soundslike1981
Well-known member
I'm hardly an audiophile, though I do generally find "lo-fi" as an aesthetic/intentional recording method (via boombox mic or whatever) to be a bit put on. I listen to plenty of recordings released on 78 (or even wax cylinder) and can certainly accept the flaws added by the ravages of time--but I will never romanticise them, as they certainly weren't part of the artists original intent. I've never really bought the contentions that "vinyl sounds better," unless one has a really fantastic hi-fi with heavy, pristine vinyl--all the inevitable dust and pops and hiss, most likely on a middling or worse turntable, are tiring.
So those are my biases, or opinions, or preferences. But I can live with all of them, and I'll defend them. But here's the one that I'm pretty sure is indefensible, but which I can't seem to escape: I'm a habitual binaural lover, I want a wide soundstage--I like my records in stereo. At least--when I know they could've been, as in they were released after 1958 and the invention of the stereophonic commercial record.
So this affects me in the following ways, as examples. I can't get as into most early/mid-70s dub as I'd like: having first heard King Tubby and Augustus Pablo's "King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown" in all its true stereo glory at age 14--I've been disappointed by what could have been with so many other should-be-great dub cuts. I can't access most Sun Ra as much as I know I would--the tinny monophonic sound just makes me know how much has been lost in translation from live performance. I'm desperate to hear the stereo version of Tom Dissevelt's 'Fantasy in Orbit'. I think people who revere the monophonic version of 'Pet Sounds' are suffering false consciousness. And worst--I won't even consider mixing a track released in mono.
I'm a stereophonist, and I admit that might be wrong. But I just think if God had meant for us to listen in mono--he would've given us one ear.
Is there any help for me and my 'ist ilk?
Thank you for your time.
(and also--can anyone give me a rundown of any/all Sun Ra actually released in stereo?)
So those are my biases, or opinions, or preferences. But I can live with all of them, and I'll defend them. But here's the one that I'm pretty sure is indefensible, but which I can't seem to escape: I'm a habitual binaural lover, I want a wide soundstage--I like my records in stereo. At least--when I know they could've been, as in they were released after 1958 and the invention of the stereophonic commercial record.
So this affects me in the following ways, as examples. I can't get as into most early/mid-70s dub as I'd like: having first heard King Tubby and Augustus Pablo's "King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown" in all its true stereo glory at age 14--I've been disappointed by what could have been with so many other should-be-great dub cuts. I can't access most Sun Ra as much as I know I would--the tinny monophonic sound just makes me know how much has been lost in translation from live performance. I'm desperate to hear the stereo version of Tom Dissevelt's 'Fantasy in Orbit'. I think people who revere the monophonic version of 'Pet Sounds' are suffering false consciousness. And worst--I won't even consider mixing a track released in mono.
I'm a stereophonist, and I admit that might be wrong. But I just think if God had meant for us to listen in mono--he would've given us one ear.
Is there any help for me and my 'ist ilk?
Thank you for your time.
(and also--can anyone give me a rundown of any/all Sun Ra actually released in stereo?)