crystal clear stereo takes of early songs like I Saw Her Standing There I was blown away by the sound quality and that they were in stereo. Nowadays I will switch back and forth listening to mono then stereo. I also have many boots with other variations like the Dr. Ebbetts discs. I have so many copies of every record it's ridiculous. I've got reel to reel! Every possible compilation. It's never boring listening to a Beatles album.

[@connorrandles8709]

Great video!!!

[@tonygatos1]

Interesting video on the Beatles. Thanks for posting!

[@bearmanz]

I enjoyed your presentation. Well done.

[@andygaines9686]

One of the best Beatles purchases I made. I too really regret not getting the vinyl version at the time,

[@jankobylecki6366]

Do you like Staropramen? It's a very good choice. I'd like either.

[@gerardjoseph17]

John....like yourself I like them both, your point about the singles and the rockers standing out on Mono is so true...the Mono masters of paperback writer, day tripper. etc...very powerful especially Rain. On the other hand The Beatles original US Capitol releases are head over heels compared to the British counterparts. I wish there would be still the opportunity to purchase the original US albums without getting hijacked on eBay or Amazon....would love it if the EP singles and releases were still available as well. My Let it Be album had the red apple 🍎 and the United Artist logo ...gatefold sleeve. Love it!

[@beatmet2355]

The best part about the CD mono box is its compactness, but the stereo has ALL of their albums. Both formats have their advantages/disadvantages. The best part about stereo is you can hear more of the songs’ individual elements that mono sometimes obscures. You mentioned Help! in mono, but I sounds cluttered and a little muddy in that format,IMO, but stereo isn’t much better, clarity wise. Only hearing the 1987 CDs for years, I prefer stereo for most of them because that’s what I’m used to, but I prefer Hard Day’s Night in mono for the same reason. I didn’t get the mono lp box, just the individual ones. Unfortunately, I bought about half before they became expensive.

[@davidgena2667]

I agree with the mono = punchier equation, John. Growing up I had always had the stereo version of the "White Album" so when I first heard the mono version, I was shocked not to hear Ringo's "I've got blisters on my fingers" screamed at me at the end of "Helter Skelter." For that reason alone I've always gravitated to the stereo mix. But I was really disappointed how Giles Martin muted the ending on his anniversary stereo remix of the album. That was a bummer for me. Anyway, always interesting to listen to your videos, no matter the topic.

[@alfching2499]

I can’t stand Giles martins meddling in the Beatles recordings,get back in your backyard and find some other toys to wreck

[@jnagarya519]

"The Beatles" (aka "White Album") was only released in stereo in the US. Mono is typically not only punchier but also less cluttered.

[@arnesaknussemm2427]

Me and my pals used to bunk off school and go to my house where we listened to Stairway to heaven on my parents Ferguson stereo record player. I remember we heard the opening guitar coming out one speaker and the flutes( mellotron) coming out the other speaker and we thought woah!!!!

[@MrH77]

Noticed the beer can at 1:45

[@TheRagBag]

Me 0.02

[@Zholobov1]

Stereo "Beatles For Sale" beats the mono version hands down.

[@user-ez05ob0WqQ]

yes, Hard Day's Night, Beatles for Sale, Help!(original 65 stereo, not 87) are decent sounding mixes, not for Rubber Soul/Revolver though

[@applescruff1969]

Well, the remixed versions found on the 2009 CD's definitely do.

[@Zholobov1]

@@applescruff1969 they're not remixed, they're remastered

[@Zholobov1]

@@applescruff1969 and then - in 2009 - remastered

[@applescruff1969]

The most interesting thing I've noticed is that the mono mixes kept a lot of mistakes in the final mix. Best example is Norwegian Wood (at 38 seconds, you can hear someone cough. It's removed in the stereo version).

[@andrewnbrown]

I think it makes a difference if you are listening on headphones. The extreme stereo separation on some recordings make them sound a bit ridiculous imho

[@chrismcgovern1647]

7:05 Not true John, the stereo version is the original speed, the unedited version on the sessions disc on the box set is in this speed

[@johnheaton5667]

Sorry Chris…my mistake…thanks for pointing this out

[@JJDoggett]

I got the mono cd set a few years ago and remember doing so much research (and poring over many of the entrenched opinions you speak of!) before choosing it over the stereo. Ultimately what swayed me was that the mono was the mix the band were involved in and how they wanted their music to sound and stereo was an afterthought for most of their career, not that the engineers didn't do a good job. As you say John for the hardcore fan you need both and to compare and contrast is interesting. It's a shame they took the mono set off Spotify leaving stereo as the only option. I listen more to the early albums on there and the hard panning on the first 2 especially can grate after a while. The mono CD set itself is lovely with the mini lp replicas, it's one of the most cherished things I own! Would recommend to any fabs fan. I recently got a record player and would love to own the mono vinyl set but it is so expensive now, got all the stereo versions for much cheaper instead. Can't see there being much appetite to cut from the master tapes again to make a similar AAA release though I'd take the digital monos pressed to vinyl as the next best thing.

[@GregCameron2008]

There are some really interesting differences between the mono and stereo versions. Listen to "I'm happy just to dance with you" Ringo's drums sound sooooo good and different in mono.

[@jnagarya519]

@MiamiBeach xxx MONO. AS INTENDED.

[@Beatgeneration2010]

Hi John, excellent review. I was curious to know of your opinion of the remixing of HELP! where George Martin added echo to the likes of Dizzy Miss Lizzy? I read an interview by someone from "Beatle fan Magazine (US) where he was questioned about the afore mentioned track and he denied he added echo? There were a couple more instances pointed out that he didn't seem aware of. Just wondering if you had heard anything? Tks. Ken

[@Gardosunron]

My vote will go for stereo. I like the wider soundscape and to me the instruments are more dynamic. That said my copy of Rubber Soul is in mono and I listen to it all the time and don't find myself going where's the stereo? Incidentally according to Lewisohn, Lennon and McCartney supervised the stereo mixing of the White Album.

[@Wheatsolo]

It takes time to get used to mono. What helped me is Pet Sounds. Took about five years to finally hear how mono was the better sound. John and Paul became more and more involved in stereo mixing as a way to sell two albums to every fan. You can notice this change starting on Help! By looking at track by track differences from mono to stereo. Some adiophiles prefer a select few stereo mixes before Abbey Road. There's a lot of interesting discussion on Beatles forums about this and other 60s bands.

[@rafaelsantosx]

@@patriot1151 I have the Pet Sounds* 40 years anniversary edition, featuring both original mono and stereo versions, a high-res PCM stereo and even a 5.1 surround version (I believe it was remastered by Sir. george Martin, or he helped it).

[@rafaelsantosx]

@@Wheatsolo I was about to mention Pet Sounds too. It really sounds well on mono.

[@Wheatsolo]

@@patriot1151 You should go to Beach Boys forums for this one. I've seen a lot of fans debating over which are the best stereo/mono remasters or remixs. Most CD's were stereo releases. Basically everything from the 60's was released in stereo starting in the 70s. The reason the 60s stuck with mono was partly to do with most fans only have access to mono record players. And, early affordable stereo record players had two speakers positioned on the unit as to make stereo almost pointless.

[@Wheatsolo]

@@rafaelsantosx I've read some fans prefer the 40 over the 50. There's another one too I can't remember the name.

[@knightvisioniixv]

Great topic. I have The Beatles in Mono boxed set on CD. In general, I prefer the mono mixes. The first 7, unequivocally. On Sgt. Pepper's, there are a few songs that I do like better in stereo (She's Leaving Home sounds even more poignant with the slower speed), but, overall, I still prefer the mono mix. Magical Mystery Tour, I give the slight edge to stereo. The White Album, I prefer the stereo version, and for the reasons mentioned in the video. The differences found, whether it be details in the mixes, or even in song length, are quite substantial. Excepting the mono boxed set, I never bought any of the other remasters. My stereo versions of the later Beatles albums are all the late-'80s versions.

[@knightvisioniixv]

@@patriot1151 I think by the tail end of the '60s, most artists began to move away from mono. Abbey Road and Let It Be weren't originally mixed in mono, as far as I know, but there were 'fold down' versions (if memory serves me correct, that's what they were called), but those were inauthentic. Not sure about Yellow Submarine, but the mono versions of the four 'new' songs can be found on the 2 disc mono masters, as part of the Beatles in Mono boxed set. I believe it was the first time those four songs were released in their mono versions. Also, for a short time, I think the 2CD Mono Masters was sold separately, but it's either out-of-print, and/or sold at exorbitant prices. It is available on vinyl, though.

[@jnagarya519]

If I recall I still have my first-release US "Sgt. Pepper's" in mono.

[@patricksmith4424]

The Mono/Stereo thing with the beatles is a huge discussion point. The problem was that in the 60s, they were between tech, early sixties was 4 track mono only and then by Abbey Road Stereo multitrackers were coming into play. I always thought the early stereo mixes were weird, vocals out of one channel guitars out of the other. Apparently the beatles had nothing to do with the stereo mix, everything was mono. The Stereo mixes were done later has a rush job to appeal to the comparitavly few stereo players about at the time. George Martin later said why the stereo was mixed like that. In the 60s radiogrammes were the stereo players of the time. These were huge all in one pieces of furniture, so the two speakers were fairly close together. Martin said to make people think they had got their moneys worth for stereo, everything was panned right and left to bring out the stereo effect.

[@delwood3111]

Having only known the stereo mixes, I recently bought the Beatles In Mono box set (CD) you show in video. I found it a revelation (once I grew accustomed to the mono experience). Rubber Soul in particular. The stereo AHDN, Beatles For Sale and Help, while not as good as the mono, are still decent mixes. Rubber Soul however seems to revert back to extreme hard panning. If listening on headphones it's off putting (especially once you hear it in mono). And I absolutely love Yesteday in mono. Very intimate sound.

[@jnagarya519]

It isn't "panning," because that isn't INTENDED. It is pre-mixed MONO. It isn't rocket science: that's how recording was done when MONO DOMINATED THE MARKET. All the insruments were on one track, and all the vocals were on the other track -- with a hole in the middle. When they were MIXED to mono, AS INTENDED, the hole in the middle was eliminated. Damn that the ahistorical stupidity persists.

[@delwood3111]

J Nagarya it IS hard panning in the modern sense. 60’s home stereo speaker units were very close together and so to show the stereo effect ,early mixes were panned to the extreme . Added to this was the fact that Please Me and With The Beatles were only recorded on to 2 tracks for mono , with the resulting stereo mixes done quickly as afterthought . By A Hard Days Night/Beatles For Sale and Help, they were now done on to 4 tracks , meaning that slightly more space was available to enable vocals to better centred . Which they were. Yet with Rubber Soul, for whatever reason , vocals were again panned to extreme left/right . The Beatles themselves had little to no interest in the stereo mixes until Pepper/White Album at earliest.

[@toonhkuitjes6382]

I have most Beatles albums on (original) mono and stereo vinyl. The song Help! sounds so much better in mono. And Sgt Pepper on mono is also to be more lively and sounds more intimate.

[@frankjuster8726]

for a very different sound experience try to find " the beatles' second album " on vinyl ( us capitol ) , never heard it in mono but the stereo mix is loaded with echo thrughout and " she loves you " & " i'll get you " are electronically reprocessed . also the us versions of the " i feel fine " and the b - side "she's a woman " are also chockablock with echo , unavailable on any cd since all beatle cd's are from the original british masters .the beatles themselves were so disgusted with capitol for this that the group retaliated by handing in a photo of the band dressed as butchers on the capitol compilation " yesterday...and today " . i believe the reason for the echo on the stereo second album was to fill the hole that was left in the middle by the hard panning of the vocals on one side and the backing track on the other .

[@Stewart-ll3lu]

Thank you John, I do enjoy your videos. For me the Mono version of Sgt Pepper is the real album. It is a marked difference on virtually every track. I grew up with Stereo and didn’t rate Sgt Pepper that highly until I heard it in Mono. In the Stereo that was around in the 80’s Paul’s vocal is tragically buried on the title track and off to one side. There is no impact when he starts singing compared to the experience in Mono. Also the silence gaps between the tracks were there on that Stereo mix - there was never supposed to be any on the original Mono mix and it works much better without them. Lucy has an effect on John’s vocal in Mono that isn’t there in Stereo and all the worse for it. The list goes on...Sgt Pepper is a truly great album in Mono, but may be seen as overrated in Stereo. Upon reflection, how bizarre that two different generations can grow up with totally different listening experiences for such an important milestone album (the Sixties generation mainly received it in Mono while children of the 80’s got the inferior Stereo and were stuck with that for decades).

[@jnagarya519]

When released all of "Sgt. Papper's" (as happened also with many of their prior LPs), EVERYTHING on it was played on the radio. RADIO-play was the goal, which was MARKETING, and it was all MONO.

[@Scoundrel12131965]

In general I agree with your assessment regarding the mono vs. stereo debate. I've resisted buying the latest anniversary remaster box sets (though I did buy the 2cd version of 2017 Pepper remaster). The 2018 White Album outtakes (quite a few of them) are available on KZbin, and quite nice though likely not the same listening experience. I am truly interested in what will happen with the 2020 anniversary of Let It Be remaster. I think we're getting much closer to that release.

[@graniterhythm53]

We need to look at the difference between remasters & remixes - the latter looks at the individual tracks to rebalance them in the overall sound. When we listen to live music it is not in mono - closer to stereo or even surround sound, that's interesting!

[@nervo6321]

For people of a certain vintage Mono will always have a certain charm...especially the Beatles as it was how they first heard them...

[@brtherjohn]

I believe Geoff Emerick always preferred the mono versions - especially Sgt. Pepper. All in all, the White Album in mono is a total revelation. Different takes and mixing.

[@fruitfly0]

Even on the Let It Be Deluxe there are quite a few on mono. I bought those at iTunes.

[@ingridfong-daley5899]

People who fixate into 'camps' of straight mono or stereo are only robbing themselves of ENDLESS HOURS of additional discovery, but maybe that's just where their interest level/enjoyment ends, so i shouldn't be the snob i can sometimes be about it but flexibility is what it gave me as a young listener. I was that kid who would unplug a speaker at a time to isolate parts to hear my LPs (inherited monos from my parents) better, then get say a cassette version of the same album which would then be a stereo mix, so other elements were pulled forward and i could more clearly hear things that i 'always knew' were there but that felt buried before. For every new mix/master, i line up and spend--which i used to give myself hell for because i'm such an americanised consumerised pop-culture 80s kid. But the Beatles were both so forward thinking but also remarkably slapdash in their executions sometimes, that every time you peel back a layer in their recordings, what you find are all these little gloriously 'human' nuggets of humour, goofs, experiments... it ends up feeling like a bottomless treasure trove. Maybe it's just my consumerism partially, but if it gets me to listen more closely to great music, i call that a win ;) Thanks for this upload. Made me think--and now i'mma go check those Rubber Soul differences you mentioned :)

[@kennethkendrick4795]

I have three Beatles albums in mono on Capitol records. I wonder if they're worth much?

[@crayonbugz9425]

i was wondering why shes leaving home sounded high pitched vs when i would stream it on spotify

[@Chickenmushroompie]

Very interesting stuff, John. Where did you get the idea of martians listening to Beatles albums?☺ Sounds like a short story...

[@llewellynGS1]

Hi John nice video. A couple of thoughts: She's leaving home is a song I never cared for until I heard the re-mix at the recorded speed; its definitely better faster. Also, I once heard John commenting that "Revolution" was rubbish in stereo, losing all its heaviness - I tend to agree - at least its almost unlistenable in headphones. I have never heard the mono of it, do you happen to have it or know where to find it?

[@daniellysohirka5079]

mono masters mono, look it up on youtube here

[@martinseitune3787]

aguante los beatles!!! 🇦🇷

[@claudec2588]

I'm with you on everything except I think the Abby Road Box Set Remaster was worth the money for the extra discs. By the end of the third disc I was in tears for what was and will never be again. I'm a child of the 60's and Mono is how I heard every album except for Abby Road and Let It Be.

[@OperationPhantom]

Lennon said that mono is the way to go with Pepper? That's interesting in that it kind of shows he DID care about the album. Then again, it is true that mono was pretty much the standard until 1968 and stereo was probably seen as something fancy, for people who spend too much cash on audio gear. :) Whereas nowadays, you may well have to spend a pretty penny on mono stuff, as it's more rare. BTW at 7:16 when you talk about the edit into Sgt. Pepper reprise, there's a bird squeak in the background. Uncanny.

[@fittobetiedyed5315]

Thanks for the mention, John. The 2019 redo of Abbey Road was indeed a disappointment for me. The may have changed some things but I don't hear any "improvement". The original mix is still my goto. When it comes to The Beatles much of this remixing/remastering is about marketing. One consistency I see comes with boosting the lower end. That has more to do with targeting a new generation than anything else.

[@mojojojojuniper6122]

Yeh I wasnt keen George's crunchy melodic tones are missing in parts

[@neilsteadman8380]

Yes..they cut out Johns scream in I want you in the2019 box set edition. Unforgivable.

[@fwnfaa]

I got the original 1st cd pressing box , its magnifique.

[@fwnfaa]

@MiamiBeach xxx i dont know, but its good sound beatiful created with original vinyl replica, i know there been some problems with later isues not having the correct covers or wrong cd labels bootleg look a like, so i am happy ive got the 1st pressing think its very expensive know

[@gumbycat5226]

I stopped playing my stereo when I got the mono, except for the Double White. Regarding the Giles Martin remasters, the Pepper is an attempt to do a stereo version of the mono - ok but no big deal. I think the Double White is a real step up compared to everything before it, but I detest what he did for Abbey Road (Come Together is one of my favourite Beatles tracks and he deletes John's famous groan on the 7th iteration of the coda - you can't do that!).

[@jnagarya519]

I grew up during the 1950s. With mono. Same during the 1960s -- as George Martin wrote ("All You Need is Ears"), mono dominated the market; and the mixes were for mono radio. "Two tracks" only meant that all the music was on one track, all the vocals on the other, with a hole in the middle -- that was pre-mixed MONO. Much of the earliest "stereo" in the 1960s were actually "rechanneled" mono. Martin also wrote that the first deliberate stereo was "Help!" It isn't about "fans" of either mono or stereo. It is about original intention. You say the "Help!" LP has more punch in mono? Again, not surprising, as Martin wrote that it was the first actual stereo. Mono as you noted usually has more punch. It is uncluttered. As for vinyl: it is a waste of money: it wears out in short order. "Sgt. Pepper's": That was mono as "The Beatles" original intent.

[@Kim-iw3eg]

What are your feelings about the American box set VS the capital remixes

[@francisanosissi1]

i folded the stereo into mono and boosted the bass..sorted.80's box set mainly...no podcasts either..😀

[@frankjuster8726]

@ francisanosissi i also folded the stereo into mono but it's just not the same as a true mono mix .

[@francisanosissi1]

@@frankjuster8726 when my heads down and rockin..i just don't mind..

[@BadChizzle]

Show off! I’m kidding, of course...😂🤣✨ I enjoy both. If you’re out back cutting bushes mono is better. No way you can always be correctly between the speakers. Headphones... ok yes, but one may not always want headphones on. Nuff said about that... You have some very nice albums! I... at one time had all the albums, which were stolen, sadly. Still hurts! The pain The pain!!! But I digress. Again... I like both, but the first album in mono is awesome... and in itself an argument that could help you win a large part of the argument. Yes... remasters are to sell it again to us as new. The only one I have fallen for so far is Let It Be without the embellishment add on stuff. That was well worth the cost of admission! May I say, on another note, that just the conversation takes me to a much better place than we have been living in these day, as it all reminds me of when the overall vibe almost everywhere in the UK and US was better and more upbeat. Sure there were negative things going on, but we had The Beatles... Mono or stereo... It’s The Beatles for me! Now and then!! BEATLES ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Thank you for the video...

[@Klinkerklunk]

I like the punch the mono gives in Happiness is a Warm Gun. If you don't expect it at the mother superior part, it can come across as abrupt and aggressive. I was disappointed the '18 remix wasn't of the same edge.

[@Chris-gp5yq]

I think Macca is yelling 'you were great and you were great!' or something like that at the end of Sgt Pepper reprise. He repeats these lines when he plays the song live these days, and he points to people in the audience.

[@arob13]

'Here comes the sun' is the only Abbey Road track where the vocals only come from one side.

[@johnheaton5667]

maybe on the later stereo pressings you’re right but the original? i’ll check it out!

[@shadshowadradna]

I don't think it's really a question of mono versus stereo per se; it's more about the mixes, which could have been the same, but weren't. The mono mix of Tomorrow Never Knows, for example, is just much, much better than the stereo mix. It seems odd today that they didn't focus on the stereo mixes and just do folddowns for the mono versions. But the fact that they didn't do that - and the fact that the mixes are so different - does tell us that the focus really was on the mono mixes. I get the impression that in the early sixties stereo was seen as a minority interest, mainly for middle-aged people listening to classical and "light pops". Reportedly, by the time of the White Album, The Beatles had got wise to the fact that people were noticing the differences in the mixes, and figured this meant some people were buying both. So even though they now had eight tracks to play with and were definitely starting to focus on the stereo mix, they deliberately put some differences into the mono mix. Phil Spector was certainly a strong advocate of mono, so maybe he slipped that word into John's mouth. On the other hand, at that time John, looking oddly like Philip Madoc's character in The War Games, perhaps saw stereo as an inherently bourgeois thing (presumably only of interest to those with Rolls Royces and country estates).

[@johnheaton5667]

ha! great observation re War Games....one of my favourites!

[@RobertP_1960]

I have both vinyl and cd versions and to tell the truth..they sound identical played on a good system open and on headphones. I know they were analog transfer not digital. The CDs were made in Japan and very high quality. My opinion, you won't hear any difference worth the cost of the vinyl. I fo like they gave you the original 1965 stereo Help! and Rubber Soul mixes as a bonus on the CD box set. Take care

[@normanbourassa9921]

Out of the original Beatles stereo mixes, the one most in need of better remixes were Rubber Soul and Revolver. I was disappointed that George Martin chose to remix Help! rather than Revolver. I always thought the original 1965 mix of Help! was good. Prior to 1987, the mono mix of Rubber Soul was clearly better.

[@kevinmost2719]

For me some songs sound better in stereo and others sound better in mono.Two songs for me that sound great in mono as an example are Please Please Me and Paperback Writer

[@daniellysohirka5079]

Same with Twist and Shout.

[@jameshogg11]

John, how can I contact you? Its about a 2014 mono copy of Revolver for sale

[@OlavARod]

I think in the case on the new white album on vinyl you have, the numbers started on 9000000.

[@antoniocura1]

John also criticized the stereo version for Revoluition...

[@mrssamwinchester100]

I have no opinion on mono vs stereo but am DROOLING wanting to relisten when you mention the titles. It has been a week or two since I listened. I will listen to them all again today. But when/if I try and replace my album with the false start on I'm Looking Through You, how do I find one? I looked, and none available indicate they have the false start.

[@peterjoslyn1]

The US version has the false start, was released as a CD a few years back. Has both mono and stereo mixes too which is great.

[@jnagarya519]

George Martin said that the first intentionally-stereo LP recorded was "Help!"

[@mars7934]

Mono all the way for me. Much punchier and fuller sounding. However I would like the original 66 stereo mix of Strawberry Fields to be issued again. Much better than the 71 Air remix (that's now the standard mix). Somehow the original stereo got missed on the Pepper 50th, to my disappointment 😕

[@5117sebastian]

it amazes me that no one talks about the differences in the songs, like in please, please me, the stereo version has john laughing because of a mistake of paul, while in the mono version don't...like if they use different takes to each one...wich is why I hate myself for buying the stereo box

[@SFMarine0311]

I just got this box set and “Help” actually has the album twice on CD so there are 14x2 total tracks which is bizarre. My set is authentic so just curious if others have those same 28 tracks on their copy of Help.

[@mars7934]

Yes in the mono box they issued the long out of print original 65 stereo mixes of Help and Rubber Soul. That's why you have 28 tracks!

[@SFMarine0311]

@@mars7934 heh yeah a few others pointed that out to me. I just wasn’t paying attention to the sound but thought my player was on repeat. Thanks!

[@stillastillsfan]

I prefer the stereo versions, even w hearing the mix coming out of L and R speaker. I have the cd mono box set if anyone is interested.

[@debessar95]

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.

[@beatmet2355]

Stereo has a way of allowing you to hear more of the mix in the tracks. The separation makes it easier to hear individual elements, at least in some cases. I grew up with the 1987 CDs and didn’t hear Hard Day’s Night in stereo for many years. The first time I heard the stereo, I noticed bongos. I went back to the mono and they’re there, but buried in the mix.

[@nowherebrit9260]

Hi John, regarding your White Album number I believe that you’re supposed to disregard the 9 at the beginning for some reason. I’ve heard this from a number of sources.

[@IDontRememberMan]

Hi John, I have an unreleased Paul McCartney compilation called Cold Cuts on vinyl that I made a digital copy of. If you'd like to listen to it/review it I can share it with you over email. I'd be interested to see what you think of it, especially since it's a compilation of unheard McCartney tracks (though it does have My Carnival on it). It's a compilation that was intended for release but was shelved and subsequently bootlegged by various sources. It's a good listen. Let me know if you'd like me to send it to you.

[@Ft.Gagiano]

I remember the cold cuts. I had it on cd

[@TheHylianBatman]

I think I agree on your opinion on the recent remasters, especially Abbey Road. I was SO ready to be blown away by "I Want You (She's So Heavy)", ala the Love version, but I just... wasn't. Combine that with the removal of some of the gibberish from the background, and it's just... meh. Definitely prefer the Rock Band mixes. I gotta listen to some more mono, though. As far as I know, I've only heard stereo.

[@patriot1151]

I definitely prefer stereo especially when it comes to the Beatles, only heard the first 3 Beatles albums in Mono but now only have all the albums in stereo.

[@raulmacias1311]

Mr. Heaton, Another great topic! The "Mono" mixes were authorized by The Beatles! They actually supervised the Mono mixes. The so called "Stereo" mixes were done by, I believe, George Martin and he botched a lot of the Stereo mixes by placing the Drums in one of either right or left speaker robbing the song of its power! If I were Ringo Starr, I would be furious with Martin! "Paperback Writer", "Taxman" and "Revolution" and "Hello Goodbye sound atrocious in "Stereo". George Martin should have simply centered the Drums and Bass on all Stereo mixes! Martin did a great job on the Stereo "Rain", "Penny Lane" and "A Day In The Life". Although, "Rain" in Mono suffers in that those famous three part Harmonies by John, Paul and George are submerged in the muddied "Mono" mix.

[@raulmacias1311]

@@cactusjackNV You have to admit, "Paperback Writer", "Taxman" and "Baby, You're A Rich Man", "Hello Goodbye" and "Revolution" sound terrible and very weak in "Stereo"!

[@nigelwood699]

A late 70s Beatles fan too John! Lots of fuss made from collecting purists....both are great really..I though the Mono CD Box was fantastic when it arrived and I loved the ‘larger/less tinny’ sound of the the early material. For me Sgt Pepper in Mono gets the nod, as does the White Album (swampy and claustrophobic in Mono...adds to the mood of it !...I disliked the Giles Martin remix of this and Abbey Road. Magical Mystery Tour is shocking in Mono...Your Mother Should Know with it’s over use of phasing is almost unlistenable. I’m trying my best to get decent copies of the UK Singles in Mono. For some reason (I’m not an audiophile so a bit clueless) I always think the early Singles sound amazing and great loud!

[@paulsurelynotsmith8179]

Interesting debate John having been left rubber soul n revolver by my uncle mono I’ll picked up the Beatles after the split I benefited by uncles n aunts loving the fabs my aunt left me hard days night I agree the early Beatles albums were better mono I noticed when cds came out the early albums for me were far better in mono has the 60s went on the fabs dabbled for me mono but that’s the gene hunt in me the reboots don’t interest me great discussion John.

[@seansmusicandstuff8876]

Just a topic idea. Put the Beatles albums covers in order by your least favorite to favorite

[@goldenears9748]

I remember recording my own version of For the Benefit of Mr Kite in 1990 recording my own silly lyrics by recording it with the balance turned so just the music was heard. Happy times ! God bless stereo !

[@julian_b]

Their stereo mixes got better. On the earlier albums the bass and drums were often hard panned left or right, which gives a bad experience. It was a new thing in the 60s and lots of bands went OTT. For Beatles, up to (and including) Sgt Pepper, mono was far superior.

[@jnagarya519]

Those weren't stereo; Martin makes that clear in his book "All You Need is Ears". They were pre-mixed MONO. He was furious when, after "The Beatles" exploded," EMI released the unmixed mono as "stereo". I can't believe the ignorance on this point persists.

[@TheDylandProductions]

Yeah, I agree - first 5 albums are a hard win for Mono. (Mono Help is my favorite Beatles album, even with the alternate more folksy take of the title song) Please Please Me, the song, is absolutely terrible in stereo; especially the ending. They combine two takes out of sync and the drums just turn into distracting noise at the end. Rubber Soul and Revolver I tend to listen to on Mono more than Stereo, but only because some of the Stereo mixes there are inferior to other versions (like the Yellow Submarine Songtrack or Anthology or something). Both are good, though, and some songs benefit from one over the other. Sgt. Pepper, for me, is another hard win for Mono. Stereo is alright, but again, I think the Mono wins out. Magical Mystery Tour and the White Album were the first time the Beatles themselves oversaw the dedicated Stereo mixes (instead of ignoring them as an oversight). Perfect examples of where Stereo is arguably the "true" version: I Am The Walrus (longer intro), Blue Jay Way (reversed chorus during verses), Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (hand claps), Don't Pass Me By (correct speed), Revolution 9 (Mono is just a fold-down mix of Stereo), and Helter Skelter (Stereo is longer, and includes "I've got blisters" ending). Although, a few of those MMT tracks (mostly the singles) are just painful to listen to on headphones in Stereo - namely All You Need Is Love. Yuck. Abbey Road and Let it Be were only ever released in Mono on LP in Brazil and some other countries - and even then, just as a Stereo fold-down. Unless you 'recreate' the fold-down mixes yourself, Stereo is really the only way to listen to them. Let it Be in particular, though, is essentially Mono anyway, since Phil Spector, especially at that point in his career, was primarily a Mono mixing producer, unfamiliar with Stereo. Not a lot of separation, but really cool. I'm glad I have every album in both. Certainly makes listening fun. Now I've just got to track down some of the American mixes/albums... (minus Dexter reverb. like I'm Looking Through You with the two false starts, or George Martin's score for Hard Day's Night, etc.) By the way, what is your favorite mix of Let it Be (the song)? George Martin single mix (on the Past Masters CD) or the Phil Spector album mix (on Let it Be). I, myself, prefer the Spector version - with the delay on the high-hats and the harder rockier George Harrison guitar solo.

[@BigSky1]

John, I think with the new Mono White Album number the initial 9 does not apply so knock off the 9 and you will have your number. 59,030. I think because the original box came out in 2009 + of course John’’s No.9, No.9!

[@terpsfannc2002]

I choose a 3rd option which is the Giles Martin re-mixes; 1+, Sgt Pepper, White Album, and Abbey Road. I hope we see Let It Be this year.

[@jedikiah1541]

I think they are all better in mono, aside from perhaps the white album.

[@thomas5]

its more the later you go the more even they are, mystery tour sounds pretty good in stereo

[@MartinSoundLabs]

wonder if even the Martians are Still Pissed at Yoko

[@debessar95]

The Beatles In Mono vinyl box set 2014 got a digital treatment as they mentioned in leaflet for Please Please Me. Thus, this is not an analog mastering at all. Don't be fooled by the name. All the vinyl purists have been exposed as a bunch of...

[@rainblaze.]

I think the stereo sgt pepper sucks the life out of it. I remember being really disappointed the first time i got the CD way back in the 90s. I later downloaded a mono version on bit torrent and it really is superior. I've never much cared for "she's leaving home", not that i think it's a bad song, i just think it's completely out of place on pepper that does nothing for letting the song shine and just brings the concept to a holt on the album it's self, "penny lane" or "strawberry fields", would have been far better , or even "it's all to much", at a pinch.