Yes, old thread.
Recently I've compared them. IMO the early F11 and F43's I have (Mastered at Capitol, BSK 3060) w/textured covers sound way better than the 45rpm.
I can see why many people would prefer the 45rpm but, really only the bass dynamics are better on the 45rpm. The extra space is nice on some songs on th 45rpm, but overall it's flat and distant by comparison. Drums and guitar sound more real on the original by a good bit. The thing is many stereo's will find the 45rpm better. It's not surprise if it's a preference, until you hear the original in the right setting, then you'll know.
To be fair, I've heard the 45rpm give me a nice wow factor, because it's no slouch. It just doesn't sound real. It's more audiophile, and by that I can only mean meant to sound interesting and not real. I'm not one for seeking recordings for the most superb soundstage, I prefer it sound real more than anything else. And if you didn't know you can't actually hear much of a soundstage under any circumstances live. You might say I'm in it for the gestalt of the music.