CORRECTLY recorded stereo sound is BETTER than mono-however BADLY recorded "stereo" recordings-then a PROPERLY recorded MONO recording is better.The problem with recording industry today---BADLY done mixes,TOO MUCH equalization on the instrument channels(Early recording consoles DID NOT have eq controls)so the recordist had to be skilled in mic use and placement.Early Stereo recordings consoles were really 3 channel-Mono,and Left,Right.and the engineers knew HOW to use them.The recording skills today-----BLEECCCHHH!!!!And the horrible trend in recording today is to try to make the recording sound good on a typical "Boom box" stereo-not a nice Hi-Fi stereo system.Same thing when radio stations set up their audio processing-the PD usually wants LOUDNESS over fidelity and wants to sound good on the poorer quality radios rather than the Hi-Fi ones.Trouble is---more and more cars have quality sound systems in them.Most folks listen to radio in their cars.and the loudness and compression explains why AM transmitter modulator tubes can last not for a few yearss-but only a few months.the tubes get so hot the silver plating flakes off them.Replaced many,many pairs in AM transmitters(Very large push-pull audio amp)And on occasion--blown modulator transformers.
