The Beatles Remasters: Each album which is best the Mono or Stereo version?

For me:

Please Please Me: Mono
With The Beatles: Mono
Hard Day's Night: Stereo (although I like the Mono)
Beatles For Sale: Stereo (the revelation for me, sounds stunning)
Help: Stereo (unexpectedly the Mono disappointed me, sounds a little muddy)
Rubber Soul: Mono (the L-R panning seals it, must try the '65 mix)
Revolver: Mono (the L-R panning again)
Sgt. Pepper: Mono (gun to head, but in truth owning both is compulsory)
MMT: Mono (this surprised me)
White Album: Stereo (although a handful of tracks work better in Mono)

Steve

 

I think BFS Stereo is the pick of the set.

 

The stereo version of Helter Skelter slaughters the mono version

 

I'm still undecided about "Revolver" in either stereo or mono. There are tracks I like on each.

 

If you're use to the stereo the mono sounds 'wrong'. The jet noises in USSR are random and intrusive. Don't Pass Me By sounds like it's sung by chipmunks, Revolution 1 sounds messy and the defining moment on Helter Skelter is missing. That said Everybody's got Something to Hide Except for me and my Monkey and While my Guitar ... rock a lot harder in the mono.

 

This all depends on how you like your music. I find just about all the stereo pressings fascinating. The early ones are so bad,but it gives you a glimpse as to how they did what they did and it is unexpected at times.
Like on "I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND". If you listen to the early stereo mix the handclaps and especially Paul playing fifths on the bass ( bridge ) really stand out and you realize that is part of what gave the song its feel.
Hardly anyone notices the fifths being played on the bridge,but it is exactly that that gives the different feel to that part of the song.
That is just one example.
I love Rubber Soul first UK stereo pressing more than any other. The mix is so far apart with no middle. You actually hear what made the album what it was. Of course this stereo mix was panned by just about everyone and remixed with the center in tact.
The White Album is one that I believe is a mono album for fidelity sake. Sounds like much time was put into the mono mix.

 

From what I understand, the mono Revolution 1 is a fold down from the stereo mix.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

My question for those who voted early on: Have repeated listening to both sets changed your opinion i.e. vote on specific albums?

 

Due to the remastering, if it has a mono counterpart, I prefer that. They just have better sound quality to me. I don't listen to the ones that are only stereo. I have other sources for those.

Frank R.

 

Now that I bought the streo box to accompany my mono box I can make my list. Here goes!

Please Please Me: Mono
With The Beatles: Mono
Hard Day's Night: Stereo
Beatles For Sale: Stereo
Help: Stereo
Rubber Soul: Mono
Revolver: Mono
Sgt. Pepper: Mono (I do like the stereo also)
MMT: Stereo
White Album: Stereo (I do like the mono also)

 

Is the poll working right?

Magical Mystery Tour (mono)- 148 vote(s)- 37.9%
Magical Mystery Tour (stereo)- 207 vote(s)- 52.9%

I must listen to this again. I voted mono for this one, though the vote seems to be going the way of the stereo version.

 

Actually dig the '87 Help!, especially the title track.. the mono and '65 stereo sound like a blanket is over everything on that song, and the other tracks sounds pretty flat in comparison. I don't care that the '87's were basically a digital afterthought that Sir George doesn't even remember doing, still sounds great IMO. Ticket To Ride does sound incredible in mono, maaaan what a mix! This song on the '65 stereo has the vocal reverb is a bit too high and overpowering for my tastes, which is also corrected on the '87 version.

As for Rubber Soul.. I agree the mono is great here for the vibe. But again, I prefer the clarity of the '87 stereo over the '65 stereo (which is almost painfully wide and disjointed to listen to, especially on headphones). You can tell right away when AB'ing the first lines of Paul's vocal on You Won't See Me, the '87 sounds like he's right there, crystal clear. Not so with the '65. Same applies to Nowhere Man vocal intro. Just my 2c. and what/why I enjoy

And apologies to rehash a thread that's been dead for a year, but the posters before me resurrected it 3 years after the post before them and no one seemed to mind

 

I say mono all the way, apart from White Album.

For the White Album I generally prefer Stereo apart from maybe one or two tracks. Notably Helter Skelter