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Classical Recordings from the Golden Age

Hello All,After having accidentally damaged Quad 2905 panels in both speakers, I’ve been sending speaker after speaker out for panel replacements. So currently, I am right back in mono mode while having a speaker sent out for said repair. The logical choice in a situation like this would be, to strictly play mono recordings. My CD collection is for the most part made up of stereo recordings however, I should add that many of my favorite CD’s are mono remasters from the golden age on labels like Andate, Orfeo d’Or, Music and Arts of America, Testament and Pearl, Great Pianists of the 20th Century, etc.... And, those that especially stand out as favorites are live recordings, i.e.the Salzburg Festival.One major priority when CD shopping is to look for well done remasters from the original sources. The Andante label was far and above a stand out when it came to digital remastering and I so wish they were still in business. However, Orfeo d’Or is a black belt label and now my primary go to for historical recordings. I should note that the Clara Haskil Salzburg Festival recording is remarkable as is the Irmgard Seefried Recordings 1944-67 box set. The Gerard Souzay disc on Testament is a treasure.I could go on listing my favorites but I’m wondering if others also collect mono remasters and if so, what are your recommendations?
goofyfoot
goofyfoot OP
451 posts
 
Sorry, for some reason Audiogon is not allowing me to create paragraphs in the above post.
roberjerman
2,086 posts
 
You can play stereo CDs using the mono switch on your preamp (if it has one). If not, then a y-connector (2 males to either 1 m/f) from your preamp's two left-right outputs will work.
roberjerman
2,086 posts
 
I like to listen to mono LPs and CDs on my stereo system. Image is centered between the two speakers.
goofyfoot OP
451 posts
 
I believe that's a generational thing roberjerman as people once only owned one speaker. Yes, I have a cable running between the left and  right sub outputs which renders the amp mono.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
4,908 posts
 

I have kept my ARC LS-1 all these years expressly for it’s mode switch---Stereo/Reverse/Mono/Left/Right. Before the current rash of 60’s albums issued in Mono on LP and CD (Dylan, The Beatles), the Stereo pressings of albums I wanted to hear in Mono (not having a Mono cartridge) would go into my main pre-amp, the Stereo signal sent out the tape out jacks to the LS-1, where the Mono switch would be engaged. The now Mono signal would be sent back to the main pre via the main output jacks of the LS-1 (the Mode switch is located after the tape output in the circuit) to be heard. Sure, the extra signal processing (extra pre-amp and two pair of ic cables) resulted in a loss of ultimate transparency, but those 60’s albums don’t have that great of sound anyway. I have always played my Mono LP’s with a Stereo cartridge, but a Mono cartridge is in my sights.

A Mode switch is also fun for listening to the Left and Right channels of 60's albums that have the instruments on one, the vocals and other overdubs (tambourine, etc.) on the other. Early Beatles, for instance. You can also switch between the two to hear the God-awful sound of "Electronically Reprocessed For Stereo" (Mono mixes with phase and frequency distortions added) 60's albums, offered for $1 more than the Mono version. In the late-60's, all the early-mid 60's Mono albums of The Beach Boys, The Kinks, The Yardbirds, etc. were cut-out of the label's catalogs, a hole was drilled in the cover or a corner of it cut off, and sold for 59 or 69 cents in drug stores, markets, etc. We collectors made the rounds of the stores regularly, looking for copies for either our collections or to sell/trade to/with other collectors. I still have hundreds of them in my LP racks.

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