Mono vs. Stereo preference may just be psychoacoustic variation in individuals. I would never hazard the proposition that one is 'better' than the other per se, that gets into religious territory. Of course 'really' to appreciate mono, one needs an exclusive and dedicated mono setup, so it gets into the fiddle dee dee of country club squabbling over chromed objects d' highendcost.
I have the mono and the stereo versions of 'Night At The Blackhawk', and suffice it to say they are different experiences from each other. Sure, if you want a kind of drilled down intensity to the sound, the mono is nice. However, when you hear the distribution and play of the instruments in stereo, you realize that the stereo version gives a much better impression of the subtle way the musicians interact with each other. The spatial distribution is necessary for that. Horses for courses.