Am I totally nuts or just a bit off?

You're probably not completely nuts, but then you are into vinyl so that's a big step toward the brink. :)

What you're listening to probably was not recorded using the standard RIAA equalization, but most likely a different EQ. That makes for a different tonal balance, sometimes pretty laid back, sometimes it's a knife in the ears.

I think the mono original Mercury 1812 used a different EQ, before the RIAA standard EQ was developed. Definitely a different tonal balance.

Tosta, if so properly mixed must be rare indeed.

I did walk around with a eyepatch for several years till the VA finally gave me a glass eye, was no big deal.

Rrog, your answer makes a lot of sense to me, thanks.

"Sure seemed to me that mono was way cool especially in the LOW listening fatigue factor. Going on a Goodwill road trip next week-LOL,"

When something is new its easy to overlook flaws. It happens all the time with equipment purchases. Sometime you like a component when you first listen to it but once you have had a chance to listen to it at length, quite often you start hearing things you don't like. I'm not saying that this is the case here, but its possible.

"07-21-13: Rrog
Many people prefer mono because the sound is more natural without the phase problems you get with stereo."

Thats something that can be dealt with. If you match and set your components up properly, phase problems can be avoided.

I agree with Schubert. I always feel more like I'm listening to live music when I listen to mono--especially classical. Maybe this is because I always sit in the nose-bleed seats at classical concerts, so there is no left, right, center, etc. to the sound.