"Andre Jute" wrote

snupped to isolate the point

Snupped??

Whatever....


For years I also had a singleton 57 from some old chappie who read my
music column; it came complete with correspondence in Peter Walker's
own hand which I still have. Sometimes for months on end I would play
just the single 57, and not because I was moving around, quite the
contrary: I was sitting at my desk for 16 hours every day grafting
away on a big book. I remember that as one of the sweetest musical
experiences ever, a really good reason to go mono; that is still my
reference of the purest, most angelic sound I ever heard.


Hah!


Soundstaging
is really a rather trivial trick, and the only one stereo offers for
what is often a very high price in its associated downsides; it is a
party trick for "audiophiles" who have no real interest in the
enjoyment of music.


It never fails to amaze me: a) that so many people dismiss mono simply
because it isn't stereo and b) don't know when they are listening to mono
anyway!!

Only last night, my visitor (presently suffering from ME and struggles to
get out of the house atm and whose weekly 'Tuesday therapy' transcends
trivial interruptions like Christmas) who is a good listener and good
*hearer* requested Brubeck at hideous o'clock last night/early this morning.
I put on the version I like best (original '59 mono recording on Fontana
TFL5085) and we were listening to it; suddenly he said 'That's *mono*!' - I
said 'Yes, do you like it? 'Oh yes!', sez he (Take Five - wot else?)

Stereo has got a lot to answer for with some stuff - 20' wide violins and
pianos being wheeled backwards and forwards across the stage and such!
Here's a Christmas 'Stereo Quiz' game: Change the following in 5 moves, only
one letter at a time:

ENHANCED
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
****EDUP