Vinyls with outstanding STEREO effects

[Finyl Vinyl]

As a huge fan of the Beatles, I will defend their use of stereo and also object to the term "stereophonic extremism" or whatever other form of overdoing the stereo bit you migt want to throw at them. Alan Parsons and Pink Floyd would be hanging around Abbey Road studios when ever the Lads would be recording to learn something from George Martin. If they didn't do what they did, you wouldn't have Time nor Money. (Pun unintended). Nor would bands learn "looping" used the first time on Sgt. Pepper, or Lennon lying on the floor singing into a mic suspended from above just because he wanted a different sound, or of (I can't recall clearly) an oscillating speaker and a mic wrapped in a water tight bag and immersed in a bowl of water and singing into it. But this is all gimmickry and I digress from the topic.

As for RDB, he "borrowed" (and I use the term very graciously) from lots of Latin American artists. Santana and Tito Puente come to mind immediately.

If I offend your musical sensibilities, that's my music. G401, thanks for that one on the Lads recordings. Had forgotten that. And yes, not only John, but a lot of purists actually prefer listening to mono. The reason is that they get to enjoy the quality of the music as opposed to feats of sound engineering. I contradict myself when I say this, but one of my favourite mono albums is Sinatra and Basie.

Now damn me away. Shan't duck behind a concrete bunker.

 

[souravin]

Dil Padosi Hain (Asha Bhosle / Gulzar / R.D.Burman) is another stereo album to cherish forever. This is a double LP album with amazing sound effect. The prelude water wave sound of "Majhi Re Majhi" has a woof factor. The down side is the price of this LP has sky rocketed.

Hum Kisise Kum Nahin Side A music competition is also very nice. Peculiar part is Side B is mono. Jeeva (CBS) is another stereo LP. Apart from Roz Roz Aankhon Tale (Asha Bhosle/ Amit Kumar), there is another song Dil Pukarae Jeeva Re Aare by Asha B has tight bass floating around.

 

[G401fan]

Stereo recording in the late 50s and early 60s was still an evolving art form, along with the use of multiple mikes, and also close miking certain instruments. That is why many early stereo LPs had wide separation with a ping pong effect. It got better as the engineers started to understand the medium well enough to generate a proper soundstage (with a greater centre fill) instead of mere separation.

As a consequence many Mono LPs of that period are treasured more, especially early rock and jazz ( Oddly enough, classical Mono LPs have no value for collectors) . The most sought after remain the Blue Note Monos of the late 50s, recorded by Rudy Van Gelder, which have amazing sound quality. Also, the Roy DuNann recordings on the Contemporary label. In rock, the early recordings of Cream, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, etc, were all released in Mono as well as Stereo. This carried on until '68 or thereabouts for most rock releases.

To be avoided: Any LP marked 'Electronically rechanneled for Stereo' which became common in the 70s for reissues of early Mono-only LPs. All have a bleached ping pong sound.

 

[Finyl Vinyl]

Stereo recording in the late 50s and early 60s was still an evolving art form, along with the use of multiple mikes, and also close miking certain instruments. That is why many early stereo LPs had wide separation with a ping pong effect. It got better as the engineers started to understand the medium well enough to generate a proper soundstage (with a greater centre fill) instead of mere separation.

As a consequence many Mono LPs of that period are treasured more, especially early rock and jazz ( Oddly enough, classical Mono LPs have no value for collectors) . The most sought after remain the Blue Note Monos of the late 50s, recorded by Rudy Van Gelder, which have amazing sound quality. Also, the Roy DuNann recordings on the Contemporary label. In rock, the early recordings of Cream, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, etc, were all released in Mono as well as Stereo. This carried on until '68 or thereabouts for most rock releases.

To be avoided: Any LP marked 'Electronically rechanneled for Stereo' which became common in the 70s for reissues of early Mono-only LPs. All have a bleached ping pong sound.

Whew. Finally someone who knows it. But as an aside, I'm going to a listening party next week, featuring a set up I do not know which, and my host is a serious classical LP listener (over 10k LPs) and he swears by mono.

Anyway, I'm out of this thread.

 

[Ambio]

I am just curious to know how wide is the soundstage your are talking about? Is it the speakers angle or sound actually extending beyond the speakers extending to the side wall? It would be great if someone could describe a single track pointing out the spread between instrument vs speakers angle. Otherwise, what are we really describing?

A person who could be putting his speakers along the long wall(120 degrees) and describing the soundstage while another person forms just a 60 degrees speakers angle where the soundstage would inevitably be smaller. In the former setup, the centre would be hollow but you may believe the soundstage is huge because that's what you created by bring the left and right speakers as far as possible.

The only difference when it comes to vinyl, the sound would be more rich and fuller in the centre compared to CD due to poor channel separation in vinyl. In short, despite extending the speakers further apart the sound may appears to possess a better soundstage and stronger centre creating an illusion of wide stereo in vinyl vs digital.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I think the word effects got mixed up. My effect was a fly; I have the LP, so I thought it counted. Somebody else mentioned a waterfall... but threads move on, and if the subject has become stereo, and the art of mastering it for vinyl, then that is something else. But fine. I can feel a tapping on my shoulder and a strict voice reminding me to consider how often I've dragged forum threads far further off topic.

If, on the other hand, it's supposed to be about vinyl does just everything better than any other medium, well... no, it doesn't.

So, having mentioned my fly, I'm probably better off joinig the several species of small furry animal grooving in a cave. As long as the Pict doesn't mind me joining in

 

[Hiten]

If, on the other hand, it's supposed to be about vinyl does just everything better than any other medium, well... no, it doesn't.

Right. CDs have way better channel separation than vinyls. Probably confusion is between good sounding stereo effects of vinyls and the poll 'Do Vinyls really produce better STEREO sound'. Two different things.
Regards.

 

[frend2001]

Right. CDs have way better channel separation than vinyls. Probably confusion is between good sounding stereo effects of vinyls and the poll 'Do Vinyls really produce better STEREO sound'. Two different things.
Regards.

Yeah friend

That's my point. Technically CDs should produce better channel separation but I felt vinyls reproduce a better soundstage.

So thought of brainstorming with FMs

But what an enlightenment .....

:thumbsup:

cheers

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I felt vinyls reproduce a better soundstage.

As per my earlier post, I think that you feel wrong, and, anyway, the only true test would be to compare the same recording from different media, with level matching and all that stuff that makes for a fair objective test.

As for subjective enjoyment: there's no argument with a person enjoying what they choose to listen to in the way that they choose to listen to it. We can argue the technical stuff: we can't argue the personal stuff because that is our personal experience.

500 LPs
200 Shellacs

Wow. How do you handle playing the 78s? cartridge swap? Or a different deck? Oh wait, it looks like you have quite an array of vintage equipment there. If you have posted photos, could you post a reminder link? Or if not posted already, we'd like to see ...please

 

[frend2001]

Wow. How do you handle playing the 78s? cartridge swap? Or a different deck? Oh wait, it looks like you have quite an array of vintage equipment there. If you have posted photos, could you post a reminder link? Or if not posted already, we'd like to see ...please

Thanks Thad,

I've two hand wound gramophone for playing 78s. Inheritance from my grandfather, both of them were lying down in attic for about 5 decades.
And such is the precision of old stuff that after just dusting them, I wound them and on they went.

78s are actually more then 200. I personally like the 78 of 1942 Movie "Ratan".

Will post the pics after some interval as they are in storage right now.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I have one 78RPM Shellac. I don't even know where it came from. My mother threw out all the stuff I used to listen to in my childhood and I have had no means of playing 78s since the Dynatron box my parents bought me in my teens, which I had until it was stolen when I was 21. Not that it worked at that time.

The Dynatron looked like this.

Oh, in the mid/late 70s I inherited one of these

from a departed housemate, and I guess it would have played 78 and 33. I don't know what became of it. Perhaps I became a departing housemate and passed it on in turn. Pity: I think it was a bit of a classic, but I had no appreciation of that at the time

I did have a wind up when I was a child, but it was only used for fun, or when the Radiogram was awaiting repair or a new valve, which seemed to happen regularly.

 

[frend2001]

There's a Gerrard turntable at a dealer here that plays 78s, 45s, 33s, 18s with a changer.

 

[frend2001]

was spinning "erotheque", which came in a lot of 350 LPs I bought.

Guys the LP was never played and when I put it on, whoa What a Bliss...

STEREO got a new meaning.

 

[anirban420]

However I might be a sort of "off-topic". But cant resist myself to say that in '90s Nadeem-Sravan composed a lot of evergreen songs with superb stereo soundstages. 'dil hai ke manta nehin', 'chehra kya dekhte ho', 'mere mehbooba', 'tere dwar par sanam', 'love tujhe love', 'barsaat ke mausam mein' are to name a few. Probably these songs never released in Vinyl format. It will be better if these are available in those big black discs and placing the needle to the start of the record and listening to every songs..... the mechanical thing.... such a involvement with music.....

 

[reubensm]

However I might be a sort of "off-topic". But cant resist myself to say that in '90s Nadeem-Sravan composed a lot of evergreen songs with superb stereo soundstages. 'dil hai ke manta nehin', 'chehra kya dekhte ho', 'mere mehbooba', 'tere dwar par sanam', 'love tujhe love', 'barsaat ke mausam mein' are to name a few. Probably these songs never released in Vinyl format. It will be better if these are available in those big black discs and placing the needle to the start of the record and listening to every songs..... the mechanical thing.... such a involvement with music.....

+1, however the unfortunate side to the story is that almost all those Nadeem Shravan releases were on T-Series, whose LP releases were not that great

I have a few T-series 45rpm 12inch bollywood records which sound better than their 33 1/3 rpm ones.

 

[hildebrand]

There's a Gerrard turntable at a dealer here that plays 78s, 45s, 33s, 18s with a changer.

16s??

I stay away from changers. I am afraid they will break th 78s

 

[Technics_Fan]

By far the best Stereo record that I own is a Phase 4 stereo record (Percussion Around the World).

The is a very clear separation of various instruments used across the left and right channel and was well documented on the sleeve. It is a crying shame that the sleeve was damaged several years ago during rain / floods.


Warm Regards,
Technics_Fan

 

[rohitmusic]

I was listening to "Hum kisise kum nahi" by RD.B. the sterio sepertion and soundstage is very very good.

 

[studiord]

I have a few T-series 45rpm 12inch bollywood records which sound better than their 33 1/3 rpm ones.

Which12" titles were released by T-Series in 45 rpm? I thought only HMV released them.

RD

 

[greenhorn]

Listening to this one now

I think it's the same as this one

Another favourite

I love the intro to the first track of the last one - you have percussion alternating on both channels during the intro - fun to watch on my VU meters.

Ronnie aldrich phase 4 stereo LP's are also fun! (with a piano on each channel)