This is puzzling.
VLC “correctly” played the Please Please Me FLAC (voices on right channel, instruments on left) in the default stereo mode but not with the channels reversed.
But the No Reply Flac file sounds correct when the stereo channels are reversed but not correct with the default stereo settings.
Go figure...
But the No Reply Flac file sounds correct when the stereo channels are reversed but not correct with the default stereo settings.
Okay, I had not played "No Reply" before, but just did. I tried the way it played normally and reversing it.
On both, the voices seem to be "in the middle" while the instrument track while "normal" was on the left side, and a bit more "in the background". When reversed, the instrumental part was on the right side and a bit stronger than it was while in "normal" mode (on the left).
But, also, when reversed, the instrumental part was sort of almost overpowering the voice track (which was still "in the middle"). So, my guess is that the right way to have it played is with the instrumental part on the left, and a bit more in the background with the voice being given more prominence (and not sort of drowned out).
I'm guessing that this is the way that the sound engineers intended for it to be (instrumentals on the left, more in the background).