Classic DADs 24/96 sound better in mono?

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I have been listening to some of the Classic DADs of the first generation, mainly the Blue Note series (Canonball Aderley, Hank Mobley, Lou Donaldson, etc), and I can say three things:
- the music is typically excellent on those records, although they are slightly below the top Blue Note titles of that period
- the sound is superb, with little or no clipping, and very rich 24/96 sound on each of the titles I have bought. After a few minutes those discs really pull you into tthe music, even if it's old 1960s jazz, and get you tapping your feet, it's amazing
- HOWEVER, the stereo is not up to today's standards, most of these albums were recorded with a strict separation of the channels, you get one instrument firmly into one channel, "locked" or "boxed in" so to speak. If you listen with headphones, the stereo effect is just not very good.
Here's what I found out:
- Some of these records actually sound better in mono (or dual mono) than in stereo. If your receiver has a mono position, it may be worth a try. You don't get distracted by the fake stereo effect, and the sound has a lot of presence.
- If you can "pan center" the tracks, either on a mixing deck or on your PC, it's also an interesting option, by experimenting what settings work best for you (I find mono is actually more simple and more satisfactory, but YMMV). It works well for headphones as well.
My favourite titles so far are Muddy Waters's Folk Singer (staggering), Kenny Drew Undercurrent, Hank Mobley Roll Call, and of course John Lee Hooker Mr Lucky. But that's just my first impression..
Best
Eric

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Topic - Classic DADs 24/96 sound better in mono? - Eric LeRouge 12:08:17 03/26/04 (1)

Re: Classic DADs 24/96 sound better in mono? - tim.babb 17:11:31 03/26/04 (0)

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