2015 mono version of highway 61

[emcc_3]

Picked this up the other day and no where on the packaging did it mention it was mono. Will it play on my stereo TT ok?

 

[Al ears]

Picked this up the other day and no where on the packaging did it mention it was mono. Will it play on my stereo TT ok?

It will but not so well as if you actually had a mono cartridge fitted. You can only do it justice with one fitted. Sell it on would be my advice.

 

[6and8]

It should play, no problem. In fact, in the old days some album covers would have a message saying albums could be played with both mono and stereo cartridges. Whether you enjoy listening to mono is another thing. In my collection I've a few older albums that are mono - Dylan, Rolling Stones, Who, Beatles, Jefferson Airplane - the beat goes on. Being mono they sound more of that era. At that time I didn't have a stereo set up but my parents' (mono) Dansette to play my records on. It's all a matter of taste, I've some stereo versions of earlier albums that don't sound that great.

 

[Al ears]

It should play, no problem. In fact, in the old days some album covers would have a message saying albums could be played with both mono and stereo cartridges. Whether you enjoy listening to mono is another thing. In my collection I've a few older albums that are mono - Dylan, Rolling Stones, Who, Beatles, Jefferson Airplane - the beat goes on. Being mono they sound more of that era. At that time I didn't have a stereo set up but my parents' (mono) Dansette to play my records on. It's all a matter of taste, I've some stereo versions of earlier albums that don't sound that great.

Some of the best earlier albums I own, Dylan etc. where recorded in mono and not remastered to stereo until much later. What do you want to hear? You either want it as it was originally recorded or bodged. If you want to hear it at its best then you need the right equipment to do so. This doesn't vary on format and is general across the board.

 

[MajorFubar]

It's extremely unlikely it's been recorded using a mono cutting head, so it will play absolutely fine with a stereo cartridge. The original '65 pressing would be a slightly different kettle of fish, though it would still play.

In the unlikely event your amplifier has a 'mono' button, it's worthwhile engaging it when listening to a mono LP played by a stereo cartridge. Rumble, surface noise and various kinds of tracking errors often manifest themselves out of phase, due to the way stereo records are cut (sum+difference). With a record that's mono to start with, you can make use of the mono button to greatly reduce them.

 

[Al ears]

It's extremely unlikely it's been recorded using a mono cutting head, so it will play absolutely fine with a stereo cartridge. The original '65 pressing would be a slightly different kettle of fish, though it would still play.

In the unlikely event your amplifier has a 'mono' button, it's worthwhile engaging it when listening to a mono LP played by a stereo cartridge. Rumble, surface noise and various kinds of tracking errors often manifest themselves out of phase, due to the way stereo records are cut (sum+difference). With a record that's mono to start with, you can make use of the mono button to greatly reduce them.

True, however I doubt very much that Yamaha has a mono button.

 

[emcc_3]

I believe you can rig a switch using 2 y adapters to achieve the same mono effect.

 

[MajorFubar]

I believe you can rig a switch using 2 y adapters to achieve the same mono effect.

Correct, that would probably work.

 

[emcc_3]

Think I'll give that a try as this one has been redone AAA so you are effectively getting what the original should sound like.

 

[MajorFubar]

wonder if they send it through a digital delay delay line still. Most LPs hve been cut through a digital delay line for four decades, irrespective of whether the master is analogue or digital.

 

[Al ears]

I believe you can rig a switch using 2 y adapters to achieve the same mono effect.

I very much doubt it. If this cut was by Mofi or reputable presser it will be have cut using a mono process. This doesn't mean you cannot play it just not optimally.

 

[MajorFubar]

I believe you can rig a switch using 2 y adapters to achieve the same mono effect.

I very much doubt it. If this cut was by Mofi or reputable presser it will be have cut using a mono process. This doesn't mean you cannot play it just not optimally.

I took it to mean in place of a mono switch. I still highly doubt it will have been cut with a mono head. The equipment to do so was skipped decades ago.

 

[Al ears]

I believe you can rig a switch using 2 y adapters to achieve the same mono effect.

I very much doubt it. If this cut was by Mofi or reputable presser it will be have cut using a mono process. This doesn't mean you cannot play it just not optimally.

I took it to mean in place of a mono switch. I still highly doubt it will have been cut with a mono head. The equipment to do so was skipped decades ago.

Which, I believe, is why they are trying to brought it back, whatever they cut it with a modern stylus isn't going to do it justice. Note the recent release of The Beatles in mono and the Ortofon mono cartridge conjunction.

 

[MajorFubar]

Note the recent release of The Beatles in mono and the Ortofon mono cartridge conjunction.

...yeah which was normal cartridge with a normal-sized stylus tip wired internally for mono. Maybe it was 'kind of' mono if it really did lack the second set of coils needed to track vertical movement, but it was nothing to write home about and was designed only to increase the hype surrounding the mono masters being available on vinyl for the first time in decades, not because you needed it to play the records. The technical details of the cuts (that I'm not now finding on the internet, but which I did read at the time) confirmed the lacquers were all cut with a regular stereo Telefunken head.

 

[Al ears]

Note the recent release of The Beatles in mono and the Ortofon mono cartridge conjunction.

...yeah which was normal cartridge with a normal-sized stylus tip wired internally for mono. Maybe it was 'kind of' mono if it really did lack the second set of coils needed to track vertical movement, but it was nothing to write home about and was designed only to increase the hype surrounding the mono masters being available on vinyl for the first time in decades, not because you needed it to play the records. The technical details of the cuts (that I'm not now finding on the internet, but which I did read at the time) confirmed the lacquers were all cut with a regular stereo Telefunken head.

Irrespective of how it was cut I wouldn't be wasting a nice Shibata tipped moving magnet on it. To hear it as it should be is difficult these days as mono buttons are a thing of the past and you'd be better off with a real mono cartridge.

If you cannot do this then stick with a stereo version of the LP would be my advice.

 

[emcc_3]

Have to say I'm really surprised at how well this works. Top end shrillness has gone and the bottom end has definition. Have listened to this album so many times over the years so know it pretty well. Have to say mono mix is way superior to the stereo. Suppose that is to be expected given the engineers concentrated on the mono with the stereo just an after thought.

 

[emcc_3]

The whistle on the title track is amazing on the stereo mix you barely notice it.

 

[Oldphrt]

Note the recent release of The Beatles in mono and the Ortofon mono cartridge conjunction.

...yeah which was normal cartridge with a normal-sized stylus tip wired internally for mono. Maybe it was 'kind of' mono if it really did lack the second set of coils needed to track vertical movement, but it was nothing to write home about and was designed only to increase the hype surrounding the mono masters being available on vinyl for the first time in decades, not because you needed it to play the records. The technical details of the cuts (that I'm not now finding on the internet, but which I did read at the time) confirmed the lacquers were all cut with a regular stereo Telefunken head.

Irrespective of how it was cut I wouldn't be wasting a nice Shibata tipped moving magnet on it. To hear it as it should be is difficult these days as mono buttons are a thing of the past and you'd be better off with a real mono cartridge.

If you cannot do this then stick with a stereo version of the LP would be my advice.

Any mono record can be played using any stereo cartrridge without a problem. OK so you could reduce noise and distortion if you are fortunate enough to have a mono switch, but it isn't essentlal. I don't see how you could do it with Y connectors. There was a lot of paranoia about such things in the old days so a number of singles that were usually mono were released in stereo without being labelled as such. Those with stereo equipment were delighted, those with mono equipment were none the wiser. Any recent mono records are likely to be cut using a stereo cutter.

 

[thescarletpronster]

I was thinking about this yesterday, and wondering whether it might actually be the case that recent reissues in mono might actually be cut by a stereo head but with exactly the same audio on both channels, giving the effect of mono reproduction but designed to be played using a stereo stylus.

It would make sense, because how many of the people buying mono reissues (rather than having the originals) will have a dedicated mono system?

It would be interesting to know, if anyone has any info about this.

 

[Al ears]

I was thinking about this yesterday, and wondering whether it might actually be the case that recent reissues in mono might actually be cut by a stereo head but with exactly the same audio on both channels, giving the effect of mono reproduction but designed to be played using a stereo stylus.

It would make sense, because how many of the people buying mono reissues (rather than having the originals) will have a dedicated mono system?

It would be interesting to know, if anyone has any info about this.

Having read a bit more into it the subject becomes even more confusing. Some it would appear are cut with a true mono cutting head but these seem to be the more exotic limited releases from specialist producers. Most, like the recent Beatles 're-releases agree cut using a modified (RX6?) stereo cutting head.

Although this may well give a situation as you describe, and will be playable with a stereo cartridge, it would appear the best results would be obtained from a mono cartridge or a very simple conical shaped stylus of some sort.